Re: Steam builds for Alice to Darwin rail link

["Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au>]

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>Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
>>In article <392e7a52$0$2638@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au
>>
>>
>>
>>I sure hope that there is more, a lot more than 1 train a day.
>>This line will need around 30 trains a day to simply break even,let alone
>earn
>>the projected 18% return after tax ,estimated by the consortium.
>>$700 M of private capital for 1 train a day ,you gotta be kidding.
>>
>>Md
>
I was told by a former rail executive, that in costing and planning for the
Darwin to Alice Springs line that they planned for crossing loops at 200 km
intervals!!!, This was due to the predicted low volume of traffic initially.
This is all very fine, but you would not want to be on the Ghan and have to
be waiting for a late running freight.
The track weight is going to be 94lb to cut costs!
I hope that I am wrong on what I have been told, but the person who told me
was VERY reliable.

Regards, GF.

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