CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country
New South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and into
QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the
Rail Corporation New South WalesRail Corporation New South Wales is a statutory authority of the New South Wales government. RailCorp owns, operates and maintains the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network which is marketed under the CityRail brand; in addition to operating rural passenger services under the CountryLink...
, a government-owned entity. CountryLink operates rail services using two types of rollingstock - the XPT and the
XplorerThe Xplorer is a Diesel Multiple Unit train used on country passenger rail services in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of two types of passenger rollingstock used by CountryLink, the government owned operator of country trains . The Xplorer trains entered service in 1993, and are externally...
, and contracts out connecting bus services to private operators.
History
CountryLink was formed as a business unit of the State Rail Authority in 1989 to operate all non-metropolitan long distance passenger services. It inherited a fleet of XPT and locomotive hauled passenger trains. This was following the election of the
Greiner State GovernmentNicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
in 1988 and the publication of the Booz- Allen Hamilton report into NSW rail services. This report recommended closing all country passenger services as they were considered economically unviable, however this was politically not feasible.
The report's fall-back position was that NSW move to an all XPT fleet, a move which was initially implemented but never fully introduced. Many locomotive hauled long distance trains, such as the
Brisbane Limited and the
Pacific Coast MotoRail were withdrawn and replaced by XPT services at about this time. In 1993, CountryLink introduced its first and only new passenger stock- the
Xplorer railcarThe Xplorer is a Diesel Multiple Unit train used on country passenger rail services in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of two types of passenger rollingstock used by CountryLink, the government owned operator of country trains . The Xplorer trains entered service in 1993, and are externally...
, to replace the
Northern Tablelands XPT to Tamworth and locomotive hauled services to
CanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. In 1996, political pressure forced the government to reintroduce passenger services to
GriffithGriffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
, initially as a weekly locomotive hauled service and later a weekly Xplorer service. A weekly service to Broken Hill was also reintroduced at about the same time.
In 2004, with the formation of RailCorp, CountryLink became an operating brand of the new corporation.
Network
CountryLink operates its own rollingstock over track owned by the
Rail Infrastructure CorporationThe Rail Infrastructure Corporation is a New South Wales government owned corporation with responsibility for the management of the railway network in rural New South Wales, Australia....
in country NSW, RailCorp in greater metropolitan NSW and the
Australian Rail Track CorporationAustralian Rail Track Corporation is a federal government owned corporation established in 1997 that owns, leases, maintains and controls the majority of main line standard gauge railway lines on the mainland of Australia, known as the Defined Interstate Rail Network .-History:The Interstate...
in Queensland and Victoria. The hub of its operation is Sydney's
Central railway stationCentral Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
. The CountryLink ticket office is located on platform one and it is one of the city's main commuter and long-distance transport hubs.
North Coast region
The North Coast region covers the Central Coast, North Coast and Northern Rivers regions, and South-East Queensland. Accordingly the
Government of QueenslandThe Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
makes a contribution to the provision of these services. North Coast region services appear on the network map in red. Services run along the
Main NorthThe Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
and
North CoastThe North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
lines from Sydney to
Roma Street stationRoma Street railway station is a major railway station in the Brisbane central business district, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It was Brisbane's first railway station, opening in 1876...
in Brisbane. XPT trains serve:
- Brisbane, Queensland
- Broadmeadow, New South Wales
Broadmeadow is the geographic centre of Newcastle city. Its main commercial hub is located at the “Nineways”.-Origins:Broadmeadow was originally part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve of 648 hectares...
- Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
- Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour Railway Station is the railway station serving the city of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the North Coast Line between Sydney and Brisbane. The station opened on 30 August 1915. The station is located in Angus Place in the east of the city near the coastline...
, New South Wales
- Grafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
- Taree, New South Wales
Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...
Connecting buses serve coastal destinations including
AlstonvilleAlstonville is a town located in northern New South Wales, Australia, part of the region known as the Northern Rivers. Alstonville is located on the Bruxner Highway between the town of Ballina and city of Lismore . The village of Wollongbar is situated 4 km to the west of Alstonville...
,
Byron BayByron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
,
Lennox HeadLennox Head is a seaside village on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the stretch of coast between Byron Bay and Ballina in Ballina Shire....
,
LismoreLismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
,
MurwillumbahMurwillumbah is a town of approximately 7,500 people in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. It lies on the Tweed River, 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Murwillumbah had a...
,
Port MacquariePort Macquarie is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. The city is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River, and has an estimated population of 44,313....
,
RobinaRobina is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Robina had a population of 19,182.The Robina Town Centre shopping centre and Bond University are located in Robina.- History :...
