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Spirit of the Outback |
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Queensland Rail's Brisbane to Longreach service |
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| The Queensland Rail Spirit of the Outback (Brisbane to Longreach) arrives at Caboolture - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Changing scenery viewed from the train between Caboolture and Rockhampton - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| These pictures give an idea of the sort of scenery the Spirit of the Outback passes through prior to crossing the Great Dividing Range - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Changing architecture as the Spirit of the Outback heads west - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| At some stations along the way you may be able to get off the train for a short time - the main street invariably parallels the railway - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| At Jericho, look out for the Alpha Murals which can be glimpsed from the train - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| On the approaches to some stations you can see relics from the past - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Jericho Store and steam engine (left); Chrystal Trumpeters at Jericho (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Giant dump truck (left); irrigation pump (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Outback dwelling (left) and police station (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Nearing Longreach in early afternoon - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Capricorn Highway - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| End of the line for the Spirit of the Outback - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The whole train is turned round on a triangle and is left overnight in the station ready for departure the following morning - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Longreach station (left); Shire Hall (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Flying Doctor Service (left); Tropic of Capricorn sign (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Office of Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service Ltd (left); Longreach Post Offcie (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Main shopping street in Longreach - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Hotel Royal (left); Stockman's supplier (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Local Bottle Shop and traditional hotel (left); typical dwelling house (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm Mccrow | |
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| House and church (left); war memorial and water tower (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Longreach War Memorial (left); hotel balconies (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Original QANTAS Boeing 747 preserved at Longreach where the airline was founded (left); original hangar (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Warning sign - but maybe a friendly pilot will take you airside if the airport is not busy - especially if you wanted to see the QANTAS hangar as it appears in classic photographs - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The QANTAS de Havilland DH 50 biplane which operated from Longreach in the 1920s - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Longreach QANTAS Boeing 747 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Road Train - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Back on the train for the return trip to Brisbane. A single berth cabin (above) has a comfortable chair by day and the train staff will make up a longitudinal bunk for the night which means you can lie in bed with the lights out and watch the outback slipping by under the moon. A twin cabin has a top and bottom transverse bunk by night (unless there is only one occupant). By day the bunks fold away and there are three typical compartment seats - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Dining Car (left); Club Car (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Spirit of the Outback - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Barcaldine station building (left); the Tree of Knowledge on the Matilda Highway (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Barcaldine as seen from outside the railway station - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Keep an eye on the train crew - if you see them getting back on the train, it's time to get on too! PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Crossing the Great Dividing Range - Hannam's Gap (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Emerald (above) is where the overhead catenary starts, but the Spirit of the Outback remains diesel hauled. A rainy night at Rockhampton (above) on the return run back to Brisbane - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| The Tilt Train is the fastest train operating on the 3ft 6in gauge. If you are not going north to Cairns but would like to ride the Tilt Train, you could take one as far as Nambour and return to Brisbane on an ordinary train. Tilt Train preparing for departure from Brisbane Roma Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Manufacturer's Plate (left); Airline style monitors in standard accommodation (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| At each seat, even in standard accommodation on the Tilt Train, there is a connexion for headphones to listen to a variety of music channels. The headphones are provided in sealed packs, again, airline style, by the train staff. Airliner style journey information is displayed continuously - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Nambour is not a big place and is easy to get around - however heavy rain spoiled this visit! PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
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| Shop and power lines, Nambour (left); Tilt Train departing Nambour as it continues on its journey north (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow | |
| Australia | |