| Savannahlander | |
| Type: | Passenger train |
| Predecessor: | Forsayth Mixed |
| First: | 3 April 1995 |
| Operator: | Cairns Kuranda Steam Pty Ltd. |
| Formeroperator: | Queensland Rail |
| Start: | Cairns |
| End: | Forsayth |
| Distance: | 424 km |
| Journeytime: | 4 Days |
| Frequency: | Weekly |
| Line Used: | Tablelands railway, Etheridge Railway |
| Stock: | 2000 Class Railmotors |
| Owners: | Queensland Rail |
The Savannahlander is an Australian passenger train service (primarily serving tourists) that operates in Far North Queensland. It travels on the Tablelands railway line and the Etheridge railway line from the coastal city of Cairns to Forsayth.[1]
The service was introduced on 3 April 1995 by Queensland Rail to replace the Forsayth Mixed (marketed as the 'Last Great Train Ride'). The line was closed from Mareeba to Mount Surprise at the same time. It was initially run with a 2000 class railmotor set that was refurbished at Townsville Workshops. This was only on the Mount Surprise to Forsayth section of the Etheridge line. However, after an upgrade of the line for sugar syrup trains from Cairns to Arriga, and a limited restoration of the rest of the line, the railmotor started travelling from Cairns to Forsayth in September 1998. In 2004 it was decided to run it under contract by a private operator, Cairns Kuranda Steam Pty Ltd.[2] [3] While primarily a passenger service between Cairns and Forsayth, the train can be chartered for large groups.[4]
On 27 March 2019, a car collided with the Savannahlander at a level crossing in the city of Cairns. The driver of the car failed to give way at the crossing and was subsequently injured in the crash.[5]
Running for 39 weeks in the year, The Savannahlander departs Cairns railway station at 06:30 Wednesday mornings and travels up the scenic Kuranda Range past the Barron Falls to Kuranda . It then travels to the south-west on the Chillagoe-Mungana branch line. The train travels through the towns of Mareeba and Dimbulah before passing through Lappa Junction and arriving in Almaden where it stays for the night. On Thursday morning The Savannahlander continues south-west on the Etheridge Railway. The rail motor passes through Mount Surprise and Einasleigh before terminating at Forsayth railway station . On Friday the train departs Forsayth for Mount Surprise. The train then departs for Cairns on Saturday morning.[6]
The Savannahlander rollingstock comprises three former two-car Queensland Railways 2000 class rail motors.
Two (2026 and 2028) are "PD" (Passenger / Driving) cars. They were built for Queensland Rail in 1963, and have the classic 1960s-era streamlined front ends. Originally, they were fitted with 1600NaN0 Rolls-Royce diesel engines.
The third (2053) is a 2051-class rail motor, built in 1971, known as a "PLDT" (Passenger & Luggage / Driving / Trailing) car. It has access doors at each end, rather than a streamlined front, which allowed it to be placed in the middle of other sets, so that sets of three or four cars could be formed. Only four of that style of car were built, and they were originally fitted with an AEC engine. It was re-engined in 2005, along with the other Savannahlander units.[7]
All units were re-engined with a 2500NaN0 Cummins Diesel engines. As well as the new engines, the units were fitted with new Allison gearboxes.[8]