The Inlander (Queensland Rail)
The Inlander is an Australian passenger train. It was introduced by Queensland Rail on 12 February 1953 using new steel air-conditioned carriages built by Commonwealth Engineering, Rocklea.[1][2][3]
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Passenger train |
| Status | Operational |
| First service | 21 February 1953 |
| Current operator(s) | Queensland Rail |
| Route | |
| Start | Townsville |
| End | Mount Isa |
| Distance travelled | 977 kilometres |
| Average journey time | 21 hours |
| Service frequency | 2 x per week |
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Background
Victorian Railways introduced air-conditioned trains in 1935, and Queensland Rail decided to follow suit in the late 1940s. Steel carriages were designed to travel to all parts of the system, meaning a maximum axle load of 9 tons, which was a challenge for the dining cars. New features included showers in the sleeping cars, roomettes in first class and head end power cars, especially necessary where trains may be delayed by floods or other events, as was often the case.
History
The Inlander was the first air-conditioned train in Queensland, replacing the Mail train with its wooden carriages and providing a more comfortable and cleaner service to this dry and dusty region.[4]
Today
Today it operates twice-weekly on the Great Northern line from the coastal city of Townsville to the mining city of Mount Isa. The train is relatively slow, taking 21 hours (overnight) to complete a journey of 977 kilometres.[5] Until the end of 2014, the train consisted of sitting cars, sleeping cars with roomettes, twinettes and triple sleeping cabins and a club car where food could be purchased.
The dining and sleeping cars were withdrawn from 1 January 2015, with catering now provided by at seat snack packs delivered at meal times.[6][7]
Subsidy levels
In 2016, the service was estimated to have carried 4,511 people in the previous financial year, with the effective subsidy paid by the Queensland State Government for each passenger amounting to an estimated $3,436 (total subsidy $15.5m)[8]
References
- Robin Bromby (2004). The Railway Age in Australia. Lothian Press. p. 99. ISBN 0-7344-0715-7.
- Dunn, John (2006). Comeng; A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 1: 1921–1955. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 197. ISBN 1 877058 42 4.
- "The Inlander - Today" Railway Digest September 2013 pages 40–42
- The Inlander Queensland Rail
- "Westlander & Inlander timetable" (PDF). Queensland Rail Travel. 14 December 2018.
- The Inlander Factsheet Queensland Rail 3 January 2015
- "Westlander and Inlander to lose sleeping and dining cars this month" Railway Digest January 2015 page 16
- Rural rail subsidised by up to $4,000 a trip, prompting overhaul call ABC News 28 July 2016
External links
- The Inlander Open Street Map