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 Central Western Main Great Northern New South Wales North Coast Southern South Western Tablelands Western List of approved, never constructed lines
South East Queensland Airport Cleveland Corinda to Yeerongpilly Exhibition Ferny Grove Fisherman Islands Gold Coast Pinkenba Redcliffe Peninsula Shorncliffe Springfield
Country branch Operational List of Queensland branch line locations Blackwater railway system Etheridge Glenmorgan Goonyella Kuranda Millmerran Moura Newlands railway system (GAP) Normanton to Croydon Wandoan Closed List of Queensland branch line locations Amiens Beaudesert Bell Blackall & Yaraka Brisbane Valley Buderim Bulimba Callide Valley Canungra Cecil Plains Cooyar Crows Nest Dajarra & Selwyn Dawson Valley Dugandan Gladstone to Monto Goomburra Haden Injune Isis Jandowae Kajabbi Kilcoy Killarney Mackay & branches Marburg Mareeba to Chillagoe Maryborough to Monto Maryvale Mt Edwards Mount Perry Mulgowie Nanango Pemberton Proston Redbank-Bundamba South Coast Tarong Texas Urangan Wallaville Windera Winton Wooloongabba
Proposed or under construction Cross River Rail Great Western Inland Maroochydore Surat Basin
Tourist & heritage Kuranda Scenic Railway Mary Valley Heritage Railway Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway Savannahlander Southern Downs Steam Railway