Crows Nest railway line

Crows Nest Branch Railway was originally surveyed as a direct line from Toowoomba north to Crows Nest in Queensland, Australia. The branch eventually took a more circuitous route to cover the maximum amount of farming country. The first stage struck out from Pengarry Junction a short distance west of Toowoomba and continued via Birnan, Cawdor, Shirley, Woolmer, Meringandan and Kleinton to terminate at Cabarlah. It opened on 17 September 1883. Shortly after opening, a daily service was provided to Cabarlah.

The second stage of the line to Crows Nest was opened on 6 December 1886 and stops were located en route at Geham, Mt Luke, Taylor, Hampton and Pechey. The extension serviced sawmills in the Pechey region and, in the case of one business at Perseverance, a tramway was built by its owner west to Hampton siding.

Until about 1930, a daily mixed train departed Crows Nest at 7.00am each morning except Sunday for the 3½-hour trip to Toowoomba. A rail motor service then took over which cut the travel time to a little over 1½ hours. The branch was relegated to goods trains only during the mid-1950s and closed completely on 1 July 1961.

See also

• Rail transport in Queensland

References

• "Triumph of Narrow Gauge: A History of Queensland Railways". John Kerr. 1990. Boolarong Press, Brisbane.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crows Nest railway line.

• 1925 map of the Queensland railway system

Railway lines in Queensland   Main lines Main Line Western Line Southern Line South Western Line North Coast Line Central West Line Mt Isa Line Tablelands Line List of approved, never constructed lines   Country branch lines Operational List of Queensland branch line locations Moura Line Blackwater railway system Goonyella Line Newlands railway system (GAP) Glenmorgan Millmerran Wandoan Closed List of Queensland branch line locations Amiens Beaudesert Bell Blackall and Yaraka Boonah Brisbane Valley Buderim Bulimba Canungra Biloela Thangool Lawgi Cecil Plains Cooyar Crows Nest Dajarra and Selwyn Gladstone to Monto Goomburra Great Western line proposal Haden Injune Isis Jandowae Kajabbi Kilcoy Killarney Mackay Railway and branches Marburg Maryborough to Monto Maryvale Mt Edwards Mt Perry Mulgowie Nanango Pemberton Proston Redbank-Bundamba Southport Tarong Texas Theodore Urangan Wallaville Windera Winton Wooloongabba   Proposed or under construction Cross River Rail Inland Railway Moreton Bay Rail Link Maroochydore railway line Surat Basin railway   Tourist and heritage railways Gulflander Kuranda Scenic Railway Savannahlander Southern Downs Steam Railway Mary Valley Heritage Railway