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List Of Heritage Railways

List of heritage railways

List of heritage railways is a link page for any heritage railway anywhere.

Australia

For a list of heritage railways in Australia, see the article List of Australian heritage railways

Belgium

- Dendermonde-Puurs Steam Railway

Canada

Denmark

- Blovstrødbanen
- D-maskinegruppen
- DJK Veterantog Vest
- DSB Museumstog
- GM-gruppen
- Hedelands Veteranbane
- Limfjordsbanen
- Mariager-Handest Veteranbane
- Museumsbanen Maribo-Bandholm
- Nordsjællands Veterantog
- Sydfynske Veteranjernbane
- Veteranbanen Bryrup-Vrads
- Østsjællandske Jernbaneklub

Germany

- Bergische Museumsbahn
- Hannoversches Strassenbahn Museum
- Kleinbahn-Museum Bruchhausen-Vilsen

India

- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
- Nilgiri Mountain Railway
- Matheran Hill Railway

the Netherlands

- Steamtrain Hoorn Medemblik
- Veluwse Stoomtrein Maatschappij

New Zealand

For a list of heritage railways in New Zealand, see the article List of New Zealand railway museums and heritage lines

Republic of Ireland

For a list of heritage railways in the Republic of Ireland, see the article List of heritage railways in the Republic of Ireland

St. Kitts

- St. Kitts Scenic Railway [http://www.stkittsscenicrailway.com/] (over historc tracks)

South Africa

- The Sandstone Heritage Trust [http://www.sandstone-estates.com/] (now operating steam locomotives)

Slovakia

- Čierny Hron Railway

United Kingdom

Great Britain

For a list of heritage railways in England, Wales and Scotland, see the article List of British heritage and private railways.

Northern Ireland

For a list of heritage railways in Northern Ireland, see the article Heritage railways in Northern Ireland.

Isle of Man

For a list of heritage railways on the Isle of Man, see the article Heritage railways in the Isle of Man.

Channel Islands

- Alderney Railway
- Pallot Heritage Steam Museum

United States

Alaska

- White Pass and Yukon Route

Arizona

- Arizona Railway Museum (no excursions listed)
- Grand Canyon Railway
- Old Pueblo Trolley
- Tanana Valley Railroad [http://www.fairnet.org/agencies/tvrr/TVRR_old.html] in Pioneer Park (1899 engine)
- Verde Canyon Railroad

Arkansas

- River Rail Streetcar

California

- Angels Flight
- Calico and Odessa Railroad in the ghost town of Calico
- California State Railroad Museum
- California Western Railroad, also called the Skunk Train
- Disneyland Railroad (three locomotives are historic)
- Fillmore and Western Railway - short line used by Hollywood film industry.
- Ghost Town and Calico Railway in Knott's Berry Farm
- Golden Gate Railroad Museum (no excursions listed)
- Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and Transportation Museum
- Niles Canyon Railway
- Orange Empire Railway Museum
- Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
- Portola Railroad Museum
- Poway-Midland Railroad
- Railtown 1897
- Roaring Camp Railroads
- Sacramento RiverTrain
- San Francisco cable car system
- San Francisco F Market streetcar line
- Santa Clara County Railroad Museum (proposed)
- Sierra Railroad
- Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad
- Yreka Western Railroad [http://www.yrekawesternrr.com]

Colorado

- Colorado Railroad Museum
- Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
- Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
- Georgetown Loop - now defunct
- Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway
- Royal Gorge Route Railroad

Connecticut

- Danbury Railway Museum
- Naugatuck Railroad and Railroad Museum of New England, in Thomaston - has largest collection of vintage New England railroad equip. Operates a 19 mile trip seasonally May-Nov. [http://www.rmne.org]

Delaware

- Wilmington and Western Railroad

Florida

- Old Hickory Railroad [http://www.louisianasteamtrain.com/] 4-4-0, six miles of track near Baton Rouge
- TECO Line Streetcar System
- Walt Disney World Railroad (four locomotives are historic)

Georgia

- Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

Hawaii

- Hawaiian Railway
- Sugar Cane Train

Illinois

- Galesburg Railroad Museum
- Illinois Railway Museum
- Monticello Railway Museum [http://www.prairienet.org/mrm/]

Indiana

- Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society [http://www.765.org/] (future)
- Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum [http://hvrm.railfan.net/]
- Indiana Railway Museum
- Whitewater Valley Railroad

Iowa

- Fourth Street Elevator
- Midwest Central Railroad

Kansas

- Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad
- Midland Railway (Kansas)

Kentucky

- Bluegrass Railroad Museum
- Big South Fork Scenic Railway
- Kentucky Railway Museum

Louisiana

- St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
- Riverfront Streetcar

Maine

- Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad - now defunct
- Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad
- Seashore Trolley Museum
- Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway

Maryland

- B&O Railroad Museum
- Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

Massachusetts

- Berkshire Scenic Railroad Museum [http://www.berkshirescenicrailroad.org/]
- Cape Cod Central Railroad
- Edaville Railroad

Michigan

- Huckleberry Railroad
- Little River Railroad
- Steam Railroading Institute [http://www.mstrp.com/]
- The Henry Ford (track is on museum grounds)

Minnesota

- Como-Harriet Streetcar Line
- Excelsior Streetcar Line
- North Shore Scenic Railroad

Missouri

- Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad [http://www.beltonrailroad.org]
- Branson Scenic Railway [http://bransontrain.com/]

Nebraska

- Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad [http://www.fremontrailroad.com/]

Nevada

- Nevada Northern Railway
- Nevada State Railroad Museum (one and seven mile tracks)
- Virginia and Truckee Railroad (in reconstruction)

New Hampshire

- Conway Scenic Railroad
- Hobo Railroad
- Mount Washington Cog Railway
- Wilton Scenic Railroad

New Jersey

- Black River and Western Railroad [http://www.brwrr.com/]
- New Jersey Museum of Transportation [http://www.njmt.org/]

New Mexico

- Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad

New York

- Adirondack Scenic Railroad
- Arcade and Attica Railroad [http://www.anarr.com/index.html]
- Tioga Scenic Railroad [http://www.tiogascenicrailroad.com/]

