Time for Australia's version of Amtrak (Comtrack)

[SteelPan]

The poor state of long-distance passenger train rolling stock and lack of promotion and coordination in this nation is a national disgrace. For example, I was a primary school student when the XPT's entered service and this month I turn 40 (sigh).

People once travelled on real long-distance trains, ate real food, in real dining cars, not plastic pre-cooked rubbish! Names like the Southern Aurora and Spirit of Progress, SHOULD have been as sacred to Australians as the Opera House or Harbour Bridge, but the bean counters tossed them in to history - after generations of service!

People always say "it's the cost" when they speak of rail, that translates into, rail is any easy target for mindless cutbacks. How much 24 Super Hornets, how much a next generation of submarines - 10's of billions. Rail asks for much, much less.

Now is the time for this nation, to establish a National, Federally Funded, long-distance passenger train system - with a new generation of GENUINE long-distance rolling stock - one centralised online/telephone booking service, greater co-ordination, uniform staff practices, marketing contracted to real world tourist and traveller experienced marketing experts, so if your in North Qld, Western NSW, Adelaide or the Northern Territory ONE organisation can handle all your long-distance passenger train requirements - we don't have different phone companies in different states, or change planes at the border, "Comtrack" to take over TravelTrain, CountryLink, VLine etc.

Bring a National Standard to Long-Distance Passenger Services - and easier to judge performance and maintain standards!