The Moura railway line is a railway in central

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, connecting several coal mines to the port of

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

. It connects the remnants of several lines that previously connected to

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

, originally by a

rack railway A rack railway (also rack-and-pinion railway, cog railway, or cogwheel railway) is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with ...

History

The

Dawson Valley railway line The Dawson Valley Branch Railway was a railway line in Central Queensland, Australia. It branched from the Central Western railway line at Kabra in the Rockhampton Region and went via Mount Morgan to Theodore in the Shire of Banana. It op ...

was built from near Rockhampton, opening in 1898, and the Callide Valley railway line opened in 1917, both having a north–south alignment. In 1953, a spur line opened to serve the Callide Mine, and another to serve the Moura coal mine opened in 1963, both mines shipping coal to Gladstone via Rockhampton, a ~270 km distance. As coal volumes grew a direct line to Gladstone was proposed, and the 151 km Moura Short Line opened in 1968, being the first 'S' (Special) class line in Queensland, with an 18 tonne axle load at the time. It commenced at Graham railway station (in

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses" ...

) on the Monto line, connecting to the Callide Valley line (and the Callide Coalfields) at Earlsfield railway station (in Jambin), and connecting to the Dawson Valley line at Moura Mine Junction, 12 km east of the town of Moura. Before the Moura Short Line opened, the largest QR steam locomotive, known as a

Garratt A Garratt (often referred to as a Beyer Garratt) is a type of steam locomotive invented by British engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts. Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge ...

, could haul a 750-ton coal load to Gladstone via Rockhampton. After the line opened, triple headed diesel hauled trains took 4000 ton coal loads direct to Gladstone.

System realignment

Additional coal mines were developed in the area, and a 5.6 km line from Annandale to Boundary Hill Mine opened in 1983. A balloon loop and 5.6 km connecting line was opened at Moura Mine in 1994. As Gladstone is the major port for central Queensland, the majority of freight began to be railed via the new direct line, and the 69 km Kabra-Wowan and 47 km Baralaba-Moura sections of the Dawson Valley line closed in 1987, effectively shifting the network to an east–west alignment. Further sections subsequently closed such as Thangool-Biloela (11 km) in 1988, Goolara-Theodore (5 km) in 1993, Wowan-Rannes (25 km) and Kooemba-Baralaba (12 km) in 1995, Rannes-Kooemba (25 km) in 1997 and Rannes - Koorngoo (24 km) in 1999. On 26 June 2013 the Earlsfield-Koorngoo,

Dakenba Dakenba is a rural locality in the Shire of Banana, Queensland, Australia. In the , Dakenba had a population of 116 people. Geography The Moura railway line The Moura railway line is a railway in central Queensland, connecting several co ...

-Biloela and Moura-Goolara sections were closed, leaving the system as a 192 km line from Graham to Moura, with a 29 km branch to Callide Coalfields and ~3 km balloon loops at the Boundary Hill and Moura mines.

Present system

Today coal is the main freight hauled on the Moura line, with grain from the silos at Moura being significant, if seasonal, traffic. The line from Dakenbah to Biloela has been removed. The Moura line as far as the Moura balloon loop features 60 kg/m rail on concrete sleepers, a 26.5 tonne axle load, maximum grade of 1 in 63 (~1.6%) eastbound (1 in 50 (2%) westbound), 300m minimum radius curves and a line speed of 80 km/h except for the 10 km section crossing the Calliope Range, which has a 40 km/h speed limit. Beyond that the line has 30 kg/m rail, a 15.75 tonne axle load and a 40 km/h speed limit. The section from Earlsfield to Callide Coalfields via Dakenba features 53 kg/m rail, a 26.5 tonne axle load and curves with a minimum radius of 160m.

Proposed southern connection

A major coal mine is proposed at

Wandoan Wandoan is a town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was formerly known as Juandah. It is on the Leichhardt Highway about halfway between Taroom and Miles and is the centre for the local cattle industry. In the ...

, with coal to be shipped from Gladstone via the proposed Surat Basin railway, which would connect to the Moura line south of the town of

Banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

. This proposed line would be well east of

Taroom Taroom is a town in the Shire of Banana and locality split between the Shire of Banana and the Western Downs Region in Queensland, Australia. At the , Taroom had a population of 869 people. Geography The town is located on the Dawson River ...

, and pass close to the gold mining town of Cracow.

References

External links