Platform 9

Who hasn't travelled by train?

Since the invention of rail, it has grown to become one of the major forms of public transport in the world. In Queensland, passengers have travelled by the rail since the 1860s.

Whether it's daily trips Off to school or off to work, Long distance rail journeys, the pleasure of Touring by train, or the comfort of the Refreshment rooms and dining cars there's something special about train travel.

Come along for the ride!

Off to school or off to work

Tens of thousands of Queenslanders rattle off to work or school by train every day. Are you one of them?

Before railways developed in the 19th century, people had to live close to their work or school, usually within walking distance. The railway revolution enabled people to live further away from their workplace in suburbs - or the countryside.

Brisbane's first railway lines were originally built to transport farm produce to market and holiday-makers to the seaside. But people travelling each day to work or school, known as commuters, soon used these lines. Rail later shaped Brisbane's growth - suburbs grew wherever a new line was built.

In other Queensland towns people also travelled to work by train. Special workers' trains were run to large factories, industrial areas, sugar mills and workplaces such as the Ipswich Railway Workshops.

Long distance rail journeys

From the beginnings of railways in Queensland, passengers have crossed the state's vast distances by train.

Trains have carried millions of passengers on long distance journeys - whether travelling to the seaside, visiting distant relatives or leaving home.

Rail travel was popular initially because it was faster and more comfortable than horse-drawn coach. Many of the first long distance passengers travelled on mixed trains, made up of a combination of goods wagons and passenger carriages. As passenger travel grew in popularity, Queensland Railways began operating trains that carried mainly passengers.

Travelling long distances by train is still popular today, despite the growth in bus and air travel.

Touring by train

Touring by train has long been a popular pastime. As cheap and reliable rail transport developed in Queensland, train travel became a leisure activity.

Queensland Railways was a pioneer in promoting tourism in the state. From the 1890s it published travel guides promoting beautiful scenery that could be appreciated from a carriage window. It was among the first to promote the Great Barrier Reef as a winter holiday playground, and established the Sunshine Express to North Queensland in 1935.

Some of the earliest National Parks in Queensland were created on the north coast line near Nambour so passengers could enjoy views of rainforest.

Although cars and aeroplanes have reduced rail tourism, travellers still enjoy the Kuranda tourist train, journeys through outback Queensland in the Gulflander or the Spirit of the Outback, and the luxury of the Great South Pacific Express.

Refreshment rooms and dining cars

Feeling hungry? Need a snack or meal on your journey?

Buying a meal or refreshment has always been an important part of the rail journey.

The refreshment room was once the hub of many Queensland railway stations. Passengers would drop in to buy a snack or meal before commencing a journey, while stopping on the way, or on arrival at their destination.

From the early 1900s passengers could buy light refreshments in the buffet car on long distance trains. Later, the more formal dining car was introduced - a restaurant on wheels.

The airconditioned trains of the 1950s all had dining cars. In the 1970s Queensland trains began to sell takeaway snacks in club cars. Railway refreshment rooms slowly became just a memory.