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Sun Setting on the Sunlander

11 Nov

Queensland Rail’s Brisbane-Cairns “Sunlander”

It is so, so discouraging one day to get a fantastic report on a train and just about two days later, to get a report that the powers that be are planning to shut it down.

The report we received was from world traveler Dr. Vincent DiNapoli. He loved all of the extras, the service, the warmth, the old-fashioned happy surprises that happen on a lovely top-class train. And he found all of this in Queenslander Class on the Sunlander, which runs 1,045 miles several times a week between Brisbane and Cairns. He just took this train this summer, along with all the other major routes in Australia. And Queenslander Class on the Sunlander was his favorite. (He took Gold Kangaroo Class — not the new luxury class Platinum, on the Ghan and Indian Pacific.)  We quoted him here.

Then we got the news that Queensland Rail will be running this train only through 2013, when it will be replaced with a faster tilt-train. We are sure the rail-travel lovers of the world won’t be as happy with this, and it’s such a shame. I hate to be a naysayer, but what good does it do to save a few hours on such a scenic route? Speed is not what people want on a vacation train. Beauty, scenery, camaraderie: there’s  the ticket.

So word to the wise: Ride the Sunlander in Queenslander Class while you can. You might have until the end of 2013.

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The Big Prize

11 Sep

One of the IRT Society's award-winning poster/postcards.

I’m heading to Spain with The Society of International Railway Travelers® soon, and I confess I am excited about it. But what seems more pressing at the moment is finishing up my work at the International Railway Travelers headquarters — making sure all of our travelers are totally set — not just travelers going to Spain, but our High Speed France travelers, too. We are having the busiest September of the history of the Society of IRT, and it’s a bit overwhelming.

But what is so excruciatingly exciting, which we will celebrate in Spain, is that we just got the news that The Society of International Railway Travelers® has earned FOUR Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly, the travel industry “bible.” We earned three Gold Awards for our website, our magazine The International Railway Traveler® and our new postcard and poster series of the World’s Top 25 Trains. Owen has been using these like mad to announce journeys on these fine trains. Check out Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards here.

So today I salute every person involved in these incredible productions, from the amazing creative and editing team of IRT Publisher Owen Hardy to VP for Operations Angela Walker, who celebrates 10 years of working at IRT this year to our designer Steve Sebree who is such a great guy and such a talented artist, too. All are from Louisville, KY. We also salute our web designer, Nick Prebezac of Washington State. We also thank our members and travelers, who have submitted to us so many absolutely wonderful photographs.

But I have to say, the biggest thrill of all are the wonderful comments we get from you, our travelers, after your vacations. You really appreciate what we do, and that’s the biggest prize of all. That’s all for now. I have to pack!

Congratulations to the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad!

4 May

I was thrilled to hear this news from long-time friend and Pullman Club member, L. T. Murray, owner of the Mount Ranier Scenic Railroad. Tom and his crew have won the 2010 State Historic Preservation Officer’s Valerie Sivinski Award for outstanding achievement in historic preservation. The object of their devotion? Willamette Locomotive #2. The awards ceremony is today, May 4.   To learn more about the railroad, click here.  Or go to their web site:  Congratulations Tom & Crew!

Rayonier #2 Willamette Geared Locomotive

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