,
Surfers ParadiseSurfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
,
Tea GardensTea Gardens is a locality in the Great Lakes Council Local Government Area, located near the southern extremity of the Mid North Coast and the northern extremity of the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia....
,
TuncurryTuncurry is a coastal town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Great Lakes Council LGA, about north north east of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to its twin town of Forster, which is the larger of the two towns....
and
Tweed HeadsTweed Heads is a town located on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in Tweed Shire. Tweed Heads is located next to the border with Queensland, adjacent to the "Twin Town" of Coolangatta, a suburb of the Gold Coast...
.
North Western region
The North Western region covers the state's North West, Northern Tablelands and Hunter regions. North Western region services appear on the network map in orange. Services run from Sydney to the junction at Werris Creek. Two branch lines are in operation, to Moree and Armidale. Xplorer trains serve:
- Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
- Moree, New South Wales
Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains....
- Narrabri, New South Wales
Narrabri is a town and seat of Narrabri Shire Council Local Government Area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales, Australia. Narrabri is situated on the Namoi River and lies northwest of Sydney. It sits on the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Newell Highway...
- Tamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
Connecting buses serve smaller destinations including:
Burren JunctionBurren Junction is a New South Wales village 51 km west of Wee Waa, on the Kamilaroi Highway to Walgett. The name is from the local Aboriginal word for boomerang or 'big creek'...
,
InverellInverell is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River. It is also the centre of Inverell Shire. Inverell is located on the Gwydir Highway on the western slopes of the Northern Tablelands. It has a temperate climate...
,
TenterfieldTenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
,
WalchaWalcha is a parish and town at the south-eastern edge of the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia.The town serves as the seat of Walcha Shire. Walcha is located 425 kilometres by road from Sydney at the intersection of the Oxley Highway and Thunderbolts Way...
and
Wee WaaWee Waa is a town with a population of 1,689 people located on the north-western slopes of the New England region in New South Wales, Australia. The town is within Narrabri Shire local government area and is on the Namoi River. Wee Waa is 41 m north-west of Narrabri and 571 km...
.
Southern region
The Southern region covers the Illawarra, South Coast, Snowy Mountains, South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Riverina and Sunraysia regions plus the Australian Capital Territory and parts of Victoria. Accordingly the
Government of VictoriaThe Government of Victoria, under the Constitution of Australia, ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas...
(though not the ACT Government) makes a contribution to the provision of these services. Southern region services appear on the network map in green. Services run on the
Main South lineThe Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Riverina regions.- Description of route :...
between Sydney and Albury, continuing on the North East line to
Southern Cross StationSouthern Cross is a major railway station and transport hub in Melbourne Docklands, Victoria, Australia. It is located on Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western edge of the central business district...
in Melbourne, with a branch at Goulburn serving Canberra and a branch at Junee serving Griffith.
XPT trains serve:
- Melbourne, Victoria
- Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
- Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
Xplorer trains serve:
- Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
- Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
Connecting buses serve smaller destinations including:
BombalaBombala is a town in the Monaro region of south-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in Bombala Council. It is located approximately south of the state capital, Sydney, and south of the town of Cooma. The name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "Meeting of the waters". The town lies on the...
,
EchucaEchuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
,
EdenEden is a coastal town in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The town, south of the state capital Sydney near the border with Victoria, is located between Nullica Bay to the south and Calle Calle Bay, the northern reach of Twofold Bay, and built on undulating land adjacent to a...
,
GriffithGriffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
,
JindabyneJindabyne is a town in south-east New South Wales, Australia that overlooks Lake Jindabyne near the Snowy Mountains, in Snowy River Shire. It is a popular holiday destination, especially in winter, due to its proximity to several ski resorts throughout the Kosciuszko National Park, including...
,
MilduraMildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
,
TumbarumbaTumbarumba is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, about 500 km southwest of Sydney. Tumbarumba is located within the Riverina region and more specifically on the South West Slopes at the western edge of the Snowy Mountains. At the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, people lived...
and
WollongongWollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
.
Western region
The Western region covers the Central Tablelands and Western regions. Western region services appear on the network map in yellow. Services run on the
Main Western lineThe Main Western Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Blue Mountains, Central West, North West Slopes and the Far West regions.- Description of route :...
between Sydney and Dubbo, and the
Broken Hill lineThe Broken Hill railway line is now part of the transcontinental railway from Sydney to Perth.New South Wales's first line opened from Sydney to Parramatta Junction in 1855 and was extended as the Main Western line in stages to Orange in 1877. The Broken Hill line branched off the Main Western...
to Broken Hill. XPT trains serve:
- Bathurst, New South Wales
Bathurst Railway Station is a regional railway station on Main Western Line. It serves the city of Bathurst and its surrounding area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia...
