There was no shortage of passenger train services between Barcaldine and other centres from 1887. As well as the service between Barcaldine and Rockhampton there were services on other nearby lines such as to Clermont and Blackall albeit a longer travelling experience.
Special train services were also common when requested of Queensland railways department by local communities. A special service often ran between Winton, Longreach and Barcaldine for special football games.
Midlander Service
Comfortable public transport within the means of everyone came in May 1954 with the first journey of the air-conditioned Midlander train.
It was regarded as ‘luxurious’. The service was further improved with the introduction of diesel locomotives in 1962. The Midlander was used regularly because only the most intrepid travellers ventured over ‘the Range’ road from Barcaldine to Emerald.
Spirit of the Outback
The Spirit of the Outback tourist train began in 1993. Debuting in November 1993 by combining the former Capricornian and Midlander trains, this 1,325 km rail journey operates between Brisbane and Longreach. The Spirit of the Outback travels along the east coast of Queensland, from Brisbane to Rockhampton, where it heads west through Blackwater, Emerald and Barcaldine, to Longreach.
In 1993, it stopped only an hour in Barcaldine. By 2017 it was stopping only 15 minutes.
Text sources include Hoch, Isabel. 2008.