North Carolina

- Charlotte Trolley
- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
- North Carolina Transportation Museum [http://www.nctrans.org/]

Ohio

- Buckeye Central Scenic Railroad [http://home.insight.rr.com/pcaravan/]
- Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad [http://www.cvsr.com/index.shtml]
- Hocking Valley Scenic Railway [http://www.hvsry.org/]
- Ohio Central Railroad [http://www.ocsteam.com/] (status uncertain)

Oregon

- Mount Hood Railroad
- Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society
- Portland Streetcar (portions)
- Sumpter Valley Railway
- Willamette Shore Trolley
- Portland Vintage Trolley

Pennsylvania

- Bellefonte Historical Railroad [http://www.bellefontetrain.com/]
- East Broad Top Railroad - a National Historic Landmark
- Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad
- New Hope and Ivyland Railroad [http://www.newhoperailroad.com/]
- Steamtown National Historic Site
- Strasburg Rail Road
- Westmoreland Scenic Railroad - now defunct

Rhode Island

- Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railroad [http://www.ocnrr.com/]

South Dakota

- Black Hills Central Railroad [http://www.1880train.com/] - the 1880 Train
- Prairie Village, Herman and Milwaukee Railroad [http://www.prairievillage.org/Railroad.html]

Tennessee

- Dollywood Express [http://www.dollywood.com/rides-attractions/ride-detail.aspx?AttractionID=105] in Dollywood
- Main Street Trolley
- Tennessee Central Railroad Museum
- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

Texas

- Galveston Trolley [http://www.islandtransit.net/]
- Grapevine Vintage Railroad
- Jefferson and Cypress Bayou Railway
- McKinney Avenue Transit Authority [http://www.mata.org/]
- Texas Railroad Museum (proposed)

Utah

- Heber Valley Historic Railroad

Washington

- Chehalis-Centralia Railroad
- Chelatchie Prairie Railroad
- Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad
- Northern Pacific Railway Museum
- The Northwest Railway Museum
- Pend Oreille Railroad
- George Benson Waterfront Streetcar Line

West Virginia

- Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
- Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad [http://www.mountainrail.com/]
- Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad [http://www.potomaceagle.info/]

Wisconsin

- East Troy Electric Railroad [http://www.easttroyrr.org/]
- Kenosha Streetcar
- Kettle Moraine Scenic Railroad - now defunct
- Lumberjack Steam Train
- Mid-Continent Railway Museum
- Osceola and St Croix Valley Railway

Heritage railway

takes on water at Bishops Lydeard station on the West Somerset Railway, Somerset, England.]] A heritage railway or a preserved railway is a term used, especially in Great Britain, for a railway which is run as a tourist attraction, is usually but not always run by volunteers, and seeks to re-create railway scenes of the past. They may be operated in concert with area museums (particularly transport museums). See List of heritage railways.

Historic heavy and light rail

Heritage railways are usually railway lines which were once run as commercial railways, but were later no longer needed, or were closed down, and were taken over or re-opened by volunteers or for-profit organizations. They are not primarily focused on providing local transportation - although they often do - but on serving tourist and leisure market. Typically a heritage railway will use steam locomotives and old-fashioned rolling stock to create a period atmosphere, although some are now concentrating on more recent "modern image" diesel and electric traction to re-create the post-steam railway era. The first heritage railway to be rescued and run entirely by volunteers was the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. It was taken over by a group of enthusiasts in 1950 and this is widely recognized as the start of the preservation movement. There are now several hundred heritage railways in the United Kingdom. This large number is due in part to the closure of many minor lines in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe. These were relatively easy to revive on a small scale. Another major reason is the British people's general liking for railways. Heritage railways often have limited service, only operating at times when volunteers are available to run the trains. However, following the privatisation of Britain's main-line railways, the lines between for-profit heritage railways and for-profit branch lines is blurring and some heritage railways are now operating as a significant part of the local transport infrastructure.

Heritage streetcars

branch line A related development that is becoming popular in the United States is the heritage streetcar. In many cities, historic streetcar (also termed tramcar, trolley or trams) lines are being put in place alongside modern light rail systems. Proponents claim that using a simple, reliable form of transit from 50 or 100 years ago can bring history to life for 21st century Americans. Additionally, many heritage streetcar lines turn out to be much more economical than their modern counterparts, often with installations that go in at a fraction of the cost of newer lines. However, there are trade-offs: such systems often lack handicapped access (required in the U.S. under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), for example. Most are modified to comply with the law. Systems are operating successfully in over 20 U.S. cities, and are in planning or construction stages in 40 more. Heritage streetcar systems currently operating in Little Rock, Arkansas, Memphis, Tennessee, New Orleans, Louisiana, Philadelphia, PA and Tampa, Florida are among the larger; a heritage line was recently completed in Charlotte, North Carolina and will become an integral part of the city's new transit system. In 1947, American playwright Tennessee Williams brought long-term fame to the streetcars of New Orleans when A Streetcar Named Desire opened on Broadway. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play in 1948. A Streetcar Named Desire was made into a movie starring Marlon Brando in 1951. Over 50 years later, the revival of streetcar operations in New Orleans is credited by many to the worldwide fame gained by its streetcars made by the Perley A. Thomas Car Works. These cars were operating on the system's Desire route in the 1947 play and later movie of the same name. Some of the original Perley Thomas cars have been carefully restored locally and continue to operate in 2004. Sadly, many of the historic streetcars suffered significant water damage in the floods following Hurricane Katrina and the future of the line is in doubt. New Orleans' St. Charles streetcar line is a National Historic Landmark. In San Francisco, parts of the cable car and MUNI streetcar system are heritage lines, although they are also functioning parts of the city's transit system. The cable cars are a National Historic Landmark - with the New Orleans streetcars, the only such landmarks that move. The Hong Kong Tramways in Hong Kong are considered part of the heritage of Hong Kong. In the United Kingdom the vast majority of tram lines were torn up before the heritage movement began to flourish. The tracks and trams were scrapped: although trams are returning to British cities, they are modern transportation systems, not heritage operations. There are, however, thre notable heritage tram operations in the UK. The National Tramway Museum at Crich, is located in an old limestone quarry and has an extensive collection of preserved trams. By contrast the Blackpool tramway is the only surviving first-generation tram system in the UK and provides a service running along the Blackpool Pleasure Beach using historic and modern trams. There is also a modern "heritage" tramway in Birkenhead, Merseyside.

Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the world's smallest continent and a number of islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia's neighbouring countries are Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast. The continent of Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by Indigenous Australians. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the north and by European explorers and merchants starting in the 17th century, the eastern half of the continent was claimed by the British in 1770 and officially settled as the penal colony of New South Wales on 26 January 1788. As the population grew and new areas were explored, another five largely self-governing Crown Colonies were successively established over the course of the 19th century. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. Since federation, Australia has maintained a stable liberal democratic political system and remains a Commonwealth Realm. The current population of around 20.4 million is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Origin and history of the name

The name Australia is derived from the Latin australis, meaning southern. Legends of an "unknown southern land" (terra australis incognita) date back to the Roman times and were commonplace in mediæval geography, but they were not based on any actual knowledge of the continent. The Dutch adjectival form Australische ("Australian," in the sense of "southern") was used by Dutch officials in Batavia to refer to the newly discovered land to the south as early as 1638. The first English language writer to use the word "Australia" was Alexander Dalrymple in An Historical Collection of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, published in 1771. He used the term to refer to the entire South Pacific region, not specifically to the Australian continent. In 1793, George Shaw and Sir James Smith published Zoology and Botany of New Holland, in which they wrote of "the vast island, or rather continent, of Australia, Australasia or New Holland." New Holland was established on this site.]] The name "Australia" was popularised by the 1814 work A Voyage to Terra Australis by the navigator Matthew Flinders. Despite its title, which reflected the view of the Admiralty, Flinders used the word "Australia" in the book, which was widely read and gave the term general currency. Governor Lachlan Macquarie of New South Wales subsequently used the word in his dispatches to England. In 1817 he recommended that it be officially adopted. In 1824, the British Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia.

History

England, claiming the land for Britain in 1770. This replica was built in Fremantle in 1988 for Australia's bicentenary.]] The first human habitation of Australia is estimated to have occurred between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago. The first Australians were the ancestors of the current Indigenous Australians; they arrived via land bridges and short sea-crossings from present-day India or Southeast Asia. Most of these people were hunter-gatherers, with a complex oral culture and spiritual values based on reverence for the land and a belief in the Dreamtime. The Torres Strait Islanders, ethnically Melanesian, inhabited the Torres Strait Islands and parts of far-north Queensland; they possess distinct cultural practices and practised subsistence agriculture. The first undisputed recorded European sighting of the Australian continent was made by the Dutch navigator Willem Jansz, who sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula in 1606. During the 17th century, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines of what they called New Holland, but made no attempt at settlement. In 1770, James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast of Australia, which he named New South Wales and claimed for Britain. The expedition's discoveries provided impetus for the establishment of a penal colony there following the loss of the American colonies that had previously filled that role. penal colony was Australia's largest penal colony.]] The British Crown Colony of New South Wales started with the establishment of a settlement at Port Jackson by Captain Arthur Phillip on 26 January 1788. This date was later to become Australia's national day, Australia Day. Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, was settled in 1803 and became a separate colony in 1825. Britain formally claimed the western part of Australia in 1829. Separate colonies were created from parts of New South Wales: South Australia in 1836, Victoria in 1851, and Queensland in 1859. The Northern Territory (NT) was founded in 1863 as part of the Province of South Australia. Victoria and South Australia were founded as "free colonies"—that is, they were never penal colonies, although the former did receive some convicts from Tasmania. Western Australia was also founded "free", but later accepted transported convicts due to an acute labour shortage. The transportation of convicts to Australia was phased out between 1840 and 1868. The Indigenous Australian population, estimated at about 350,000 at the time of European settlement, declined steeply for 150 years following settlement, mainly because of infectious disease, and forced migration, the removal of children and other colonial government policies, that some historians and Indigenous Australians have argued could be considered to constitute genocide by today's understanding. Such interpretations of Aboriginal history are disputed by some as being exaggerated or fabricated for political or ideological reasons. Following the 1967 referendum, the Federal government gained the power to implement policies and make laws with respect to Aborigines. Traditional ownership of land—native title—was not recognised until the High Court case Mabo v Queensland (No 2) overturned the notion of Australia as terra nullius at the time of European occupation. terra nullius ceremony in Port Melbourne, Victoria, 25 April 2005. Ceremonies such as this are held in virtually every suburb and town in Australia.]] A gold rush began in Australia in the early 1850s, and the Eureka Stockade rebellion in 1854 was an early expression of nationalist sentiment. Between 1855 and 1890, the six colonies individually gained responsible government, managing most of their own affairs while remaining part of the British Empire. The Colonial Office in London retained control of some matters, notably foreign affairs, defence and international shipping. On 1 January 1901, federation of the colonies was achieved after a decade of planning, consultation and voting, and the Commonwealth of Australia was born, as a Dominion of the British Empire. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was formed from New South Wales in 1911 to provide a location for the proposed new federal capital of Canberra (Melbourne was the capital from 1901 to 1927). The Northern Territory was transferred from the control of the South Australian government to the Commonwealth in 1911. Australia willingly participated in World War I; many Australians regard the defeat of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) at Gallipoli as the birth of the nation—its first major military action. Much like Gallipoli the Kokoda Track Campaign is regarded by many as a nation defining battle from World War II. The Statute of Westminster 1931 formally ended most of the constitutional links between Australia and Britain, but Australia did not adopt the Statute until 1942. The shock of Britain's defeat in Asia in 1942 and the threat of Japanese invasion caused Australia to turn to the United States as a new ally and protector. Since 1951, Australia has been a formal military ally of the US under the auspices of the ANZUS treaty. After World War II, Australia encouraged mass immigration from Europe; since the 1970s and the abolition of the White Australia policy, immigration from Asia and other parts of the world was also encouraged. As a result, Australia's demography, culture and image of itself were radically transformed. The final constitutional ties between Australia and Britain ended in 1986 with the passing of the Australia Act 1986, ending any British role in the Australian States, and ending judicial appeals to the UK Privy Council. Although Australian voters rejected a move to become a republic in 1999 by a 55% majority, Australia's links to its British past are increasingly tenuous. Since the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972, there has been an increasing focus on the nation's future as a part of the Asia-Pacific region.