- Dubbo
- Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
Xplorer trains serve:
- Broken Hill, New South Wales
-Geology:Broken Hill's massive orebody, which formed about 1,800 million years ago, has proved to be among the world's largest silver-lead-zinc mineral deposits. The orebody is shaped like a boomerang plunging into the earth at its ends and outcropping in the centre. The protruding tip of the...
- Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
Connecting buses serve smaller destinations including:
BaradineBaradine is a small town in northern New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, Baradine had a population of 593.Baradine is located on the Coonabarabran-Pilliga road, about midway between Coonabarabran and Pilliga...
,
Bourke-Transportation:Bourke can be reached by the Mitchell Highway, with additional sealed roads from town to the north , east and south . The town is also served by Bourke Airport and has Countrylink bus service to other regional centres, like Dubbo...
,
BrewarrinaBrewarrina is a small town in North West New South Wales, Australia on the banks of the Barwon River in Brewarrina Shire. It is 98 km east of Bourke and west of Walgett on the Kamilaroi Highway, and 808 km from Sydney. Brewarrina has had its population decrease from 1,197 persons in...
,
CondobolinCondobolin is a town in the west of the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on the Lachlan River. At the 2006 census, Condobolin had a population of 2,847.- History :...
,
CoonabarabranCoonabarabran is a town in Warrumbungle Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 2,609.-History and description:...
,
GrenfellGrenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
,
GulgongGulgong is a 19th century gold rush town in the Central-West of the Australian state of New South Wales. The town is located about north west of Sydney, and about 30 km north of Mudgee along the Castlereagh Highway. At the 2006 census, Gulgong had a population of 1,907 people...
,
Lightning RidgeLightning Ridge is a town in north-western New South Wales, Australia, in Walgett Shire, near the southern border of Queensland. The Lightning Ridge area is a world epicentre of the mining of black opals and other opal gemstones. Lightning Ridge has the largest known deposits of black opals in the...
,
NynganNyngan [pr: ning-g'n] is a town in the central west of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Bogan Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Nyngan had a population of 1,975 people. Nyngan is situated on the Bogan River between Narromine and Bourke, on the junction of the...
and
Oberon-See also:*Oberon Correctional Centre*Mount Trickett*Mount Bindo*Shooters Hill-External links:***...
.
Rolling stock
Today, the CountryLink fleet consists of two train types, the XPT and the
XplorerThe Xplorer is a Diesel Multiple Unit train used on country passenger rail services in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of two types of passenger rollingstock used by CountryLink, the government owned operator of country trains . The Xplorer trains entered service in 1993, and are externally...
. The XPT fleet is maintained at a purpose-built facility in the Sydney suburb of Sydenham. Xplorer Railcars are maintained at Eveleigh, next to the facilities used to maintain
CityrailCityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
's Millennium and Oscar trains . It is anticipated that a significant investment in new rolling stock—around $855 million—will be required in the next decade if CountryLink is to continue as a provider of services by rail.
Onboard facilities
CountryLink has recently completed a $43 million refurbishment of the XPT fleet. A similar program occurred for the Xplorer fleet, and completed in late 2009. The refurbishment involved replacing carpet, curtains, seat cushions and covers, together with updating internal wayfinding signage and external re-painting in the new CountryLink livery. Modifications and improvements to air-conditioning systems, bathrooms, the buffet, luggage storage areas and driving cabs have also been made.
The XPT offers economy and first class seating as well as twin share sleeping berth accommodation on overnight journeys. The pitch and recline of first class seats are greater than those in economy. All seats face the direction of travel and can be rotated to form a group of four. All seats feature adjustable arm rests, drop down tables and spring-loaded footrests. The sleeping car provides accommodation for 18 travellers in twin share style compartments. A toilet and shower is located between each compartment and toiletries, towels, bed linen, supper and breakfast are included in the sleeping berth fare. On daytime journeys, where a sleeping car is in the train consist, each compartment converts to three first class seats, which are ideal for families and small groups.
The Xplorer offers economy and first class seating which is similar to that in the XPT. Xplorer trains are not used on overnight services.
Both trains have an onboard buffet that provides light snacks, meals, non-alcoholic hot and cold beverages and an alcohol service.
Both trains are wheelchair accessible, have a wheelchair accessible toilet with baby changing facilities, a nebuliser for asthma sufferers and luggage racks above seats, at the ends of carriages and at each end of the train for checked-in luggage.
