Re: Standard gauge to Geraldton

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

Goldie wrote in message <39eede1c@grissom>...
>Would expect the old Midland Railway coastal line would be the go - no
>branches.  Dual gauge Walkaway into Geraldton.
>Goldie

>"David Bromage" <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
>ccaH5.36$Y66.4426@news0.optus.net.au">news:ccaH5.36$Y66.4426@news0.optus.net.au...
>> Heard on ABC Newsradio that local industry in Geraldton is calling for
the
>> line to be converted to standard gauge. They say they are missing out on
>> commercial opportunities by not being part of the standard gauge network.
>>
>> No moee details were available, and there's nothing on the ABC web site.


My impressions from living in Geraldton 1995/96 ...

*    There is virtually no freight other than mineral sands from Eneabba,
coal from Collie for the mineral sands plant and local wheat. This may be
because Westrail generally only carries commodites that fit in hoppers.
*    The junction between the Midland route and the line from Mullewa is at
Narngulu (not Walkaway).
*    There are always calls from local business to re-route the Narngulu -
Geraldton section via a tunnel to enter the port from the south so as to
remove the original line from the beachfront along Chapman Road.
*    If a standard-gauge Midland line happened, then there would possibly be
dual gauge from Narngulu to Geraldton via a new route.  But given Westrail's
love of transhipping wheat, they could always tranship the wheat at Narngulu
(as is done at Northam).
*    Pigs might fly!

Rgds
Bill