Extra, Extra! Read all about it…
This came across my news feed today. It looks better priced once you do the conversion. The exchange rate is about 67 cents to the US dollar.
I just hate that anything from the 60’s is now considered “vintage”.
Would be a blast. You considering?
We were booked on the Ghan in 2021 for our 50th Anniversary. That trip fell through due to Covid, and we haven’t considered rebooking.
Cliff,
Probably not. Don’t get me wrong, I love heritage trains as they tend to lumber along at slow speeds, and these look interesting. But it sounds like it would be a very slow train trip for someone who lived in that are for years. For a tourist who might want to catch as much they can without driving it’s probably fantastic.
Surprisingly, a couple of my favourite rides are far from luxury trips. I’d recommend these two, and if I were in the area, would do again. Not for everyone, though.
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Cairns to Forsyth (currently not running) was a mixed freight un-airconditioned passenger that served the locals. Climbing up from the coast into the Atherton Tablelands it was not really promoted to tourists. When I went, there were a few railroad employees from other states on the trip sharing a 19th century carriage. It stopped at a carbonated spring and waterhole for a swim as well as delivered frozen goods to a pub and lime to a mining operation. It was a slow trip due to the grades and numbers of rock wallabies along the route travelling on un-welded rail.
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Normanton to Croydon The Heritage-listed line still run by QR as it is often open when roads are closed during the Wet. During its five-hour, 150km journey from “nowhere to nowhere”, it can still run when the rail is under water. The sleepers are made of steel and sit on soil rather than ballast. Originally serviced by steam locomotives, the Gulflander has run only rail-motors since the 1930s. When I last took the trip, you could put your car on the train.
However, we are heading to Tassie to do the West Coast Wilderness Railway soon, and I’ll report back on that trip.
Elsewhere, I’ve got my eye on Japan (for the world expo), the Rovos (in case the lottery kicks in) and the Siberian Express (if peace ever breaks out).
Have you got any bucket listed trips planned?
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Those sound wonderful, Bill. You bet, post on the “Tassie” railroad.
Apart from short historical lines, out only “long” trip has been from Sacramento to Reno, just a few hours. But it was amazing, and we were inspired to shoot higher.
In October, after small family reunion (me, my sisters, our spouses, but no kids, yay!) we’ll be taking Amtrak from Denver to Washington DC, a 2-nighter. No stops except a couple hours in Chicago. We’re just wanting to sit in our own roomette and watch the country go by.
So, I guess that’s been our main railroady bucket list item. But we’re open to more, should finances work out.
Cliff,
Can you choose your roomette? I’m not sure how roomettes are set up your way, but we crossed the continent sitting backwards on the Indian Pacific, which was probably safer but not as enjoyable looking out at scenery going away from us.
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You guys just really helped me out.
I was curious about which way the seats looked, as you brought up, Bill.
And then I saw the diagram you posted, Rooster.
Then I got concerned. When I’d booked, I got the “family suite.” But on the diagram, there’s no shower / sink / toilet in the “suite”! So I called Amtrak, rebooked in a bedroom. Cost a bunch more… partially due to the late date.
Seems like the bedroom is just as big as the “family suite,” so that’s cool. And with all the facilities.
So, Bill back to your question, I’d been using the term “roomette” in a generic sense. But now I can answer that there’s a bed/couch facing one way, and a chair the other, so we’re good.
Thanks guys!
Linda will thank me when she can poop and shower in her own room and not share it down the hall!
That reminded me of our 12 hour train trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai Thailand 2nd class and Herself became more and more restless as we approached the terminus.
It turned out that while I had found the western toilet, she had been using the eastern toilet the whole trip; a “hole in the floor” with direct view of the track speeding by, and reportedly used by people with poor aim.
Apparently it was not only smelly, but slippery. More importantly I was suddenly in trouble for not spruiking about how wonderfully average and boring my restroom stall had been.
I wish I could have gotten to ride The Ghan before it got turned into a cruise ship.
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