Re: SCT to Perth, questions

[mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly)]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2000 00:38:21 +1100, "Tezza"
<tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote:

>
>"Andrei Souprounovich" <andrei@axs.com.au> wrote in message
>3A1BB520.46CFBF83@axs.com.au">news:3A1BB520.46CFBF83@axs.com.au...
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Noticed today(Wed) at Coca Cola bottler Moorabbin: SCT B-Double being loaded
>with coke cans and then leaving the property at 8.15pm for Perth. I assume the
>truck'll get there anywhere between 8.15am Friday and and 4pm. It needs to be
>there by afternoon, since the local trucks need to get the product to the
>stores before the weekend.
>>
>> If the truck gets there by 8.15am Friday, then that means a distance of 3500
>km covered in 36hrs - average speed of 100km/h.
>
>Obviously breaking the law.
>

The other problem that the above example demonstrates is that from the
coke vendors perspective its really easy.
Truck leaves his warehouse and delivers straight into the warehouse in
Perth.
If we had to perform this operation with rail,the coke vendor would
have to organize getting the coke trucked to Dynon , having it loaded
onto a train , waiting for the train to leave on its scheduled
timetable, having to organize another truck in WA to pick the coke up
from Kewdale and deliver it to the same warehouse.
Which solution would you pick?

Whilst you cant eliminate the double handling , if the coke vendor
didnt have to worry about his coke once it left the door , then hes
less likley to care how the coke is transported.
Im my view , its time that Railway companies bought a small fleet of
trucks so that they can offer customers door to door service , ie all
the hassles of taking and picking up goods from rail terminals is
eliminated,from the customers perspective.
The other major problem is the timetables , ie trains leaving at
particular times thruout the day , and customers having to arrange
their delivery requirements to suit the timetables .
We need another class of freight trains , one that leaves as soon as
it has a certain load , so that a customers freight isnt sitting
around at dynon all day waiting for the evening trains to leave.
The above idea would take a huge leap in flexibility on the part of
all concerned ,especially the track owners.
The way things are going , all rail is going to be left with are unit
trains , carrying all the freight of one customer,and everything else
will go by road ,all the way.
It also needs some cooperation between rail companies to carry each
others freight,so that the freight can be delivered in the minimum
time frame.
The road freight industry commonly does this , transhipping goods
between differant companies to get the goods to the end in the
quickest and cheapest way.
This of course requires CO OPERATION .
Something that is unknown in the rail industry.

MD