Tilt Train is the name for two similar high-speed

tilting train A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train (or other vehicle) rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about ...

services, one

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

and the other diesel, operated by

Queensland Rail Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Queensland Rail is owned by the Queensland Government, and operates both Commuter rail, suburban and Regional rail, interurban rail services in South East Queensland, as well ...

. They run on the North Coast line from

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. In the , the population of Rockhampton was 79,293. A common nickname for Rockhampton is "Rocky", and the demonym of Rockhampton is Rockhamptonite. The Scottish- ...

(electric) and

Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...

(diesel). Services commenced in 1998. The name Tilt Train often refers to the electric train service between Brisbane and Rockhampton only.

History

Rockhampton

Commencing in 1998, the Electric Tilt Train operates from

. With a top service speed of and the ability to tilt five degrees in each direction, the Tilt Train is one of the fastest trains in Australia, having a similar maximum allowed speed in revenue service to the V/Line VLocity and the Transwa Prospector railcar, that both run up to 160 km/h, and

New South Wales XPT The New South Wales XPT (short for eXpress Passenger Train) is a class of diesel locomotive, diesel-powered passenger trains built by Commonwealth Engineering, Comeng and ABB. Based on the British Rail-designed InterCity 125, High Speed Train, ...

although the XPT is rarely able to achieve its maximum operating speed due to track condition and curvature. The train operates on the North Coast line and serves the intermediate towns of

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. Located in the Greater Sunshine Coast, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River ( ...

, Maryborough,

Bundaberg Bundaberg () is the major regional city in the Wide Bay-Burnett region of the state of Queensland, Australia. It is the List of cities in Australia by population, ninth largest city in the state. The Bundaberg central business district is situa ...

and

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

. The electric Tilt Trains run in a

multiple unit A multiple-unit train (or multiple unit (MU)) is a self-propelled train composed of one or more Coach (rail), carriages joined, and where one or more of the carriages have the means of propulsion built in. By contrast, a locomotive-hauled ...

configuration. In May 1999, the tilt train achieved a top speed under test conditions of 210 km/h. The Electric Tilt Train features 2×2 economy seating, and 1×2 business class seating, mainscreen visual entertainment along with in-seat audio entertainment. Economy class passengers have a regular trolley service and a buffet style galley food service, while business class has a frequent trolley service. In 2016, Wi-Fi internet access was introduced to the service. Tilt Train Interior

Cairns

The Diesel Tilt Train, operating from

, features a 2×2 premium economy class seating arrangement, 1×2 business class seating arrangement (Railbed), in-seat audio and visual entertainment and a TV screen attached to the headrest of the seat in front. A trolley service is available in the Railbed carriages, and a club car is available 24 hours. In October 2013, when the first refurbished set returned to traffic, the service was named the '' Spirit of Queensland''. City of Cairns Diesel Tilt Train seating Platform 10 Roma Street Station Brisbane IMGP7764

City of Cairns Diesel Tilt Train seating Platform 10 Roma Street Station Brisbane IMGP7764

In 2014, an additional train was delivered to replace '' The Sunlander'' between Brisbane and Cairns, meaning the only service on this 1,681 km route since that time has been the ''Spirit of Queensland''.

Awards

In 2009 as part of the

Q150 Q150 was the sesquicentenary (150th anniversary) of the Separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859. Separation established the Colony of Queensland which became the State of Queensland in 1901 as part of the Federation of Australia ...

celebrations, the Tilt Train was announced as one of the

Q150 Icons The Queensland's Q150 Icons list of cultural icons was compiled as part of Q150 celebrations in 2009 by the Government of Queensland, Australia. It represented the people, places and events that were significant to Queensland Queensland ...

of Queensland for its role as an iconic "innovation and invention".

Notes and references

External links