Lapstone Zig Zag

Lapstone Zig Zag is a revolutionary zig zag railway located in New South Wales, Australia.

It was constructed between 1863 and 1865 to solve the problem of an insurmountable climb to the eastern side of the Blue Mountains. Designed by John Whitton and built by William Watkins, it stands out as the world's first Zig Zag constructed on any main-line railway. The adjacent Knapsack Viaduct, completed in 1865, forms part of Lapstone Zig Zag and was designed to carry the Main Western railway line across Knapsack Gully. It fell into disuse in 1913 and was later widened to accommodate a road. Today, visitors can explore the outdoors and appreciate the unique engineering features of Lapstone Zig Zag through a walking track that includes the old railway track and cuttings, the Knapsack Gully bridge, and the abandoned platform of Lucasville station. The coordinates for Lapstone Zig Zag and Knapsack Viaduct are 33.7522° S, 150.6619° E.