The Prospector (train service)

The Prospector is a rural passenger train service in Western Australia operated by Transwa between East Perth and Kalgoorlie.

The Prospector
Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars near Kalgoorlie in February 2010
Overview
Service typePassenger train
StatusOperational
LocaleWestern Australia
PredecessorThe Kalgoorlie
First service29 November 1971
Current operator(s)Transwa
Former operator(s)WAGR (1971-1975)
Westrail (1975-2000)
WAGR Commission (2000-2003)
Route
StartEast Perth
EndKalgoorlie
Distance travelled653 km (406 mi)
Average journey time6 hours 45 minutes
Service frequency9 round trips per week
Line(s) usedEastern
Eastern Goldfields
Technical
Rolling stockWDA/WDB/WDC railcars
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map

History
WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars crossing the Swan River at Guildford in April 1986

With the standard gauge line from Perth to Kalgoorlie due to open in mid-1969, the Western Australian Government Railways decided to replace The Kalgoorlie overnight sleeper service with a daylight service. The new service commenced on 29 November 1971, cutting the 653-kilometre (406 mi) journey time from fourteen to eight hours. With an average speed of 85 km/h (53 mph), it was the fastest service in Australia.[1][2][3][4]

Stops

Services

There is one train each way daily between East Perth and Kalgoorlie. On Mondays and Fridays there are two services each way.[5]

Onboard facilities

Each seat on board is in the same class. At every seat there is a touchscreen entertainment system with a small selection of movies, TV shows and music. They also offer a tray table, in-seat power (Australian type only), and a foot rest.[6]

Food is not complimentary on board and can be bought at the buffet. The buffet offers a variety of items such as ham and cheese croissants, pies, muffins, soft drinks, potato chips, lollies and alcohol.[6]

Rolling stock

In 1968, Comeng, Granville were awarded a contract to build eight WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars.[2][4][7]

Built to take advantage of the generous loading gauge on the new line, they were the largest carriages ever built in Australia. They were the first trains in Australia to have at-seat catering.[4] These held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981.[8]

In December 2000, Westrail awarded a contract to United Goninan, Broadmeadow for seven Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars to replace the original railcars.[9][10]

The first entered service on 28 June 2004.[11] The new railcars are capable of 200 km/h (124 mph), but track conditions restrict their top speed to 160 km/h (99 mph).[12] Nonetheless they further reduced journey times to 6 hours 45 minutes.[5]

See also

References
  1. Affleck, Fred (1978). On Track: The making of Westrail 1950 - 1976. Western Australian Railways Commission. p. 157. ISBN 0 7244 7560 5.
  2. Gray, Bill; May, Andrew (2006). A History of WAGR Passenger Carriages. Perth: Bill Gray. pp. 304–311. ISBN 0-646-45902-3.
  3. Higham, Geoffrey (2007). Marble Bar to Mandurah: A history of passenger rail services in Western Australia. Bassendean: Rail Heritage WA. p. 121. ISBN 978 0 9803922 0 3.
  4. Dunn, John (2010). Comeng A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 3 1966-1977. Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 77–91. ISBN 9781877058905.
  5. "Prospector Timetable" (PDF). Transwa. Public Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  6. TravelFlow (27 August 2016), TransWA Prospector REVIEW: Perth - Kalgoorlie SEAT/FOOD/SCENERY, retrieved 8 April 2018
  7. "Future prospects for the Prospector" Railway Digest October 1997 pages 18-19
  8. Cooke, David (1984). Railmotors and XPTs. Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division. ISBN 0 909650 23 3.
  9. New 'world-class' Goldfields and Avon trains move closer Government of Western Australia 7 December 2000
  10. "WA Short Lines" Railway Digest February 2001
  11. Prospector enters new era The Golden Mail 2 July 2004
  12. Prospector Product Sheet UGL Rail

Bibliography
  • 100th anniversary of rail link (History of the Eastern Goldfields railway, officially completed on 1 January 1897, to the present, including introduction of the Prospector train on 29 November 1971) Kalgoorlie Miner 1 January 1997, p. 2
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