Australians generally assumed in the 1850s that railways would be built by the private sector. Private companies built railways in the then colonies of Victoria, opened in 1854, and New South Wales, where the company was taken over by the government before completion in 1855, due to bankruptcy. South Australia's railways were government owned from the beginning, including a horse-drawn line opened in 1854 and a steam-powered line opened in 1856. In Victoria, the private railways were soon found not to be financially viable, and existing rail networks and their expansion were taken over by the colony. Government ownership also enabled railways to be built to promote development, even if not apparently viable in strictly financial terms. The railway systems spread from the colonial capitals, except in cases where geography dictated a choice of an alternate port.
The Sydney Freight Network is a network of dedicated railway lines for freight in Sydney, Australia linking the state's rural and interstate rail network with the city's main yard at Enfield and Port Botany. Its primary components are the Southern Sydney Freight Line (SSFL) and a line from Sefton to Enfield and Port Botany. The Network has been managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) since 2012. Prior to the completion of the SSFL, it was managed by RailCorp as the Metropolitan Freight Network.
The Deniliquin railway line is a broad-gauge railway line serving northwestern Victoria, Australia. The line runs from the border settlement of Deniliquin into Bendigo, before turning south-southeast towards Melbourne, terminating in Docklands near the central business district. It is a major trunk line both for passenger and freight trains, with many railway lines branching off from it. The line has re-opened and now sees multiple freight trains a year.
Kywong is a rural locality in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The locality is situated on the Sturt Highway, 520 kilometres south west of the state capital, Sydney and 64 kilometres west of Wagga Wagga.
The 48 Class is a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1959 and 1970. Once the most ubiquitous locomotive in New South Wales, Australia, It is based on Alco frames and prime movers, using General Electric electrical equipment. The South Australian Railways 830 and Silverton Rail 48s classes are of a very similar design.
The Oaklands railway line is a partly-closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It is a branch of the Main South line at The Rock, and heads in a south-westerly direction through the towns of Boree Creek and Urana, terminating at Oaklands.
The Lake Cargelligo railway line is a railway line in Central Western New South Wales, Australia. The first sod was turned commencing construction on 8 June 1913 with the line opening on 13 November 1917. The line branches from the Main South line at Cootamundra and travels in a north-westerly direction to the small town of Lake Cargelligo. The line is used primarily for grain haulage, although passenger service was provided until 1983.
The Rankins Springs railway line is a closed railway line in southwestern New South Wales, Australia. The line branched from the Lake Cargelligo line at the town of Barmedman, heading in a westerly direction to the town of Rankins Springs. It opened in 1923, and was constructed primarily to open up the agricultural areas in the vicinity. Passenger services were operated by CPH railmotors until the widespread withdrawal of country branchline trains in 1974. The line carried approximately 80,000 tonnes of grain per year, before being 'mothballed' in 2004.
The Blayney–Demondrille railway line is a railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line is used mainly for grain haulage and is owned by the Transport Asset Holding Entity, a government department of Transport for NSW. However, in 2004 the Australian Rail Track Corporation became responsible for operations over the line. The Lachlan Valley Railway operated heritage and tourist trains over the line, based at Cowra. It previously also operated general goods trains.
The Boggabilla railway line is a disused railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It branches from the Mungindi railway line at Camurra and ran for 130 kilometres to Boggabilla.
The Coonamble railway line is a railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Main West Line at Dubbo. It opened in 1903, and carried passenger traffic until the 1970s. 900/950 class railmotors were first introduced on the service between Dubbo and Coonamble. It continues to carry goods traffic, predominantly grain. The disused historic Coonamble railway station is currently at risk of demolition due to vandalism and high maintenance costs. The line is owned by the Rail Infrastructure Corporation of New South Wales, however operations over the line are managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) under a 60-year agreement. The northern section of the line features track that is in generally poor condition with derailments not uncommon. However, a NSW Government project completed in 2017 restored the line, including by laying new steel sleepers and renewing bridges.
The Grenfell railway line is a partly closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It branches from the Blayney–Demondrille railway line at the town of Koorawatha. The line opened in 1901, and closed between Greenethorpe and at the Grenfell railway station in 1991.
The Parkes–Narromine railway line is a railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line forms part of a cross-country route between Cootamundra on the Main South line and Werris Creek on the Main North line. It is owned by the Rail Infrastructure Corporation of New South Wales, but is managed and maintained by the Australian Rail Track Corporation under a 60-year lease signed in 2004. The line is used mainly for grain haulage, with several silo facilities located along the line. Passenger services ceased in the mid-1970s and there are no surviving passenger stations on the line. The station building at Peak Hill has been relocated to a nearby sportsground.
The Molong–Dubbo railway line is an inactive railway line in western New South Wales, Australia. It branched off the Broken Hill line at Molong and paralleled the Main West line before rejoining it at Dubbo. The line was designed with gentler grades than the steeper section of the Main Western line via Wellington, but this resulted in it taking a meandering course.
El Zorro was an Australian railway operator hauling freight and infrastructure trains in Victoria and New South Wales that ceased trading on 4 June 2013. It was a private company founded in 1999 by Ray Evans who has a taste for things Spanish, El Zorro being Spanish for the fox. At the time of liquidation, the company had two shareholders: director Ray Evans, and ex-director Lisa Trezise. Geoff Tighe, a co-founder and past shareholder and director, was formerly chief executive of Great Northern Rail Services, a now defunct operator which provided locomotives and crews to other operators in Victoria until November 2002.
The Barraba branch railway line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line, which was opened on 21 September 1908, ran for 99 kilometres (62 mi) north along the Manilla valley to the town of Barraba from the Main North railway line at West Tamworth.
The Oaklands railway line is a freight-only railway line in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. The line branches from the main North East railway at Benalla station and runs across the Victoria-New South Wales border to the town of Oaklands, New South Wales.
The Z27 class was a class of steam locomotives built by Hunslet Engine Company for the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.
The Eugowra railway line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The 80 km (50 mi) branch line joins the Blayney-Demondrille line at Cowra.
The Inverell railway line is a closed railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The line branches from the Mungindi line at Moree and travels in an easterly direction through the town of Gravesend then Warialda Rail, gradually increasing in elevation through Delungra towards the terminus at Inverell. An initial estimate of its intended length was 96 miles 35 chains (155.2 km). The line opened in February 1900 as far as Gravesend, then more of the line in 1901 before the Gwydir River bridge was finally finished and the line completed in 1902. It was progressively closed between 1987 and 1994. Currently a 5 km (3.1 mi) section at the Moree end remains in use as a siding for the storage of railway wagons. On 8 August 2016, The NSW Government announced that a 2.8km section of the railway would be reinstated to allow grain to be sent by rail, as part of the Fixing Country Rail pilot round. Up to $2 million was allocated for the project.
