Lake Cargelligo railway line, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The Lake Cargelligo railway line is a railway line in Central Western New South Wales
, Australia
. The line opened in 1917, and branches from the Main South line
at Cootamundra
and travels in a north-westerly direction to the small town of Lake Cargelligo
. The line is used primarily for grain haulage, although passenger service was provided by CPH railmotor
s until 1983.
The section between Cootamundra and Stockinbingal
forms part of the cross country line between the Main South and Broken Hill line, which allows goods trains to bypass Sydney.
In December 2007, flooding washed away several sections of track between Ungarie
and Lake Cargelligo rendering the track unpassable. The line is awaiting repair.
The line is owned by the Rail Infrastructure Corporation
of New South Wales, however the section between Cootamundra and Stockinbingal is leased by the Australian Rail Track Corporation
(ARTC) who are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the line. The ARTC is responsible for co-ordinating operations over the remainder of the line.
, October, 1973, pp217–239
New South Wales
New 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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , 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...
. The line opened in 1917, and branches from the Main South line
Main Southern railway line, New South Wales
The 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 :...
at Cootamundra
Cootamundra, New South Wales
Cootamundra is a town and Local Government Area in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. At the 2006 census, Cootamundra had a population of 5,566. It is located on the Olympic Highway at the point where it crosses the Muttama Creek, between Junee and...
and travels in a north-westerly direction to the small town of Lake Cargelligo
Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales
Lake Cargelligo is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on Lake Cargelligo. It is in Lachlan Shire. At the 2006 census, Lake Cargelligo had a population of 1,146 people. Its name is said to be a corruption of the Aboriginal word 'Kartjellakoo' meaning 'he had a...
. The line is used primarily for grain haulage, although passenger service was provided by CPH railmotor
CPH railmotor
The CPH railmotors were introduced by the New South Wales Government Railways in 1923 to provide feeder service on country branch lines.- Introduction :...
s until 1983.
Stockinbingal, New South Wales
Stockinbingal is a village in Cootamundra Shire in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. It is also a part of the Riverina, and is on the Burley Griffin Way...
forms part of the cross country line between the Main South and Broken Hill line, which allows goods trains to bypass Sydney.
In December 2007, flooding washed away several sections of track between Ungarie
Ungarie, New South Wales
Ungarie is a town in New South Wales, Australia which is the second major town of the Bland Shire, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located west of Sydney and north of Melbourne, between the towns of West Wyalong and Lake Cargelligo and is situated above sea level...
and Lake Cargelligo rendering the track unpassable. The line is awaiting repair.
The line is owned by the Rail Infrastructure Corporation
Rail Infrastructure Corporation
The 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....
of New South Wales, however the section between Cootamundra and Stockinbingal is leased by the Australian Rail Track Corporation
Australian Rail Track Corporation
Australian 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...
(ARTC) who are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the line. The ARTC is responsible for co-ordinating operations over the remainder of the line.
Further reading
The Centenary of Lake Cargelligo and the Railway's Role - Australian Railway Historical Society BulletinAustralian Railway History
Australian Railway History , is the premier magazine covering railway history in Australia...
, October, 1973, pp217–239