Canberra Monaro Express

Canberra Monaro Express

Overview
Service type Passenger train
Status Ceased
Predecessor Federal City Express
First service 9 May 1955
Last service 26 September 1988
Former operator(s) State Rail Authority
Route
Start Sydney
End Canberra
Cooma
Distance travelled 435 kilometres
Service frequency daily in each direction
Train number(s) S37/S38
Line used Main South
Bombala
Canberra
Technical
Rolling stock DEB sets

The Canberra Monaro Express was a passenger train operated by the New South Wales Government Railways between Sydney, Canberra and Cooma from May 1955 until September 1988.

It was formed by two four-carriage DEB railcar sets and replaced the steam-hauled Federal City Express.[1]

After departing Sydney Central it travelled via the Main South line to Goulburn where it branched off to Queanbeyan. There the train divided, with one set going to Canberra, and the other to Cooma.[2]

The train normally consisted of two DEB railcar sets of four carriages. In July 1973 it was cut back to a single four-carriage set serving both Canberra and Cooma, sometimes with a non air-conditioned 620/720 set attached when demand warranted.[1] Reliability problems with the DEB sets saw locomotive hauled trains take over the service between June 1981 and August 1982. In the State Rail Authority era it was built up to seven-carriage DEB sets serving Canberra and Cooma, before the old practice of dividing the train at Queanbeyan, with three cars going to Cooma, was reverted to in March 1986.[3] The final Canberra Monaro Express ran on 26 September 1988.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Stokes, HJW (1984). Railways of the Canberra and Monaro Districts. Canberra: Australian Railway Historical Society, ACT Division. p. 21.
  2. ↑ Cooke, David (1984). Railmotors and XPTs. Sydney: Australian Railway Historical Society, NSW Division. ISBN 0 909650 23 3.
  3. ↑ "Some Trains Come, Some Trains Go" Railway Digest May 1986 page 144
  4. ↑ "Cooma" Railway Digest February 1989 page 55
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