Politics

Whitlam Government was opened in 1988 replacing the provisional Parliament House building opened in 1927.]] The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional monarchy and has a parliamentary system of government. Queen Elizabeth II is the Queen of Australia, a role that is distinct from her position as Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The Queen is nominally represented by the Governor-General; although the Constitution gives extensive executive powers to the Governor-General, these are normally exercised only on the advice of the Prime Minister. The most notable exercise of the Governor-General's reserve powers outside the Prime Minister's direction was the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in the constitutional crisis of 1975. There are three branches of government.
- The legislature: the Commonwealth Parliament, comprising the Queen, the Senate (the Red house), and the House of Representatives (the Green house); the Queen is represented by the Governor-General, who in practice exercises little or no power over the Parliament.
- The executive: the Federal Executive Council (the Governor-General as advised by the executive councillors); in practice, the councillors are the prime minister and ministers of state, whose advice the Governor-General accepts, with rare exceptions.
- The judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts. The State courts became formally independent from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council when the Australia Act was passed in 1986. The bicameral Commonwealth Parliament consists of the Queen, the Senate (the upper house) of 76 senators, and a House of Representatives (the lower house) of 150 members. Members of the lower house are elected from single-member constituencies, commonly known as 'electorates' or 'seats'. Seats in the House of Representatives are allocated to states on the basis of population. In the Senate, each state, regardless of population, is represented by 12 senators, with the ACT and the NT each electing two. Elections for both chambers are held every three years; typically only half of the Senate seats are put to each election, because senators have overlapping six-year terms. The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms Government, with its leader becoming Prime Minister. There are three major political parties: the Labor Party, the Liberal Party and the National Party. Independent members and several minor parties—including the Greens, Family First and the Australian Democrats—have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses, although their influence has been marginal. Since the 1996 election, the Liberal/National Coalition led by the Prime Minister, John Howard, has been in power in Canberra. In the 2004 election, the Coalition won control of the Senate, the first time that a party (or coalition of governing parties) has done so while in government in more than 20 years. The Labor Party is in power in every state and territory. Voting is compulsory in each state and territory and at the federal level.

States and territories

Voting is compulsory Australia consists of six states, two major mainland territories, and other minor territories. The states are New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. The two major mainland territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. In most respects, the territories function similarly to the states, but the Commonwealth Parliament can override any legislation of their parliaments. By contrast, federal legislation overrides state legislation only with respect to certain areas as set out in Section 51 of the Constitution; all residual legislative powers are retained by the state parliaments, including powers over hospitals, education, police, the judiciary, roads, public transport and local government. Each state and territory has its own legislature (unicameral in the case of the Northern Territory, the ACT and Queensland, and bicameral in the remaining states). The lower house is known as the Legislative Assembly (House of Assembly in South Australia and Tasmania) and the upper house the Legislative Council. The heads of the governments in each state and territory are called premiers and chief ministers, respectively. The Queen is represented in each state by a governor; an administrator in the Northern Territory, and the Governor-General in the ACT, have analogous roles. Australia also has several minor territories; the federal government administers a separate area within New South Wales, the Jervis Bay Territory, as a naval base and sea port for the national capital. In addition Australia has the following, inhabited, external territories: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and several largely uninhabited external territories: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory.

Foreign relations and military

Over recent decades, Australia's foreign relations have been driven by a close association with the United States, through the ANZUS pact and by a desire to develop relationships with Asia and the Pacific, particularly through ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum. In 2005 Australia secured an inaugural seat at the East Asia Summit following its accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, in which the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings provide the main forum for co-operation. Much of Australia's diplomatic energy is focused on international trade liberalisation. Australia led the formation of the Cairns Group and APEC, and is a member of the OECD and the WTO. Australia has pursued several major bilateral free trade agreements, most recently the US–Australia Free Trade Agreement. Australia is a founding member of the United Nations, and maintains an international aid program under which some 60 countries receive assistance. The 2005–06 budget provides A$2.5bn for development assistance; as a percentage of GDP, this contribution is less than that of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Australia's armed forces—the Australian Defence Force (ADF)—comprise the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). All branches of the ADF have been involved in UN and regional peacekeeping (most recently in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Sudan), disaster relief, and armed conflict, including the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. The government appoints the chief of the Defence Force from one of the armed services; the current chief is Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. In 2005–06, the defence budget is A$17.5bn.

Geography and climate

Angus Houston Australia's 7,686,850 km² (2,967,909 mi²) landmass is on the Indo-Australian Plate. Surrounded by the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans, Australia is separated from Asia by the Arafura and Timor seas. Australia has a total 25,760 km (16,007 mi) of coastline and claims an extensive Exclusive Economic Zone of 8,148,250 km² or 3,146,057 mi² (excluding the Australian Antarctic Territory). Climate is highly influenced by ocean currents, including the El Niño southern oscillation, which is correlated with periodic drought, and the seasonal tropical low pressure system that produces cyclones in northern Australia. By far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Australia is the driest inhabited continent, the flattest, and has the oldest and least fertile soils. Only the south-east and south-west corners of the continent have a temperate climate. The northern part of the country, with a tropical climate, has a vegetation consisting of rainforest, woodland, grassland and desert. The Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, lies a short distance off the north-east coast and extends for over 2,000 km (1,250 mi). The world's two largest monoliths are located in Australia, Mount Augustus in Western Australia is the largest and Uluru in central Australia is the second largest. At 2,228 m (7,310 ft), Mount Kosciuszko on the Great Dividing Range is the highest mountain on the Australian mainland, although Mawson Peak on the remote Australian territory of Heard Island is taller at 2,745 m (9,006 ft).

