Evening star., 1941-09-07
Railroad Ownership
in Australia
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.


During pioneer times private en-
terprise made many efforts to build
railways. but with few exceptions
failed, mainly because the population
was too small to provide adequate
finances. As consequence, state govern
ments were compelled to take over lines
wholly or partially completed, and thus
began the system of state and national
government ownership, which developed
successfully until today the railways con-
stitute the greatest industrial enter
prise in Australia both in regard to cap
ital outlay and employment of labor.
There are now 27,251 miles of govern
ment railways and only 721 miles owned
privately.
In the earlier days Of government
ownership, there was much political in
reference with the management of the
railways, but this has about disappeared
owing TO the setting up of commissions
with wide statutory powers The various
governments still make the general policy
of operation and decide for or against
the building of new lines, but actual
management is in the hands of experts.
Railways in Australia are maintained
for public benefit, and earning of profits
is not primary consideration, although
the commissioners are expected to pay
working expenses and as far as possible
meet interest on invested capital. In
normal years this may not be difficult,
but in hard times so many concessions
are made to primary producers that
| avoiding a deficit is a difficult problem.
| All Australian governments are disposed
| to spoon-feed the man on the land, and
| the appetite of the farmer for spoon
feeding is not unlike that of his Amer
| lean cousin.
! In opening virgin country the govern
/ ment railways of Australia have played
/ an important part. Having no dividend
! hungry shareholders 10 consider, govern
ments have followed the policy of con-
/ structing lines far into comparatively
undeveloped sections. aware that losses
| must be sustained until new settlers ar
rive and land along the route is put
| under cultivation or stocked with cat
| tie or sheep. With this policy Australia
| has become the greatest ol-producing
area in the world, taken its place as one
of the four principal wheat-growing
| countries, and has established extensive
industries in dairying, fruit and sugar
cane growing, mining and manufactur-
ing.
The first railway to be operated in
| Australia was a short line from Sand
| ridge, now Port Melbourne to the then
/ infant city of Melbourne, which now has
a population of more than l0000 000
The first train was hauled by a stationary
engine mounted on a truck, with belt
drive to an axle. The engine was Of 80
horsepower, capable of drawing a Load
| of 100 tons at speed Of 25 miles an
hour. Other lines were constructed, but
generally met with financial difficulties
and were taken over by governments OF
the states in which they attempted to
operate, which recognized that without
railways progress would be impossible.
The outstanding railroad of Australia
is the Transcontinental line, owned by
the Commonwealth government and
connecting the state systems Of South
Australia and Westren Australia. 1t is
standard gauge. traverses 105l miles O.
country in which there is no permanent
water stream, and for great distances
no population other than nomadiC
aborigines. One feature of the line is
the straight run of 300 miles across
the Nullarbor Plain.
The longest train journey in Australia
is from NeekatharTa, Western Australia
to Dejarra, Queensland, a distance Of
$500 miles. Five breaks of gauge are
involved in this trip. Diversity Of gauges
is the bugbear OF the Australian rail-
ways. In the old days politicians failed
to envisage the time when railways
would extend far out from the cities to
the boundaries of adjoining states and
the necessity would arise for interstate
transportation. inconvenience to pas
sengers is not serious, usually involving
nothing more than crossing from one
side of a platform TO another. This
lack of standard gauge. however, does
impede the progress of freight ship
ments because of the necessity of re-
loading. But since each state or region
in Australia is not so dependent upon
another, not many freight shipments
go for great distances.
The finest train in Australia is the
Spirit of Progress" built in the Vic
torian railway workshops under the
direction of Sir Harold Clapp, who
following "a years of experience in the
United States, did much to improve the
standard of railroading in Australia
The train is steel-conStructed, luxuri.
ously furnished air-conditioned, accom-.
modates 305 passengers, and has about
everything found in the American
streamliner.
American methods have Influenced
Australian railroad management, anc
ins pre-war days many of the depart
mental heads and promising young mer
we're sent to the United States to study
what should be adopted and what
avoided. Among the features Of the
American system that have been avoided
are the separate ownership of Pullman
cars and the private handling of parcel,
by privately owned express companies.
Australian railways have feature.
which are probably not found in any
other country. One line has a trair
tons of the state in which it operates
and occasionally into other states, fol
the purpose of showing to city business
| men the possibilities of rural develop.
| ment line in New SOIIth Wale,