Re: RTM and steam. My personal opinion

["Stuart Thyer" <s.thyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au>]

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In article <3ab00508.2383267@news-server.bigpond.net.au>,
lbrown2@bigpond.com (Brown Family) wrote:



>Concerning acces to the state's rail network, Victorian heritage train
>operators were guaranteed rail access (50,000km per year, wasn't it?)
>by the Kennett govt and I do not believe this has changed under
>Bracks. It might be tricky running steam, but Victoria's advantage is
>that the rail operators are using heritage locos for revenue traffic
>which makes it kinda hard for them to say no when you want to run a
>train or two. My impression is that F/A bends over backwards to help
>most heritage groups. Not every railway line in Victoria sees heavy
>traffic. The problem is not so much can we run a train, but where and
>when.

FA certainly do not bend over backwards to help heritage groups, in fact the
exact opposite is the case. Despite FA and a lack of thought by the Kennett
govt as to how heritage groups would integrate into the main line network
tours still do manage to run, but the problems that have arisen over the
last 12 months have pushed all heritage groups to the edge in terms of
resources to deal with these issues. 
Free track access is 30 000k per year.


 If you guys stopped your in-fighting and
>started co-operating and behaving professionaly, maybe Bob Carr might
>be more generous. 

I think the only reason in-fighting died in Victoria is some of the old
guard passed on and we are all now faced by a bigger enemy (FA).

Stuart (these opinions are mine and mine alone)