Australian Railway Historical Society (ACT Division)

Dining Car RMS 2360

RMS 2360 was one of three dining cars built for service with the Sydney-Melbourne Southern Aurora. It entered service in 1962. The stainless steel car has a compartment for staff, kitchen with full cooking facilities, and dining room seating for 48 passengers. Following the end of its inter-State running service, RMS 2360 ownership was transferred from V/Line Passenger to West Coast Railway, which operated passenger services between Melbourne and Warrnambool. RMS 2360 was converted to broad gauge and transferred to Geelong on 30 June 1994 and later to the West Coast Railway Ballarat East depot for restoration. The car entered West Coast Railway service on 21 November 1998 when it was used at the launch of the steam-hauled West Coaster passenger service to Warrnambool. It was also used for occasional charters, during the annual Warrnambool May racing carnival specials and each month on the West Coast Railway/South Western Railway Society 'Meeting of the Whistles' steam train tours with steam locomotive R 711. RMS 2360 was used for the final time under West Coast Railway ownership for a farewell function at Warrnambool station on 31 August 2004. When West Coast Railway announced in 2004 it was ceasing operations, the dining car was bought by the Society, moved to Melbourne where it was returned to standard gauge bogies, and transferred to Canberra in November for service on local and tour train services.

Click on top 2 picture for larger images; use your 'Back' button to return to this page    RMS 2360, Warrnambool    - Paul Dalton photo    RMS 2360, Canberra Yard    RMS dining car interiors

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