Re: Robina-Coolangatta extension "essential"

[mdaly@pcug.org.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <bkuldss5bv9ekshvedr7ona56dtj8fgpki@4ax.com> RNS <steam3801@hotmail.com> writes:
>From: RNS <steam3801@hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: Robina-Coolangatta extension "essential"
>Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 16:21:16 +1100



>The sensible thing would have been for the line from Brisbane to the
>Gold Coast to have been built to dual guage and the Murwillumbah line
>extended to connect.
>Then Countrylink could have operated both XPT's to and from Brisbane
>via the Gold Coast.
>A taxi would suffice for any Kyogle passengers.
>After all the population base is the Gold Coast.






>On Fri, 24 Mar 2000 01:30:35 +1000, "RODS" <ajb2001@hotmail.com>
>wrote:

>>> > David Bromage wrote:
>>>
>>> > > ABC Newsradio reports the Queensland government saying the extension
>>of
>>> > > the railway from Robina to Coolangatta is vital to the future of the
>>GOld
>>> > > Coast.
>>> > >
>>> > > Queensland Transport has released the terms of reference for the EIS
>>into
>>> > > the Robina - Tugun section, and $200 million for construction will be
>>> > > allocated in the next state budget.
>>> > >
>>> > > Here's punchline. NSW "will build a railway to Coolangatta Airport" as
>>> > > part of the project.
>>>
>>> > Another break of gauge station
>>>
>>> So? Most of the passengers on the Murwillimbah XPT are going to/from the
>>> Gold Coast. Very few travel on to Brisbane. It's much more sensible to
>>> extend the XPT to Coolangatta than extend the QR narrow gauge to
>>> Murwillumbah.
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> David


Much as I would like to see a connection from Murwillumbah to Coolangatta I 
think we are all dreaming.
Since 1923 when the VIC / NSW govts agreed to build the BG lines into 
NSW,there hasnt been a single example of a State Govt building and paying for  
a line into another State.
All the SG cross border connections since have been paid for by the Feds.
If the argument is that most people who travel by the Murwillumbah XPTs go on 
to Brisbane then surely the more sensible and cheaper option is to simply run 
more XPTS directly to Brisbane .
I doubt very much that there is sufficient demand from people who live in 
the towns between Casino and Murwillumbah demanding to be able to go to 
Brisbane via train via the Gold Coast.
For the cost of even building a basic SG line from Murwillumbah to 
Coolangatta,you could buy a complete new set of XPTs , lets get back to 
reality.

MD