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|} 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 It has been replaced by the ''Spirit of Queensland''. ==History== From December 1924, when the North Coast line was completed, a steam hauled non air-conditioned train provided the service. In 1935, a new train named the ''Sunshine Express'' was introduced. This train of wooden carriages featured varnished timber internal panelling made from natural Queensland timbers. Comforts for that period included electric fans, electric lighting, and leather upholstered seating. Accommodation included sleeping berths for first and second class passengers and seating only carriages. In December 1949, Queensland Railway's placed an order with Commonwealth Engineering for eight M series carriage sets totaling 99 carriages to introduce air-conditioned rolling stock to its long distance services. In addition QR's own Ipswich Workshops were to build a train. The carriages were designed to travel to all parts of the system, meaning a maximum axle load of 9 tons, which was a challenge for the dining cars. New features included showers in the sleeping cars, roomettes in first class and head end power cars, especially necessary where trains may be delayed by floods or other events, as was often the case.〔"A Brief History of the Sunlander" ''Motive Power'' issue 96 November 2014 pages 33-41〕 ''The Sunlander'' commenced service on 4 June 1953, replacing the ''Sunshine Express''.〔 This new air conditioned train was hauled by a diesel locomotive and by eliminating steam locomotive servicing stops, the transit time to Cairns was reduced from 45 to 41¼ hours. By the time it ceased in December 2014, the time has been cut to 31 hours with many infrastructure upgrades having taken place.〔〔(Timetable ) Queensland Rail 16 December 2014〕 As further rolling stock was delivered, a second weekly service commenced on 30 November 1953 building up to five on 9 December 1955. The much delayed Ipswich built set was commissioned on 10 May 1961, allowing the service to built up to six services per week, this was reduced back to five on 8 November 1970 to release stock for the ''Capricornian''.〔 This was further reduced when the luxury ''Queenslander'' commenced operating on the Brisbane to Cairns route. On 29 February 1992, a motorail service was introduced.〔 In 2014, the service was gradually replaced by the ''Spirit of Queensland'' using extra Tilt Trains. From 13 October 2014, the number of weekly services was reduced from three to one, with the last service departing Cairns on 31 December 2014.〔(World class trains for Queensland supporting 800 Maryborough jobs ) Minister for Transport 27 October 2010〕〔(Spirit of Queensland ) Queensland〕〔(Spirit of Queensland factsheet ) Queensland Rail〕〔(Sunlander Farewell: Brisbane to Cairns service makes final journey after 61 years and 3.5 million passenger journeys ) ''ABC News'' 30 December 2014〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Sunlander」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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