Cougal Spiral

Cougal Spiral
The Brisbane Mail crossing over No.1 Spiral Tunnel in 1940
Cougal Spiral is located in New South Wales
Cougal Spiral
Location on the border between New South Wales and Queensland
Overview
Official nameBorder Loop railway formation and landscape
Other name(s)
  • Border Tunnel
  • Border Loop Spiral
  • Cougal To Border Loop
LineNorth Coast railway line
LocationRichmond Gap connecting New South Wales and Queensland, Australia
Coordinates28°21′16″S 152°57′51″E / 28.354390°S 152.964038°E / -28.354390; 152.964038
Operation
Opened29 August 1930
OwnerTransport Asset Holding Entity
OperatorAustralian Rail Track Corporation
Technical
LengthA series of three tunnels:
  • 192 metres (630 ft)
  • 177 metres (581 ft)
  • 1,160 metres (3,810 ft)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Grade1.5%
Route map
Official nameBorder Loop railway formation and landscape; Cougal To Border Loop; Railway Spiral and Landscape
TypeState heritage (landscape)
Designated2 April 1999
Reference no.1027
TypeHistoric Landscape
CategoryLandscape - Cultural

The Cougal Spiral is a heritage-listed single track railway tunnel and spiral feature of the North Coast railway line in Australia that connects New South Wales with Queensland under the Border Ranges near Richmond Gap in the Kyogle Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1930. It is also known as the Border Loop railway formation and landscape, Cougal To Border Loop and Railway Spiral and Landscape. The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[1]

The railway line needs to climb at a steady ruling gradient from Kyogle to the summit at a tunnel at the border between the two states.[2] The border is also at the watershed.[3] The rail spiral and associated facilities are located between 871 and 876 kilometres (541 and 544 mi) from Sydney Central railway station.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Border Loop railway formation and landscape". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01027. Retrieved 2 June 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  2. ^ "Cougal To Border Loop, Railway Spiral and Landscape". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. Retrieved 11 September 2017. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  3. ^ "A Railway Spiral". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 September 1930. p. 12.