haʊˈɛvɚ, ɔːlðˈoʊ ðə sˈaʊθ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən ɹˈeɪlweɪz wʌz bˈɛɾɚ pɹɪpˈɛɹd ðɐn mˈoʊst tə mˈiːt ðə hjˈuːdʒ lədʒˈɪstɪkəl dᵻmˈændz ʌv wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ tˈuː, ðə hjˈuːdʒ ɪnvˈɛstmənt dɪdnˌɑːt mˌeɪk ðə ɹˈeɪlweɪz pɹˈɑːfɪɾəbəl mˈeɪnli bɪkˈʌz ʌvðɪ ˈɪmpækts ʌvðə ɡɹˈeɪt dᵻpɹˈɛʃən ænd ðə ɡɹˈoʊθ ɪn ˈoʊnɚʃˌɪp ʌv mˈoʊɾɚ kˈɑːɹz.
However, although the South Australian Railways was better prepared than most to meet the huge logistical demands of World War 2, the huge investment did not make the railways profitable – mainly because of the impacts of the Great Depression and the growth in ownership of motor cars.