The Midlander (Queensland Rail)

The Midlander was a passenger train that operated in Queensland, Australia between 1954 and 1993. It travelled on the Central west line between Rockhampton and Winton.

Victorian Railways introduced air-conditioned trains in 1935, and Queensland decided to follow suit in the late 1940s. 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.

The Midlander was introduced in 1954, replacing the Mail train with its wooden carriages and providing a more comfortable and cleaner service to this dry and dusty region.

In the late 1980s tourism to western Queensland began to grow following attractions such as the opening at Longreach. To cater for this market, and recognising the fact that travellers dislike changing trains The Midlander was renamed the Spirit of the Outback in November 1993 and the new service commenced at Brisbane and terminated at Longreach. A bus service now provides the connection to Winton.

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Wikipedia