Re: Goodbye Overland - We All Let You Down!

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <3895258a@nap-ns1> "Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au> writes:
>From: "Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au>
>Subject: Re: Goodbye Overland - We All Let You Down!
>Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 16:10:52 +1100


>Andrew wrote in message <86ofrt$9rg$1@news1.mpx.com.au>...
>>
>>> Fair enough, GSRs fares are high,no doubt about it , but they need to be
>.
>>> Running trains these days is an expensive business.
>>> Overland cant make any money.
>>> In addition there is also the very high proportion of rail travellers who
>>> travel on some sort of concession fares.
>>> >This is exactly what USA managements were accused of doing in the early
>>> >1960s to eliminate passenger trains completely.
>>> I dont beleive for a moment that GSR want to eliminate the Overland.
>>> They certainly would want to eliminate an unprofitable train service.
>>> But they are a private company,not a Govt social service.
>>
>>if the train dont make the money they will make them all go by bus like
>many
>>country lines in nsw that are now done by bus as the goverment saw no
>reason
>>to keep the trains going where there wasnt many people using that service
>>andrew
>>
>I thought the Federal Government stated when they sold AN that Private
>Enterprise will improve the service- GSR have tried, but the proof is in the
>pudding.

>Passenger Trains are for the communities use and benefit, and except for the
>luxury trains they will never make a profit while the road is subsidised.

>The Commonwealth should have allowed for CSO payments to GSR for the
>Overland so that there is a regular service used by all!!

>GSR never had its own locomotives or track and so only the NRC and ARTC have
>earnt money from the Overland.


Even worse than you can possibly beleive.
ARTC in its first year of operation has made a small profit,but its owner, 
"guess who" has received a $2 M dividend,so one could say that a certain 
Govt is making money out of rail, whilst at the same time bleeding it dry of 
funds.

MD