Re: Ropers Creek Branch.

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

"John McCandless" <johnmc@topend.com.au> writes:

>I just checked out Rolfe Boziers' NSW rail site, and I found it fascinating,
>even for a dyed-in-the-wool QR fan such as myself!

>I have a question? What is the status of the northern end of the former
>Ropers Creek Branch (the part that's in Commonwealth - i assume Dept of
>Defence - property)?

>The pictures I saw - http://www.triode.net.au/~rolfeb/nsw/ropes_creek.html
>of Cochrane and Ropers Creek - especially Ropers Creek - showed stations
>that seemed in remarkably good nick for an abandoned line.

>Are there any preservation groups etc, allowed in?

The whole Ropes Creek line is pretty much a no-go area. The St Mary's end is
still being heavily utilised by the FreightCorp 'Sandman (tm!)' trains
coming from Rozelle, and this will probably continue until all the crushed
sandstone being excavated from the Sydney Water tunnel is shifted to St
Mary's in preparation for some sort of proposed mini freight centre.

Apart from that there is zero rail activity. The line has enormous potential
as a heavy rail passenger line if any of the proposed major housing
developments for the commonwealth arms factory precinct ever go ahead, and
with all the former freight sidings and industrial trackage still pretty
much intact, a combined residential and commercial region with emphasis on
rail transport for both freight and passengers is highly feasible, and the
potential for the line then increases even more.

However with organisations like the Bosnjack Inc. West-e-bus company having
such a large political influence in the region as a result of them
eliminating all serious competitors by buying them out and creating a
monopoly, any push to create a solid rail marketplace would be tempered by
the pro-road lobby groups which think they should get free access to road
transport facilities without paying a brass razoo to compensate for the
maintenance costs of the infrastructure.

Regards,

Craig.

--
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
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