Flora and fauna

Heard Island of the wallaby is currently being sequenced; when the sequencing is completed, it will be a major contribution to marsupial biology.]] Although most of Australia is semi-arid or desert, it covers a diverse range of habitats, from alpine heaths to tropical rainforests. Because of the great age and consequent low levels of fertility of the continent, its extremely variable weather patterns, and its long-term geographic isolation, much of Australia's biota is unique and diverse. About 85% of flowering plants, 84% of mammals, more than 45% of birds, and 89% of in-shore, temperate-zone fish are endemic. Many of Australia's ecoregions, and the species within those regions, are threatened by human activities and introduced plant and animal species. The federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is a legal framework used for the protection of threatened species. Numerous protected areas have been created to protect and preserve Australia's unique ecosystems, 64 wetlands are registered under the Ramsar Convention, and 16 World Heritage Sites have been established. Australia was ranked 13th in the World on the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index. Environmental Sustainability Index.]] Most Australian plant species are evergreen and many are adapted to fire and drought, including the eucalypts and acacias. Australia has a rich variety of endemic legume species that thrive in nutrient-poor soils because of their symbiosis with Rhizobia bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. Well-known Australian fauna include monotremes (the platypus and echidna), and a host of marsupials, including the koala, kangaroo, wombat, and birds such as the emu, cockatoo, and kookaburra. The dingo was introduced by Austronesian people that traded with Indigenous Australians around 4000 BCE. Many plant and animal species became extinct soon after human settlement, including the Australian megafauna; many more have become extinct since European settlement, among them the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger).

Economy

Thylacine Australia has a prosperous, Western-style mixed economy, with a per capita GDP slightly higher than those of the UK, Germany and France. The country was ranked third in the United Nations' 2005 Human Development Index and sixth in The Economist worldwide quality-of-life index 2005. In recent years, the Australian economy has been resilient in the face of global economic downturn. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Australia's emphasis on reform is another key factor behind the economy's strength. In the 1980s, the Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Treasurer Paul Keating, started the process of modernising the Australian economy by floating the Australian dollar in 1983, and deregulating the financial system. Since 1996, the Howard government has continued the process of micro-economic reform, including the partial deregulation of the labour market and the privatisation of state-owned businesses, most notably in the telecommunications industry. Substantial reform of the indirect tax system was achieved in July 2000 with the introduction of a 10% Goods and Services Tax, which has slightly reduced the heavy reliance on personal and company income tax that still characterises Australia's tax system. The Australian economy has not suffered a recession since the early 1990s. As of July 2005, unemployment was 5.0% with 10,030,300 persons employed. The service sector of the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services, comprises 69% of GDP. Agriculture and natural-resources represent only 3% and 5% of GDP, respectively, but contribute substantially to Australia's export performance. Australia's largest export markets include Japan, China, the United States, South Korea and New Zealand. Areas of concern to some economists include the chronically high current account deficit and also high levels of net foreign debt.

Demographics

current account deficit Most of the estimated 20.4 million Australians are descended from 19th- and 20th-century immigrants, the majority from Britain and Ireland. Australia's population has quadrupled since the end of World War I , spurred by an ambitious immigration program. In 2001, the five largest groups of the 27.4% of Australians who were born overseas were from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, Vietnam and China. Following the abolition of the White Australia policy, numerous government initiatives have been established to encourage and promote racial harmony based on a policy of multiculturalism. Australia’s population has increased by about 60 times since European settlement. The self-declared indigenous population—including Torres Strait Islanders, who are of Melanesian descent—was 410,003 (2.2% of the total population) in 2001, a significant increase from the 1977 census, which showed an indigenous population of 115,953. Indigenous Australians have higher rates of imprisonment and unemployment, lower levels of education and life expectancies for males and females that are 17 years lower than those of other Australians. Perceived racial inequality is an ongoing political and human rights issue for Australians. human rights.]] In common with many other developed countries, Australia is experiencing a demographic shift towards an older population, with more retirees and fewer people of working age. A large number of Australians (759,849 for the period 2002–03) live outside their home country. Australia has maintained one of the most active immigration programs in the world to boost population growth. Most immigrants are skilled; the quota includes categories for family members and refugees. English is the official language, and is spoken and written in a distinct variety known as Australian English. According to the 2001 census, English is the only language spoken in the home for around 80% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are Chinese (2.1%), Italian (1.9%) and Greek (1.4%). A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are bilingual. It is believed that there were between 200 and 300 Australian Aboriginal languages at the time of first European contact. Only about 70 of these languages have survived, and all but 20 of these are now endangered. An indigenous language remains the main language for about 50,000 (0.02%) people. Australia has a sign language known as Auslan, which is the main language of about 6,500 deaf people. The Australian Constitution guarantees the separation of church and state; there is no state religion. The 2001 census identified that 68% of Australians call themselves Christian: 27% identifying themselves as Roman Catholic and 21% as Anglican. Five per cent of Australians identify themselves as followers of non-Christian religions, and 26% as non-religious. Like many Western countries, the level of active participation in church worship is much lower than this; weekly attendance at church services is about 1.5 million, about 7.5% of the population. School attendance is compulsory throughout Australia between the ages of 6–15 years (16 years in South Australia and Tasmania), contributing to an adult literacy rate that is assumed to be 99%. Government grants have supported the establishment of Australia's 38 universities, and although several private universities have been established, the majority receive government funding. There is a state-based system of vocational training colleges, known as TAFE Institutes, and many trades conduct apprenticeships for training new tradespeople. Approximately 58% of Australians between the ages of 25 and 64 have vocational or tertiary qualifications.

