Railroads In Australia |
![]() Narrow Ga./Standard Ga. |
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Isolated from the new standard gauge lines, today historic equipment operates through
Leongatha and Korumburra on the old broad gauge. The picturesque mining area where once black
coal and gold were worked is now home for the operating steam museum. An example of the
proud old locos, K-class #190 shown here was photographed in May 2000 at the SteamRail
siding at the former Newport Workshops. K190 was moved from Leongatha for major overhaul prior to the weight limitations being applied to the connecting line north. It has been unable to return since. [ Ian Petherick : photo] |
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Western Australia
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During 100 years of operation the system spread across the south west corner of the State
then shrank to only a few short lines. Today at Kwinana, Narrow gauge trains serve the nearby industrial areas
and oil refinery. Since the photo was taken further changes have proceeded, due to privatisation.
Now there are no Government operated freight lines in the State.
WestRail Ian Petherick : photo
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At Pinjara 60 km south of Perth The loco sheds and workshop of the Hotham Valley Railway are now
home for a wide range of operating steam and diesel locos. These power tourist train specials
from Perth in the south west of Western Australia. The S-class narrow gauge (1066mm) loco shown here is typical of the advanced, modern design steam locos that were operating in the final steam days on the WAGR. [Ian Petherick:photo] |
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Not until the Commonwealth Railways were authorized by national parliament was there
a start on the truly Australia-wide system which now exists. Construction of the Trans Australian Railway was started in 1913 and was not completed until the third quarter of 1917, finally connecting the Eastern States with West Australia's Government Rail at Kalgoorlie. |
It took 70 years more to get the transcontinental connection of the Indian Pacific
train as a single gauge trip across the country from Sydney to Perth. On its journey
it crosses a perfectly straight stretch of 500 km (297 miles) on the Nullabor plain.
Although this banner named train has an excellent usage it has been a financial loss
for the government and in 1998 it was sold to a private operating consortium. The passenger trains are expected to continue but the freight trains keep earning real money for the line. Elsewhere in Australian rail operations the government has sold its publicly held operations. Australian National railways was sold to three different operators including American corporations. |
The former Australian National Railway [ AN ] was sold in 1997 to three different organizations. |
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