Re: Latest news on Speedrail

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

On Fri, 22 Sep 2000 13:15:06 +1000, "Tezza"
<tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote:

>
>"Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
>news:Y%yy5.4521
>> "Tezza" <tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
>> > > > But they're putting computer and internet access on planes now,
>> > so.......
>> > >
>> > > But only whilst at cruise, which for a 55 minute flight is around 25
>> > > minutes. Not a lot of time to get in and do something.
>> >
>> > So on a plane trip to Melboorne they'd still be about an hour ahead.
>>
>> Not really - assume leaving Central Station at the same time (1200),
>> Speedrail (to Melbourne) would have you in the CBD of Melbourne at 1500.
>> With flying, you would arrive at the airport station at 1210, 1215 by the
>> time you walk up to the checkin counters, if you are a corporate client
>you
>> will get express check-in so 5 minutes to do all that (1220 by this
>stage),
>> the earliest your flight could be is 1240 (20 minute minimum check in) -
>> more likely 1300. Assuming there are no delays, pushback at 1300, landing
>in
>> Melboring at 1405, 10 minutes to wait for baggage, 30 minute cab ride into
>> CBD has you in the CBD at 1445 (if everything went exactly to plan).
>
>So for the VFT at Central, you would also have to allow time for check-in
>and baggage and the same in Melboorne. Trains also have delays, the VFT will
>certainly have them Central to Campbelltown and then again in Melboorne. The
>30 minute cab ride after the plane would get you to your destination, the
>VFT would not (unless again your home/office was on the platform), so more
>time again there.
>
>
>> In the train, you would have 3 hours of usable time (assuming you did not
>> eat lunch). If you flew you would have about 20 minutes before the flight,
>> about 20 minutes in the air, and about 25 minutes in the cab - all
>> disjointed time as opposed to the 3 continuous hours on the train.
>>
>> It has been proven to work in Europe over similiar flight times to
>Sydney -
>> Melbourne, and there is really no reason why it can't work here as well.
>
>I really don't think they'll get the numbers to make it viable, we just
>don't have the population densities. Every big project in years has used
>fanciful numbers to justify it, and a lot have then needed government
>handouts or anti-competitive clauses to try and make them viable.
>
>I'd certainly like to see it go ahead, but all the way to Melboorne straight
>off the bat and gear it for freight to try and get a couple of hundred
>thousand truck movements off the road.
>
>

A more interesting question regarding railways in Australia is ,are
any of them really profitable if they have to compete in a fully
competetive market place,ie no Govt guaranteed monopolies like coal
and grain.
The closest operator in this environment is NRC , which has as yet not
made any profit.

Railways like Freightcorp and QR derive more than 80% of all their
revenue from coal and grain , and wouldnt exist if they didnt have
this market.
Makes you wonder.

MD