DCC Solutions

Commonwealth Railways Stainless Steel Carriages

In July 1965, Commonwealth Railways placed an order with Commonwealth Engineering in Granville, NSW for eight 75.2 feet (22.92 metres) air-conditioned stainless steel sleeping carriages and one dining carriage for use on the Trans-Australian service.

The first carriages were delivered in July 1966. Commonwealth Railways placed an order in May 1967 for a further 59 carriages in various configurations for use on the Indian Pacific. Further orders saw the fleet grow to a total of 124 carriages of which included 9 HGM power and guards vans numbered HGM202 to HGM205, HGM296 to HGM298, HGM316 and HGM317.

​

Of the 124 carriages, 60 were jointly owned by the New South Wales Government Railways, Commonwealth Railways and the Western Australian Government Railways for the Indian Pacific and the remainder owned by the Commonwealth Railways for the Trans-Australian service. In 1974 some vans were renumbered for Joint Carriage Stock accounting purposes, so vans HGM202 to HGM204 became HGM902 to HGM904 and van HGM316 became HGM900. In July 1975, all were included in the transfer of Commonwealth Railways to Australian National.

​

Since 1980, the carriages have been used on The Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs. During November 1983 until November 1987, they were used on The Alice from Sydney to Alice Springs. More recently they have been used on The Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne and The Southern Spirit.

​

In October 1997, all HGM vans were included in the transfer from Australian National to Great Southern Rail.

On the 2nd of December 1999, HGM205 was severely damaged in a rear end collision as part of the Glenbrook rail accident near Lapstone in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney and was scrapped after the accident.