Railway Digest Magazine June 2016 Back Issue

The shipping container turns 60
Happy 60th Birthday to the shipping container. On 26 April 1956, the first true container ship, a rebuilt tanker named the Ideal X, sailed from Port Newark in New Jersey with 58 well-filled 30ft boxes on board. Marine Pascal takes a brief look at the origins of that ubiquitous six-sided metal box that changed the course of sea, road and rail logistics.

The voice of the sea and the sound of the rails
Like cruise ships, passenger trains are a part of popular culture. The Orient Express, The Flying Scotsman, The Trans-Siberian, names like these conjure images of intrigue, suspense and adventure. To board such trains is to step into, relive, and become a part of the golden age of travel. In recent years, however, passenger numbers on many famous trains have fallen. David Cashman and Anjum Naweed pose the question; is it possible that tourism in long-distance cruise rail can learn from the resilience and constant inventiveness of the sea cruise experience?

Dancing with Diesels
Re-energised after their mini-epic bash around the south-west of Western Australia last year as reported over several editions of Digest, Bob Grant and Kelvin Russell flew into Sydney on Sunday 17 April this year, with camera batteries charged up, stout walking boots in their bags, a well-priced hire car booking and no idea of where to go. One complicating factor was their commitment to collect Malcolm Holdsworth from public transport somewhere in New South Wales on the evening of Wednesday 20 April. On the basis of intensive train action and the limited options for Malcolm to meet them, the boys headed north. 18 April saw them in hot pursuit of a range of coal trains in the Ardglen area, and over the ensuing 10 days, a lot of ground was covered, ranging for Condobolin in the west to Jindalee in the south.