Original petition from Sandhurst Crown Lands occupants to Major General Macarthur, Acting Governor of the colony of Victoria, seeking consideration for the improvements they had made on the lands they occupied under business licenses. Pages of document have been conserved, stored in individual pockets. Eighteen pages of parchment and paper containing signatures, addresses and occupation of 1,387 storekeepers, publicans, miners, professionals and persons in various types of employment. Cr. Alec Craig donated this item in 1959, to the Bendigo Historical Society.bendigo, history, 1856 crown land occupants petition, bendigo petition

Aulsebrook Collection: Various Licenses Small paper lisences. Blue and yellow paper. Typed and handwritten. Stamps. All related to Aulsebrook and Ellis family. Inland Angling License, 19th January 1965, Mr Robert Aulsebrook (Image 19a) Inland Angling Licence, 7th January 1967, Mr Robert Wallace Aulsebrook (19b) Fishing Licence (Amateur), 7th January 1967, Mr Robert Wallace Aulsebrook, (19c) Game Licence, 19th February 1971, Robert Wallace Aulsebrook, (19d) 11. Shooters Licence, 31st December 1972, Robert Wallace Aulsebrook (19e) Amateur Fishing Licence (Inland Angling), 22nd January 1974, Mr Robert Wallace Aulsebrook, (19f) Amateur Fishing Licence (inland Angling), 22nd January 1974, Florence Jean Aulsebrook, (19g) Amateur Netting Licence, 25th February 1974, Mr Robert Wallace Aulsebrook (19h) Junior Permit, 24th April, 1974, Mr Maxwell Ellis (19i) Junior Permit, 24th April 1975, Kerrie Aulsebrook, (19j)

Contents: • Well…..how time flies! By Jim Connor • Heritage Excursion – Eltham Cemetery – Saturday 5 March 2022, Women’s History Month • Park On Hill Crest (The Herald 5 Feb 1925) • Eltham Licensing Meeting (The Argus 17 December 1883) • That was then …. By Liz Pidgeon • Local Road and Street Names by Russell Yeoman • Eltham Races (The Argus 15 December 1855) • A 1863 halfpenny! By Calum Ryan • Frederick Edward Falkiner (1820-1881) by Peter Pidgeon • Contacts for the Eltham District Historical Society The Shire of Eltham Historical Society was formed in October 1967. The first newsletter of the Society was issued May 1978 and has been published continuously ever since on a bi-monthly basis. With the cessation of the Shire of Eltham in late 1994, the Society's name was revised to Eltham District Historical Society and this name first appeared with issue No. 103, July 1995. The collection of the Society's newsletters provides a valuable resource on the history of the Society's activities, office bearers and committee members, guest speakers and subjects of historical interest pertinent to the former Shire of Eltham and the Eltham District.A4 newsletter distributed to members (Digital and A4 photocopy)newsletter, eltham district historical society, covid-19, coronavirus pandemic

With the completion of the Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme in 1959, Falls Creek began to change from being a construction site into an alpine tourism resort. In 1964 the Frying Pan Inn group consisting of Bill Bridgford, Geof Henke and L G Morrison acquired a license to construct a restaurant. It opened in time for the 1965 season, but the Frying Pan venue was damaged by fire in 1967. Renovations took until 1973 when the Frying Pan Inn reopened. It is now a popular Apres Ski location in the heart of Falls Creek Village.This postcard depicts a popular venue at Falls Creek.A postcard featuring a coloured photograph of the Frying Pan Inn. It has a title and publisher details on the reverse.In image: Sign - Frying Pan Inn Licensed Restaurant On reverse: Top Left: FALLS CREEK, Victoria, Australia /Frying Pan Inn and Summit beyond. Centre: Nu-Color- Vue of AUSTRALIA In stamp square: FC 12 NCV 2562 Publisher information vertically down centre: NUCOLORVUE PRODUCTIONS PTY. LTD./ COPYRIGHT PRINTED IN AUSTRALIAfalls creek village, frying pan inn, falls creek tourism

