TRAINS

Description of Services

Transwa operated 62 scheduled rail services every week during 2004/05.

On the South-West rail network, it operated the Australind train four times daily between Perth Station and Bunbury. The Prospector operated 18 times a week (nine services each way) between East Perth and Kalgoorlie. The AvonLink also serviced commuters from Toodyay and Northam through to Midland twice daily on weekdays and the MerredinLink serviced all stops from East Perth through to Merredin and return each Monday,Wednesday and Friday.

The Year’s Developments

The new Prospector train had its first full year of operation after being launched in June 2004 and was the catalyst for increased passenger numbers. The patronage gains produced by the new Prospector, the introduction of the MerredinLink rail service and the regular usage of the AvonLink all contributed significantly to the overall 10.6 per cent increase in patronage on services between East Perth and destinations to the East. Transwa used the introduction of the new Prospector to create a new value-added in-seat service, GoldService. More than 4000 people experienced GoldService in 2004/05, a number which is expected to grow in the coming years. The Australind experienced a difficult year due mainly to delays and disruptions caused by a five-month resleepering program between Mundijong and Bunbury.

Patronage

The Merredin service was included in the survey for the first time in 2004/05.

Customer Satisfaction

NB: The AvonLink Service was included in the survey for the first time in 2004/05.

Infrastructure

There were a number of significant milestones during the year:

• 59 kilometres of the South-West railway line between Mundijong and Bunbury were upgraded through the replacement of wooden sleepers with concrete;
• the program of building new high-level station platforms between Perth and Bunbury and between East Perth and Kalgoorlie progressed towards completion. This was a major step in ensuring disabled access to the trains;
• the full fleet of new Prospector rollingstock was in service at the end of the year. Initial teething problems with the trains were largely rectified and, from April 2005, only one service was disrupted by mechanical problems; and
• the new Transwa rail maintenance depot at Kewdale was opened in April 2005. Servicing of the Prospector and AvonLink railcars is carried out at this depot.