Passenger attendants are on board throughout the journey to assist with passengers needs. XPTraveller, CountryLink's onboard magazine, is provided in seat pockets.
Current issues
Ministerial Inquiry
On 9 December 2003, the Minister for Transport Services released Professor
Tom ParryDr Thomas Gregory Parry AM is an economist and public servant from Sydney, Australia.Parry served as foundation chairman of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales for the 12 years to 2004....
's Final Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into Sustainable Transport. Known as the "Parry Report" it recommended refocusing Countrylink, and to adjust fare structures.
"CountryLink currently operates a number of train services that move relatively small numbers of passengers," the inquiry has concluded, noting that the high cost of maintenance and the need to replace rolling stock "makes these services very expensive ... they are expected to become even more expensive in the future." At the time of the report operating expenditure is around five times as much as revenue gained through ticket sales.
The low numbers of passengers are due largely to the high prices CountryLink charges for tickets. This is due to the government view of the service not as an essential part of regional transport infrastructure, but as a cost against their budget that must be reduced wherever possible. The Inquiry does not appear to attempt any calculation of the economic benefits produced by enhanced urban-regional and inter-regional transport links.
The Inquiry also noted that in 2002-03, CountryLink incurred $29.9 million in costs associated with advertising, booking and selling tickets, against $43.5 million in fare revenue. "This is more than two thirds of the revenue received from passengers and is excessive," the Inquiry report stated.
The Inquiry made eight specific recommendations for "refocusing CountryLink":
- review the allocation of costs to CountryLink to improve the transparency of government railway accounts
- seek efficiencies in the marketing of tickets
- align subsidies to CountryLink with the benefits to the community
- seek to have the ACT Government contribute to the cost of the Sydney-Canberra service
- explore alternatives to rail on a case-by-case basis for all rural and regional routes
- include CountryLink in integrated regional transport planning
- establish "Solutions Teams" to assess various areas of CountryLink's operations
- review fare structures and discounting
It seems unlikely that CountryLink's on-rail network will expand—or indeed, maintain its current extent—in the years to come.
Government response
In 2005, the State Government announced a rationalisation of ticket offices across the CountryLink network, but ruled out the closure of further rail services in the immediate future. Ticket prices increased on 1 November.
Transport minister
John WatkinsJohn Arthur Watkins is a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, serving between 2005 until his resignation from Parliament in 2008...
told the
Sydney Morning Herald that "To protect commuters who want a continued rail option, the Government has made a number of changes to booking options in an effort to secure CountryLink's future and boost patronage." Mr Watkins also said in front of news crew that the refurbishment of the XPTs would also encourage more people to use the trains. However the Opposition questioned how price increases would increase patronage.
Outdated Infrastructure
Rural NSW suffers from outdated and poorly maintained track. Much of the rail system used by CountryLink was constructed in the late 1800s and essentially the same track alignment remains more than 100 years after it was first laid down. Replacement of essential works such as bridges has been delayed for very long periods of time. According to a survey by the National Trust there are a number of iron lattice truss girder bridges still in use in country NSW. The oldest of these crosses the Macquarie River at Bathurst. It was constructed in 1876. Plans were made to replace it in 1912 and again in 1985 but neither came to fruition. The Rail Infrastructure Corporation inspected the bridge in May 2003 and recommended that it be replaced within 5 to 10 years. There are speed restrictions of 10 km (freight) and 30 km (passenger) per hour for trains crossing the bridge. In 2009 work to build a new bridge began, with completion due sometime in 2010. It is not known what will happen to the old bridge, and the National Trust has expressed the view that it be retained.
Auslink, the government body which provides a planning framework and funding for the Australian Government's investment in land transport infrastructure, in its 2006 report Sydney Dubbo Corridor Strategy, determined that one of its short term priorities would be to "Address inefficiencies in sections of railway track including sections with poor condition bridges,
track and tunnels and outdated signalling systems."
The Parry Report, referred to above, did not make any reference to improved under-rail infrastructure in rural NSW which would assist CountryLink to overcome its immediate challenges.
See also
- CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
- Indian Pacific
- New South Wales Ministry of Transport
- Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rail Corporation New South Wales is a statutory authority of the New South Wales government. RailCorp owns, operates and maintains the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network which is marketed under the CityRail brand; in addition to operating rural passenger services under the CountryLink...
- Rail transport in New South Wales
The Australian state of New South Wales has an extensive network of railways, which were integral to the growth and development of the state. The vast majority of railway lines were government built and operated, but there were also several private railways, some of which operate to this...
External links