Quorn railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Quorn
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Station building in April 2017
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| Location | Flinders Ranges Way, Quorn |
| Coordinates | 32°12′S 138°01′E / 32.20°S 138.02°E |
| Operated by | Australian National / Pichi Richi Railway |
| Line(s) | Central Australia Railway |
| Distance | 374 km (232.39 mi) from Adelaide |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Construction | |
| Structure type | Ground |
| Other information | |
| Status | Closed (still open for PRR) |
| History | |
| Opened | 15 December 1879 |
| Closed | 1972 |
| Rebuilt | 1915 |
Quorn railway station was an important train stop in the town of Quorn, located in South Australia. It was part of the Central Australia Railway line. Today, it is used by a special heritage railway.
Contents
History of Quorn Station
Early Days and Growth
Quorn station first opened on December 15, 1879. At first, it was the end of the Central Australia Railway line coming from Port Augusta. This meant trains could only go as far as Quorn.
Soon after, the railway line was built further north. It reached Hawker in 1880. Much later, in 1929, the line was extended all the way to Alice Springs.
In 1881, Quorn became a very important junction station. This means it was a place where different railway lines met. A new line from Peterborough connected here. This linked Quorn to the southern parts of Australia.
A New Station and Changes
A big new train station was built in Quorn in 1915. This was because a major new railway, the Trans-Australian Railway, was being finished in 1917. This new railway crossed the Nullarbor Plain and connected the east and west sides of Australia. The line through Quorn was going to be part of this important route.
However, in 1937, the main East-West train services changed their route. They started using a new line through Port Pirie instead of Quorn.
Closures and Preservation
Over time, some railway lines started to close. In 1957, a new, wider railway line opened from Stirling North to Marree. This led to the older, narrower line beyond Hawker being closed.
The section of the line from Stirling North to Hawker officially closed on June 1, 1972. The line connecting Quorn to Peterborough also closed later, on March 3, 1987.
The Pichi Richi Railway
Even though the main lines closed, the railway from Quorn to Stirling North was not forgotten. A group called the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society started working to fix it up. They began restoring the line in 1974.
The restoration was finished in 1999. In 2001, the last 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) of the line into Port Augusta were opened on a new path. Today, Quorn station is the main office for the Pichi Richi Railway Society. They run historic trains on the restored line.