Main street scene, Town Hall Hotel on the right. Horse drawn vehicle on left in the street. People standing under verandah on footpath. Showing W. Shorts Hotel also known as the Town Hall Hotel. Looking East up Main Street. Visible Post Office Hotel, Spragues Sporting Depot. Town Hall Hotel was erected in 1873 by W Candy the owner and holder of the first license. Some of the early licensees were W.H. Richards, Davies, W. Short & Hugh Menzies.Sepia photograph of a scene of Main St Stawell. Town Hall Hotel on the right. Horse drawn vehicle on left in the street. People standing under veranda in foot path. Trees in Street.Miss E. Moulden 54 Dawson St Stawell stawell shops businesses streetscape

“Mac's Hotel" in Wodonga West, one of Wodonga's earliest hotels, was owned by William Christie McFarlane who arrived in Melbourne in December 1854 from Stirling, Scotland. He spent his first three years mining for gold at Beechworth. For the next three years he was the manager of the King’s Hotel at Wooragee, which was owned by his father-in-law, Charles David King. In 1860 he bought 180 acres of land at Wodonga, eventually extending his holdings to 1,000 acres on which he farmed. He called his property “Abbey Craig” after his home in Scotland. In time he owned several properties in Wodonga, a small vineyard and 'Mac's Hotel'. Mac’s Hotel was a popular meeting place for teamsters and other travellers on the Sydney Road. It opened in the early 1860s and the license was at times in the name of W. C. McFarlane and at other times held by his wife, Mary McFarlane. William had several positions during his life in Wodonga including serving as Postmaster and conducting a Commission and Insurance Agency business. He was appointed Secretary to the first Wodonga Building Society. W. C. McFarlane also filled the position of Sheriff’s Officer, Registrar of Births and Deaths and Marriages, and Justice of the Peace. W. C. McFarlane served as a member of the Wodonga Shire Council for several years including three terms as Shire President: 1889-90, 1890-1891 and 1894-95. He passed away in Wodonga in December 1906. After his death, the license of Mac’s Hotel continued to be held by Mary McFarlane until her death in November 1910. The license was not renewed and the hotel was taken over as a residence by their son, Walter McFarlane. Unfortunately, on 25 January 1913, Walter was assisting neighbours fighting grass fires about 3 miles away when his own home was completely destroyed by fire, bringing to an end the long history of the popular hostelry, Mac’s Hotel.This image is significant because it documents an early business in Wodonga conducted by a prominent Wodonga resident.Black and white image of people standing, on horseback and in coach outside Mac' Hotel, West Wodongamac's hotel, hotels wodonga

Davey's Hotel at Miners Rest was built sometime around 1850, and Mary Tait was the original Licensee.The gentleman on the white horse is Harry Telford, who was with Phar Lap in America when the horse died.Names of the other men are not known. The photo is dated "circa 1916 -17" and originally came from a lady in New Zealand.The Hotel was de-licensed in 1940. Mary Tait (nee Marion Sutherland) was the second wife of William Tait, who was the licensee of the Derby prior to his death 7 October 1862.His widow Mary the took over the license of the hotel.Photo shows lifestyle of the 1850's.Black and white photo depicting Davey's Hotel in Miners Rest with some of the locals.Davey's Hotel / Derby Hotel.miners rest 1850, davey's hotel, harry telford, mary tait licencee

The Norman Oliver collection. Norman Oliver was three times Mayor of Bendigo - 1950-51, 1964-65, 1970-71. Nineteen pages of typed notes dated 30 May 1951. In the format of his weekly talk on 3BO 'The Mayor Speaks'. Topics include : announcement of a loan for 37,000 pounds for plant and equipment, Federal Aids Roads Grants, traffic lights, taxi services, hackney carriage licenses, South Bendigo Football Club, the School for Deaf Children, the engineer's report, town planning, the Baby Health Centre.bendigo, council, speech notes, norman joseph oliver , councillor norman oliver. mayor. 3bo 'the mayor speaks'. school for deaf children.

