Thursday 15 January 2004 was an historic day for the Pichi Richi Railway when it again became part of Australia's railway heritage.
The first freight train to cross Australia from south to north departed Adelaide. It was met in Stirling North by a PRR double-headed special, and they ran parallel into Port Augusta. The train was one of the longest ever operated by the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society.
The event was highly successful—a result of many hours of hard work by volunteers planning this event.
It was also the first time PRR's restored steam locomotive NM25 has hauled passengers in around 40 years. NM25 was joined at the front of the train by vintage diesel NSU52—which turns 50 this year. Both locomotives used to haul the narrow-gauge Ghan through the Pichi Richi Pass.
The Pichi Richi Railway was part of the first stage of the construction of the Transcontinental Railway which commenced in 1878, but the narrow gauge line's terminus remained at Alice Springs.
PRR will also be part of celebrations for the first Ghan to Darwin on February 1st—see the Events page for details.
