Re: [Vic] Freight return to Cold stream??

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

Mark Bau wrote in message ...
>
>
>
>Barry I agree with your comments but please reread what MD said, (sorry I
>wrongly attributed them to GOD)
>
><<<They do the same work>>> Well yes, they  pull trains over rails. Same
>work? An NR does (can do) the same work as an X?
>
><<<<<<<pull the same loads>>>>>>
>
>See above
>
><<<<<<<<<<earn you the same revenue>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>Incorrect, A more powerful loco using the same fuel/maintenence costs as an
>less powerful loco is going to make you more money and I don't have to be
an
>accountant to figure that out.
>Of course purchase costs come into it but I was replying to the paragraph I
>just quoted which was full of bad info.
>
>Barry, do you still do your accounting in a old ledger or in a
>spreadsheet/database?
>
>Mark
>
Of course I use the best information technology available but that is in an
industry that changes every few months.

The problem is that we are comparing apples with oranges. Most of the
Australian rail system other than the interstate lines and coal lines have
more in common with US shortlines than with the Class 1 roads. It is a case
of horses for courses and GM cater for this market by producing equipment
that has a long serviceable life and and significant compatibility.

To get back to your computer analogy, I started using Visicalc in the early
80s and I use Excel 97 now. Visicalc is long obsolete. OTOH even before the
advent of the PC, the 645 engine in the E series crankcase was EMD's
frontline product. AFAIK it is still catalogued because it is still doing
the job. With control system updates, turbos etc older locos will still do
the job. I wouldn't put them on heavy coal haulage or first rank interstate
work, but they can be an effective and economic solution for many, if not
most, of the other tasks.

Barry Campbell