Country Lines

Mostly South Australia with some Victoria. I recommend the ARA map.

• Interstate Standard Gauge
  • Adelaide to Tailem Bend - once broad gauge, now standard. This line goes through really hilly terrain, a couple of tunnels and offers excellent views and scenery. Trains can't go very fast along here, meanwhile road traffic now speeds to Tailem bend on the freeway at a speed limit of 110 Km/h. Rail transport takes about twice the time as road, however soon starts to make up.
  • Tailem Bend to Pinaroo (and on to Ouyen in Victoria) May take a while to load.
• Other Standard Gauge
• Sometime I'd like to check out the Loxton line - it's used for grain trains.
• Apamurra is also a grain line, which once ran to Cambrai.
• SA broad gauge
  • Barossa Valley - This line runs from Gawler through the Barossa valley. It branches at Nuriootpa, with one branch to the quarry where a daily cement/lime train runs, the other branch carrying the Barossa Wine Train to Angaston.
  • There are lots of other broad gauge lines heading north to places like Burra, Balaklava and Eudunda. As I understand they are used for seasonal grain trains only, some of the lines appear to be in very poor condition.
  • Mt Barker Junction - Victor Harbour is privately run by SteamRanger, who run heritage tourist trips under steam and diesel power. There are a number of packages available.
• Disused and dismantled SA lines
  • Mt Pleasant Line - this has been dismantled for a long time, although evidence of its existence still shows. It would be nice if it was converted into a bike path, but I think most of the land has been returned to private ownership. The line had no major industry to support it and is very impractical, as Mt Pleasant to Adelaide by road would be at least half the distance as this old line.
  • Cambrai line - this long-disused line has been donated to a tourist railway for use in expanding and repairing their line. The ARA map shows part of this line, as the line to Apamurra is still used for grain trains. Some parts of the line is there, but I've seen trees growing between the rails. I think it would be a good candidate for an exploration. The line could have been a candidate for an alternative hills bypass.
  • Mt Gambier - apparently Scotts transport is interested in having this line reopened as standard gauge, I think this would be great to see it completely converted. At the moment it's isolated with standard gauge on each end.

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