Thanks for assistance

["M.B. and C.M.McDonald" <Michael.and.Colleen.Mcdonald@xtra.co.nz>]

Thank you all for replying to my request for info on getting from
Charleville to Alice.

As soon as I pulled out an "ordinary" map of Australia instead of the
stylised rail map outlining passenger services, it was obvious that I
wasn't going to get a connection from Charleville to Alice.  I should have
checked that map before "posting".  (Now, what's that they say about
putting the brain into gear before speaking!)

What did surprise me was that there were no direct flights from Brisbane to
Alice.

In view the extra distance I would have had to travelled, and having to
spend 36-hours or so on a bus, I have drawn up a completely different
travel plan for the time available - there's just enough time to do the
major services (Longreach, Charleville, and Mt Isa).

Unfortunately, I'll just miss the trip behind a Garret from Brisbane to
Towoomba.

Does anyone have any suggestions for sites/trips the following extended
weekend?  (28/3 to 30/3)  I'll be arriving at Brisbane on Saturday morning
on the Westlander, departing again on the Sunlander the following Tuesday.

There was no mention of any mixed or slow trains (except for Kuranda and
Normanton) on the QROTI site.

QR has seen some major changes since my first visit in 1982 where I was
surprised to find "compartment" carriages with no door handles on the
inside of doors.

Michael McDonald