Re: VFT Article

[taliesin@chariot.net.au (Taliesin Walker)]

He has a point when he suggest that public money could possible be
better spent upgrading existing rail because it can carry freight. If
the Melbourne - Sydney travel time could be cut to say, 8 hours and
the service was reliable then perhaps CountryLink could have a go at
offering cheap sleepers?

If fuel prices do continue to rise, Air travel will become increasing
unconpeditive regardless of if the SpeedRail proposal goes ahead,
assuming there isn't some revelotion in jet propulsion. 

Really, I'd rather spend 8 hours in a sleeper and pay say, $50 than
take a plane or VFT for twice as much. Afterall, I'm going to be
sleeping during the night anyway, it saves on accommodation.

Tali


On Sat, 14 Oct 2000 01:18:01 +1000, "Tezza"
<tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote:

>From the Macarthur Advertiser letters to the editor:
>
>Making the numbers work
>
>    L. Warren rightly condemns the Badgerys Creek EIS as being
>"over-optimistic" in its predictions (Advertiser letters, October 4).
>    This neatly shows that "in-depth studies" for proposals should be regarded
>with some suspicion.
>    Look at the Ord River Scheme, the Collins submarines, Parliament House,
>Canberra, Sydney Airport's third runway, and a tollway or two: these are just
>some of the projects that have fallen seriously below expectation or have
>blown out their budget, or both.
>    What of their in-depth studies?
>    We make no apology for "a few simple sums" applied to the high speed train
>proposal, even though Leon Warren dismisses them in favour of a nice thick
>report called an "in-depth study" or "verifiable research."
>    Our little exercises in arithmetic go to the heart of serious questions
>about where the passengers are to be found in sufficient numbers and where the
>money is to come from.
>    If these questions can't be simply answered, there will be no secure
>revenue and therefore no backers will put up finance.
>    Emboldened by the result of our elementary sums, we are going to take up
>elementary economics, excited as we are by the newly discovered Law of
>Conservation of OPM (Other People's Money).
>    The Speedrail proposal was mandated to cost the public nothing, we
>remember, but they have so far got an offer of $600million in freebies out of
>the NSW Government and may be hunting for more.
>    Perhaps they are themselves having some trouble getting the add-ups to
>come out right.
>    If we are being drawn into public funding for the very fast train perhaps
>we should rather take a fresh look at renewal of conventional rail, which can
>take heavy freight, too.
>    In a future where high fuel prices may be a permanent feature, this may be
>the wiser track to take.
>
>ROD HIBBERD
>Australian Surface Transport Advisory Committee.
>
>The Leo Warren reffered to is in charge of the anti-airport mob.
>
>--
>TEZZA
>
>"And isn't sanity really just a one trick pony anyway? I mean
>all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when
>you're good and crazy, oooh oooh oooh, the sky is the
>limit!"-The Tick
>
>