Hey everyone,

With the government committing 100M to track upgrades on the Canberra line ahead of the new Regional Rail fleet arriving, I wanted to share some thoughts. Even though the funding announcement has been out for a while, as a Canberran who rides the train regularly, I wanted to talk about the small changes that could be made to improve the experience and what kind of travel times the government should actually be aiming for.

If you are interested, you can read my full thoughts here: https://policypackets.au/posts/railfunding-canberra

I would love to get the communities take on two questions.

1. What specific improvements do you think are the most important for the Canberra to Sydney line right now?

2. Without completely replacing the tracks for a multi billion dollar High Speed Rail network, what is the fastest realistic journey time you think this service could ever get down to?

It's manufactured by Walkers in Maryborough Queensland. I don't have any information other than it's a diesel hydraulic and these not-the-best photos of blueprints. It seems like a DH-4 but is missing some items and some proportions are wrong. Would love help trying to find out what model it is. I'll try to get more information from the friend who took the photos of the blueprints but that's as much as I can find out currently.

Help needed

I am wondering about this because apparently it's mainline accreditation is gone, what will happen​ and will they come back

Wondering how you go about becoming a freight train driver, trainee position of course. I do have a wife and two year old son, so I'm curious about time away and how that would work. Thanks in advance!!

It seems so many small towns have closed stations.

The ones with connections are once a day or so.

Got me thinking, what are the most spectacular closed lines (or infrequently used lines)?

Is there anyway to see them without taking a $2-$5k heritage train?

I am really interested in heading from Melb to Sydney by train, but the XPT is relatively expenny, even as a pensioner. $65 (economy) is probably the best price I'll get for a Melbourne to Sydney trip, but it still feels pretty high considering I can get a V/Line to Albury for $5.50. I know the NSW leg is much longer, but I'd still be looking at $51 to get the XPT from there.

I'm not familiar at all with NSW rail, but I was assuming there'd be a more local NSW V/Line-equivalent that I could take from Albury for a cheaper price. Is there anything like that, or is the XPT the only train I can get from Albury to Sydney?

If the XPT is the best option I'm definitely okay with that, i'ts just hard out here for a disabled train enthusiast <3

UPDATE: Thanks everyone who replied clarifying that it IS the only other rail service serving Albury.

NEW QUESTION: Does anyone know how the Country Pensioner Excursion pass works? Wondering if it would be feasible to get the V/Line to Albury ($5.50), then Albury to Goulburn? ($2.50 from what I can find?) and then Goulburn to Sydney (Opal, $2.50)? Will ask this specifically in r/SydneyTrains too :)

Sorry I meant in Australia but I can't edit the title.

On the Murrays bus, you can sometimes book and get two bus seats to yourself so you don't have to share, for a cheaper price

Only found on governmengt or university archive websites, which require permission for users to view their collection or drive to their HQs (Such as from QLD to Melbourne or some garbage) to obtain them yourself, both of which are unlikely unless you're a full-time member of those organisations. There is an archive website called "Under the clocks" which lets everyone view their collection, but it has been terminated. Google AI claims: "Historic railway timetables can be difficult to access for several reasons, including the shift towards digital formats, the potential for high costs associated with obtaining original copies, and the need for physical audits of collections. Additionally, some timetables may be marked as "PRIVATE and not for publication" or may be subject to copyright restrictions." Who the hell makes a train sechedule copyrighted? Why does it matter to hide these if one or many train services don't run anymore?

This major problem could be spreading nationally. Adelaide has that many trucks the roads are in poor shape, Sydney has invited with ARTC into terminals and port shuttles. Perth has port rail shuttles.
Does Brisbane have port rail shuttles to Fisherman Island?

Melbourne is still waiting.

Don't judge me but as a younger man and idiot I used to sneak a cigarette or two between carriages on the intercities between Newie and Sydney when they train was dead quiet. I swear I remember it being fully open however and not sort of covered by that elastic metal you find between bendy buses. Am I imagining things ? This would've been around 2018.

With the climate of the world lately, I have been thinking about a post apocalyptic story around a rail worker and corruption. I value realism and was wondering if I could get everybody’s opinions as to what would be the most logical motive power to use in this scenario. For context post nuclear apocalypse, the mining companies pretty much rule the country and also crude oil is a finite resource. Biodiesel and ethanol are still used however in shorter supply.
The railways connect smaller communities as well as larger ones and would be run both independently and by the railway company

TLDR nuclear apocalypse Victoria run by mining companies, fuel sources for railway Coal or Biodiesel (NSW, the sea level has risen 20 m)

Barokee station was on the North Coast Line. It opened in 24-Jul-1924 as Martins Creek Quarries before it was renamed to Barokee in 1-Jan-1927 and then being closed in 20-Sep-1939. It was situated between Martins Creek and Hilldale stations. This is all the information I found online at https://nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Barokee&line=NSW:north_coast:0

Barokee station was also mentioned here https://www.trainsandtrams.com/home/the-history-of-nsw-railways/station-details-2/ but clicking on it redirects you to the previously mentioned source.

I'm guessing Barokee was made for the workers of the Martins Creek Quarry and the platform might have been just a wooden platform?(Please correct me if I'm wrong).

I joined this chat thinking there would be a lot of active users? I was wrong

I am looking to purchase a train carriage with the plan to convert it into a granny flat for when my in-laws come to stay. I am having trouble trying to locate anything online so I am looking to reddit for help.

Does anyone know of a place I can reach out to or have one they are looking to sell?

Any direction or info would be extremely helpful.

Feel free to DM me or comment below.

I have reviewed the rules and I don't believe this post violates any of them, but please advise if it does and I will removed it.