Ghan service road....Tarcoola to Coober Pedy

Sorry to say but I believe it's not allowed. Give Great Southern Rail a call and ask them. Or try South Australian Railways. I think the latter owns the line.

It's a mess of bureaucracy. Maybe even call Port Augusta railway station to find out who owns the track.

Best of luck.

Phil

There was a discussion not too long ago about the Transcontinental Rail Corridor, and presumably this is what you are referring to (disregard if not!)

Transpacific Rail Corridor Thread

We are travelling from Glendambo to Maralinga Village along this route in June.

Good luck out there...

Turbo1

In 2010, US-based shortline operator Genesee & Wyoming Inc acquired the assets of FreightLink and the concession for the 2 240 km Tarcoola - Darwin railway which went into receivership in November 2008.

G&W P/L are based in Adelaide and I would suggest you contact them in the first instance.

My past dealings with them would lead me to think the answer would be no but you never know until you ask :-)

Cheers
Andrew

OK thanks all.
Have asked several locations and will await a response but I suspect we know what it will be.
Have a look at Google maps and you can see it looks like a different way to get to Coober Pedy when we come up from Googs.

the only part of Trans Aust Railway line you can drive along is from the top of Googs track to Glen Dambo
mechpete

lots of people have travelled it ,
don,t know the chances of getting stopped , its a great drive though
mechpete

The main road following the railway was built by Telstra to service the Fibre optic / 2 G wireless link. its about 50m from the railway. It is not owned by ARTC or any other railway company ( who don't own railway lines anyway apart from mine lines etc).

It is a great drive and there are no signs saying do not enter do not drive etc. None.

There is another service road adjacent to the railway line ( 10 m or so) which IS owned by ARTC for serviceing the line, but no one would seriously consider using that for transit.

Great road. About 90kmph from the highway to Tarcoola. Then about 80kmph for 150km then about 60kmph and down to 40kmph across the dunes then back up to about 70 - 80 kmph across the Nullabour Plain.

It's an EO myth.

Guys
The OP asked about the railway line from Tarcoola - Coober Pedy.
This is part of the Tarcoola to Darwin railway and runs north / south.
It is owned and run by Genesee and Wyoming, a private company.
ARTC have nothing to do with it.
Nor do Great Southern Railways nor the South Australian Railways who no longer exist.
The comments about the east / west line and the adjoining roads have absolutely no relevance to the question asked by the OP.

Firstly, Great Southern Rail operate the GHAN and Indian Pacific, the motive power is provided ob a 'hook and pull'arrangement by Pacific National.

There is no South Australian Railways. in 1975 Australian National assumed responsibility for many different sections of track. In 1994 control passed to the National Rail Corporation. in 1998 the Standard gauge lines in SA were transferred to the Australian Rail Track Corporation who continue to control these lines.

the line from Northgate (5 km west of Tarcoola) to Darwin i controlled by Genessee and Wyoming

Port Augusta Station is, like all stations in SA outside the suburban area, unattended.

4 weeks ago I was on the access track. I drove from Port Augusta to beyond Tarcoola, for much of the way it looks like a public road, there no signs prohibiting entry, went past the start of Googs Track, past Mt Christie where there have been 2 major train derailments.

West of Tarcoola I believe the road does contain prohibition signs.

remember the line to Darwin traverses military land, and they may well have their own prohibitions. Also where there is a mine that interfaces with the railroad, then they tend to control access,