English: South Australian Railways locomotive no. 521 is stationary in the middle of Ellen Street, the main street of Port Pirie, South Australia. It has arrived with the evening train from Adelaide on 22 August 1963. One of the lighting bacons delineating the railway right-of-way is on the right. Further to the right (outside the frame) will be a similar scene of cars and buildings on the other half of the 33-metre (100-foot) wide street.

The locomotive is "Thomas Playford", the second of the 520 class, built in 1944. Even though about half of the 520 class fleet was withdrawn in 1963, they were still favoured because their brisk performance over the mostly flat route to Port Pirie was ideal, and competitive with diesel traction.

Behind the locomotive is a typical train consist of Port Pirie trains: three 1930s-era steel passenger cars, a cafeteria car of 1947, and a 60-foot (18.3 m) "Long Tom" 12-wheeled brake van (1912–1923) that is being loaded or unloaded with milk churns immediately outside the Ellen Street railway station building.