b'The old Ghan line was in its lastyears as trains heading north fromPort Augusta would soon use a newlyconstructed realigned route. The firsttrain on the new line was in October1980. The old Ghan line always hadissues with floods washing awaybridges and sections of track, sandoften encroached on the tracks. Thereare amazing tales of trains strandedby floods and passengers helping toshovel sand off the rails. The old lineto Alice Springs was completed in1929, to keep construction costs to aminimum many low level bridges were Mt Dutton Station. 2006constructed. It proved to be a falseeconomy. The old line was vital in bridges, sidings, water tanks andWorld War II with up to eight trains a station buildings, along the route.day moving troops and equipment Depending on when the grader wasnorth, with the increased heavy traffic last along the road, the Oodnadattathere were problems with the poorly Track can be an easy drive. Thealigned and constructed track. rocky surface can take its toll onThe decommissioning of the railway tyres, especially road orientated tyresline has left some excellent places for on rims larger in diameter than 17.four wheel drivers to explore. The track can shake trailers, camperFollowing sections of the old Ghan trailers and caravans to pieces if it isline can provide an interesting very corrugated. We oncealternative route to Alice Springs. In encountered a luckless traveller,the years immediately following the trying to limp his Mitsubishi Pajero intoclosure of the line there were still level William Creek, with no spare tyres left,crossing signs and various bits of one shredded camper trailer tyre stillrailway gear scattered about. The attached and collapsed camper trailernumerous station buildings and suspension. Thats a really bad day! associated infrastructure were in The abandoned line north Our favourite places to stop andreasonable condition. The rails were of the Finke River. 1989 wander around are the spectacularremoved, and the remaining sleepers vehicles much more suited to the 587 metre long Algebuckina Bridgegradually rotted away or were terrain, many times since the Ford over the Neales River, Beresfordcollected leaving rusted sleeper Escort days. Although some of the Siding, Mt Dutton station ruins andspikes behind. Many four wheel drive original route is on private property Curdimurka Station. There is a nicetyres have been destroyed by the there is still much to see. The most little Ghan line museum at Cowardspikes hidden in the sand. accessible remote area section is Springs and the adjacent campingWe have travelled and explored from Marree along the Oodnadatta area with its plunge bath hasalong the old Ghan line route, in Track to Oodnadatta. There are many buildings made from reclaimedsleepers. Coward Springs hasbecome a very popular camping spotfor Oodnadatta Track travellers andcan be a bit crowded.Heading north from Oodnadatta therailway route passes through somecattle stations but historic sites likePedirka, on a stony plain, and theAbminga Siding area with its manyfeatures, are worth visiting. Finke, nowmore correctly referred to as Aputula,is the start (or finish) of the Old GhanHeritage Trail, promoted by theNorthern Territory Government. Thefirst time we came into Finke from thesouth many years ago, we couldntfind our way to the crossing of theriver. There was nobody about to askand we finally found the school. Theteacher was about to leave for theholidays and was focused on gettingout of town as fast as he could. HeOne of the many low level bridges gave us directions and we were soonchurning through the deep, loose,TRACKWATCH MARCH 2021 15'