The Inlander (Queensland Rail)

The Inlander is a passenger train that operates between Townsville and Mount Isa on the Great Northern railway line in Queensland, Australia. It was introduced by Queensland Rail on 12 February 1953 using new steel air-conditioned carriages built by Commonwealth Engineering, Rocklea.[1][2][3]

The Inlander
Overview
Service typePassenger train
StatusOperational
First service21 February 1953
Current operator(s)Queensland Rail
Route
TerminiTownsville
Mount Isa
Distance travelled977 kilometres
Average journey time21 hours
Service frequency2 x per week
The Inlander
 Townsville
 Charters Towers
 Pentland
 Torrens Creek
 Hughenden
 Richmond
 Julia Creek
 Cloncurry
 Duchess
 Mount Isa

Background

Victorian Railways introduced air-conditioned trains in 1935, and Queensland Rail followed suit in the late 1940s. Steel carriages were designed to travel to all parts of the system, meaning a maximum axle load of 9 tons, which was a challenge for the dining cars. New features included showers in the sleeping cars, roomettes in first class and head end power cars, especially necessary where trains may be delayed by floods or other events, as was often the case.

History

The Inlander was the first air-conditioned train in Queensland, replacing the mail train with its wooden carriages and providing a more comfortable and cleaner service to this dry and dusty region.[4]

Today

As of September 2020, it operates twice-weekly on the Great Northern line from the coastal city of Townsville to the mining city of Mount Isa. The train is relatively slow, taking 21 hours (overnight) to complete a journey of 977 kilometres.[5]

The westbound service (3M34) departs Townsville railway station at 12:40pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays and arrives at Mount Isa railway station at 9:35am on Thursdays and Sundays.[4]

The eastbound service (3231) departs Mount Isa Railway station at 1:35pm on Thursdays and Sundays and arrives at Townsville railway station at 10:10am on Fridays and Mondays.

Until the end of 2014, the train consisted of sitting cars, sleeping cars with roomettes, twinettes and triple sleeping cabins and a club car where food could be purchased.

The sleeping cars were withdrawn from 1 January 2015. Catering is provided by at seat snack packs and a dining car.[6][7]

On 16 June 2021, a $1 million business case was announced by the Queensland State Government to investigate replacement of The Westlander, Spirit of the Outback and Inlander services' rolling stock.[8]

Subsidy levels

In 2016, the service was estimated to have carried 4,511 people in the previous financial year, with the effective subsidy paid by the Queensland State Government for each passenger amounting to an estimated $3,436 (total subsidy $15.5m).[9]

In 2021, the service carried 2,833 people in the previous financial year, with the effective subsidy paid by the Queensland State Government for each passenger at $5,086.06.[10]

References
  1. Robin Bromby (2004). The Railway Age in Australia. Lothian Press. p. 99. ISBN 0-7344-0715-7.
  2. Dunn, John (2006). Comeng; A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 1: 1921–1955. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 197. ISBN 1 877058 42 4.
  3. "The Inlander - Today" Railway Digest September 2013 pages 40–42
  4. The Inlander Queensland Rail
  5. "Westlander & Inlander timetable" (PDF). Queensland Rail Travel. 19 September 2020.
  6. The Inlander Factsheet Queensland Rail 3 January 2015
  7. "Westlander and Inlander to lose sleeping and dining cars this month" Railway Digest January 2015 page 16
  8. "Three train manufacturers shortlisted for Queensland train building program". Ministerial Media Statements. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  9. Rural rail subsidised by up to $4,000 a trip, prompting overhaul call Archived 1 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine ABC News 28 July 2016
  10. [https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2021/1216-2021.pdf Annual patronage and government subsidy per passenger trip for direct operating costs] Archived 12 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine Parliamentary Question on Notice 13 October 2021
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