Re: "WA on track for $59m super trains"

[Tim Shenton <timbos@bigpond.com>]

I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure a few years ago Westrail were using
the currect Prospector cars in doing a 6hr express no stops service to
Kalgoorlie once or twice a week.  

I thought a previous government press release some time ago suggested a
5hr service -
what has happened to this?

As for laptop computer power points - 99% of business people use the
plane
which takes just over an hour and doesn't cost a great deal more - look
to
these points being used by teenagers with their ghetto blasters!

Tim.

Douglas CLIFFORD wrote:
> 
> Headline in "The West Australian" page 32,  Wednesday 14th June 2000
> 
> "WA moved a step closer to a promised high-speed link between Perth &
> Kalgoorlie with the announcement yesterday of the Government's
> preferred tenderer to build so-called super trains.
> 
> New South Wales-based A. Goninan & Co Ltd has tendered to build two
> two car sets and one and three car stes for the Prospector service
> between Kalgoorlie and Perth, and a two car set for the Avon-Link
> between the Avon Valley and Perth.
> 
> Transport Minister Murray Criddle said the new Railcars were expected
> to cost about $59 million and to be operating by 2003.
> 
> He said the new wide-bodied Prospector for the Kalgoorlie service
> would be capable ofd travelling @ up to 200kmh - which would reduce
> the current eight-hour journey by two hours.
> 
> The Avon-Link service between Nortan and Perth would be reduced by
> about 30 minutes, thanks to a 150kmh train and a $2.4 million
> refurbishment of Midland station to enable passengers to transfer to
> the urban passenger system there.
> 
> He said the Prospector and Avon-Link trains would be fitted with power
> points for laptop computers, security cameras and easy-access toiltes
> for the disabled.
> 
> Sevices on the new Prospector would include telephones, music channels
> and video entertainment, and personal air-conditioning controls."
> 
> Doug