Oz

[33109]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone knows much about the railway pres scene over in australia?:roll: Have looked round a few websites & there appears to be quite a few pres lines etc around.


Also any info about any, railway or transport museums of any kind much appreciated, i'll be in the perth area so can travel around a bit. Anybody know names of the main rail operators in australia plz?

 

[Addington]

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone knows much about the railway pres scene over in australia?:roll: Have looked round a few websites & there appears to be quite a few pres lines etc around.


Also any info about any, railway or transport museums of any kind much appreciated, i'll be in the perth area so can travel around a bit. Anybody know names of the main rail operators in australia plz?

I'm not too sure about the railway/transport museums in WA, but the main rail operators are as follows

Queensland - Queensland Rail has two passenger brands - Citytrain (suburban/interurban) and Traveltrain (country rail and bus)

New South Wales - CityRail (suburban/interurban) and Countrylink (country and interstate rail and bus)

Victoria - Metro Trains Melbourne (private operator) and Vline Passenger (country rail and bus)

South Australia - Adelaidemetro. SA no longer has an instrastate passenger rail network.

WA - TransPerth (suburban rail) and TransWA (country rail and bus)

Great Southern Railway operate the Indian Pacific, Ghan and Overland services, linking Perth/Adelaide/Sydney, Adelaide/Darwin, and Adelaide/Melbourne.

Adelaide is worth a trip. Its the last city in Australia to run a fully dieselised rail service. They are in the process of preparing the network for electrification.

Freight is now all private, some of the companies include - Pacific National, QR National, Gennessee and Wyoming, and El Zorro. Freightliner is now also here.

Companies such as CFCLA and SSR provide motive power and rolling stock, but dont operate trains themselves.

Hope this helps.

Add.

 

[dalmahoyhill]

east coast is better for preserved railways and museums its a bit dry in the west. i suppose your only alternative is to take a train in perth. the route to kalgoorlie (the prospector) is intestesting although like all long distance rail journeys in australia, it is not quick.

the zig zag railway in the blue mtns west of sydney is worth a visit if you are stopping off on route to perth.

 

[DJ737]

i'll be in the perth area so can travel around a bit.

G'day
Do realise how far Perth is from anywhere civilized?
The closest major city to Perth isn't even in Australia.
Adelaide doesn't count
The train to Sydney takes 3.5 days (thats if a super freighter hasn't derailed in the middle of the Nullaboar) or fly in about 4hrs or so and much cheaper, about $200 each way.

As mentioned above, most preserved railways are based on the East Coast, mostly within 100 miles or so of the state capitals.

In Victoria the main preserved railways are :

Puffing Billy, Narrow gauge steam running from Belgrave to Gembrook thru the Dandenong Ranges, this is the main tourist railway in Victoria and runs daily.

Daylesford & Spa Country Railway, A unique branchline in the Central Highlands, operating British built Walker Bros. (Wigan) railcars and American design doodlebugs, operates Sundays only.

Victorian Goldfields Railway, Another branchline in Central Victoria, running from Castlemaine to Maldon, operates Wednesday and Sundays

Bellerine Peninsula Railway, Operates from Queenscliff to Drysdale, Narrow gauge steam along the Bellerine Peninsula, normally steam hauled on sundays

Cheers
DJ737

 

[ian959]

The Perth scene is limited.

The Rail Museum is in Bassendean and is an easy walk from Ashfield station on the Perth to Midland suburban line. Very restricted opening times. Web site : http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/museum/museum.htm

The Bennett Brook Railway is in Whiteman Park on the outskirts of Perth. Again has some restricted opening times but does have some interesting narrow gauge stuff. Web site: http://www.whitemanpark.com.au/attractions/train-rides.aspx

Hotham Valley Railway is about the only currently operating preserved line in WA, running from Pinjarra up into the Darling Scarp at Dwellingup. Reasonably easy to get to by catching the Australind (Daily Perth to Bunbury train) from Perth City station to Pinjarra. Operates a couple of days a week. Web site: http://www.hothamvalleyrailway.com.au/

From memory that is it at the moment (although I could be wrong as I am not a preservation enthusiast).