Re: Locomotive Passenger Workings

["David Proctor" <daproc.spambait@umpires.com>]

Damian Clement wrote in message <76immc$7hg$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>...
>Dear All,
>
>I am planning a trip to New South Wales and Victoria and would like to know
>where I can learn the following:-
>
>1. Where can I get hold of a timetable listing all train services, local
and
>long distance sheduled services.

For long distancee services, go to http://www.railpage.org.au - it lists the
long distance timetables for all states. For Sydney local services, go to
the CityRail website - http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au - it was down last
wekk, but appears to be back up now.

>2. How do I tell which services are loco hauled and which are multiple
>units?

In NSW, the only locomotive hauled trains are the 1553 (TuO) Sydney-Orange,
the 1220 (WeO) Orange - Broken Hill, and the 1930 (ThO) Broken Hill-Sydney
services on the west, the Sydney - Griffith and return services, and the
Indian Pacific services. The remaining services are all XPT or XPLORER. The
XPT is like the British HST, but not as comfortable, although it does have a
sleeping car on it. The XPLORER is similiar in concept to the Class 158, or
more closer to the Class 170 (Midland Mainline version), and is fitted out
as a long distance train, used for services in the 4 to 8 hour range

>3. Information on locomotive hauled passenger services, daily working
>diagrams, etc.

We only have one set in NSW - Victoria is the place to go for loco-hauled
trains - the place is full of them. I do not know much about their rostering
though.

>Basically, I want to be able to land in Sydney or Melbourne and travel
>behind as many loco hauled services as possible in the space of around 2
>weeks before heading back to the UK,

Should go to Queensland then - all of their long-distance trains (apart from
the tilt train from Brisbane to Rockhampton) are loco-hauled.

The Indian-Pacific is a good trip - it is considered to be one of the great
train journeys of the world, and is double-headed from Sydney to Adelaide.

Regards,

David "The Doctor" Proctor