The Spirit of Queensland (Queensland Rail) - AustraliaThe Spirit of Queensland (Queensland Rail) The Spirit of Queensland is a Queensland Rail long distance passenger rail service. It is operated by a diesel powered Tilt Train that runs five times a week on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns, a distance of 1,681 kilometres. At the start of 2015 it replaced the diesel-hauled train The Sunlander. Spirit of Queensland History In October 2010, the Queensland Government awarded a contract to Downer Rail for the construction of a new Tilt Train. The two existing diesel tilt trains used on the Cairns service were also refurbished and extended in size, with the inclusion of first-class sleeping carriages. Known as the 'Sunlander 14' project, a total of 25 carriages would have been acquired:
By expanding the train length from nine to 14 carriages, three 'luxury' sleeping carriages, one 'first-class' lounge and one restaurant car could be included in the consist, replicating the services provided on The Sunlander. The construction of four new power cars allowed for the inclusion of the most up-to-date safety features in the driving car of each train, as well as minimising the risk of disruptions in the event that an incident occurred while a second power car was undergoing heavy maintenance. The resulting project was costed at $195 million and allowed for the operation of five services a week, with a total capacity of 1320 seats. However, costs had risen by 2012, and the Queensland Auditor-General reported that the eventual cost would be from $358 to $404 million, because Queensland Rail had failed to take into account the requirement for upgraded maintenance facilities, as well as en route provisioning. The Auditor-General also believed Queensland Rail had overestimated how popular the new service would be, and had a mistaken belief that the 'luxury' component of the train would attract more high-paying customers. In 2013 the project was scaled back, with the train length being reduced to nine cars by removing the luxury sleepers and restaurant cars. That resulted in a revised project cost of $204 million. In October 2013 the first refurbished Tilt Train entered service on the existing Brisbane to Cairns service. With the introduction of the Tilt Train, which has a maximum speed of 160km/h, the journey time was reduced to 24 hours 55 minutes. Spirit of Queensland Train Layout Each Spirit of Queensland Train Layout:
Spirit of Queensland Further Information The Spirit of Queensland combines modern seating and entertainment options with the charm of long distance rail travel. Contemporary, comfortable and designed for relaxation. Travelling between Brisbane and Cairns five times a week, the Spirit of Queensland redefines the modern rail travel experience with a comfortable and convenient way to access spectacular holiday destinations such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns and everywhere in between. So wherever you're heading, the Spirit of Queensland will have you relaxed from the moment you step aboard to the time you arrive at your destination. Spirit of Queensland Route Spirit of Queensland Route: Brisbane to Cairns Spirit of Queensland Distance: 1681 kms Spirit of Queensland Departs Brisbane: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat at 3.45pm Spirit of Queensland Duration: 24 hrs Spirit of Queensland Departs Cairns: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sun at 9.00am Spirit of Queensland Services
Spirit of Queensland Onboard Facilities
Spirit of Queensland Overview Spirit of Queensland Service Type: Passenger Train Spirit of Queensland Status: Operating Spirit of Queensland Locale: Queensland Spirit of Queensland First Service: 28 October 2013 Spirit of Queensland Current Operator(s): Queensland Rail Route Spirit of Queensland Start: Brisbane Spirit of Queensland End: Cairns Spirit of Queensland Distance Travelled: 1,681 kilometres Spirit of Queensland Average Journey Time: 24hrs, 55mins Spirit of Queensland Service Frequency: 5 each way per week Spirit of Queensland Track Gauge: 1,067mm Spirit of Queensland On-Board Services Spirit of Queensland Seating Arrangements: Yes Spirit of Queensland Sleeping Arrangements: Yes Quick Guide to Australia Country Guides & Australia Tourism Attractions Country Guides - Days Out - Tourism Attractions - Theme Parks - Family Days Out - Tourism Guides Quick Guide to Australia Places to Visit & Australia Cultural Tourism Theatres - Museums - Art Galleries - Cathederals - Synagogues - Mosques - Temples Festivals - Concerts - Gigs - Sport Stadiums - Sport Events - Airports Zoological Gardens - Aquariums - Racing Tracks - Racing Circuits - Athletics Tracks Quick Guide to Australia Rail Guides & Australia Rail Tourism Rail Tickets - Railway Maps - Railway Tourism Advice - Rail Passes - Rail Tours - Eurostar Eurail - Interrail - Train Stations - Metro Stations - Underground Stations Railway Modelling - Railway News Train Tickets - Rail Tours - Luxury Rail Tours - Europe Rail Pass - Steam Trains - Rail Journeys HS2 - Mountain Trains - Heritage Trains - Cog Trains - High Speed Rail - Escorted Rail Tours Cable Cars - Funicular - Gondola Lifts - Tramways - Ski Lifts - Ski Pass Railway Companies of the World - Heritage Railways - Steam Trains - Luxury Rail Journeys Airport Shuttles - Night Trains - Sleeper Rail Cars - High Speed Trains - TGV - Eurostar Cog Railways - Swiss Mountain Railways - Train Journeys - Express Trains Quick Guide to World Train Companies Amtrak - Orient Express - Rovos Rail - Rocky Mountaineer - Glacier Express Jungfrau Express - Gotthard Panorama Express - Jungfrau Travel Pass- Express Trains Eurostar - British Pullman - Bernina Express - Shongololo Express - Blue Train - Danube Express Trans Siberian Express - GoldenPass Panoramic - Golden Eagle Train - Andean Explorer Swiss Travel Pass - Jacobite - El Transcantabrico - Tren Al Andus - Hiram Bingham Australia Business Centre - Australia Exhibitions Business Centre - Trade Exhibitions - Trade Shows - Trade Fairs - Trade Events Trade Exhibition Staff - Trade Exhibition Stands - Trade Show Help Australia Business Centre - Australia Procurements Business Incorporation - Procurements - Business Leads - Foreign Exchange Business Insurance - Shares - Commodities - Futures - Property Sales - Money Transfer Asset Finance - Asset Leasing - Crowd Funding - Currency Transfer Australia Business Centre - Australia Freight Rail Freight - Rail Cargo - Multimodal Freight - Road Freight - Air Freight - Sea Freight Freight - Cargo - Containers - Pallet Delivery - Letter Delivery - Parcel Delivery Australia Business Centre - Australia Finance Business Finance - Business Insurance - Business Cards - Apprentices - Need Staff - Jobs Vehicle Finance - Car Insurance - Car Leasing - Commercial Property - Foreign Exchange Utility Swop - Utility Gas - Utility Electricity - Utility Oil - Utility Solar Power Rail Finance - Business Leasing - Crowd Funding - Currency Transfer Insurance - Utilities - Savings - Credit Cards - Car Insurances - Car Finance - Pensions Quick Guide to World Travel & Australia Tourism Hotels - Hostels - Flights - Car Rental - Flight + Hotel - River Cruises - Cruises B&B - Holiday Homes - Apartment Rentals - Chalet Rental Summer Holidays - Holiday Deals - Beach Holidays - Short Trips - Package Holidays Summer Vacations - Vacation Deals - Beach Vacations - Weekend Breaks - Package Vacations Winter Holidays - Winter Holiday Deals - Ski Holidays - Ski Lift Passes - Short Breaks Winter Vacations - Winter Vacation Deals - Ski Vacations - Ski Pass - Weekend Trips | |||||
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