Transwa Prospector

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Prospector

The Prospector passes through Binduli Triangle near Kalgoorlie in February 2010
Overview
Service type Passenger train
Status Operational
Locale Western Australia
Predecessor The Westland
First service 29 November 1971
Current operator(s) Transwa (since 2003)
Former operator(s) WAGR (1971-1975)
Westrail (1975-2003)
Route
Start East Perth
End Kalgoorlie
Distance travelled 653 km
Average journey time 6 hours 45 minutes
Service frequency 9 round trips / week
Line used Eastern
Eastern Goldfields
Technical
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa between East Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

History

Prospector service crossing the Swan River at Guildford in April 1986
Prospector near Toodyay in February 2004
Prospector services crossing at Merredin in October 2012

The Prospector replaced the narrow gauge overnight passenger train named The Westland, which ran on the older Eastern Railway route. It commenced operating on the new standard gauge line on 29 November 1971. The Prospector cut the 653 kilometre journey time from 14 hour to 8 hours.

Rolling stock

In 1971 Comeng, Granville built five WCA power cars and three WCE non-powered trailers.[1] They travelled over 20 million kilometres and carried 2.6 million passengers over 33 years before being retired in July 2005.[2] These held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981.[3]

In June 2004 a new generation of seven railcars built by United Goninan, Broadmeadow entered service.[4][5] The new railcars are built for a top speed of 200 km/h, but track conditions currently allow a maximum speed of only 160 km/h.[6] These consist of three WDA driving cars, three WDB driving cars without buffet, and a motored WDC non-driving car. These form two 2-car and one 3-car sets. An additional 2-car set of the same design was purchased at the same time for the AvonLink service.


Stops

(as at February 2013)[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Future prospects for the Prospector" Railway Digest October 1997 page 18
  2. ↑ Prospector - East Perth to Kalgoorlie Transwa
  3. ↑ Cooke, David (1984). Railmotors and XPTs. Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division. ISBN 0 909650 23 3. 
  4. ↑ "Transwa - Prospector track trails". www.transwa.wa.gov.au. Retrieved 2008-07-25. 
  5. ↑ "Prospector enters new era". The Golden Mail. yourguide.com.au. 2 July 2004. Retrieved 2008-07-25. 
  6. ↑ "Australia's fastest trains enter service". International Railway Journal. findarticles.com. September 2003. Retrieved 2008-08-13. 
  7. ↑ Timetable Files Transwa

Bibliography

  • 100th anniversary of rail link (History of the Eastern Goldfields railway, officially completed on 1 January 1897, to the present, including introduction of the Prospector train on 29 November 1971) Kalgoorlie Miner 1 January 1997, p. 2
  • Higham, G J (2007). Marble Bar to Mandurah: A History of Passenger Rail Services in Western Australia. Bassendean, WA: Rail Heritage WA. ISBN 9780980392203. 
  • May, Andrew S.; Gray, Bill (2006). A History of WAGR Passenger Carriages. Midland, WA: Bill Gray. ISBN 0646459023. 
Transwa fleet

Australind
(Perth–Bunbury)

AvonLink
(East Perth–Northam/Merredin)

Prospector
(East Perth–Kalgoorlie)

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