Re: Indian Pacific

["Garry R. Ford" <garry@merddyn.apana.org.au>]

David Johnson wrote:

> If he wants to ride on some real trains, he should start his trip in Brisbane
> and never go south of there. :-)

How true Adam.

Victoria has virtually no long distance trains now - true some run to the
North-west and North, but they are really only glorified ancient suburban trains.

The Overland, better known as the overdue is a disgrace. Its down to a handful of
ancient cars, in awful condition and the service ewas cut back in July. South
American and Indian railways operate cleaner better kept rolling stock (unless
been improved since last July).

The Ghan from Melbourne to Alice Springs is a far better choice but like the
Indian Pacific only good if you travel first class.  The older uncared for
carriages seem to be reserved for third class - yes its a three class train -
First, Holiday, economy.  Unless you wish to travel on the lnogest straight
section of rail in the world, or do the full journey from Ocean to Ocean, there
is little point in travelkling on the Indian Pacific. You can do the Blue
Mountains much m,ore cheaply on an Interurban to Lithgow!

As for State Rail and their XPT - forget them! They are twenty years old
technology, fairly well maintained, but run at a slow speed considering what they
are supposedly caple of.  If you must travel on one of them, take your own food
or a good medical kit!

Queensland is the only state to operate world's best standard trains.

Local trains travel at up to 140 Kmph.
The tilt train from Brisbane to Rockhampton is tabled for 170 kmph but is capable
of more - Only Tilt train in Southern Hemisphere.
The Queenslander/Spirit of Tropics is usaulasl a 21 car train which includes
first and second class lounges, a night club, full sleepers, resturant cars,
buffet cars, and sitters, electric hauled for 400 miles. Only recently rebuilt.
Sionce its first run it has been number two train in World (Travel agents) only
being beaten on nostagla by "Orient Express"
Sunlander is same as the Spirit of the Tropics but first class doesn;t include
meals as on the Queenslander.

If you've got the money, the best train of all is the new Great South Pacific
Express starting in a couple of weeks. (You'll nedd around $2,500 for the trip,
but it runs from Sydney to Cairns - Yes boggie exchange in Brisbane - and is
operated jointly by Queensland Rail and Simpletons Orient Express (if you can't
beat them, join them.).

Of course if your after steep mountain railways (better than blue mountains by
far) Cairns to Kuranda or Brisbane to Toowoomba (only two trains a week now.)

BTW, the line up to Toowoomba contains the oldest mainline railway tunnels in the
world still in use (gothic arched rather than normal curve arch) and the line it
self is virtually unchanged since it was built in 1866/7 and was the first
mainline mountain railway in the world to climb a mountain range from a point
directly below the summit without the use of switchbacks, cables, or racks.

Also there is the Gulflander using a collection of railmotor equipment running
from Normanton to Croydon using pre-world war rollingstock. A bit out of the way
but worth a visit.

I suggest you forget the Indian Pacific, unless you really want to cross the
desert on the longest straight or travel from ocean to ocean, and instead fly
into Cairns from the US - yes its a direct flight, and then travel down the coast
to Brisbane. I'd then fly to Melbourne or catch XPTs if you really must. You
could even perhaps fit in the Indian Pacific as well.

Email me if you'd like further info.

All railway travel for the next two months will be very heavily booked,
particularly in Queensland, as its Christmas and six weeks school holidays.

Cheers

Garry