Re: [Vic] ALP urged to boost rail freight lines

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

On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 22:33:56 +1100, "Paul Hambleton"
<P.Hambleton@bom.gov.au> wrote:

>
>"Brown Family" <lbrown2@bigpond.com> wrote in message
>3a9b74d0.13438156@news-server.bigpond.net.au">news:3a9b74d0.13438156@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 14:58:32 +1100, David Bromage
>> <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote:
>>
>> >The Bracks Government has been urged to get on with improving Victoria's
>> >rail freight lines, starting with works between Mildura and Portland.
>> >National Party leader Peter Ryan says a dual gauge line between
>> >Maryborough to Portland to help mineral sands exports from the Murray
>> >Basin should be a priority.

Why is there a need to convert Mildura to SG ??
What traffic is there that comes off the Mildura line that goes
interstate.
The majority of the freight is either wheat which goes to Geelong or
fruit and vegetables which goes to Melb.
I cant see any significant increase in freight on this line simply
because its SG.


>> >
>> Why the dual-gauge line?
>>
>> Goes to show you how much country pollies know about their state's
>> rail transport when Peter Ryan isn't aware of the fact that
>> Maryborough already has S.G. and any money would be best spent on
>> converting Mildura to S.G. rather than adding a third and slower rail
>> to Portland.
>>

Spot on .
No reason at all for dual guage to Portland.

>> Isn't the ARA doing its job and making sure our pollies know where the
>> tracks are in Victoria? Send all pollies a rail map on a mug or
>> something. Get these poor ignorant pollies some info before they think
>> that a rail what they find around a racetrack or something.....
>>
>> Les Brown
>
>Looking at my trusty rail map of Victoria, it seems to me that it would be a
>good idea to concentrate significant expenditure on major trunk routes. I
>find it strange that no one ever suggests building new lines. For example,
>rather than spend money on the seriously run down existing Mildura line, why
>not invest in upgrading (65kg rail, alighnments etc.) and converting to SG
>the Melbourne Swan Hill line during the new passenger upgrade to Bendigo and
>extending it to Mildura via Robinvale. Heavy freight trains and decently
>fast passenger operations would be possible while consolidating the
>requirements for high quality track. It might even get maintained properly.
>The existing low grade lines which are still required could be SGed by the
>"Keating method", moving one rail across 165mm and "nailing" it down again.
>Melbourne-Ballarat-Ararat should be SGed when the Ballarat passenger upgrade
>occurs thus making Melbourne-Adelaide shorter and enabling passenger
>services to return to Ararat, Horsham, Portland even. Heavy, well aligned
>rail suitable for high speed (or at least reasonable speed) passenger
>operations are advantageous for freight operations provided there is not too
>many passenger trains and decent passing loops are provided.
>I am keen to see a commitment to SG in Victoria as I have knowledge of some
>minerals projects that could having resulted in smelting being carried out
>within Australia (NSW in fact) if the railhead was SG. Instead, the stuff
>will go via BG direct to port and have the value add smelting carried out
>overseas thus missing out on creating jobs here in Australia. The
>politicians still don't seem to grasp that a railway system needs to be
>integrated to be truly effective.
>Sorry I got carried away - just back on my hobby horse again.
>
>Paul Hambleton
>
>
A fundamental problem with the above is the scenerio of States
upgrading their rail network to help another state.
The concept of Victoria converting to SG some of its lines to assist
an industry in NSW is simply a foreign concept.
States compete against each other for industry, jobs you name it.
State Govts only do something when it can be demonstrated that the
project benefits their own State, not another one.

There is no concept of the National good at State level.
Whilst Australia may be one country, quite often at the State Govt
level ,it behaves like a lot of of little independant countries all of
whom hate each other when it comes to across border cooperation.
The rail industry in this country is the classic example of non
cooperation between States.

MD