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Great Southern Rail to launch Adelaide-Brisbane service

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      justapassenger Minister for Railways

    It's an unavoidable part of considering it though.

    Journey Beyond have designed a pair of packages which go out from Adelaide and return in one week, allowing it to repeat the next week with broadly the same set of rolling stock. Further to that, they've designed the schedule to do the boring bits overnight.

    To add anything means either taking something away, or lengthening the schedule and shuffling things around.

    It's clearly aimed primarily at international visitors, so 'natural' attractions such as the Grampians or 12 Apostles are clearly going to take priority over ex-mining towns which can be found locally in many of the countries which are the targeted markets. The only one I can't work out is Canberra - it will be interesting to see how they run that tour.
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 17:26

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      Graham4405 The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: Dalby Qld
    Re this trip - if Ararat-Ballarat-Gheringhap was all SG, what might the chance be of an off train excursion into Ballarat and the goldfields?
    Where would it fit in the schedule?
    IM not thinking at that level of detail - just wether it might be an interesting enough place for an off train tour.
    james.au
    A "wether" is a castrated male sheep, I'm guessing you meant "whether"!
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 17:57
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    To add anything means either taking something away, or lengthening the schedule and shuffling things around.
    justapassenger
    This.  Build the schedule around the desired tour. If Ballarat made sense then I'm sure they'd follow suggestions as you make above to make it work.
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 18:04
      BrentonGolding Chief Commissioner

    Location: Maldon Junction
    IM not thinking at that level of detail - just wether it might be an interesting enough place for an off train tour.
    A "wether" is a castrated male sheep, I'm guessing you meant "whether"!
    Graham4405
    This is the second spelling / grammar correction I've seen today on RP. Now don't get me wrong, I am all for it however I am a bit worried that the threads are going to get clogged up with corrections.

    And @jamesau as a former farmer is, I am sure, used to asking whether it be good weather for wethers!

    BG
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 18:47
      Fatty Deputy Commissioner

    Location: Melbourne
    The IP makes a couple of stops at Mt Victoria every Wednesday to let off passengers for the Blue Mountains tour. No big deal.
    nswtrains

    The Overland sometimes makes multiple stops at North Shore.
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 19:12
      justapassenger Minister for Railways

    To add anything means either taking something away, or lengthening the schedule and shuffling things around.
    justapassenger
    This.  Build the schedule around the desired tour. If Ballarat made sense then I'm sure they'd follow suggestions as you make above to make it work.
    james.au
    Within reason and within the constraints of their resources, yes.

    Journey Beyond have considerable experience in the tourism sector, both within the group leadership and the GSR division. I'm sure they have strong reasons for the decisions they have made on what to include from quite a wide variety of options.
    Posted: 12 Feb 2019 19:18

    Last edited by justapassenger on 12 Feb 2019 19:21; edited 1 time in total
      justapassenger Minister for Railways

    Where would the best location be for the train to park and let passengers on and off?  Ararat/Stawell?

    The train is likely to be what length? 20 coaches?
    It cost me $4600.00 to find out but GSR told me the train will be 28 coaches and 2 locomotives.  I don't believe it will stop in Canberra (for excursions or similar ) but there is a Hunter Valley Winery excursion.
    Tickets do say excursions may change as necessary as do departure and arrival times.
    GS4
    You're doing the Brisbane-Adelaide version?

    Canberra is on the outbound trip to Brisbane.
    Posted: 14 Feb 2019 22:39
      neillfarmer Chief Train Controller

    Brisbane Roma St SG logistics will be interesting.
    Posted: 14 Feb 2019 23:50
      kitchgp Chief Commissioner

    28 + 2 (214 guests) is on the GSR website:
    https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/news/2018/11/23/great-southern-explores-new-territory
    (214 guests averages about 8 per carriage)

    Canberra (Sat AM excursion) is on the timetable. Probably bus from Yass or similiar location:
    https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/fares-and-timetables/timetables/great-southern-timetables-2019-2020/
    Posted: 16 Feb 2019 14:29

    Last edited by kitchgp on 16 Feb 2019 15:38; edited 2 times in total
      trainbrain Chief Commissioner

    sounds like this venture is going to be a LEMON.
    Posted: 16 Feb 2019 17:59
      RTT_Rules Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Dubai UAE
    Roma Street Plat 2 is about 300m according to the Google Maps and Plat 3 even longer, probably 380m between points.

    28 cars, assume 24m long? is 430m and will I think block the common line coming in so maybe the cars are shorter.

    Anyway I suspect the max train length is well known and I suspect likely they will shunt one engine at a time to fit it in. ie one engine goes through the sissors, then other pulls train forward and then repeat from the rear, now front.


