Railways missing from the Easter Show

["Garry Hoddinett" <hoddos@netspace.net.au>]

After having been to the Royal Easter show for the first time in about 20
years  I was disappointed not to see any of the rail organizations having a
display.  I would have thought CityRail in particular would have had a lot
to gain by being at the show.  An informative display would have gone
someway to trying to reverse the adverse publicity it has received in recent
times.  CityRail could have display the 4Gt mock up which I believe was
shown at some transport conference last year.  There could have been a
display about the Parramatta - Chatswood Railway  and some other future
proposals.

What was particularly disappointing was the absence of the fantastic and
huge 'O" gauge model railway that used to be the centre piece of previous
railway displays.   But I guess with the separation of track infrastructure
from the operators in NSW, Countrylink didn't want to run model trains of
yesteryear,  Freightcorp only wanted to run model freight trains,  3801 and
the RTM where not invited to run model trains (or hadn't received
accreditation as yet).  Lachlan Valley and Austrac where not allowed by
Freightcorp to buy the models of old diesels previous owned by State Rail.
There were no models of Victorian locomotives for Freight Australia to run
and in any case the Rail Access Corporation charges higher fees for electric
trains.

When was the last time the model of a NSW system on display at the show?