Re: Train Numbers

[Eddie Oliver <eoliver@efs.mq.edu.au>]

Tom wrote:

> How are the numbers organised?
> What im trying to say is what the numbers represent
> the letters make sense
> for example NP24, we know that the N is north and the P is Explorer and the
> even numbers mean its heading towards Sydney and we know its from up here.
> So say it was NP16 (i dont know if this is likely or any thing) the N and
> the P are as what we said above and we know its going to Sydney so do the
> numbers tell us where it is from?

Many, but not all, of the passenger train numbers are historically
based. In the "old" days, there was a substantial non-overlap of numbers
for the principal trains irrespective of direction, e.g. if someone said
they were going on no. 65 it meant the down Intercapital Daylight
without anyone having to specify the direction as part of the number.
Many of the numbers have now died out, but some are preserved - e.g.
15/16 south from the old Riverina expresses, 23/24 north from the old
Northern Tablelands expresses.