Train for the future

Press, 22 September 1987, Page 35

Train for the future

“There is one train everyone wants to ride on when they go to Ausralia,” says Mr Greg Donovan who runs the Australian Rail booking office at Christchurch’s railway station.

“It is the Inter-City XPT which revolutionised rail travel in New South Wales about five years ago.” During the 19705, many railway passenger services in New South Wales were suffering from years of neglect. When tenders were called for railcar units to replace old loco-motive-hauled carriages a local firm, Commonwealth Engineering, submitted an imaginative plan to build high-speed trains based on the popular British Inter-City 1255.

The plan was accepted and the Australian trains, which look remarkably like their British counterparts, became Inter-City XPTs, or Express Passenger Trains. When the first XPT went into service on a demonstration tour in 1981, it made a new Australian rail speed record when it reached 183 km/h between Albury and Wagga. In service, the normal maximum speed is 160 km/h, 50 km/h faster than Australia’s conventional passenger trains.

The state Rail Authority, which administers the 10,000 kilometre New South Wales system, proudly claim they can provide rail journeys equal to any in the world.

By the beginning of 1986 there were six sets of the high-speed trains in service, and their success is such that another 14 sets are being constructed at a cost of $250 million. Each distinctive red and silver train set consists of five or more carriages with a diesel-elec-tric power car at each end.

With some 3000 kW available to power a train of around 400 tonnes, the XPT has a very favourable power to weight ratio. This means there is ample power to climb grades and accelerate away from speed restrictions. These are important factors in reducing travelling times. It is very easy to be impressed by the highspeed trains even during the first few kilometres of travel. There is little sensation of speed, but lineside features do seem to rush past the large antiglare windows much quicker than usual. The seating is extremely comfortable and there are a number of interesting features such as automatic doors between carriages making it easy to walk through to the buffet. The carriages are fully air conditioned and aircushioned bogies, specially developed for the XPTs, are responsible for the very smooth ride. A number of innovative facilities have been included for disabled travellers. One carriage has

special seating and an area to accommodate wheelchairs. The same carriage also has the buffet making it convenient for disabled passengers to enjoy a light meal during the journey.

At present, XPTs operate on many of the longer services within New South Wales, but as new trainsets are completed they will be used on inter-state daylight journeys from Sydney to Brisbane and Melbourne.

A journey on one of these trains, designed for the future, is an experience which should not be missed by any New Zealander travelling through Australia.