The first (since 2017!) AZJ eastbound intermodal train from...

The first (since 2017!) AZJ eastbound intermodal train from Perth to Melbourne has been given train number 4PM1 by the Australian Rail Track Corporation, indicating that it departs Perth's southern suburb of Kwinana on a Wednesday (as ARTC strangely regards Sundays as the first day of the week).

At 0745 AEDT (0545 AWST) on Thursday 13 April, the train was stopped at Ooldea, South Australia on the Nullarbor's Trans Australia Railway. Ooldea is one of the crossing loops with its own airstrip so the Royal Flying Doctor Service can land if required, because the rail line is remote from the Eyre Highway, the latter being much further south. Ooldea is also close to Maralinga, a famous location in Australia given the UK once conducted nuclear tests and land became contaminated.

Our company's train is waiting to cross (meet) a Pacific National westbound intermodal, as the line is single track from Northam, Western Australia east almost all the way to Melbourne. The Nullarbor line is very busy as rail commands at least a 57 per cent share of freight from the east coast to Perth and WA, as the cost of road haulage is up to three times rail's. Coastal shipping (operated by freoign flagged ships) is not what it was and subject to at times big delays.

It'll be interesting to see how quickly AZJ ramps up operations of these Team Global Express (TGE) intermodal trains. I don't know if it yet has sufficient wagons.