The Savannahlander
Encyclopedia
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The train travels from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth
Forsayth, Queensland
Forsayth is a town in Etheridge Shire, Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately 415km by road from Cairns. At the 2006 census, Forsayth had a population of 101....
. The service was once operated by QR
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
Traveltrain
TravelTrain
Traveltrain provides long range passenger rail services in Queensland, run by Queensland Rail. Its flagships are the electric and diesel Tilt Trains, servicing Brisbane – Rockhampton and Brisbane – Cairns respectively...
but is now run under contract by a private operator. The train can be hired for large groups.
Route and timetable
The Savannahlander departs Cairns 6.30 Wednesday morning and travels up the scenic Kuranda RangeKuranda Range
Kuranda Range may refer to:*An informal name for the Macalister Range between Cairns and Kuranda*Kuranda Range road, a section of highway that traverses this range*Kuranda Scenic Railway, a scenic tourist rail service that traverses this range...
. It then travels to the south-west
on the Chillagoe
Chillagoe, Queensland
Chillagoe in northern Queensland, Australia, was once a thriving mining town for a range of minerals, but is now reduced to a small zinc mine and some marble quarries. At the 2006 census, Chillagoe had a population of 227....
-Mungana
Mungana, Queensland
Mungana, 15 km from Chillagoe, in north Queensland, Australia, was once the site of copper mines that featured in the Mungana Affair.-External links:*...
branch line. The train travels through the towns of Mareeba
Mareeba, Queensland
Mareeba is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. The town is above sea level on the confluence of the Barron River, Granite Creek and Emerald Creek. The town's name is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning meeting of the waters...
and Dimbulah
Dimbulah, Queensland
Dimbulah is a town located in Far North Queensland, Australia, 114 kilometres from Cairns by road, on the Atherton Tableland. The town was established in 1876 to service the Tyrconnell Gold Mine, one of the richest mines on the Hodgkinson Gold Fields...
before arriving in Almaden where it stays for the night. On Thursday morning at 8.00 the Savannahlander continues south-west on the Etheridge branch. The rail motors pass through Mount Surprise
Mount Surprise, Queensland
Mount Surprise is a town in the Gulf Savannah, Far North Queensland, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Etheridge Local Government Area, on the Gulf Developmental Road, north west of the state capital, Brisbane and west of the regional centre of Cairns...
and Einasleigh before arriving at the terminus of the line, Forsayth
Forsayth, Queensland
Forsayth is a town in Etheridge Shire, Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately 415km by road from Cairns. At the 2006 census, Forsayth had a population of 101....
. On Friday the train makes the short run from Forsayth back to Mount Surprise. The train then travels back to Cairns on Saturday.
Railmotor units
The Savannahlander rollingstock comprises three former QRQueensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
2000 class railmotor units.
2026 and 2028 are 2000 class "PD" (Passenger / Driving) cars. These units have the classic 1960s era streamlined front ends and were built for QR in 1963. Originally they had 160 HP Rolls Royce Diesel Engines fitted but these were removed in 2005 and replaced with a 250 HP Cummins diesel and Allison Auto gear box combination.
2053, technically a 2051 class rail motor, is known as a "PLDT" (Passenger & Luggage / Driving / Trailing) car. These cars have access doors at each end at the expense of the streamlined front. This allows the cars to be placed in the middle of the usual sets and sets of three or four cars can be made up to operate together. There were only four of this style of car built, and they were originally fitted with an AEC engine. 2053 was built in 1971 and re-powered along with the other Savannahlander units in 2005.