The Goods

I set out at first light and dawdled considering the notion of blipping early and getting out fast. Newbie tries to save her day.

My hanging around the station on a guess a freight train was soon due to pass through on its way to Melbourne was rewarded at about 7.30 by a rumble I strained to separate out from the intermittent noise not dissimilar to it created by road freight traffic on the nearby Dukes Highway. The train whistle sounded light and musical. I steadied myself to not mess the one opportunity I figured on to catch the potential blip of the day.

I settled into position closer to the edge of the platform than my usual timid character would entertain, and threw off doubt about my ability judging this beast of an engine with its surprising great white light that was piercing the morning light.

As instantly as I took the shot I stepped back from the platform's edge.

The roar of the train cab as it hurtled past defies description. The engine driver closest to the platform seemed to be putting his hands over his ears and indicating something to me. I imagined as the whoosh of noise and its loudness hit me he was telling me to kit up and cover my own ears and I did because I was overwhelmed by the volume of the rattle of the freight trays' passing that seemed as if it would never end.