pinksmile

No, it is not taken from the Southern Cafe Deck. It looks to have been taken by someone climbing Orphan Rock. There is no other place it could have been taken from to give that perspective.

No idea, i assume the winch they installed a few months ago, is able to drag and lower the train with ease, therefore eradicating the need for the Counterweight, but that is pure speculation.

As you can see laurie, hardly anybody is taking this seriously. There have been far too many rumours over the DECADES about the completion of the Orphan Rocker and still nothing. Sorry for the downbeat comment, but that is the fact of the matter.

I will believe it when i see it (SERIOUSLY). We spoke about this topic a couple of years back on this forum. This project has attained mythical status since the early 1980's when it was first built. The track which twists it's way around the top of Scenic World was first installed circa 1982 and has sat untouched for the past 30 years or so (for those who don't know, the track is still there). I saw it as a kid in 1983 and hoped to ride it the next time i was at Scenic World. I'm still waiting to ride it. There have no doubt been millions of tourists since who share the same thoughts.

I may indeed need something, as the Scenic Railway Counterweight is NO LONGER in service as the equipment they are using now does not require the Counterweight to help haul the train . I am heartbroken. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this topic over the past few years it has been great. Thanks

Guys !! Someone please tell me, did they keep the aerial counterweight system or did they get rid of it when they installed the new scenic railway ? i cannot find any recent uploaded pictures or photos etc etc on the internet anywhere that indicate they are still using it. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ?????

Did they retain the old Counterweight operating system, as i was (personally) concerned that they were going to remove it and install something else to counterweigh the train ? Let me know. Thanks

I envy you counterweightrider (seriously) having the opportunity to work at Scenic World and have the chance to maintain the Scenic Railway Counterweight. As you can read in earlier posts on this topic, i absolutely love the Scenic Railway Counterweight and it's operating system etc etc, and have for over 30 years or so. I would love to be given the opportunity to have a go at greasing it, that would make my year.

I have heard that the Scenic Railway is going to be totally upgraded and will be up and running in December 2012. The current Scenic Railway is still in operation. I was writing in to ask anyone out there if they happen to know if Scenicworld are planning to retain the current Counterweight operating system ( i really hope so), or are they going to adopt some other method of transporting the train up and down ? Hope to hear some thoughts. Thanks.

Gazza, i am guessing (as i do not know for sure) that the counterweight barrel was more than likely custom made for it's frame and not a boiler. I read somewhere (i don't recall where) that the weight barrel they currently use is filled with "steel cannon type balls" but, i just read that somewhere so i cannot confirm it.

This is a photograph taken of the Scenic Railway Counterweight as it appears in it's top position up near the cliff face. I suspect the person (thankyou whoever you are) who took the picture was probably a rock climber as the height and angle of the photo suggests that, but who knows ??? This is the first photo (to my knowledge) ever taken of the Scenic Railway Counterweight from this position and it certainly looks very impressive. To those who are unaware, don't be fooled by this shot it is very deceiving. That counterweight may appear to be just hanging there, but it is actually "hanging there" at a height of around 200 metres above the valley floor. Enjoy.

This photo was taken on the 30/9/08, showing the counterweight as it appears from the walking track that leads off the Scenic Railway overpass bridge towards the Scenic Cableway. It was taken from behind (as you cannot read the signage attatched to it) the counterweight as it travelled up towards the cliff face. Enjoy.

Another forgotten photo i just came across, taken on the 30/9/08. This photo shows the original counterweight that was in operation from 1953 - 1974. It was much easier to obtain than the other pictures i have uploaded for the forum - believe me !! I assume it has sat in that position since it was left there in 1974, but who knows.

Finally something to satisfy my curiosity (and anyone elses) . It's taken over 30 years to see, but better late than never (for me anyway). This is a photo taken of the top anchor point for the Scenic Railway Counterweight. It's not very good quality but better than nothing. It shows the old anchor point in the foreground (hence all the rust) and the current one in use behind it.

