Re: Latest news on Speedrail

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"William Miller" <backtran@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
39cf1e35$0$26533$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39cf1e35$0$26533$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...

> > I think too much is made of this "productive time".
> >
> Why? As a regular business traveller I know plane time is lost time. On
the
> train I can work with my Notebook or make calls or send emails, which is a
> good poertion of what I do in the office! Time I have to add to the end of
> the day if I do not do it. Most business users I know are in the same
boat.

You only have to look and see what is happening in the Golden Wing lounges
(and presumably Qantas Club lounges as well) to see that this is true. Very
few people are availing themselves of the facilities (I do, but that is the
only reason I pay $400 a year for it, I am a pisspot), most are doing some
sort of work, particularly in the morning (using laptops, reading briefing
notes, calling people, etc) - they can do this in the lounges (for a short
time), they can read the notes, but they cannot use their phones whilst in
the air, they can only use laptops whilst at cruise (about 20 mins SYD-MEL).
A three hour train trip would be far more productive.

> > > I have personally experienced both air and VFT over similar distances
> and I
> > > know what I would prefer from a business point of view. There is
simply
> less
> > > hassle and more reliabilty with the train.I do not have my office in
the
> CBD
> > > of Sydney but my business travel would be simpler if I could start
from
> > > Central than the bloody Airport.
> >
> > So for you it may be ok, I just can't see them getting the thousands
> they'd need
> > to make it viable. Freight would be a much better idea for the VFT.
> >
> From my understanding they have the thousands in Europe in similar size
> markets at similar distances.The question will be, will Australian
business
> user do the same?

Sydney to Melbourne is the third heaviest trafficked sector in the world -
that is in terms of passenger numbers, not sure about aircraft movements
though. The traffic exists to make the service worthwhile, and if it goes
via Sydney Airport, it could interconnect with other services (the trains
could have flight numbers, like Lufthansa used to do with some DB trains,
and interconnecting tickets).

Dave