Anyone here know of any WWW resources on the old GHAN route to Alice
Springs.

I have been looking but have found very little. Mostly what I find is
concerned with using the old track bed nowadays as a route for 4x4s.

Also, any recommended books and websites that might sell them.

I have been fascinated by this railway ever since the BBC Great Railway
Journeys covererd it years back.

I can remember shots of the train slowley crossing the desert rocking
and lurching as it picked its way along the overgrown track.

Apparently, much of the track was laid without ballast.

Thanks.

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 14:54:42 UTC, "allan tracy" 
 wrote:

: I have been fascinated by this railway ever since the BBC Great Railway
: Journeys covererd it years back.
:  
: I can remember shots of the train slowley crossing the desert rocking
: and lurching as it picked its way along the overgrown track

To some very funky music, iirc.

Ian

--

allan tracy wrote:

> Anyone here know of any WWW resources on the old GHAN route to Alice
> Springs.
> 
> 

Tried Googling Google Oz!!!  :

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=old+ghan+route&btnG=Google+Search&meta=cr%3DcountryAU

"allan tracy"  wrote in message 
news:1122735282.794929.183320@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> Anyone here know of any WWW resources on the old GHAN route to Alice
> Springs.
>


Try the following on Google-

Narrow Gauge Railway Alice Springs

-- 
Tony Bailey
Mercury Travel Books

allan tracy wrote:

> Anyone here know of any WWW resources on the old GHAN route to Alice
> Springs.
> 
> I have been looking but have found very little. Mostly what I find is
> concerned with using the old track bed nowadays as a route for 4x4s.
> 
> Also, any recommended books and websites that might sell them.
> 
> I have been fascinated by this railway ever since the BBC Great Railway
> Journeys covererd it years back.
> 
> I can remember shots of the train slowley crossing the desert rocking
> and lurching as it picked its way along the overgrown track.
> 
> Apparently, much of the track was laid without ballast.



Rode the Ghan Alice - Adelaide couple of months back, for the 
experience. Hmmmm!  Never criticise British railways again after that.

It's slow, even with the "modern" track they can't travel much faster 
than about 50 mph, because of the poor condition of the track.  But then 
that's the same all over Oz I think, because of the big country small 
population, less government income thing.

Toilets are interesting!  We booked a sleeper car compartment, en suite.
both the toilet and sink tip up to empty.  The toilet compartment is 
also the shower cubicle, and that simply empties through a drain in the 
floor.  You don't go to the toilet for a sitting session after a shower...!

On 30 Jul 2005 07:54:42 -0700, "allan tracy" 
wrote:


>Anyone here know of any WWW resources on the old GHAN route to Alice
>Springs.
>
>I have been looking but have found very little. Mostly what I find is
>concerned with using the old track bed nowadays as a route for 4x4s.
>
>Also, any recommended books and websites that might sell them.
>
>I have been fascinated by this railway ever since the BBC Great Railway
>Journeys covererd it years back.
>
>I can remember shots of the train slowley crossing the desert rocking
>and lurching as it picked its way along the overgrown track.
>
>Apparently, much of the track was laid without ballast.
>
>Thanks.


Try Pichi-Richi Railway:
http://www.prr.org.au/

And definately try the ComRails web site:
http://www.railpage.org.au/comrails/

In particular, look for pictures of the old Ghan by Murray Billet.

Not only the Ghan line to Alice Springs, but most of Australia's pioneer
lines were laid without ballast - usualy 40lb per yard flat-bottom rail on
steel sleepers. It was cheap, and it was better than the roads - if they
existed - at the time. It was fun in a drought year when sand completely
covered the rails.

Les Brown.

Richard Taylor writes

>
>Rode the Ghan Alice - Adelaide couple of months back, for the
>experience. Hmmmm!  Never criticise British railways again after that.
>

 Well true the speed isn't something to write home about.
 BUT then the main reason for the line between Darwin and Adelaide is
FREIGHT and the Ghan is for the enjoyment of going NOT how long will it
take. If that was the sole requirement aviation is the better choice.

>It's slow, even with the "modern" track they can't travel much faster than
>about 50 mph, because of the poor condition of the track.  But then that's
>the same all over Oz I think, because of the big country small population,
>less government income thing.
>

 Even the new track north of Alice to Darwin doesn't get much high speed
running. Though it was interesting to note the Narrow gauge formation
from Darwin going South , this peters out and never got to Alice
 New Zealand rail is also geared for freight and passengers going on a
long trip are rather routed round freights.

>Toilets are interesting!  We booked a sleeper car compartment, en suite.
>both the toilet and sink tip up to empty.  The toilet compartment is also
>the shower cubicle, and that simply empties through a drain in the floor.
>You don't go to the toilet for a sitting session after a shower...!

 The interesting thing is that allegedly the toilets in the singles were
being taken out and retention bogs put in at the end.
 Well as one is on the train for max 48hrs and one has a stop over at
Alice
and Kathryn the use of toilets could at a pinch be off train. The use of
the toilet and  or wash basin in the compartment involves Hoodini like
contortions at best.

But overall i wanted to go( to travel the line) and have been thrilled
on both occasions. The best job at Kathryn was a worker sat at the end
of the platform on a canvas chair under a sunshade making sure all
'visitors' were the proper side trackwise while the footplate crew were
on a prolonged PNB of around 3 hours. Most of the passengers meanwhile
were on trips to local scenery during this break.

a fact that came out during our stop at Alice; it has a large American
military presence at an establishment DEEP underground monitoring
electronic Comms etc.

superted wrote:


>  New Zealand rail is also geared for freight and passengers going on a
> long trip are rather routed round freights.


NZ passenger trains certainly aren't fast, but they're not "routed
round freights" either.

Mike

On 2 Aug 2005 02:52:18 -0700, "mmellor"  wrote:


>
>superted wrote:
>
>>  New Zealand rail is also geared for freight and passengers going on a
>> long trip are rather routed round freights.
>
>NZ passenger trains certainly aren't fast, but they're not "routed
>round freights" either.


Perhaps it was a spelling error? Maybe it was meant to be "rooted round
freights"? 

Definately more accurate.

Les Brown