Re: Goodbye Overland

[thalytgv@my-deja.com]

> Yes but remember that the IP and the Ghan cater for a totally
differant market.
> These trains are marketed as an adventure in themselves and are
popular with
> overseas tourists. simply because of the distances they travel and
the parts
> of Australia they go thru.
>
> The Overland is simply an overnight commuter train.
> There is nothing special about the scenery it travels thru.
> Its effectively just another way of getting from Melb to Adelaide.
Somehow, it's abit like "Sydney/Melbourne Express"(Still remember that
train?)

viously mentioned the Overland has been going backwards for
> years,long before GSR took it over.
> In a way GSR really didnt get a very good deal when they bought the
passenger
> arm of AN

All 3 sectors of "AN" weren't a good deal at all! old locos,
unprofitable branches with old equipments, lousy tracks, poor patron
passenger trains with middle of no where stops (Conamia/Keswick).


>in that they should have at least got the CLPs,as they were
> clearly used by AN for the pass trains

I though CLP ran in to lots of mechanical failure just before the sale
of AN, IP/Ghan experience long delays due to unreliable CLP class, AN
didn't want them at all, certainly GSR don't want them.

> a bit more level,a concession or even removal of the track access
charges on
> the SA side would be fair, after all AN didnt pay track access
charges when it
> ran the pass trains , at least not in SA anyway.
> It will be interesting to see what happens if / when the train
dissapears
> entirely , as to what the respective State Govts will do ,(most
likely
> nothing.)
> I guess the option still exists for organizations like WCR or even
NXP or
> Countrylink to fill the gap.
> How much chance they would have of making a profit is anyones guess.

GSR still have chances to save the train, better advertisment(Most
people don't know Overland exist!).

Plus recent booming SA tourist industry might give the train a chance
to survive.

Extra daylight schedule might help utility the equipment, Similar to
what country link did with their XPT, short turning time and maximise
running time.

Or do what Amtrak did with their  "Mail express train"(passenger train
hauls mail/fast courier frieght), 10 and half hours is very attractive
for courier mail operators.

Hopefully get the train into North Terrance

> One would think that an organization that owned its own locos and
didnt have
> to hire them might stand some chance.

Keep optimistic! this is the 2nd time GSR annouce they will withdraw
the train, remember exactly an year ago they wanted to withdraw the
train due to poor track condition? Maybe this time both state can look
deep into the problem as both state fund "Daylink" service but not
Overland?


Cheers
James


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