Molong- Dubbo railway line, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The Molong- Dubbo railway line is a closed railway line in western New South Wales
, Australia
. It branched off of the Broken Hill railway line
at Molong
and paralleled the Main West line before rejoining it at Dubbo. The line was designed with gentler grades than the steeper section of the Main Western line via Wellington
, but this resulted in it taking a meandering course (131km in length for a point-to point distance of 85km).
The line is particularly scenic, and comprised several steel bridges and some significant engineering works. The New South Wales Government Railways
had intentions for it to become the mainline to Dubbo. The line was approved in 1916, but the First World War saw its construction delayed until 1920. It opened in 1925 with expectations of high traffic as ten crossing loops and significant attended passenger station facilities were provided. It never reached its full potential however.
Passenger services were operated by CPH type rail motors between 1932 and 1974, with the occasional diversion of other mainline trains over the line. The rail motor was withdrawn in September 1974 along with many other branch services during a nation-wide fuel crisis. The line saw considerable local grain haulage however, but the general freight downturn in the 1980s, the opening of the Ulan line
and a transfer of some local grain haulage to road transport by the State Rail Authority saw the line's demise, and it was truncated north of Yeoval in 1987 with the remainder officially closed in 1993.
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...
. It branched off of the Broken Hill railway line
Broken Hill railway line, New South Wales
The 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...
at Molong
Molong, New South Wales
Molong is a small town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, in Cabonne Shire.Molong is located on the Mitchell Highway about 300 kilometres west of Sydney and about 30 kilometres from the city of Orange. It is elevated at 529 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census, Molong...
and paralleled the Main West line before rejoining it at Dubbo. The line was designed with gentler grades than the steeper section of the Main Western line via Wellington
Wellington, New South Wales
Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. The town is the administrative centre of the Wellington Shire Local Government Area. The town is 362 kilometres from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway...
, but this resulted in it taking a meandering course (131km in length for a point-to point distance of 85km).
The line is particularly scenic, and comprised several steel bridges and some significant engineering works. The New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
had intentions for it to become the mainline to Dubbo. The line was approved in 1916, but the First World War saw its construction delayed until 1920. It opened in 1925 with expectations of high traffic as ten crossing loops and significant attended passenger station facilities were provided. It never reached its full potential however.
Passenger services were operated by CPH type rail motors between 1932 and 1974, with the occasional diversion of other mainline trains over the line. The rail motor was withdrawn in September 1974 along with many other branch services during a nation-wide fuel crisis. The line saw considerable local grain haulage however, but the general freight downturn in the 1980s, the opening of the Ulan line
Sandy Hollow- Gulgong railway line, New South Wales
The Sandy Hollow- Gulgong railway line is a railway line in northern New South Wales, Australia. The line forms a cross country connection with the Main North line and the Gwabegar line and ultimately on to the Main West line creating a circuitous bypass of Sydney for freight traffic heading...
and a transfer of some local grain haulage to road transport by the State Rail Authority saw the line's demise, and it was truncated north of Yeoval in 1987 with the remainder officially closed in 1993.