Re: [OT] Airing out personal differences (Was: The future of broad guage...)

[Michael Kurkowski <mk@netstra.com.au>]

 said in message <8a2t2v$hpq$1@nnrp1.deja.com>, I therefore quote:

>This is reflecting recent railway developments ... there's not much
>going on in the railway industry lately. Small surprises(FA/FV,some
>interstate business)no rolling stock ordered or delivery. Compared with
>1997(eg, AN privatisation), 1998(eg introduction of tilt train/GSPE)
>
>There are bunch of talks(Speedrail, Melbourne-Darwin rail link) but
>little action. Things might get better soon as Victorian operators
>order their new toys. Arrival of Millenium trains, Alice Spring-Darwin
>rail link and starting of 80m$ upgrading Victoiran country lines,
>privatisation of Westrail and NR and hopefully some surprises!

That's debateable too. Take into consideration, that 12 months ago no-one 
would have dreamed of the EL's coming back into service, let alone running 
regular freight services coupled to G class, 47, 44 class, 48 class, and 
just about any other combination you could get! 12 months ago, no-one would 
have imagined that Freight Vic would exist, let alone have a wonderful new 
livery (certain member of ausloco will debate that it's not a livery) that 
resembles the old VR livery!

As an example of this, until a couple of weeks ago, I took my photo of G543 
on the apex train, and G522 running light on standard guage at Kilmore East 
, Vic for granted. Little did I know that months later they would be both 
attached to each other running log trains in NSW (:

Things are changing, we may not be getting new rollingstock or motive power 
just yet, but the railways are certainly booming from corporatisation and 
privatisation, from where the govermnents that ran them into the ground for 
many years left off. Freight Vic already have a big motive power shortage, 
and have hired at least two EL's from CFCLA (NSW, one running with the log 
train, not sure if this is still happening - Vic, one for crew training, to 
be used for local work I believe), so it will only be a matter of time [a 
short one at that, i'd say!] before we see new locos in Vic.

Hopefully things only grow from here, and that will be one more pain in the 
behind for the rubber-wheel lobby. 

Regards

Michael




-- 
Michael Kurkowski
Email: mk@netstra.com.au
Website: http://www.netstra.com.au/~mk [UPDATES COMING SOON - I PROMISE!]
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