The book is covered in a beige canvas to protect it. It has a leather spine with red and black labels. The pages in the volume are divided in columns: 1) Number of application, 2) Date of registry, 3) Date of application, 4) Surname, 5) Christian name and address, 6) Parish, 7) Allotment, 8) Section, 9) rea, 10) Local land board schedule, 11) Decision, 12) Special condition, 13) License, 14) References and remarks. Only two pages are used dated from 1908 are related to Swan Hill.On the spine red label with gold letters: Application register. A black label with gold letters: all other sections land act 1901. Also, on the spine in black texter 01 to 01 to - B - 145,187application register, land act 1901, 1908

BHS CollectionPhotocopy of a newspaper article titled In the Viewfinder by Jack Perry titled Mining Accidents. Article mentions the number of men killed in the mines in Bendigo. Victorian Minister for Mines Angus McKay introduced a Bill, which forbade the employment of children in the mines, introduced the eight hour day, called for the licensing of engine drivers and instructed mine owners to install safety devices on mine cages. There is a photo of miners coming off their shift. There are two other articles on the page - a piece about a 'Bendigo Pottery' Milk Jug by Ken Arnold.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - mining accidents, jack perry, ken arnold, leighton rawlings, leanne lloyd, cornish association of bendigo, cornish newsletter, angus mckay

Diggers & Mining. Life Of The Selectors. Land Act 1869. Sign reads; Regulations 49th Clause, other details listed. Regulation With A Vengeance. Mr McKean - ''Then there's the license fee, and the surveyors fee, and the half years rent, which will come to fifteen pounds, besides -- '' Free Selector. - Beg your pardon, sir hope no offence. But seems to me that this. New act is only for them with lots of money and lots of time to waste. Markings; Diggers & Mining. Life Of The Selectors 1860-1890 Set 432 No. 17. Regulations with a Vengeance- ''Melbourne Punch,'' Feb, 10,1870. Used as a teaching aid.Visual Education Centreeducation, tertiary, goldfields

Pewter mug, recovered by David Gunn from the Glasgow Arms Hotel, Kangaroo Flat. The Gunn family held the license in the early days of the hotel. Mug has an ornate handle and glass bottom. Piece of paper insider mug ' Pewter mug - recovered by David Gunn from the old Gunn Hotel 'The Glasgow Arms' at Kangaroo Flat. I became very friendly with Dave and his wife Nolly. Our Binks connection with Gunn famiy was by Aunt Sara Fraser' Signed Q,C, Binks C 1985. SEE ALSO Glasgow Arms Hotel foundation stone (7163)bendigo, hotel, glasgow arms

Set of two Newspaper cuttings from The Herald, Melbourne, Wednesday 11 November 1970. 1st cutting from page 2 - item written by John Sorell in "On the Spot" about the Chairman of the Tramways Board Mr. Frank Kirby and the financial problems of the MMTB, government relations, costs of running the system. Includes a photo of Mr. Kirby. 2nd cutting, stapled to the first, about the decision of the Bolte Government to give the MMTB a grant for the first time this year. Driving Licenses will be doubled to assist payment and additional road maintenance works. Does not give details of financial arrangements. In top left hand corner of second cutting, "11/11/70" in black ink.trams, tramways, mmtb, finances, government grants, mr. frank kirby

The book original cover is dark green that has been wrapped in brown canvas to protect it. It has a leather spine with red and black labels. The pages in the volume are divided in columns: 1) Number of application, 2) Date of registry, 3) Date of application, 4) Surname, 5) Christian name and address, 6) Parish, 7) Allotment, 8) Section, 9) rea, 10) Local land board schedule, 11) Decision, 12) Special condition, 13) License, 14) References and remarks. The dates of the applications are from 30th August, 1874 to 26th April, 1876.On the front canvas cover: sec 173/174 3420. On the spine red label with gold letters: Application register. A black label with gold letters: all other sections land act 1901 (some of the letters are damaged)application register, land act 1901, 1874 to 1876

Manuscript - 8 quarto sheets carbon copy - assumed for a newspaper article - has "Sydney Sun 5/11/48" on top of the sheet. Has notes on the MMTB, the Trusts, its powers, borrowings, capital reserves and finances, Special Schemes, administration, Preston Workshops, Uniform manufacture, numbers of trams and buses, buses, age of fleet, vehicle maintenance costs, bus body building, fares, community obligations, licensing fund discontinued as it had too much money, reserve funds, Bourke St conversion and followed by other cable tram routes that at the time were buses.On top of page 1 - in pencil "Sydney Sun 5/11/48" On base of page 3, hand written notes about the number of trams in 1938 and 1939 and discontinuation of cable tramstrams, tramways, mmtb, workshops, cable trams, st kilda rd, finances, buses, bourke st

