Transwa Prospector

The Prospector

Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars near Kalgoorlie in February 2010
Overview
Service type	Passenger train
Status	Operational
Locale	Western Australia
Predecessor	The Kalgoorlie
First service	29 November 1971
Current operator(s)	Transwa (since 2003)
Former operator(s)	WAGR (1971-1975) Westrail (1975-2000) WAGR Commission (2000-2003)
Route
Start	East Perth
End	Kalgoorlie
Distance travelled	653 km (406 mi)
Average journey time	6 hours 45 minutes
Service frequency	9 round trips per week
Line used	Eastern Eastern Goldfields
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa between East Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The service departs from East Perth Terminal, not from Perth station, as it operates on 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge tracks, which are laid in a dual gauge format from East Perth to Northam, where the tracks become just standard gauge.

With the standard gauge line from Perth to Kalgoorlie due to open in mid-1969, the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) decided to replace The Kalgoorlie overnight sleeper service with a daylight service. The new service commenced on 29 November 1971, cutting the 653-kilometre (406 mi) journey time from fourteen to eight hours. With an average speed of 85 km/h, it was the fastest service in Australia.

In 1968 Comeng, Granville were awarded a contract to build eight WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars.

Built to take advantage of the generous loading gauge on the new line, they were the largest carriages ever built in Australia. They were the first trains in Australia to have at-seat catering. These held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981.