Australia - railways, fares and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[FarWestJohn]

Great minds, I always enjoy the early morning walk to Wolli creek. I usually top up my Opal card as I leave the airport too.

[broadgage]

This solar/battery powered train featured in tonight's TV program "Great Australian railway journeys" shown at 19-00 on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) 2.

[grahame]

from Wikipedia

Construction of Alice Springs–Darwin line was believed to be the second-largest civil engineering project in Australia, and the largest since the creation of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Line construction began in July 2001, with the first passenger train reaching Darwin on 3 February 2004, after 126 years of planning and waiting and at a cost of $1.3 billion.

[PhilWakely]

I can consider myself extremely fortunate in that I have experienced the Ghan on two occasions - once back in 2009 when I took a trip to Oz to celebrate my enforced early-retirement and again in 2018, courtesy of my late mother's last wishes.

It is somewhat pricey, but well worth it if you get the opportunity. My two lasting memories of the trips are a night-time stop at Tennant Creek to wait for a northbound freight to pass - absolutely no light pollution and the night sky was unbelievably clear; and further down at Manguri Siding after an off-train excursion to Coober Pedy, waiting for a couple of hours for an unscheduled freight train - what better way to while the time away than an 'unplanned' (or so they said!) BBQ.....



Incidentally, just to prove what a small world it is in which we live.... the young couple with their backs to the camera in the foreground, accompanied me on an organised trip along the Trans-Siberian back in 2012 and I had no idea that they were on this trip!
 

[eXPassenger]

In 1969 I took the overnight train from Brocken Hill to Sydney.  This was shortly before the current standard gauge line was opened.  The train could have come for the western US in the 1880s.  Heating was provided by a hot brick wrapped in a blanket and the only way to change carriages was to step between the open carriage ends over the couplings.  The view from the carriage end over the outback was terrific.

I would love to do the Ghan but doubt I ever will.  I have seen TV programmes on it.

[Mark A]

A couple of other options needed? 'Yes, but when it only went as far as Alice'... and 'Yes, but the original route via Oodnadatta'.

(Full disclosure, I've never been on the Ghan, but was once very nearly bitten by an unstable dachsund that was prowling round some disused sidings at Tarcoola Junction. I picked up a discarded track fastening spike in case I needed to seriously defend myself, and later carried said spike back on the aircraft, something that these days would probably cause the baggage scanning people to ask questions...)

[Oxonhutch]

I too have enjoyed a trip on the Ghan - 2013 sandwiched into a business trip conference in Alice Springs. The length of the train was most impressive - not so much was the lettered coaches (Mine was L) were not in alphabetical order! 

Took the train up to Darwin with a great river tour in Katherine the following day. Prior to the trip, I went in search of the old Ghan and found my spike - sits alongside the barbed wire from a Siberian gulag.

[grahame]

A couple of other options needed? 'Yes, but when it only went as far as Alice'... and 'Yes, but the original route via Oodnadatta'.

I think they come under "Yes - but not all the way to Darwin".  Original routing option would be just too swanky and make so many members jealous!

(Full disclosure, I've never been on the Ghan, but was once very nearly bitten by an unstable dachsund that was prowling round some disused sidings at Tarcoola Junction. I picked up a discarded track fastening spike in case I needed to seriously defend myself, and later carried said spike back on the aircraft, something that these days would probably cause the baggage scanning people to ask questions...)

 

Haven't I read somewhere that dachshund are the worst tempered of all dogs?

[Mark A]

This one was clearly under the instructions: "Should any passenger from the Indian Pacific attempt to strike up a conversation with you, advance two paces, bare your teeth and issue a loud bark immediately". It was effective.

[infoman]

if you have any relations visiting new south wales(until 26 april)
free train travel is on offer.

BUT, it does not include trips to or from the Domestic or International airports.

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/media-releases/tap-into-a-dozen-free-days-of-travel

[Trowres]

With the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) and derivative fleet here in decline, here's an interesting alternative view from Australia:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/11/flights-were-expensive-so-i-took-the-overnight-sydney-to-melbourne-train-it-was-cheap-and-cheerful-at-first

[RichardB]

Thanks for this.  A few years ago, I did the day train from Sydney to Melbourne.  10 hrs 50 mins.  Obviously a long time on a train but I had a window seat and enjoyed it.  Not expensive - $72 as I remember.   Was tickled that the buffet offered a "Devonshire tea" around 11 00.  It was indeed a cream tea with hot scones.  Hope to do it again one day. 

Here's the timetable  https://transportnsw.info/documents/timetables/93-621-Southern-NSW-20190907.pdf

[rogerpatenall]

'Morning Tea' is an institution - particularly so in New Zealand. I agree with your comments. I did Brisbane to Coff's Harbour some years ago, sitting on the left hand side, anticipating lots of lovely sea views. The sea was out of sight for every yard of the journey! But still very enjoyable.

[Noggin]

Might be worth noting that Melbourne to Sydney is almost exactly the same distance (as the crow flies) as Paris to Melbourne - would be a 3h trip on a TGV^▸ (Train a Grande Vitesse).

Two 5m+ population cities with Canberra in the middle, should be one of those no-brainers like Madrid <> Barcelona.   

[Witham Bobby]

Might be worth noting that Melbourne to Sydney is almost exactly the same distance (as the crow flies) as Paris to Melbourne

SNIP

/ Pedant on

I've read this a few times, and still think you're 10,000 miles out 

Pedant off  /