In 1844 a carpenter called David McLaws secured the lease on the land on the south west corner of James and Bank Streets. He later converted this to freehold by which time he had erected the Caledonian Inn. This building has been continually licensed since that time , and is believed to be the longest continual license held in Victoria. The dormer windows in the part of the building facing James street hide the fact that there is only a skeleton of rooms that were meant to be built there. They were unfinished because the labourers left town when gold was discovered at Ballarat in 1853. An advertisement for the time says “There were four parlours, a bagatelle room, eight bedrooms, a detached kitchen, stable and kitchen garden”. Well known hotel Thought to be the oldest continuously licenced hotel in VictoriaBlack and white photograph of 2 story building with dormer windows on corner hotel, building, james street, bank street, david mclaws

In 1844 a carpenter called David McLaws secured the lease on the land on the south west corner of James and Bank Streets. He later converted this to freehold by which time he had erected the Caledonian Inn. This building has been continually licensed since that time , and is believed to be the longest continual license held in Victoria. The dormer windows in the part of the building facing James street hide the fact that there is only a skeleton of rooms that were meant to be built there. They were unfinished because the labourers left town when gold was discovered at Ballarat in 1853. An advertisement for the time says “There were four parlours, a bagatelle room, eight bedrooms, a detached kitchen, stable and kitchen garden”. Well known Hotel thought to be the longest continuous licenced hotel in VictoriaBlack and white photographhotel, bank street, port fairy, james street, building

Wimmera Street looking North from Florence Street across Main Street. 1947 Dalgety's. Two story Commercial Bank. N.W. Ledgars Boot maker. Post Office and Post Office Hotel. Post Office Hotel opened on March 31st 1875. The first licensee was granted to H.W. Richards who held it for 3 years. Some other long running licensees were Adam Holbing 1885-1892, Mrs S.B. Whitty to 1901, Elizabeth Kyhat to 1944, Harry Kuhl , 1955-1967. When Harry died, Roy West 1967-1970 when the license was surrendered. The building is now a shopping arcade. View looking North across Wimmera and Main Street Intersection. The Commercial Bank building on left and N.W. Ledgar, Bootmaker, Post Office and Post Office Hotel on the right. stawell businesses, hotel

Coach with flaps takes aboard passengers. It travelled between Kinglake and Hurstbridge. The vehicle has advertising on the side indicating: W. BODY. HURSTBRIDGE bread and pastry. The Advertiser on 15 Sep 1922 has a display advertisement on page 2 indicating that Hurstbridge bakery 'W. Body wishes to notify the Public of Hurstbridge and surrounding district that he has purchased Mr Oliver's business'. The Advertiser, Friday 10 November 1922, page 2: Mr J. D. Chalmers, who runs the motor service from Hurstbridge to Kinglake, has just had a large, body built on a two-ton motor, which will be serviceable for either 25 passengers or general goods. The work was entrusted to Mr. D.G. Graham, motor and coach builder, Hurstbridge, who completed it within a month, the finish, painting, etc.. being quite up to the standard of a city shop. The mail coach operated the route between Kinglake and Hurstbridge motor route, on which Mr. Sharpe had pioneered and run a motor mail route with a bus which carried 20 passengers, for many years but Sharpe's license for his motor bus was refused by the Country Roads Board mid 1930 as his bus was considered too large . In February 1935, Mr Sharpe was granted a license to carry passengers between Hurstbridge and Kinglake and Mr Kell between Kinglake and Hurstbridge. In 1936 the mail contract from Heidelberg to Knglake was via car and members of the community were concerned that there was no further any conveyance of passengers from Hurstbridge to Kinglake.This photo forms part of a collection of photographs gathered by the Shire of Eltham for their centenary project book,"Pioneers and Painters: 100 years of the Shire of Eltham" by Alan Marshall (1971). The collection of over 500 images is held in partnership between Eltham District Historical Society and Yarra Plenty Regional Library (Eltham Library) and is now formally known as 'The Shire of Eltham Pioneers Photograph Collection.' It is significant in being the first community sourced collection representing the places and people of the Shire's first one hundred years.Digital image 4 x 5 inch B&W Neg 9 x 12.5 cm B&W printsepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, kinglake, mail coach, w. body, public transport, bus, bus travel, hurstbridge, pioneers and painters

