High-speed Rail in Australia - Medium-speed Services

Medium-speed Services

Australia has several medium-speed services in operation, all of which operate on existing track which has been upgraded in order to accommodate faster services and/or tilting technology.

• In Western Australia Westrail began using high speed diesel railcars in 1971 on the Prospector service from Perth to Kalgoolie, and set a new Australian speed record. Now operated by Transwa, the railcars were replaced in 2004 with new units capable of 200 km/h (124 mph), although track condition currently limits their operational speed to 160 km/h (99 mph). The same type of cars are also used on the AvonLink service.

• New South Wales commenced operations with their XPT in 1982. Based on the British InterCity 125 train, it has a service speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and set an Australian speed record of 193 km/h (120 mph), on a test run in 1992. The train is not often used to its full potential, operating along winding steam era alignments, and at times has had the top speed limited due to track condition and level crossing incidents.

• New South Wales trialled the Swedish X 2000 tilt train in 1995. Propelled by two specially modified XPT power cars, the train carried passengers between Sydney and Canberra, in an eight-week trial.

• Queensland Rail's Tilt Trains operate on two routes: Brisbane to Rockhampton using an electric powered train; Brisbane to Cairns using a diesel powered train. These routes were partially upgraded in the 1990s at a cost of A$590 million, with the construction of 160 km (99 mi) of deviations to straighten curves. Both with a service speed of 160 km/h (99 mph), the electric tilt train set an Australian rail speed record of 210 km/h (130 mph) in 1999.

• In Victoria the State Government upgraded railway lines as part of the Regional Fast Rail project, with V/Line operating their VLocity diesel railcars at a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) over the lines. In the early stages of the project the Victorian Government incorrectly referred to it as the 'Fast Train' or 'Very Fast Train', and this practice continues among some politicians and members of the public.