[VIC] SG sleeping car trains (was: The future of broad gauge was Ouyen - Pinnaroo line)

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

Michael Kurkowski wrote:

> Someone mentioned in a previous post, that the sleeping cars would need to
> be retired - What is the problem with them going over to the narrow guage
> (NSW narrow, not QLD toy guage).

Steamrail and SRHC should work together to have one set of sleeping cars
available on the standard gauge. If they shared the maintenence costs then it
might help to make SG sleeping car tours viable. If the tour is interesting
enough, then diesel hauled sleeping car tours can be successful, eg:
Steamrail's Panitya weekender in 1998. It was fully booked out! SRHC already
have B74 sitting on the standard gauge doing nothing. This loco and a set of
sleeping cars would be ideal for weekend tours. Steamrail or SRHC could even
run them into southern NSW! Also what's wrong with weekenders to Hopetoun or
Yapeet. I haven't been on these lines yet, and I'm sure that I'm not the only
person. Even Portland is still an interesting destination and its a pity the
1999 ARE tour didn't have more passengers on it. The Australian SG system
offers many opportunities for Victoria's tourist operators like Steamrail. If
someone ran a weekender into southern NSW then I would be very interested.

--
- James Brook -

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