| Capricornian | |
|---|---|
 Depiction of the Capricornian locomotive headboard | |
| Stock type | Loco Hauled Passenger Train |
| Entered service | 1970 |
| Retired | 1993 |
| Predecessor | Rockhampton Mail |
| Successor | Spirit of the Outback |
| Operators | QR Traveltrain |
| Lines served | North Coast Line |
| Specifications | |
| Track gauge | 1067mm |
The Capricornian was a passenger train that operated in Queensland, Australia between 1970 and 1993. It travelled on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Rockhampton.
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When the Sunlander air-conditioned express train to Cairns was introduced in 1953, the Rockhampton Mail retained its wooden carriages, and a surcharge and booking restrictions deterred Rockhampton bound travelers from using the air-conditioned services. [1] Following a rearrangement of the Sunlander consists and the construction of further air-conditioned cars, the Capricornian replaced the Rockhampton Mail in 1970, taking 14.25 hours for the overnight trip and running 5 times per week.
By 1988, the transit time was 13 hours 55 minutes, reduced to 12 hours 35 minutes following the extensive upgrading of the North Coast line (NCL) in 1989. However, the pending electrification of the NCL led to an announcement that the Capricornian would be eliminated once the Spirit of Capricorn service was introduced. Vehement protests about the loss of the overnight sleeper service went all the way to Queensland Premier, Mike Ahern and Prime Minister, Bob Hawke This resulted in the retention of the train on Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights.
The Capricornian was eventually merged with the Rockhampton - Winton Midlander Train and the merged service was renamed the Spirit of the Outback in November 1993, which now runs from Brisbane to Longreach with a connecting coach service to Winton, largely to cater for the 'rail cruising' tourism market.
The Capricornian used standard Queensland Rail M Series and L Series steel rolling stock. As at 1990, the service featured the following facilities and accommodation [2] :
Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, it operates local and long-distance passenger services, as well as owning and maintaining rolling stock and approximately 6,600 kilometres (4,101 mi) of track and related infrastructure.
The Spirit of the Outback is a long-distance passenger rail service in Queensland, Australia, operated by Queensland Rail's Traveltrain division.
Tilt Train is the name for two similar high-speed tilting train services, one electric and the other diesel, operated by Queensland Rail. They run on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Rockhampton (electric) and Cairns (diesel). Services commenced in 1998.
The North Coast railway line (NCL) is a 1,681-kilometre (1,045 mi) 1067 mm gauge railway line in Queensland, Australia. It commences at Roma Street station, Brisbane, and largely parallels the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Along the way, the 1680 km railway passes through the numerous towns and cities of eastern Queensland including Nambour, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville. The line though the centre of Rockhampton runs down the middle of Denison Street.
The Sunlander was a long distance passenger rail service operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns in Queensland between June 1953 and December 2014. It has been replaced by the Spirit of Queensland.
The Westlander is an Australian passenger train operated by Queensland Rail on the Main and Western lines between Brisbane and the outback town of Charleville.
The rail network in Queensland, Australia, was the first in the world to adopt 1,067 mm narrow gauge for a main line, and, in 2013, was claimed to the second largest narrow gauge network in the world, consists of:
The InterCity Express (ICE) was a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers, Maryborough for Queensland Rail in 1988/89. They were built to operate the Spirit of Capricorn service on the North Coast line service between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Since being superseded on this service, they were used on Sunshine Coast line services from Brisbane to Gympie North until mid-2021. As of November 2021, all units have been retired from service.
This is a list of significant railway accidents in Queensland, Australia.
Rockhampton railway station is located on the North Coast line in Queensland, Australia. It serves the city of Rockhampton.
The Western railway line is a narrow gauge railway, connecting the south-east and south-west regions of Queensland, Australia. It commences at Toowoomba, at the end of the Main Line railway from Brisbane, and extends west 810 km to Cunnamulla, passing through the major towns of Dalby, Roma and Charleville, although services on the 184 km section from Westgate to Cunnamulla have been suspended since 2011. The Queensland Government was the first railway operator in the world to adopt narrow gauge for a main line, and this remains the system-wide gauge.
The Central Western railway line is a railway line in Queensland, Australia. It was opened in a series of sections between 1867 and 1928. It commences at Rockhampton and extends west 863 kilometres (536 mi) to Winton.
The Spirit of Queensland is a Queensland Rail long distance passenger rail service. It is operated by a diesel-powered Tilt Train that runs five times a week on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns, a distance of 1,681 kilometres (1,045 mi). At the start of 2015, it replaced the diesel-hauled train The Sunlander.
The Midlander was a passenger train that operated in Queensland, Australia between 1954 and 1993. It travelled on the Central west line between Rockhampton and Winton.
A Travelling Post Office (TPO) is a postal receiving, sorting and delivery service situated on a train, usually in a specially designated carriage that is part of a passenger train. In Queensland, Australia, the service was provided from 1877 to 1932.
The 2100 class is a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Eagle Farm for Queensland Railways between 1970 and 1973.
Two types of steel bodied air-conditioned carriage stock have been used on long distance Queensland Rail services.
The Diesel Tilt Train is the name for three high-speed tilting trains, operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Cairns as part of its Spirit of Queensland service.
The Electric Tilt Train is the name for two identical high-speed tilting trains operated by Queensland Rail for the Tilt Train service on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Rockhampton which entered service in November 1998.
The Spirit of Capricorn was a long distance passenger rail service in Queensland, Australia, Operated by Queensland Rail Traveltrain between 1988 and 24 May 2003. It operated between Rockhampton, Queensland and the Capital of the state, Brisbane at its station Roma Street.
