ADELAIDE TO PERTH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14286, 1 May 1917, Page 3

ADELAIDE TO PERTH.

THE EAST TO WEST RAILWAY.

SYDNEY", April 18. It is possible that the first train will run from Adelaide to Perth about tho end of next August. The last link to complete the great railway from Northern Queensland to Western Australia, lay between Port Augusta, in South Australia, and Kalgoorlie,. a distance of 1051 miles. Of this, 946 miles have now been completed, leaving 105 miles of track still to be laid.

War conditions have delayed the -work. The Broken Hill Proprietary Company, owin^ to the .war and to persistent and irritating strikes, was unable to deliver rails and fishplates within the contracted time, and now. when the rails have been rolled, the utr~- l difficulty is being experienced in geti>- f the shipping necessary to send 'the ri/ht proportion to ithe West Australian section of the work. However, if the rails can reach their destination within reasonable time, the track wi)l be sufficiently completed in August to allow trains t<> go through. The ballasting of the track will not th«tt be completed, but it is proposed to run trains over the new- line at an average speed of thirty miles ari hour. The Journey from Port Augusta to Kalgoolie, which will be made each, way by two trains each week, will tak« thirtyfive hours; The complete journey from .Adelaide to Berth, under these* conditions, should occupy between fifty and sixty hours. When'the track is 'ballasted, an average speed of forty miles wil! be" maintained, and the journey will require correspondingly less time. Eacb trans-continental toain will consist of imo seoond-cla«g sleepers, two firstclass sleepers, one dining-car,, one firstclass day car, ono bulk mail van. and one brake van. Special pains are being taken to make the new rolling stock comfortable and attractive. A great part of the line between Port Augustn and Kaigoorlie runs through blank desert. It is said that. -with water, -it may become smiling pastoral country, but at present it is a wilderness which, apart from it* novelty, will be an eyesore and a wearinegs to travellers.