Re: What to do with XPT?

[dbromage@omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

John Engleman (PCCSTREETCAR@webtv.net) wrote:
> Has everybody forgotten what the XPTs replaced?  The Sydney/Melbourne
> Express and The Brisbane Night Express were both fine trains that only
> needed new coaches to become truly 1st rate trains.

I agree in part. There was definately a need for something new on the day
trains. Remember that patronage increased 300% on some routes after the
introduction of the XPT, even with the XPT surcharge.

There was also a need for some improvement on the night trains. A 9am
arrival in Sydney or Melbourne is not very useful for a business
traveller. 

The investment SHOULD have been to upgrade the main lines to allow
locomotive hauled trains to run at 150km/h. The Southern Aurora could then
have run Sydney to Melbourne in 11 hours by 1984, even without track
upgrades in Victoria. A 20.30 departure with a 7.30 arrival would have
been a great improvement. 

Cheers
David

















































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