the line was never profitable, servicing an agricultural valley with a low population density. the initial twice-daily service was reduced to once daily in 1918 and reduced again to a twice weekly service in the 1930s. the line reached its greatest popularity in 1914 when 1,285 people travelled on the line - by 1950 the average use was one passenger every three weeks. freight averaged ninety tons a year in the early years, but by the late 1930s this had dropped to 38 tons a week. by 1954, there was barely enough freight to fill a single wagon. a possible extension to thornton did not materialise, and once an all-weather road was constructed the uneconomic branch closed in 1955, although 1.3 kilometres of the line to the laidley cattle yards continued in service until 1969.