Private company
Commonwealth Railways
Logo: SCHolar44, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons3
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Australian railway operator (1912–1975)
Commonwealth Railways was a railway operator established in 1917 by the Australian Government to administer the Trans-Australia and Port Augusta-to-Darwin railways. It was effectively a statutory corporation, having been formed under, and governed by, the Commonwealth Railways Act. In 1975, all assets were acquired by the Australian National Railways Commission, branded as 'Australian National Railways' and subsequently 'Australian National', and trademarked as 'AN'.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0
Last updated Oct 21, 2026.
Overview
- HeadquartersAdelaide1
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Commonwealth Railways was a railway operator established in 1917 by the Australian Government to administer the Trans-Australia and Port Augusta-to-Darwin railways. It was effectively a statutory corporation, having been formed under, and governed by, the Commonwealth Railways Act. In 1975, all assets were acquired by the Australian National Railways Commission, branded as 'Australian National Railways' and subsequently 'Australian National', and trademarked as 'AN'.2
Products and brands
For its standard gauge operations, Commonwealth Railways purchased G, K, KA, C, CA, CN and L class steam locomotives. From 1951, it purchased Clyde Engineering built GM and CL class diesel locomotives. It also purchased three CB railcars.
For its narrow gauge operations, NC, NSU, NT and NJ diesels were purchased to replace steam locomotives inherited from the South Australian Railways in 1911.
In 1936, the company owned 105 locomotives, 2 railcars, 67 coaches, 14 brake vans and over 1000 freight wagons.
From Wikipedia’s article on Commonwealth Railways, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
Acquisitions
- Succeeded by Australian National Railways Commission1
Timeline
Links
- WikipediaCommonwealth Railways
- More imagesWikimedia Commons
- WikidataQ1116993
Sources
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
- 1
- 2WikipediaCommonwealth Railways on Wikipedia
- 3Wikimedia CommonsCommonwealth Railways logo by SCHolar44, CC0
- 4
- 5Wikimedia CommonsCommonwealth Railways photo by Marcus Wong Wongm, CC BY-SA 3.0