Article: End of the line for outback Qld rail line

[ozbob]

From the ABC News click here!

End of the line for outback Qld rail line

End of the line for outback Qld rail line
By Chrissy Arthur

Posted June 19, 2012 08:03:11

It is the end of an era for a railway line in western Queensland that was first opened more than a century ago.

The Winton to Hughenden rail line opened in 1899 but it closed in 2008 when it become uneconomical due to declining freight movement on the track.

The 212 kilometres of track pulled up amounts to about 8,500 tonnes.

About 320,000 sleepers have been removed, along with 1.3 million dog spikes and about 200,000 sleepers have been recycled.

Peter Trim from the Department of Transport and Main Roads says funding for the track was diverted to upgrading the road between the towns.

He says that work has almost been completed.

"There will be a huge improvement to the safety of that road between Winton and Hughenden," Mr Trim said.

"It's a part of the 'Dinosaur Trail' which links Winton, Hughenden and Richmond.

"It also provides a very good alternative wet weather access when sections of the Flinders and Landsborough highways are flooded.

"That road is becoming a more important link for communities in the central west to access Charters Towers and Townsville."

Winton Mayor Butch Lenton says there was no doubt the road needed a significant upgrade but closing the rail line may have been short-sighted.

The council borders the booming north-west minerals province and he says it is a shame the rail service had to go.

"The story at the time when it got pulled up was that the line was way too light and would had to have been ripped up anyhow - even if they were going to put a heavier line in," councillor Lenton said.

"If there is to be expansion in other industries out here there probably should be lines coming from that northern line joining the central line somewhere.

"You never know, something might happen further down the track."

[colinw]

Winton to Hughenden was mostly ancient 42 lb/yard rail, directly spiked to sleepers, and laid with minimal ballast. It was only good for 60 tonne DELs (i.e. 1720 class).

From memory the gypsum trains used to run to Winton via Hughenden, but once loaded they had to take the long way round via Longreach because their axle load was too high for the branch line track.

An upgrade to modern standards would have required removal of the old track and ballasting from the ground up, so loss of this line is of little consequence as long as the corridor is retained.

Still, from a foamer's perspective, sad to see it gone. Ditto Yaraka & Dirranbandi.

I wonder how much longer Cunnamulla & Quilpie have to go?

Of all those "woop woop" lines in the west, Quilpie is about the only one that I think has a chance to hang on. It still loads a fair bit of cattle, and (this is going back a few years ago) was in much better condition than the Cunnamulla branch when I was last out that way.

[ozbob]

When I was out at Charleville there was talk of a daily cattle train in the future out of Quilpie.  Cunnamulla is less certain.

There was a news item today on ABC News.  The RTBU has been highlighting possible plans by QRN to close Charleville depot.

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

[mufreight]

When I was out at Charleville there was talk of a daily cattle train in the future out of Quilpie.  Cunnamulla is less certain.

There was a news item today on ABC News.  The RTBU has been highlighting possible plans by QRN to close Charleville depot.

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

By road

[colinw]

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

My response to that involves a reference to a porcine posterior.  Remove the CSO payments and they'll be outta there so fast you'll hear a thunderclap.

[johnnigh]

Great, lets start work on getting it into the Rail-Trail system. What are the distances between water stops or villages? Should be great to ride - horse or bike - maybe walkers if distances aren't too great.

So far, Q'land only has a few such trails: Ipswich-Boonah, and the Brisbane Valley Trail, which is quite a way from completion.

[HappyTrainGuy]

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

I don't see any cargo boats full of locos? You must be dreaming mate.

[colinw]

Great, lets start work on getting it into the Rail-Trail system. What are the distances between water stops or villages? Should be great to ride - horse or bike - maybe walkers if distances aren't too great.

So far, Q'land only has a few such trails: Ipswich-Boonah, and the Brisbane Valley Trail, which is quite a way from completion.

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. Announced with great fanfare, but the delivery is lacking. The Wulkuraka end of it was an impassable quagmire the last time I looked.

Sigh. I have fond memories of toddling along that line (very slowly) behind a 1720 or a C17. 

[petey3801]

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

I don't see any cargo boats full of locos? You must be dreaming mate.

Well, there were one or two not too long ago... But they were taking the locos away from QLD... 

[Fares_Fair]

When I was out at Charleville there was talk of a daily cattle train in the future out of Quilpie.  Cunnamulla is less certain.

There was a news item today on ABC News.  The RTBU has been highlighting possible plans by QRN to close Charleville depot.

QRN " We are committed to maintaining regional rail freight services " ...  I nearly fell off my chair ...

By road