Re: Fate of 85/86 class

["Barry Campbell" <campblbm@ozemail.com.au>]

Maurie Daly wrote in message ...

<snip>

>As to the costs of running electrics vs diesels there is something wrong
here
>although I dont know what.
>When the 85/86 s were bought , and indeed the same argument would go for
the
>original 46s,the price of diesel would have been the cheapest it has ever
been
>as Govt railways didnt then pay any fuel excise.
>Fuel excise for railways is a relatively recent thing,being originally
levied
>as a road usage tax by the Keating Govt.
>If diesel is cheaper today than electricity ,then maybe we should be using
>diesels to haul cityrails trains,and Qrail should dismantle the
electrification
>on the main north.


And, in fact, two or three years ago I heard stories that that would have
been the most economical thing to do. (Actually not build it rather than
dismantle it). Modern diesels are cheaper to run than having to install
overhead etc.

Barry Campbell