Mainline Operations in Queensland

North Queensland Rail Action
In 2017 this American railfan visited North Queensland

Darling Downs Molasses
For many years molasses, a by-product of sugar refining used as stock feed, was railed from far north Queensland to Warwick on the Darling Downs west of Brisbane.

That traffic has now been lost to road transport but back in 2015 molasses trains … such as the one in the video, were regular runners.

QR North Coast Mainline in 1993
QR’s northcoast mainline was a totally different line to what it is now. Step back to 1993 in this video to a time when there were more trains and more variations in motive power.

Trains in Brisbane 1992
Everything from suburban, interurban, long-distance passenger trains and freight

Ex QR Locos now working in Argentina and Chile
Sold because their owner thought that they were worn out … but they’re still working hard in South America

Pacific National in North Queensland
Pacific National commenced operations in Queensland in 2005 and has gradually grown from an operator with a handful of locos and trains that only ran on the main north coast line to a major mover of coal and other commodities.

Most of this action takes place well north of Brisbane so not that many railway enthusiasts get to see what PN is doing up there.

Here is a snapshot of some of the action in 2016