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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 11 (February 1, 1937)

[section]

The Trans-Australian Railway (4ft. 8 ½in. gauge), which provides the connecting rail service between the Eastern States and overseas mail steamers arriving at Freemantle, is commencing upon a modernisation programme in order to save a day on the overland journey of 2,169 miles between Perth and Melbourne and reduce the time of trans-continental travel to three days. These trains have long been noted for their spacious interiors (the cars being 10ft. 6ins. wide), for the comfortable lounge equipped with piano, and the sleeping cars with wide comfortable berths and bathrooms. Now the trains are being air-conditioned, ensuring the prevention of noise and dust and providing cool air in summer and warm air in the colder months of the year.

Recently the construction of a new section of railway has been undertaken between Port Augusta and Red Hill, a distance of 84 miles. This will reduce the distance of the overland journey by 70 miles, but more important still it will eliminate two breaks of gauge, which have for many years constituted the most unpleasant feature of trans-continental travel in Australia.

New express locomotives are being constructed for the Trans-Australian Railway by Messrs. Walkers Ltd., in Queensland, to the order of the Commonwealth Railways Commissioner (Mr. Geo. A. Gahan, M.I.E., Aust.). The tenders of these locomotives will be the largest capacity tenders in Australia. They will permit of long distances being negotiated without stopping for fuel and water, the 17 ½ tons of coal which will be carried being sufficient for 560 miles, and the 12,000 gallons of water meeting requirements for a distance of 200 miles. The distance of 1,100 miles between Port Pirie, and Kalgoorlie (the section of the overland journey owned and controlled by the Commonwealth) will be negotiated with only one change of locomotive. As a matter of fact for a number of years locomotives on this railway have been running a distance of 1,051 miles with only one change, but it has been necessary for tenders to be replenished with coal, an operation which will no longer be entailed when the new locomotives are placed in service.

A feature of the Trans-Australian railway is the continuous stretch of perfectly straight track over 300 miles in length which is regarded as the world's longest “straight.” This, of course, is a great aid to fast long distance travel, but other factors, such as the scarcity of good surface water and the strong side winds, which set up considerable flange friction, are local conditions which present unusual difficulties in railway operation.

The brakevans used on this transcontinental journey are distinctive, for not only do they provide the usual accommodation for the guard and passengers' luggage, but they are equipped with living accommodation for a crew of ten dining car staff and sleeping car conductors. These brakevans, which are 60ft. long, are the widest in Australia, namely, 10ft. 4ins. across the outside walls.

The accelerated trans-continental service will be introduced in July, 1937, when the 84 mile section of new railway is expected to be open for traffic.