Service type Passenger train Locale Western Australia First service 29 November 1971 | Status Operational Predecessor The Kalgoorlie Current operator(s) Transwa (since 2003) | |
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The Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa between East Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The service departs from East Perth Terminal, not from Perth station, as it operates on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge tracks, which are laid in a dual gauge format from East Perth to Northam, where the tracks become just standard gauge.
Contents
History
With the standard gauge line from Perth to Kalgoorlie due to open in mid-1969, the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) decided to replace The Kalgoorlie overnight sleeper service with a daylight service. The new service commenced on 29 November 1971, cutting the 653-kilometre (406 mi) journey time from fourteen to eight hours. With an average speed of 85 km/h, it was the fastest service in Australia.
Rolling stock
In 1968 Comeng, Granville were awarded a contract to build eight WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars.
Built to take advantage of the generous loading gauge on the new line, they were the largest carriages ever built in Australia. They were the first trains in Australia to have at-seat catering. These held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981.
In December 2000 Westrail awarded a contract to United Goninan, Broadmeadow for seven Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars to replace the original railcars.
The first entered service on 28 June 2004. The new railcars are capable of 200 km/h (124 mph), but track conditions restrict their top speed to 160 km/h (99 mph). Nonetheless they further reduced journey times to 6 hours 45 minutes.
Stops
Services
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, there is one train each way between East Perth and Kalgoorlie, calling at all of the above stations except Toodyay. On Mondays and Fridays, the same service runs twice each way.
On Wednesdays, there is one semi-fast service each way between East Perth and Kalgoorlie which runs fast between Midland and Merredin (stopping only at Northam), then stops at all of the above stations east of Merredin.
On Sundays, there is one train in each direction stopping at all of the above stations (including Toodyay).
This gives a total of 9 trains per week in each direction.