Articles in the annual report include: increased funding from state government, possibility of sustained funding in providing a public library service, success of low vision clinic and need to increase opening times to accommodate demand, decision to move to standard cassette, change in direction by providing support for children to stay in family unit and community kindergartens rather than placement in a separate kindergarten program or residential care, introduction of Closed Circuit TVs into the workshop, winning a 2 year contract with Australia Post to provide bicycles and an order from Dubbo Zoo for family cycles and tandems, formation of RPH with a trial broadcast and radio license application made, and the Society held it's first Open Day.1 volume of text and imagesroyal blind society of new south wales, corporation records

Small china pieces carrying scenic views of holiday destinations were a popular kind of souvenir during much of the 20th century. The pictures on the souvenirs ranged across natural beauty spots (beaches, waterfalls, rivers), civic buildings and monuments (town halls, war memorials), and indicators of local progress (commercial centres and occasionally even industrial sites). Ref: Powerhouse Museum Sydney.Small souvenir dish. White with gold edging and a picture of Orbost in bottom centre. Picture is a view from Grandview Heights. White, square, bone china dish with fluted rim trimmed with gold. In the centre of the dish there is a coloured transfer of a scene labelled as 'Sturt Street, Ballarat'. The scene shows grand Victorian buildings in the background, shops with verandahs and verandah posts lining one side of Sturt Street, trees on the other side of the street, and a tram in the foreground. A transfer on the underside gives manufacturer's information. Read more: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=12118#ixzz23rwkysrO Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-CommercialUnderneath- Royal Stafford -Bone China, Made in England, 3444 Top- Orbost From Grandview Heights, Vic.souvenir dish orbost grandview-heights crockery domestic stafford-royal

This was dug up at the old station at Lochend owned by the Stirling family and abandoned in the early 1870's. James Stirling's son Thomas Telfer Stirling took up the Corringle Run stretching from Lake Tyers along the coast. The home was at the Old Station. When he moved to Bruthen, James Stirling took over the Corringle Station. He is buried in the Marlo cemetery. He built a bark hut on the bluff that had two rooms, bark walls, earthen floors and a shingle roof. By 1884, this structure had expanded to a 9 roomed accommodation house and in 1886 became the Marlo Hotel when a liquor license was granted. info. from Personalities and Stories of the Early Orbost District by Mary Gilbert. The first settler to occupy the Marlo township area was James Stirling around the year 1875.An old horse tooth. Probably from before 1920. It is a molar.tooth stirling molar equine

Warrnambool has never done justice to the women who shared their menfolk the hardships of the pioneering days. Silent Lives fills a void in the history of Warrnambool and surrounding districts, during the early decades 1840s to 1910, providing a narrative about some of the people, in particular women, missing so far in our documented history. Elizabeth O'Callaghan has meticulously researched the period, drawing on early newspapers, diaries, letters, unpublished family histories, honour board listings as well as public documents such as hotel licensing and teacher records held in the Public Record Office of Victoria and State Library of Victoria. By their unremitting labours and self-sacrifice the pioneering women of Warrnambool and district helped to lay the foundations of our communities today.This publication is of significance as it documents the lives of 19th century women in Warrnambool and district between 1840 and 1910 covering Aboriginal women, schools and teachers, specialist teachers of art, writing and cookery, sporting activities, political and charitable activities, how the law treated women, medical treatment, and the everyday lives of women and their families. It contains images of art produced by some of these women.A4 size book with photograph of 7 women and 3 children in c1890sworking clothing and long white aprons, sitting and standing in front of a hedge with washing draped over the hedge. The two girls on the right are wearing wide-brimmed hats. The title is in white print on a band of dark blue across the middle. The bottom third features an early image of Warrnambool and the author's name in dark blue.Elizabeth O'Callaghan/November 2017warrnambool, history of warrnambool, 19th century women, women pioneers, silent lives, elizabeth o'callaghan, cover design james colquhoun

