Re: V/Line Pass Fires the Boss!

["John Kerley" <deaftech@ozemail.com.au>]

Maurie Daly <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
3a3fe794.1443239@can-news.tpg.com.au">news:3a3fe794.1443239@can-news.tpg.com.au...
> On Tue, 19 Dec 2000 12:29:21 GMT, james_shugg@my-deja.com wrote:
>
> >In article <3a3f44fe.47483477@can-news.tpg.com.au>,
> >  mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly) wrote:
> >> On Mon, 18 Dec 2000 19:47:22 +1100, "Rod [comtrain]"
> >> <freight_man@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >[snip]
> >> >I think that this is the end of Passenger operations in this State,
> >you
> >> >cannot run a system without labour, and that is a fact.
> >> >Anyone know How many People work for V/Line Pass? I thought it was
> >about
> >> >399, of which 120 were Drivers, but I am not sure this is right now!
> >> >Rod
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> Why is this news surprising.?
> >> No country rail passenger service in this country has ever run at a
> >> profit.
> >> When Vline pass was Govt run its costs were way above its revenues.
> >> Simply privatizing the service wont change its profitability if the
> >> same routes are run with the same trains and the staff are paid the
> >> same salaries.
> >> Its totally unrealistic to expect that country passenger rail services
> >> will ever be profitable, thats why its called public transport.
> >>
> >> MD
> >>
> >West Coast Railway seem to be doing OK (are they profitable, however?)
> >with their Melbourne-Warnambool service, along the same route with much
> >the same trains as the old government service.
> >
> >
> >Sent via Deja.com
> >http://www.deja.com/
>
> I suspect that running a single line through an area with a high
> population base may be possible.
> WCR however being a private company dont release details of their
> business, which is understandable.
> Having to run trains all over the state though on many lines is a
> differant thing altogther.
> On my frequent trips to Melb its common to see an N class hauling a 3
> car train between Melb and Albury.
> Having a 2500 HP loco hauling just 3 cars (150 tonnes ) simply just
> cant make any money.
> What percentage of WCRs trains are 3 cars ?
>
> MD
>
None of the private passenger operators in Victoria make a "profit" in the
normal sense - they are all heavily subsidised by the taxpayer which enables
them to declare a profit to their shareholders.  WCR have been particularly
skillful in working the system.  For example they are reimbursed for the
full fare, less a handling charge, when a concession ticket is issued.  Thus
encouraging pensioners to use their annual freebie to go to Warrnambool to
watch the whales or experience a steam train like when they were young,
costs the OAP nothing, but WCR reap the benefit.

The fact that WCR is run by enthusiasts who care about people travelling by
rail and not merely in making a profit, also helps and probably explains why
they appear to be more successful in the privatised railway market than
V/Line.

One hopes that they keep their franchise in the next round.