Culture

apprenticeship.]] The primary basis of Australian culture up until the mid-20th century was Anglo-Celtic, although distinctive Australian features had been evolving from the environment and indigenous culture. Over the past 50 years, Australian culture has been strongly influenced by American popular culture (particularly television and cinema), large-scale immigration from non-English-speaking countries, and Australia's Asian neighbours. Australia has a long history of visual arts, starting with the cave and bark paintings of its indigenous peoples. From the time of European settlement, a common theme in Australian art has been the Australian landscape, seen in the works of Arthur Streeton, Arthur Boyd and Albert Namatjira, among others. The traditions of indigenous Australians are largely transmitted orally and are closely tied to ceremony and the telling of the stories of the Dreamtime. Australian Aboriginal music, dance and art have a palpable influence on contemporary Australian visual and performing arts. Australia has an active tradition of music, ballet and theatre; many of its performing arts companies receive public funding through the federal government's Australia Council. There is a symphony orchestra in each capital city, and a national opera company, Opera Australia, first made prominent by the renowned diva Dame Joan Sutherland; Australian music includes classical, jazz, and many popular music genres. Australian literature has also been influenced by the landscape; the works of writers such as Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson captured the experience of the Australian bush. The character of colonial Australia, as embodied in early literature, resonates with modern Australia and its perceived emphasis on egalitarianism, mateship, and anti-authoritarianism. In 1973, Patrick White was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the only Australian to have achieved this; he is recognised as one of the great English-language writers of the 20th century. Australian English is a major variety of the language; its grammar and spelling are largely based on those of British English, overlaid with a rich vernacular of unique lexical items and phrases, some of which have found their way into standard English. Australia has two public broadcasters (the ABC and SBS), three commercial television networks, three pay TV services, and numerous public, non-profit television and radio stations. Australia's film industry has achieved critical and commercial successes. Each major city has daily newspapers, and there are two national daily newspapers, The Australian and The Australian Financial Review. According to Reporters Without Borders in 2005, Australia is in 31st position on a list of countries ranked by press freedom, behind New Zealand (9th) and the United Kingdom (28th) but ahead of the United States. This ranking is primarily due to the limited diversity of commercial media ownership in Australia. Most Australian print media in particular is under the control of either News Corporation or John Fairfax Holdings. John Fairfax Holdings Sport is an important part of Australian culture, assisted by a climate that favours outdoor activities; 23.5% Australians over the age of 15 regularly participate in organised sporting activities. At an international level, Australia has particularly strong teams in cricket, field hockey, netball, rugby league, rugby union, and performs well in cycling and swimming. Australia has participated in every summer Olympic Games of the modern era, and every Commonwealth Games. Australia has hosted the 1956 and 2000 Summer Olympics, and has ranked among the top five medal-takers since 2000. It has also hosted the 1938, 1962 and 1982 Commonwealth Games, and will host the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Australian rules football is one of the most popular national sports, albeit it, one that is only played in Australia; players gain some international prominence through International Rules which is an annual meeting between the Australian code and Irish Gaelic Football. Corporate and government sponsorship of many sports and élite athletes is common in Australia. Televised sport is popular; some of the highest rating television programs include the summer Olympic Games and the grand finals of local and international football competitions.

References

Gillespie, R. (2002). Dating the first Australians. Radiocarbon 44:455-472
Smith, L. (1980), The Aboriginal Population of Australia, Australian National University Press, Canberra
Tatz, C. (1999). [http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/rsrch/rsrch_dp/genocide.htm Genocide in Australia], AIATSIS Research Discussion Papers No 8, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra
Windschuttle, K. (2001). [http://www.newcriterion.com/archive/20/sept01/keith.htm# The Fabrication of Aboriginal History], The New Criterion Vol. 20, No. 1, September 20.
Bean, C. Ed. (1941). [http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/ww1/1/index.asp Volume I - The Story of Anzac: the first phase], First World War Official Histories 11th Edition.
Australian Electoral Commission (2000). [http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/when/referendums/1999_report/index.htm 1999 Referendum Reports and Statistics]
Parliamentary Library (1997). [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/1997-98/98rn25.htm The Reserve Powers of the Governor-General]
Australian Government. (2005). [http://www.budget.gov.au/ Budget 2005-2006]
Department of the Environment and Heritage. [http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/about-biodiversity.html About Biodiversity]
Macfarlane, I. J. (1998). [http://www.rba.gov.au/PublicationsAndResearch/Bulletin/bu_oct98/bu_1098_2.pdf Australian Monetary Policy in the Last Quarter of the Twentieth Century]. Reserve Bank of Australia Bulletin, October
Parham, D. (2002). [http://www.pc.gov.au/research/confproc/mrrag/mrrag.pdf Microeconomic reforms and the revival in Australia’s growth in productivity and living standards]. Conference of Economists, Adelaide, 1 October
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Labour Force Australia. Cat#6202
Australian Bureau of Statistics. [http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/1a79e7ae231704f8ca256f720082feb9!OpenDocument Year Book Australia 2005]
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2003). Advancing the National Interest, [http://www.dfat.gov.au/ani/appendix_one.pdf Appenidix 1]
Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2001 Census, [http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@census.nsf/ddc9b4f92657325cca256c3e000bdbaf/7dd97c937216e32fca256bbe008371f0!OpenDocument A Snapshot of Australia]
Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affiars. (2005). [http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/06evolution.htm The Evolution of Australia's Multicultural Policy]
Parliament of Australia, Senate (2005). [http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/expats03/ Inquiry into Australian Expatriates]
[http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?docid=2250&track=82083 NCLS releases latest estimates of church attendance], National Church Life Survey, Media release, 28 February 2004
Australian Film Commission. What are Australians Watching?, [http://www.afc.gov.au/gtp/freetv.html Free-to-Air, 1999-2004 TV]
Australian Bureau of Statistics, [http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/68180154bf128d91ca2569d000164365?OpenDocument Population Growth - Australia’s Population Growth]

External links

- [http://wikitravel.org/en/Australia Wikitravel guide to Australia]
- [http://www.gov.au/ Australian Government Entry Portal]
- [http://www.australia.gov.au/ Commonwealth Government Online]
- [http://www.immi.gov.au/ Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA)]
- [http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/australia/index.html DFAT: Country Information]
- [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-27.000000,133.000000&spn=38.871300,61.703613&t=h&hl=en Satellite images of Australia] (Google Maps)
- [http://www.nla.gov.au/ National Library of Australia]
- [http://www.nma.gov.au/ National Museum of Australia]
- [http://www.australia.com/ Official Australia Tourism Website]
- [http://www.bom.gov.au/ Bureau of Meteorology]
- [http://www.m2006.com.au/ Official website of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games] A Category:Continents Category:Island nations Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations Category:Monarchies Category:Oceanic countries zh-min-nan:Ò-tāi-lī-a ko:오스트레일리아 ms:Australia ja:オーストラリア simple:Australia th:ประเทศออสเตรเลีย

List of Australian heritage railways

This is a list of heritage railways in Australia. For convenience, heritage tramways have also been included here.

