Re: Mudgee reopening

["geoff dawson" <geoffrey.dawson@aph.gov.au>]

Forgive me for being sceptical but
1. What freight traffic will use this line? Surely it couldn't be
commercially viable? Is the reopening just a political stunt?
2. Why would the locals want a train that would take roughly an hour longer
from Lithgow than a bus?
I'm not necessarily against this, just curious. I'm all in favour of keeping
options open. I'm dead against selling rightofway. Perhaps in 50 years when
the wells dry up and fuel is $100 a litre we may want such lines again. Or
sooner if the railways ever get their act together to win back medium
distance intrastate intermodal general freight.

Related to the last point: whatever happened to AN's road-railers? The great
white hope of the 1980s, if I remember rightly.  I haven't heard much about
them lately. Perhaps I just haven't been reading the right mags.
Geoff


>sean (sean@hello.springwood.rail) wrote:
>> Are they planning on having a service from sydney up that way? ie
Explorer,
>
>The locals are pushing for a passenger service. Carr promised an Endeavour
>for Bathurst, so it's not inconceivable that Mudgee might also get one.
>
>Cheers
>David