Sleeping cars

[Tramwayjohn]

In brief, my wife and I enjoyed a fine trip on the Spirit of the Outback from Brisbane to Longreach. However, as per my 'trip report'  I suggest that as that train now has four sleeping cars, just ONE should be sent to Townsville to operate the INLANDER train.


Greetings!


 


Just like the old movie title, the Good the Bad and the Ugly, here are my thoughts on the Brisbane to Longreach Spirit of the Outback, train.


 


GOOD. The food and service by the crew was FIRST RATE. Five star hotel, standard.


 


The 'skinny' twinette sleeping berth cabins were surprisingly quite good. NOT at all set up for children, though. One person in each bed, but unlike standard twinettes on trains such as the GHAN or INDIAN PACIFIC where it 'is' possible to set up a small bed for a baby or toddler to sleep on the floor, there is no chance of that in the skinny roomettes. Which by the way for those who do not know, are simply converted from two roomette cabins, with the wall removed.


 


BAD. One can obtain an ensued air-conditioned room in a motel in LONGREACH for $90.00 a night, but Queensland Rail have the cheek to charge $90.00 for a  roomette in ECONOMY CLASS without any food. Also the eight person lounge is nothing short of a JOKE to serve two sitting cars!


 


UGLY. There are now FOUR sleeping cars on the Spirit of the Outback whilst passengers on the INLANDER are forced to sit up for the  21 hour train trip  from Townsville to Mt Isa. . . . while the three QR crew get a roomette sleeping berth. . . . and they can 'laugh' at the passengers!


 


ATTENTION Minister Jackie Trad. PLEASE ISSUE a 'ministerial directive' to send CAR D off the SOTO to Townsville for the INLANDER. Three sleeping cars on the train to Longreach is all that is required. The INLANDER simply needs just ONE sleeping car!


 


Overall, the Spirit of the Outback was a very good train trip, and indeed one of the top five trains in Australia.


 


John

[Gazza]

BAD. One can obtain an ensued air-conditioned room in a motel in LONGREACH for $90.00 a night, but Queensland Rail have the cheek to charge $90.00 for a  roomette in ECONOMY CLASS without any food. 


Yes but the hotel in Longreach isn't on wheels.
Did the $90 hotel room in Longreach include food?

[Tramwayjohn]

As I said, the economy class ROOMETTE  fare does NOT, repeat, 'NOT'  include food. Just a place to lay down for the  night and VERY limited lounge space for the two sitting cars. Eight seats. Perhaps $50.00 a night for the economy class sleeper, would be more reasonable. However, having said that, the best option by far is the 2 for 1 fare deal til march and go FIRST CLASS.

[Gazza]

But you're not just paying for the room, youre paying for the transportation.

Running a tourist train isn't cheap,

$90 to travel hundreds of kilometers is a bargain.

[SurfRail]

So pay for a first class fare, or fly, or go by long distance coach.

These things are losing money out of the gills.  Be happy the things are still running at all. 

The operating model is ruinously expensive because they screwed up their chance in the 1990s to buy some reasonably suitable rollingstock for the lander services and we now have a situation where long distance trains do not even carry half a million people in a year and cost a relative fortune to provide.

[Tramwayjohn]

The $90.00 is quite apart from the transportation cost. Frankly, I don't care whether passengers are silly enough to accept that fare. Now in regard to the plan to replace the LANDA trains, 'that' was indeed a lost opportunity. HOWEVER once the two 'TILT'  trains are running in mid-2016 there will be three spare DINING CARS and some of the sitting cars used on the TILTLANDER 'could' be converted into twinette sleeping cars, 'IF' QUEENSLAND RAIL and the PALASZCZUK GOVERNMENT would want to do that. . . . but they don't. I would never be surprised that the perfectly good 1980's built stainless steel cars are sold to THAILAND or the PHILIPPINES. A 'crying shame' IF that is done.

I have suggested that the sleeping car that become the FORTH ONE on the SOTO can and should be sent to operate the INLANDER. By the way, the WESTLAND 'could' be operated as a DAYLIGHT train from BRISBANE to ROMA with a bus connection to QUILPIE and CUNNAMULLA. Problem solved. An INLANDER with ONE sleeping car, a dining car and a sitting car, plus power/baggage car, of course.

[ozbob]

Thanks for the suggestions John.  We have been making representations for years now concerning the Inlander and the Westlander.  All ignored.

It is clear that there is no real committment to these services for the future.  They only reason they are hanging on is the parlous state of the Queensland Parliament.

The Westlander drifting back into town on Saturday morning as it passes through Goodna is a pitiful sight these days.

[Tramwayjohn]

Bob, sorry, I tried to respond by email and that seems to have failed. Anyhow in brief, please consider the concept of using  car 'D' of the Spirit of the Outback to Townsville for use on the INLANDER. The SOTO has four sleeping cars, when three would in general, be suitable. There will be three dining cars available when the TILTLANDER stops running in mid-2016. Thus, the INLANDER would attract larger patronage that it does at present. Further, the WESTLANDER could become  a DAYLIGHT train from Brisbane to Roma. Buses to Quilpie via Charleville and to Cunnamulla via St George.

[SteelPan]

How about, the 2015 UNHDI Rated #2 Country on Earth, Australia [state of Queensland] reintroduce genuine sleeper cars to its "showcase" new Brisbane/Cairns service, as was originally planned, before the, shoot themselves in both feet, one-term wonder Newman LNP admin scraped them.

Seriously, enough with the "world class" rail-bed rubbish as the only option - if people are prepared to pay a premium for a real sleeper, offer it!

:conf