Re: New Countrylink Timetable & Fares Book effective 1st July 1998

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

daproc1@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> They seem to have revamped their marketting department - they have also
> redone their website - gone is the old photo of an XPT Power Car - they now
> have quite a good and comprehensive site (although some ppl will object to
> the horizontal scroll-bar, but I think it is cute!)
> http://www.countrylink.nsw.gov.au for those who don't know it!

Quite a comprehensive site, including some technical information about the
trains. Much of the XPT info appears to be styled on my own XPT pages. :)

The timetable engine is not overly smart. I tried a few simple queries,
and it appeard to behave nicely. Try some complex queries and it behaves
rather stupidly. For example:

Canberra Rail to Melbourne - three suggestions. Coach to Cootamundra, then
ST3 (quite sensible), SP20 to Moss Vale then ST3 to melbourne (Goulburn
would be a more logical place to change), or SP23 to Sydney then ST1 to
Melbourne (ditto about Goulburn).

Canberra Jolimont to Queanbeyan - suggests coach to Yass Junction, XPT to
Goulburn or Sydney, then Xplorer to Queanbeyan.

Brisbane to Wollongong - suggests day XPT to Sydney, overnight stop, SP21
to Moss Vale, then coach to Wollongong.

Hornsby to Dubbo - suggests early afternoon suburban to Sydney, then XPT
the following day.

Tamworth to Gunnedah - suggests Xplorer to Sydney, then Sydney to Gunnedah
the following day. No thoughts of changing trains at Werris Creek the same
day.

Albury to Culcairn - Suggests both ST4 and ST2. So far so good. Also spits
out fares on both trains, $6 economy class, $9 first class, or $104
sleeping berth on ST2 for the 25 minute journey.

Cheers
David