Railway upgrade to separate freight and passenger trains

["James C." <james_ccj@optusnet.com.au>]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newslink/nat/newsnat-1may2001-61.htm

Railway upgrade to separate freight and passenger trains

A $500 million upgrade of the nation's rail tracks is being proposed to
increase the use of rail for freight.

The Australian Track Corporation has completed an audit of Australia's
interstate rail network and has found it is sorely in need of an upgrade,
particularly on the eastern seaboard.

Corporation chief executive David Marchant says Sydney is blocking the whole
freight system.

Rail is currently only taking 20 per cent of all freight between Sydney and
Melbourne.

Mr Marchant says a separate freight track through Sydney would help the
whole nation.

"Partly it is because tracks are requiring upgrading, but the real issue is
that there isn't a freight link separate from the passenger link through
Sydney," Mr Marchant.

"Therefore, the freight trains have to compete with the passenger trains to
get through and it clogs up the passenger system.

"What this proposes, is separating the freight lines from passenger lines to
enable freight trains to move easily in and out of Sydney."


Cheers
James