Westgate (Arthur Hayes modeller) won the "Square Foot Challenge" at the 22-23 October 2022 New England Convention in Armidale NSW.

Unique Queensland 'Standard Gauge' Features

Queensland's gauge is 1067mm (3' 6") except for a small amount of standard gauge track to enable NSW rail traffic to connect to Queensland and a Brisbane port. The size of the state led to far flung resource-based lines, primarily radiating out from coastal ports, relatively light locomotives and rolling stock and some distinctive tropical weather-related features.

HO scale models generally use 12mm gauge track, but S scale is more common, using 16.5mm gauge. Thus it's not uncommon to find modellers and clubs operating standard gauge HO (typically British or American prototype), S scale Queensland, and O scale sugar cane railways on the same layout and trackage with an appropriate adjustment in the loading gauge.

Relatively small steam locomotives and four-wheel rolling stock well into the second half of the twentieth century, although some larger locomotives (eg Garratts) were common in some areas. Diesels gradually introduced with local manufacture and assembly of overseas supplied components.

Relatively light weight rail and minimal ballast, etc., until recently, particularly on some of the branch lines and development railways. Many of the lines were built in isolation and the North Coast line, Brisbane to Cairns wasn't finished until 1924.

Goods trains and long distance passenger services common on main coastal line, with mixed trains and rail motor services more likely on branch lines. Commuter services in Brisbane and area.

Today heavy haul coal trains on resource lines, container trains on the main north-south corridor; passenger services include both older air-conditioned equipment and higher speed 'Tilt Train' technology.

Ron Aubrey's On24 (note not On30) Sugar Valley exhibition layout at the 2009 Brisbane Train Show. The cane has been modelled using couch grass (details on the CaneSIG web site). The loco is an On30 etched brass kit and has been regauged for the more prototypically correct On24.

Unique Cane/Shire Tramway Features

While several of the shire tramways had the same 1067mm gauge as the QGR railways they connected with, most of the sugar cane railways began as 2' (610mm) gauge tramways and have retained that gauge into the modern era. Indeed, until the recent introduction of heavy haul coal trains and the like, the cane railways often hauled as much or more tonnage during their roughly six months of operation as the mainline railways did in their annual operation.

Most shire tramways and cane lines were locally owned, thus each developed its own style of rolling stock, locomotives and colour schemes. Accidents, maintenance and upgrades further changed the appearance of equipment, resulting in some quite distinctive differences from line to line, or at least from mill group to mill group in more recent years.

Sugar cane and shire modellers typically use 9mm or 16.5mm gauge track for HO and O scale models respectively. In both cases the exact scale may be mixed, with some HO modellers using OO9 (4mm scale) and others HOn30 (3.4mm scale) and O scale modellers using O-16.5 (7mm scale) or On30 (1/4" scale). True 2' gauge modellers in any scale are not common, although the availability of some shire and cane equipment in SM32 (16mm scale) has led to some modelling in that scale.

Primarily small steam locomotives (0-4-0T, 0-6-0T and 0-6-2T) until the mid-1950s, followed by small fixed frame petrol and diesel locomotives (0-4-0 PM, 0-6-0 DH) and then small bogie locos until the 1990s, when larger bogie locomotives, often rebuilt and regauged ex-mainline DHs, were introduced.

Primarily 4 wheel unbraked rolling stock, some use of radio-controlled brake vans but generally depending upon loco brakes.

Brightly coloured locomotives with mill specific colour schemes, but often no other obvious ownership identification. Many cane bins have white stripes or coloured reflectors on sides for better visibility. Minimal numbering and other lettering on rolling stock.

Traditionally two person train operation (driver and fireman or off-sider who doubles as guard/brakeman), although more recently some single-person operation.

Track runs along shire roads or in easements on farmer's land, not railway owned right-of-way; some shared use bridges. Until the 1990s trackwork was rudimentary, often without ballast, but modern standards are much higher and sometimes exceed mainline standards.