Now it’s raising much-needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Services of Australia. When discussing work, a group of mates came up with the idea to cross 3000km of desert from Adelaide to Darwin on a Kalamazoo – a hand-powered railcar.

The group of 10 men taking part in the “Kalamazoo Crossing”, which includes The Advertiser’s photographic manager Mike Burton and investigations editor Bryan Littlely, set out on their two-week journey on July 24.

“The idea to cross Australia by Kalamazoo began as something of a joke 10 years ago. Then we got tired of people telling us it couldn’t be done,” Mr Littlely said.

“So we’ve set out to prove the knockers wrong in typical Aussie style and to raise money for a great cause in the Royal Flying Doctor Service.”

If successful, the group of adventurous mates will set a Guinness World Record for the quickest crossing of the nation by a hand-powered rail vehicle and also the longest trip by a Kalamazoo.

RFDS spokesman Charlie Paterson said the trip was a “big call”. “Just when you thought there was nothing left to explore, Kalamazoo Crossing 2011 will break through new frontiers,” he said. Proceeds will go towards aircraft and medical equipment.

via AdelaideNow

Genesee & Wyoming bought the rail line from FreightLink, which went into receivership in 2008.

Genesee & Wyoming’s managing director Robert Easthope says it is in a better financial position to boost services on the line.

“There are a number of mines that are currently operating and are operating using rail and would have been perhaps questionable had the rail not gone through,” he said.

“And there are many deposits out there that will require the services of rail.

“And additionally as the domestic consumption of Darwin grows and the population grows, the growth of the intermodal business will grow as well.”

Concerns have been raised that the maintenance of the rail line has been substandard after a derailment of a freight train last week.

Mr Easthope says the company plans to invest in the rail corridor to ensure growth in the number of services.

“We will continue to perform the high level of maintenance that has been done,” he said.

“We will continue to make some capital investments in the track to ensure that the longevity of the track remains intact.”

via ABC News

Emergency services personnel say 17 freight wagons left the track, about 8:15am ACDT.

The accident has caused a fuel spill on the track, 87 kilometres south of Marla, on the Adelaide-Darwin line.

Police and fire crews went to the scene.

They said no-one was injured.

Rail operator FreightLink said 300 metres of track were damaged as the wagons left the rails.

The operator of the Ghan passenger train, which uses the same rail line, says more than 200 travellers will now be transferred onto buses and flights between Alice Springs and Adelaide.

The Adelaide-bound Ghan service arrived in Alice Springs today, carrying 220 passengers.

Great Southern Rail CEO Tony Braxton-Smith said arrangements were being made to get people to Adelaide.

“We have arranged for those that were travelling in our red service, which is our economy service, to travel by bus,” he said.

“We are presently exploring the alternatives with a number of airlines on either a charter flight or on commercial flights to ensure the rest of our guests arrive at their destination tomorrow.”

Mr Braxton-Smith does not yet know what will happen to a weekend Ghan service.

“It’s too early to say exactly what will happen with the train or the service that was scheduled to depart from Adelaide on Sunday,” he said.

“At this stage we’re hopeful that the track will be repaired but we’re really dependent upon the owner of the track.”

via ABC News

The line was shut for three days after two locomotives and a carriage came off the tracks as it approached a freight terminal.

Police initially suggested rainfall had caused the tracks to move but Freightlink was investigating other possibilities.

Freightlink spent about $300,000 lifting the train back onto the rails and repairing the track.

ABC News

Regulators have approved a deal that would see Genesee and Wyoming take over the line from Freightlink.

Freightlink was forced to spend about $300,000 to right a freight train and fix a section of track after a derailment in Alice Springs at the weekend.

Its chief executive John Fullerton says the transfer to the new owner should take place in a month or two.

“We’re currently working with the new owners, Genesee and Wyoming to work with the Northern Territory and South Australian governments on the transfer of the concession which is the 50-year concession to operate on the railway.”

via ABC News