Indian Pacific
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Image:IP Livery NR28.jpg Image:Indian Pacific Perth, Western Australia.jpg The Indian Pacific is a passenger rail service running between Perth and Sydney, Australia. It was started in 1970 after the railway line between Sydney and Perth had all been converted to standard gauge. It covers 4352 kilometres, passes through three states and travels along the world's longest straight stretch of railway track.
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Route
Image:Indian pacific map.gif The route leaves East Perth Station and travels east to Kalgoorlie. This section was built as narrow gauge, and even when it was converted to standard gauge in 1968 there was a change of locomotives and train crew at Kalgoorlie from Westrail crew to Australian National Railways.
From there it continues east across the Nullarbor Plain on the Trans-Australian Railway to Port Augusta. This railway was built as standard gauge, completed in 1917 as part of the promises made to Western Australia on federation in 1901. The section includes the longest straight stretch of railway track in the world (479 km) around Cook. When it was built, there was a break-of-gauge at both ends.
The train continues south to Port Pirie, then inland to Crystal Brook, and south to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It returns along the same track to Crystal Brook, then turns east again towards Broken Hill, passing through the historic triple-gauge railway towns of Gladstone and Peterborough. Port Pirie to Broken Hill was rebuilt to standard gauge in 1970 (the previous version was narrow gauge), and the Crystal Brook to Adelaide section was built in 1982. Prior to that, the Indian Pacific did not go down to Adelaide, passengers transferred at Port Pirie from a broad gauge train between Adelaide and Port Pirie.
From Broken Hill, the train continues across New South Wales to Parkes, then climbs over the Blue Mountains and into Sydney. It uses platform 1 at Central station.
In 2005, the train spends about three hours stopped in Broken Hill, Adelaide and Kalgoorlie and about one hour in Cook. During this time passengers may look around, and there are some optional tours.
Passenger facilities
The service between Perth and Sydney takes about four days. Great Southern Railway has branded its service as Gold Kangaroo and Red Kangaroo. The former, which is the train's first-class service, features a choice of Roomette or Twinette sleeper cabins, with complimentary meals in the train's restaurant car. Drinks are available for purchase in the first-class lounge car. Red Kangaroo service, which is available for those travelling on a budget, features a choice of airline-style seats (referred to as "sit-ups") in the coach cars or a dual-berth 'shared' sleeper cabin. The train also carries passengers' motor vehicles. The Gold Kangaroo restaurant car provides a table d'hôte service. The Red Kangaroo service features an on train buffet-restaurant car and a lounge bar.
Typical consist
The following is the Indian Pacific consist as it arrived in Perth on the morning of Saturday, 28th of January 2006. It is typical of the standard consist, except for the inclusion of two "Special carriages" which are added on demand. During peak seasons, the train may be increased in length to make a double consist. Image:Indian Pacific Midland, Western Australia.jpg
- NR82 - Pacific National NR class locomotive
- HGM903N - brake, power and luggage van
- HM256 - luggage and mail van
- AG375W - first class passenger car
- AG376X - first class passenger car
- AFC939G - first class lounge car
- CDF924G - second class club and cafeteria car "Matilda's Restaurant"
- BRJ918E - second class twinette sleeping car
- ARJ941K - first class roomette sleeping car
- ARM953W - first class deluxe twinette sleeping car
- DF304E - first class dining car "Queen Adelaide Restaurant"
- AFC301G - second class twinette sleeping car "Flinders Lounge"
- ARL920Y - first class twinette sleeping car
- ARL962S - first class twinette sleeping car
- ARL310K - first class twinette sleeping car
- SSA260H - Special Service Car "The Chairman's Carriage"
- BMC1 - "Sir Hans Heysen" special carriage
- ER906U - crew dormitory car
- HGM900 - brake, power and luggage van
- AMRZ272U - double-deck car carrier with 8 cars
- AMRZ2590F - double-deck car carrier with 7 cars, 1 motorbike
- AMRZ268U - double-deck car carrier with 8 cars
Christmas train
Image:Indian Pacific in Cook, South Australia.jpg In recent years, the Indian Pacific has operated a Christmas Train with a notable music personality onboard. The train stops at several locations to entertain the locals and thank them for their support of the train. The locations include the remote Nullabor sidings of Watson, Cook, and Rawlinna. Some of the performers onboard have been Guy Sebastian (2005), Jimmy Barnes (2004), John Paul Young (2003), Marcia Hines (2002), John Williamson (2001) and Nikki Webster (2000).
Incidents
There have been at least two notable incidents involving the Indian Pacific. On 24 December 1975, 14 of the 25 carriages on the eastbound train derailed due to a collapsed bogie on the leading carriage. This occurred between the remote Nullabor sidings of Haig and Nurina. Three of the two hundred passengers were injured, with them all being flown from Forrest to Adelaide. [1]
The other incident occurred on 18 August 1999 when the westbound Indian Pacific was accidentally directed into a crossing loop occupied by an eastbound train at Zanthus. Further information: Zanthus train collision.
External links
- Great Southern Railways
- Trans Australian/Indian Pacific railway ephemera—collected and digitised by the National Library of Australiade:Indian-Pacific Railway