Not quite what we were expecting
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (391367)
Rockingham, Australia
November 11, 2026 7:40pm CST
We’ve just spent two days in Kalgoorlie, some 595 km (370 mi) east-northeast of Perth. Kalgoorlie is famous as a gold-mining centre.
We travelled by train. Pensioners can have one free trip per year on public transport outside of the metropolitan area. The train trip was 7 ½ hours. Most of the scenery isn’t that interesting but the coaches were comfortable and there was a buffet on board. And I like travelling by train. 
Next day we’d booked a tour on a tram. It was an overcast morning but within minutes of boarding the tram it was raining heavily. The superpit (open-cut mine) was closed because of the risk of lightning and when we got to the next attraction, the power had gone out so in the end we mostly drove here and there looking at the sights.
The collage is of the tram and the attractive interior. The vehicle itself is really just a tram body on a truck chassis. It doesn’t run on cables or wires.
Next day we’d booked a tour on a tram. It was an overcast morning but within minutes of boarding the tram it was raining heavily. The superpit (open-cut mine) was closed because of the risk of lightning and when we got to the next attraction, the power had gone out so in the end we mostly drove here and there looking at the sights.
The collage is of the tram and the attractive interior. The vehicle itself is really just a tram body on a truck chassis. It doesn’t run on cables or wires.8 people like this
8 responses
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
We still had a nice time but the rain did spoil it a bit.
@JohnRoberts (109456)
• Los Angeles, California
4h
I have heard of Kalgoorlie. Too bad you didn't get a good look at the pit.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
We have seen it before but it always takes your breath away. It's even a bit bigger now than even a year or two ago.
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
We had only booked the two nights but Kalgoorlie doesn't get a lot of rain so we were a bit unlucky.
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
I loved the old steam trains with their clackety-clack but the diesel engines are very smooth. At one point we were doing 100 miles an hour which is nothing like the Asian fast trains but still impressive for us.
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
We had to buy an umbrella as we were walking when we weren't on the train.
@crossbones27 (54246)
• Mojave, California
9h
There is always more days than one, Most of the time. Sounds like great human engineering, no wires or cables. In our days there was always wires and cables. 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (391367)
• Rockingham, Australia
1h
We can always go back again if we want to. The tram is just a fancy vehicle really. There were three made and used in Fremantle when the America's Cup yacht race was held here.
