The Interior

Sun coming up through lounge car window.

This post is about the interior - not the interior of the wide brown land - but the interior of the train we're using to cross it.

Thinking about it, we're spending 48 hours in a kind of long skinny hotel. Up one end of it (behind me, as we're sitting looking at where we've been, not where we're going) is a 132 tonne diesel electric locomotive.

It hauls us along at between 70 and 80 kph most of the time. The Bullet Train it isn't.

Between Adelaide and Alice Springs there is only one loco. We pick up a second one at the Alice, not because there are hills to climb, but in case one breaks down.




I have no idea why the same precaution isn't taken south of Alice Springs. Let me know when you find out.

The whole shebang is about 800 meters long, as this particular unit is what is referred to as a "double". You can go on a long walk - about 1600 meters there and back, although "there" is moveable if you get my drift.

During that walk you will traverse a number of Gold Twin Sleeper cars, Gold Twin Sleeper cars with superior cabins, Gold Single Seater cars, Red seat carriages, Platinum Sleeper cars (where the hoi poloi hang out), a Gold Outback Explorer lounge car, three Gold Queen Adelaide restaurant cars, and a Red cafe car.




The colors refer to how much you've spent. I don't think I'd like to spend 48 hours in a seater car, but there are plenty on the train who do. There are also crew cars, power vans, luggage vans and a motorail wagon carrying vehicles, but you can't walk to those.

We're in a Gold sleeper car. It is ensuite, with comfy fold-out beds. I think the Platinum wagons have double beds, but not being a member of the hoi poloi, I'm not allowed in to find out. I slept like a log last night, which is unusual in the sense that I don't sleep well in things that move.





The tucker served in the dining car is first class. It would be interesting to get a look inside the kitchen/galley (dunno what you call it on a train).

I took the shots early before most of my fellow travelers were out of bed so I didn't have to dodge around them taking photos.





The altered door button sign indicates the laid back attitude displayed by the staff. They haven't felt the need to restore it to the original.