Re: Mt Gambier network - thoughts

[Neil Waller <waller@iweb.net.au>]

As to the options for a line being all three gauges put so far:

Its not Crystal Brook to Peterborough:  this was 1067mm gauge, and never
1600 mm gauge.

Strictly speaking it was not gauge converted - the 1435 mm line was a
NEW line running more or less parallel to the NG line.

The line is Snowtown to Wallaroo (or perhaps more correctly Snowtown to
Bute).

This line was built 1067 mm (Snowtown to Kadina) and 1600 mm Kadina to
Wallaroo.   The coming of the 1067 mm gauge saw Kadina - Wallaroo
converted to 1600 mm which it remained until the gauge conversion of the
"Western" system in the 1920's to 1600mm guage.

The coming of SG on the Pirie line in around 1982 saw the whole line
converted to dual 1435 mm / 1600 mm gauge.    In the late 1980's some of
the broad gauge rail was removed on the Snowtown - Bute section.

If the broad gauge lines north of Adelaide are to survive their
conversion to standard gauge might be their only hope.   How long can
ASR afford to maintain a broad gauge fleet?    Can they afford the gauge
conversion?

Were these lines to be converted then Hamley Bridge to Balaklava would
have been all three gauges.    But it might be closed first with the new
grain handling facility at nearby Bowmans on the SG.