Richard John Webb (c. 1832-1906) was the Senior Constable of the Chinese Constabulary in Bendigo in the 1850's. He was promoted to Dunolly and the rank of Sergeant in late 1860. In 1864 he was made the keeper of the gunpowder magazine at Dunolly. He married Kate Corbett in 1867 and they had 3 children; James Ramsay (1868-1929),Annie Harriet (1869-1950) and Kate Margaret Irene (1874-1963). Neither of the girls married and James became a doctor. Following his time at Dunolly, Webb was transferred to Eaglehawk and thence to Gippsland where he served at Bairnsdale. He retired as a Superintendent of Police and died in Melbourne. He was made an inspector in the Metropolitan Police District in 1888 and the Inspector of Licensing for Gippsland in 1894.Article by Carol Holsworth that appeared in the newsletter of the golden dragon museum in April 2006 titled "Senior constable Webb' watch". Also, a letter from relatives and six photographs of the gold watch and a silver teapot.constable webb, watch, chinese museum

The Australian Historical Records Society existed in Ballarat between 1896 and 1906. They were one of Australia's first historical societies, and were in the position to still be able to talk to early pioneers. They invited such pioneers to either submit letters or memoirs, or to address the Society's meetings, where their reminiscences were taken down in shorthand and later typed up. The Society also attempted to preserve memorabilia from Ballarat's early days, but on the disbanding of the group in 1906, materials were stored at the Ballarat Town Hall and were later lost. It is not known how the papers made their way to the then Ballarat Municipal Library, but they have been part of the Library's collection for many years.Thomas Bath came to Australia in 1849, establishing a butchering establishment at Geelong. He mined during the rushes at various sites, eventually coming to Ballarat where he established a hotel now known as Craig's Royal Hotel. He held the first publican's license on Ballarat (1854) and his hotel was known as The Ballarat, later changed to Bath's Hotel; after the sale to Mr Craig in 1857 Thomas Bath established his farm Ceres, at Learmonth. Thomas Bath was instrumental in the formation of Ballarat and was a champion of all public institutions. He died in 1901. These reminiscences appear to have been recorded by the AHRS rather than Mr Bath writing them himself.goldrush, sailing ships, coach fares

This album contains a number of local coastal and seascapes including Thunder Point, views of local streets such as Liebig and Fairy streets, panorama views of the town from Manse Hill and Booval Hill and the Botanic Gardens. Buildings included are Cramond and Dickson, St Joseph’s Church, the saleyards. The book itself would have been used by patrons of the Western Hotel when J Fox was licensee, from 1880 until 1887. The hotel had been operating since 1870 when William O’Brien applied for a publican’s license for the house on the corner of Timor and Kepler Streets with five sitting rooms and eight bedrooms. The stone building was designed by Andrew Kerr and built by Williams & Co. The Western Hotel was also the booking office for Cobb and Co Coaches which operated until the railway came to town in 1890. This album has historical significance on different levels. Firstly the photographs provide a view of Warrnambool in the late 19th century. The photos are aesthetically and artistically significant. Many of the buildings in the streetscapes are still recognizable. Secondly the Western Hotel has occupied a prominent site within the CBD for nearly 150 years. It has links to Cobb & Co, an important part of early Australian transport. Large hard covered album. Dark green cover with title in red rectangle on front cover. Text in gold lettering. A variety of photographs mounted on card.Chuck Photo Ballarat on front cover. Small cutting pasted inside front cover, reads as follows,” Will and Estates. Joseph Fox, late of Grosvenor Street, Balaclava who died on 29th July by his will of 11th August 1915 left 3737pounds real estate and 2342 pounds personality to relatives. warrnambool, warrnambool history, warrnambool photographs of the past, western hotel photographs

Bags such as this one were used by bookmakers to collect and securely hold punters' bets at racing events. This bag belonged to Charlie Cox, a second-generation Australian bookmaker. His father, George Gordon Cox, ran bookmaking operations primarily during the 1920s and 1930s. After serving in the Air Force during the Second World War, Charlie entered the business during the 1940s, initially fielding at greyhound, trots and gallop meetings. In the early 1960s he moved to Melbourne, where he got his first big financial break when he was offered an interstate license to operate on the rails at all city tracks. He was a leading Melbourne bookmaker on the interstate rails racing circuit from the 1960s to the 1990s, from which period this bag originated.White painted leather bag with metal fastening mechanism. A short painted leather handle is joined to the bag by metal fastening clips.Painted on one side of the bag in black letters: "C.C. COX / INTERSTATE RAILS".bookmakers, horse racing, charlie cox, c. c. cox, interstate rails