This photo was taken (i assume) from the front section of the top platform of the Scenic Railway. It shows one of the iron wheels that deflects the towing cable (which you can see) that connects onto the front of the counterweight. This wheel is located (from memory) above and to the left of the cave entrance that the Scenic Railway passes through at the top. The counterweight towing cable does not have a straight up and down travel path (if you know what i mean). It travels down the left hand side of the Scenic Railway top platform, then deflects at the iron wheel (the one in the photo) turning right at about a 50 degree angle (approx)?? heading over the top of the cave entrance, down through the bush over another support wheel or wheels, then deflects again turning left this time, and heads straight towards the cliff traveling over the cliff top wheel and down into the valley connecting onto the counterweight. I am not 100% sure if this is it's exact travel path as you cannot see any of this from the top platform, (except what you see in the photo) but it is a fairly accurate description. (I would love to see it).

I just found this photo, which shows the old anchor wheel in the background and part of the new anchor in the foreground. I am guessing that the "small box on a pole" that leans to the right, which you can see in the top left corner of the photo is (or was) some kind of loud speaker used for communication between the maintenance crew working down there and staff operating the Scenic Railway up at Scenic World. Taken on the 30/9/08. I hope you like it.

A misty day photograph of the counterweight, taken from the bottom platform of the Scenic Railway a few years back. I am still trying to find the time to return to Scenic World myself to capture some photos of the counterweight in it's top position near the cliff face. If anyone else can beat me to it, please upload them.

This photo was uploaded to show the good old black and yellow counterweight signage i was talking about earlier on in this topic. This picture was probably taken about 5 or 6 years ago at a guess.

This is the only known close up photograph (to me anyway) that i have been able to track down of the counterweight at it's top position near the cliff face. It was taken by a tourist (thankyou to you whoever you are) travelling on the Scenic Cableway. Due to the overcast conditions the quality is fairly dark, but hey !! I can only imagine how impressive a shot would look on a sunny day from the same position.

Front on shot of the anchor rock. Taken once again on 30/9/08.

Gazza, check out post number 29 under the Scenic Railway Counterweight topic for the best possible answer i can offer. You are not the first to ask me that question and i can understand why. I mean you (and no doubt quite a few others) are probably thinking this thing is not even a ride, it is just part of the overall machinery that helps operate the Scenic Railway - RIGHT ?? Well, i agree with you. Just bear with me and my counterweight fascination, cause i love talking about it . Hope to hear some thoughts.

A side on shot taken on 30/9/08. Gee i hate that green and white sign writing attached to the side of the counterweight. Please bring back, the yellow and black sign writing from the 1970's and 80's as soon as possible.

This photo shows just about the only thing preventing the old and new anchor point from anchoring no longer, and completely giving way. 2 (steel/iron) ?? bars that connect onto the back of the old anchor, then run directly down the back of the anchor rock. I dont know if they were in place there back in 1986, i sure hope they were though, cause as i was hinting at in my post before last, i was pretty worried about all the noise and sound coming from the old anchor point at the time. Taken on 30/9/08.

This photo shows fairly clearly how the new anchor point works. The track rope runs over the top of the curved support and down to it's base where it is connected. However, the approximate 40 degree angle of the lower section of the support leading down to where the track rope is actually connected is designed that way for a reason. The 40 degree angle is the amount of rise the track cable makes at it's highest point when the counterweight is up near the cliff face. Therefore when the counterweight is up near the cliff face, the track rope is running parallel to the lower section of the support, thus not changing the track rope's connected angle. When the counterweight returns to the valley, the track rope angle returns to just below the horizontal, but the connected angle is still 40 degrees thanks to the curved support frame which allows this without any actual movement of the track rope's connection. So all weight bearing on the track rope is at 40 degrees to the horizontal only. Taken on 30/9/08.

The old design which was in use (for the bottom anchor point anyway) until fairly recently, was the one in the photograph that was uploaded on April 21 2010. The track rope was wrapped around the old iron wheel then clamped off onto the track rope itself. Then as the track rope raised and lowered as the counterweight moved back and forth, the anchor wheel which had the track rope wrapped around it, would rotate back and forth. However, the track rope anchor wheel rotation was limited to moving within the exact same range everytime the counterweight travelled up and down. This therefore would have (i assume) had same effect on the pin that went through the centre of the anchor wheel, causing wear within a limited range on it as well. So, i am guessing the main concern with wear was with the pin that went through the centre of the anchor wheel as it would have recieved the most stress (jasicia is that right)?? When i first saw it operate back in 1986, i sat beside the anchor wheel in the valley (which was chock full of grease) and recall the sound of it as the track rope first raised. I initially thought the whole anchor wheel connection was going to give way (i am not kidding), the stretching load bearing sounds etc it was giving off were that loud.