New South Wales

- Cooma Monaro Railway
- Dorrigo Steam Railway
- Glenreagh Mountain Railway
- GreenTrail
- Lachlan Valley Railway
- Sydney Tramway Museum
- Zig Zag Railway

Victoria

- Alexandra Timber Tramway
- Bellarine Peninsula Railway
- Daylesford Spa Country Railway
- Mornington Railway Preservation Society
- Puffing Billy Railway
- South Gippsland Railway
- Victorian Goldfields Railway
- Yarra Valley Tourist Railway

Queensland

- Ballyhooley Steam Railway
- Beaudesert Rail
- Durundur Railway
- Mary Valley Railway
- Rockhampton Steam Tramway
- Rosewood Railway Museum (operates a three-station section of line)
- Swanbank Railway

South Australia

- Limestone Coast Railway
- Pichi Richi Railway
- SteamRanger
- Yorke Peninsula Railway

Western Australia

- Golden Mile Loopline
- Hotham Valley Railway
- Pemberton Tramway Company
- Spirit of the West

Tasmania

- Bush Mill Railway (closed in November 2004)
- Derwent Valley Railway
- Don River Railway
- Ida Bay Railway
- Wee Georgie Wood
- West Coast Wilderness Railway

Northern Territory

- Ghan Preservation Society ("The Old Ghan")

Australia Capital Territory

- Michelago Tourist Railway See also List of heritage railways Heritage railways Australian heritage railways

Rocky Mountain Rail Society

The Rocky Mountain Rail Society is a heritage railway in Stettler, Alberta. The Society is dedicated to the preservation of Canadian National Railway steam locomotive 6060, known as The Spirit of Alberta. Excursions are made per the schedule on the website - locomotive 6060 was in maintenance in 2005, and many excursions were pulled by Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions locomotive #41.

External links

- [http://www.6060.org/ Railroad's website] Category:Alberta railways

Alberni Pacific Railway

The Alberni Pacific Railway is a heritage railway originating in Port Alberni, British Columbia. The Railway is powered by a 1929 Baldwin steam locomotive departing from the 1912 CPR Station. The 35 minute excursions go to the McLean Mill National Historic Site.

External links

- [http://www.alberniheritage.com/rail.shtml Railway's website] Category:British Columbia railways

Kamloops Heritage Railway

The Kamloops Heritage Railway is a heritage railway in Kamloops, British Columbia. The Railway uses steam locomotives.

External links

- [http://www.kamloopsheritagerailway.com/ Railway's website] Category:British Columbia railways

Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway

The Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway is a historic railway that runs between Granville Island and Science World in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It only operates during weekends in the summer and is aimed at tourists. Two restored interurban streetcars are used on the line. The line and cars are owned by the City of Vancouver, and they are restored, maintained and operated by volunteers from the Transit Museum Society. This was done as a demonstration project for a modern downtown streetcar system that the city plans to develop. The proposal would extend the line through Chinatown and Gastown to Canada Place, and eventually to Stanley Park. There would be a separate line into Yaletown with longer term potential for a number of other lines.

External links

- [http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/engsvcs/transport/railway/ City of Vancouver's page on the historic railway]
- [http://www.trams.ca/dhr.html Transit Museum Society's page on the historic railway]
- [http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/engsvcs/transport/streetcar/index.htm City of Vancouver downtown streetcar project] Downtown Historic Railway

West Coast Railway Association

The West Coast Railway Association is a future heritage railway near Vancouver, British Columbia whose purpose is to collect, preserve and restore railway cars and artifacts and operate a licensed railway. To this end, the Association has acquired and is restoring the Royal Hudson #2860 steam locomotive. The Association also says it has amassed the largest collection of railway rolling stock and artifacts in Canada outside of the Canadian Railway Museum - now 14 locomotives and much other rolling stock.

External links

- [http://www.wcra.org/ Association's website] Category:British Columbia railways

Prairie Dog Central Railway

The Prairie Dog Central Railway is a heritage railway in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Excursions are made most weekend days from May through September, and last almost three hours with two stops totalling just over an hour. 1882 steam locomotive No. 3 is currently being rebuilt, for use in the 2006 season - until then trains are pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive. The coaches are all pre-1915.

External links

- [http://www.pdcrailway.com/ Railway's website] Category:Manitoba railways

Salem and Hillsborough Railroad

The Salem and Hillsborough Railroad (S&H) is a Canadian tourism railroad and museum located in Hillsborough, New Brunswick. The S&H was created in 1982 by a group of volunteer railroad enthusiasts and retired railroad employees. They took posession of a section of former CN Rail branch line trackage which ran from CN's Moncton-Saint John mainline at Salisbury east to just beyond the village of Hillsborough, approximately 20 miles away. CN had operated this subdivision to service a gypsum quarry until the late 1970s when the quarry was closed, resulting in the company applying for abandonment. The S&H initially operated several historic CN and CPR steam locomotives which had been used in New Brunswick until the early 1960s when both railways completely dieselized. The S&H operated regular coach and dinner tourist trains between Hillsborough and a location halfway between Hillsborough and Salisbury, named Salem, from 1982 until 2004. In 1994, a disastrous fire occurred as a result of an arson attack on the railway's engine shop in Hillsborough, destroying or damaging several locomotives and historic freight and passenger cars. The rebuilding effort took many years, during which time the volunteer base began to dwindle. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the S&H saw its liability insurance increase dramatically. In addition, ongoing repairs to two bridges over Weldon Creek, a small tributary of the Petitcodiac River near Hillsborough, were proving to be extremely expensive for an organization which did not receive much support from the provincial or federal governments. It was decided in 2005 to not operate any tourist trains, and to maintain the equipment for static displays only, in addition to a museum which was recently established on the station and shop grounds in Hillsborough. It is unknown as of 2005 whether the S&H will operate trains again.

External links

- [http://www.shrr.ca/en/index.shtml Salem & Hillsborough Railroad website] Category:New Brunswick railways

Port Stanley Terminal Rail

The Port Stanley Terminal Rail is a heritage railway in Port Stanley, Ontario. The railway has four diesel locomotives and nine passenger cars. Excursions pass over the historic tracks of the The London and Port Stanley Railway. The first train rides ran in 1983. Excursions travel weekends from March through November, except daily in July and August.

