MEMBER OF THE 'DIRTY DOZEN' WORK CREW INSPECTS RAILWAY LINE NEAR KALGOOLIE, 2001-07-26 (photo)

A member of the rail-gang known as 'The Dirty Dozen' walks up the railway line during an inspection of the track near the outback gold-mining town of Kalgoolie, located around 500 kilomtres east of Perth July 26, 2001. The rail gang is made up of a dozen prisoners from the local goal, and maintain the track and locomotives for what is known as the Golden Mile Loopline that used to service the town in the early 1900's. The Loopline historically was the busiest railway in Australia, hauling freight and firewood for the mines and over 9,000 passengers per week. It now operates as a tourist attraction, with only 6.5 kilometres of rail not removed as a result of new mining activities. DG