    Or

    The will have another engine follow from AR and do it that way.
    Posted: 19 Feb 2019 12:45
      justarider Chief Commissioner

    Location: Free at last, free at last
    @RTT
    back to school for you.
    28 X 23 (actual length of GSR carriage)  = 644 meter.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Railways_stainless_steel_carriage_stock

    Their longest train is 1096 meters.
    https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/news/2016/10/07/all-aboard-the-longest-ghan

    They are very long pax trains, but not to worry, only 1/2 are for actual pax (ie get on/off).
    So might fit the 380m limit in a squeeze.
    The rest are restaurant, lounge, power, luggage, crew, which don't have a real need for platform.

    cheers
    John
    Posted: 19 Feb 2019 18:37
      RTT_Rules Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Dubai UAE
    @RTT
    back to school for you.
    28 X 23 (actual length of GSR carriage)  = 644 meter.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Railways_stainless_steel_carriage_stock

    Their longest train is 1096 meters.
    https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/news/2016/10/07/all-aboard-the-longest-ghan

    They are very long pax trains, but not to worry, only 1/2 are for actual pax (ie get on/off).
    So might fit the 380m limit in a squeeze.
    The rest are restaurant, lounge, power, luggage, crew, which don't have a real need for platform.

    cheers
    John
    justarider
    Mmm, seems I typed in 18, not 28 cars. Thanks for the heads up on carriage length.

    Looking at Google MAps, 640m puts the end of the train back out on the main blocking the sparks.

    Likely they will need a trialing loco to come in and split the train on arrival.
    Posted: 19 Feb 2019 18:54
      x31 Chief Commissioner

    Location: gallifrey
    Noted the advertising for the new service already appearing on the internet and one company has started marketing packages for the train.
    https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/train/great-southern/?target=&adgroup=71463584590&keyword=&matchtype=&device=c&position=none&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5q6p8rPn4AIVUUgrCh3uvgI8EAEYASAAEgLHBfD_BwE


    Offering a 5 day package for $2332 per person.
    Posted: 04 Mar 2019 13:13

    Last edited by x31 on 04 Mar 2019 13:13; edited 1 time in total
      justapassenger Minister for Railways

    I would be astonished if the first season is not fully sold out at least a month in advance of the first train running.
    Posted: 04 Mar 2019 18:01
      potatoinmymouth Chief Commissioner

    https://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/journeys/great-southern/
    Quite a bit more detail online now, including mentioning Inverleigh as the pickup point in Victoria, for the southbound direction. The way I read it, the train will stop in Melbourne somewhere (Broadmeadows perhaps? Can’t see them going all the way to Southern Cross) for passengers who wish to do the Melbourne day trip, and they’ll be bussed to Inverleigh to meet the Great Ocean Road day trippers.

    In the other direction, the only Victorian stop is “the Grampians”, so perhaps Horsham.
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 08:55
      bingley hall Minister for Railways

    Location: Last train to Skaville
    Notice the change in branding from 'Great Southern Rail' to 'Journey Beyond'
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 13:01
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    That is interesting.
    Perhaps going to add non-rail to its product suite?
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 13:38
      bevans Site Admin

    Location: Melbourne, Australia
    Brisbane Roma St SG logistics will be interesting.
    neillfarmer

    Can you elaborate a little further please Neil?
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 14:15
      LancedDendrite Chief Commissioner

    Location: Gheringhap Loop Autonomous Zone
    That is interesting. Perhaps going to add non-rail to its product suite?
    james.au

    Journey Beyond Group is the organisation that runs Great Southern Rail now. They’ve already got a bunch of non-rail products (like the Rottnest Express ferry). Perhaps they’re just retiring the Great Southern Rail brand to make a clear break from when Serco ran the company. It also reduces confusion between the company trading name and the new train service.
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 15:35
      neillfarmer Chief Train Controller

    Brisbane Roma St SG logistics will be interesting.

    Can you elaborate a little further please Neil?
    bevans
    Roma St has only one SG platform that has a limited length. If the train won't fit then it will have to be split at Acacia Ridge Freight Terminal or be run to the stop blocks and a second loco added to the rear for the outward movement.
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 17:08
      james.au Minister for Railways

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Brisbane Roma St SG logistics will be interesting.

    Can you elaborate a little further please Neil?
    Roma St has only one SG platform that has a limited length. If the train won't fit then it will have to be split at Acacia Ridge Freight Terminal or be run to the stop blocks and a second loco added to the rear for the outward movement.
    neillfarmer
    Option 2 of this would be easier right?  PN could bring in a shunter from Acacia Ridge?
    Posted: 04 Jul 2019 17:26
      Graham4405 The Ghost of George Stephenson

    Location: Dalby Qld
    Roma St has only one SG platform that has a limited length. If the train won't fit then it will have to be split at Acacia Ridge Freight Terminal or be run to the stop blocks and a second loco added to the rear for the outward movement.
    neillfarmer

    I thought that since Platform 1 went to buses, Platforms 2 & 3 were both SG? Adding locos to the rear at AR shouldn't be an issue if required.
    Posted: 14 Jul 2019 19:49
      justapassenger Minister for Railways

    Oh , , as best I know the Great Southern is the Ghan with a change of name plates.
    GS4
    This was mentioned way upthread. It's an alternative option during the Ghan's off-season.

    Journey Beyond operate the Ghan and IP using a common fleet. Any vehicle can be exchanged between the two as needed.
    Posted: 08 Nov 2019 14:14
      bingley hall Minister for Railways

    Location: Last train to Skaville
    From a source - 2/3 booked about a month ago
    Posted: 08 Nov 2019 23:34

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