Government railways in Australia operate in all mainland States and Territories. Interstate movement of freight over the rail network is a potentially important method of transportation within the nation.

Because of separate development by the individual States, the Australian railway network contains links of a number of different gauges.

This is the fourth report prepared by the BTE on capital investment needs of transport in urban areas.

This study is one of a series concerned with the evaluation of upgrading options for inter-capital rail links in Australia.

In this Report a number of options for the railway line between Adelaide and Serviceton have been evaluated. This work complements that previously undertaken on the Melbourne to Serviceton link.

The Government rail systems in Australia provide a number of intersystem rail passenger services which cater for intra and interstate travellers. These services are potentially important sources of income for the rail systems concerned.

For the purposes of this study the east-west rail link across Australia was considered in sections: Sydney to Broken Hill, Broken Hill to Port Pirie (including Adelaide to Peterborough and Adelaide to Port Pirie), The Port Pirie Bogie Exchange and

The production and export of wheat is important for Australia and its storage and transport represents a significant load on domestic resources.

The study is based on analysis of all wagon movements in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and on the ComRail system (as it was then) for the month of May 1974.

This Report is the last of a series on railway mainline upgrading options and covers the evaluation of options for upgrading the standard gauge link between Kalgoorlie and Perth.