Data Resources
Australian Rail Data
A century-long database on the Australian railways has been compiled by CRAE researcher Nick Wills-Johnson.
Data are available on the following:
- Operating Costs - decomposed into above and below rail components, and maintenance
- Route Miles and Kilometres
- Loan and Grant Funds for Railways provided by different levels of government
- Revenue by haulage task
- Outputs - ntk, passenger kilometres, and tonnes by commodity hauled
- Staffing and Wages
- Motive Power - relative usage of different forms of motive power
- Fuel Use
- Accidents
- Asset Value and Investment
The database is derived from the Australian Bureau of Statistics “Transport and Communications Bulletin”, and “Annual Yearbooks”, with corroborating data in later years from annual reports. Comments in cells in each of the spreadsheets provide further details concerning individual series and data points. The data are presented in the units used in the original ABS publication and need adjusting for inflation (a CPI adjuster is included), and earlier figures in tons must be converted to tonnes. The relevant points at which units change are indicated in the cells of each data series. Some data points have been estimated. These cells are shaded, and explanations are found in the relevant cells.
Use of the data set is free, with appropriate citation. To download the Excel Spreadsheet, click on the link: Australian Rail Data
Any questions can be directed to Nick Wills-Johnson who will endeavour to post responses on this website in a timely fashion. It is requested that any suggested improvements or additions to the dataset be sent to the same email address, to be shared in the same way as the dataset itself. If you find any errors in the dataset, please also let Nick know.