Member for Orange Phil Donato spoke to the petition saying the extension of one of the Bathurst Bullet trains to Orange was needed plus upgrades for the train line.

"If just one of those two services was stabled at Orange it would kill two birds with the one store," he said.

However Regional Transport minister Paul Toole was non-committal in his reply although he did suggest there was a possibility of a coach service from Orange to meet the planned second Bullet service.

ORAG chairman Dr Peter Bilenkij said the petition was "just step one" in the fight.

"We will still be working with the government and our local member to have a satisfactory early morning train service at the correct time," he said.

"The people have spoken, the government's aware of it. It's on Hansard."

Dr Bilenkij said it might take several years for the train as the government appeared to be waiting for the construction of a maintenance centre in Dubbo which was not due to open until 2024.

He said a coach service might be an interim measure.