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On this page I will endeavour to cover Q.R's North Coast Line from Kaili Loop which is fourteen kilometers north of Bowen
and the point where the line for the port at Abbot's Point opened in 1983, departs the NCL and the loop at Bobawaba the
next loop south of Inkerman Loop that already has a page on this site.
The line crosses mostly open country cleared for cattle grazing and some small crops there are few grades on the line
and CTC keeps the trains running at a fast pace. Often the line is subject to flooding during heavy rain and various measures
have been put in place to prevent damage to the track.
The line north from Bowen was constructed by the local council in an attempt to secure its position as the norths primary
port and to try and secure sugar traffic to the north.
It was eventually taken over by the government as part of the North Coast Railway act designed to link the isolated railwas
along the Queensland coast. the first rails were laid in 1889 and private construction stopped at Bobawaba in October 1881.
Work on the line was stalled due to lack of funds and didn't start again untill the implementation of the Railway Act
in 1911 and the line from Bobawaba to Ayr was opened in September 1913.
The line today has been upgraded with welded rail and cement sleepers and plays host to coal, freight, tanker and fast
passenger trains. The loops are listed below with their distance from Brisbane
Kaili 1164 km
Wilmington 1178 km
Guthalungra 1194 km
Gumlu 1211 km
Bobawaba 1224 km
Just north of Kaili Loop PN008 heads north past a dry dam to cross with a southbound Q.R National Train at Wilmington
Loop. 10/11/05 15.28
Southbound train C5N0 with 2365 up the front passed Home Hill at 16.11 and Inkerman at 16.19 and this photo show
it further south between Wilmington and Kaili about 25 km north of Bowen at 5.19. 11/04/05
The Cairns bound tilt train between Kaili and Wilmington it crossed with a southbound train headed by 2848 at Wilmington.
10.30 12/04/05
2848 approches a level crossing 20 km north of Bowen 10.51 after crossing the northbound tilt train. It continued
south passing Merinda at 11.10 and Bowen station at 11.15 and continued south and was last seen at Yates Creek
bridge at 11.31
A southbound Q.R National train with 2602 as a vehicle is about to cross the Bruce Highway north of Wilmington Loop.
A recent collision between a truck and a train here cut service on the line for almost a week. While I was waiting for
this series of photos several cars and trucks ran the lights as trains approached. This train crossed with the train
headed by PN008 featured at the top of the page.
10/11/05 15.49
After the cross at Wilmington Loop PN008 rocks and rolls as it powers north towards Townsville.
10/11/05 16.00
2808 about halfway between Wilmington and Guthalungra with a short freight heading north at 11.13. 06/07/05
A southbound Q.R National train blasts through Guthalungra Loop 09.30 06/07/05. You may notice the large mango tree in
flower many of the loops have remnant gardens from the time they were manned.
Train 6P35 arrived at Merinda at 16.31 and continued past Guthalungra at 17.12 before slowing to cross with 2816 pulling
four container wagons at Gumlu pictured above and below at 17.21. 14/04/05.
2281D + 2209 aproaching the 1206 km post south of Gumlu with a load of coal for the Sun Metals refinery just north of Townsville.
This train originated on the Newlands Line and usually runs a few times a week. 13.51 8/7/05
PN005 on the same section heading north to Townsville 07/07/05.
2848 heads south out of Bobawaba Loop 10.14. 12/04/05
Bobawaba Loop at the 1225 km peg saw a cross with a southbound train pictured above headed by 2353 pulling three
wagons arriving at 8.50 to hold the main. The northbound pictured below headed by 2371 arrived at 8.59 and took the loop
to go around the smaller train. 12/04/05
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