External links

- [http://www.pstr.on.ca/ Rail's website] Category:Ontario railways

South Simcoe Railway

The South Simcoe Railway is a heritage railway in Tottenham, Ontario (just north of Toronto). Excursions last about one hour over 6 km of track through the scenic Beeton Creek valley. The railway has two ex-Canadian Pacific steam locomotives, an 1883 4-4-0 #136 and a 1912 4-6-0 #1057, although a diesel locomotive may be used. Restored 1920's coaches are used.

External links

- [http://www.steamtrain.com/ Railway's website] Category:Ontario railways

Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway

The Waterloo-St. Jacobs Railway was a heritage railway in Waterloo, Ontario, west of Toronto. It ceased operations in 2000 due to maintenance costs. The Railway used two diesel locomotives built in the 1950s. Excursions had three stops, and visitors could board on a later train. The Railway allowed visitors to see farms of the Old Order Mennonites and visit the village of St. Jacobs.

External links

- [-unknown- Railway's website] (Phone 519-746-1950 or 1-800-754-1054) Category:Ontario railways

York Durham Heritage Railway

The York Durham Heritage Railway is a heritage railway in Uxbridge, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The Railway runs 20 km excursions (2 hour and 30 minute round trip) between the historic towns of Stouffville, Goodwood and Uxbridge. Trains are scheduled June through mid-October, and are pulled by an Alco RS-11 diesel locomotive, #3612, which was built for the Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific Railway in 1956. Coaches include both vintage heavyweights built in the 1910s and 1920s, and lightweight cars from 1954.

External links

- [http://www.ydhr.on.ca/ Railway's website] Category:Ontario railways

Canadian Railway Museum

The Canadian Railway Museum (French: (le) musée ferrovaire canadien) is a transport museum in Saint-Constant, Quebec that has the largest collection of railway equipment (140 railway vehicles) in Canada. There are also over 250,000 objects and documents. Some exhibits operate on the museum's site, but every Sunday a passenger train makes a short trip to Montée des Bouleaux.

External links

- [http://www.exporail.org/musee/musee_crm.htm Museum's website] Category:Transport museums

Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway

The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Railway is a heritage railway running tourist trains through the scenic Gatineau Hills between the city of Hull, Quebec, and the tourist town of Wakefield, Quebec, from May to October, using a 1913 Swedish steam locomotive and 1948-built Swedish passenger cars.

External links

- [http://www.steamtrain.ca/ Official website] Category:Quebec railways

Nordsjællands Veterantog

Nordsjællands Veterantog (NSJV) was founded as Helsingør Jernbaneklub in 1958 as a model railway club in Helsingør, Denmark. The club had its ups and downs in the early years, but the big turning point was when it was decided to try and work with scale 1:1. In 1968, the first service was operated and soon the club had turned into a heritage railway rather than a model railway club. Acitivies soon grew and kept doing so steadily over the years. In 1992 it was decided to reorganise activities, essentially creating a foundation to take care of "business" issues. This foundation is the proper hold of the name Nordsjællands Veterantog, which translations into Heritage Railway of North Zealand. The club was responsible for the maintenance and operations, and this was renamed in 1995 to Nordsjællands Jernbaneklub (Railway Club of North Zealand) in order to match the name of the foundation. NSJV has never owned their own tracks. Instead, services are operated on regular railway tracks used by operators such as DSB and Lokalbanen. Services run mostly in Northern Zealand, with scheduled services running on weekends and Wednesdays throughout the summer. Activities are based around two locations: The old station in Græsted is the home of the foundation and the club and also houses maintenance for carriages and diesel locomotives, whereas Rungsted depot is the home of the steam locomotives. Operational locomotives include three steam locomotives, two diesel locomotives, and various shunting and service vehicles. Currently, major projects are in the works to restore steam locomotives, one of which will hopefully be ready for service during 2006.

External links

- [http://www.veterantoget.dk/ Nordsjællands Veterantog]

Hannoversches Strassenbahn Museum

The Hannoversches Strassenbahn Museum or Hanover Tramway Museum comprises a collection of tramcars from all over Germany, and is located on the site of a former potash mine in Sehnde, southeast of the city of Hanover.

External links

- [http://www.wehmingen.de/ Hannoversches Strassenbahn Museum website]

Kleinbahn-Museum Bruchhausen-Vilsen

The Kleinbahn-Museum Bruchhausen-Vilsen is a metre gauge heritage railway that runs from Bruchhausen-Vilsen to Asendorf in the German state of Lower-Saxony.

External links

- [http://www.museumseisenbahn.de/engmainp.htm Kleinbahn-Museum Bruchhausen-Vilsen website]

Yokohama rail crash

The Yokohama rail crash occurred on November 9 1963 between Tsurumi and Shinkoyasu stations on the Tokaido Main Line in Yokohama city (about 30 km from Tokyo), Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, when two passenger trains collided with a derailed freight train, killing 161 people.

Similar accidents

- Beresfield rail disaster
- Clapham Junction rail crash

Childhood

Born Silvia

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1847 in rail transport

Events

March events

- March 9 - The Richmond and Danville Railroad is chartered in Virginia.

April events

- April 19 - The Mohawk and Hudson Railroad, a predecessor of the New York Central Railroad, officially changes its n

Dmitrii Fedotoff-White
Fedotoff-White, D., (Dmitriĭ), 1889-1950. Imperial Russian Navy officer from St. Petersburg who fought for the White forces during the Russian Revolutoin and wrote a book about his experiences entitled "Surviv

Irmtraut Sell
Irmtraut Sell was a special SS woman at two concentration camps during the last year of World War II. Irmtraut Sell was born on May 20, 1923 in Kyritz, Germany. She later married and became Irmtraut Marbach. In the summer of 1944 Irmtraut applied to be a member of the SS. Sometime in September 1944 she was accepted int

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List of heritage railways

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See also

Heritage railway

Historic heavy and light rail

Heritage streetcars

See also

Australia

Origin and history of the name

History

Politics

States and territories

Foreign relations and military

Geography and climate

Flora and fauna

Economy