DSRM and loco hiring

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

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In article <3AC0666E.3277AE5D@efs.mq.edu.au>, Eddie Oliver
<eoliver@efs.mq.edu.au> wrote:



>
>Perhaps the supporters of option 1 can also correct my simple-minded
>arithmetic, which says that if it costs $40,000 to move the loco to and
>from Dorrigo, and it could earn $2,000 per day, it would only take 20
>days hire before those costs are recovered - even if the hirer cannot be
>prevailed upon to pay them.

I would be interested to see the proponents of this option to come up with
some facts too as to who will pay $2000 for locomotive hire. From talking
with FA staff, the EL's cost them $1000 per day. This is for a modern
generation locomotive. Steamrail gets nothing like $2000 per day either,
partially due to the fact the locomotivea are not suitable for use as lead
units. 

If the DSRM were to hire their locomotives, they would have to ensure they
were in very good mechanical condition, radio equipped, possibly modified
for lead unit status. Also the DSRM would need to be accredited as a
provider of Rolling stock for the main line, not a simple goal to achieve.
If they were to circumvent these issues and hire the units 'as is', then
their worth would drop even further.

I have a suspicion that one reason most NSW fans are so angry at the DSRM is
due to the shortage of main line steam. If this is the case, lets see you
all use the same arguement on the RTM. The RTM have main line operating
diesel locomotives and a lamentable lack of working steam locos. Lets see
the RTM make the first move, hire out its diesel fleet to the alleged money
bin that is loco hiring and get its steam restoration going again. Or are
all the protagonists in this thread all RTM members.

Not that I am in any way endorsing the DSRM, just hate seeing everyone
trying so hard to use a crap arguement ($2000 per day loco hire) to get
stuck into the DSRM.


Stuart Thyer
Photographer
University of Melbourne