AS to DAR "nosh up" in the Alice.

[Tell <telljb@ozemail.com.au>]

Noticed in the Alice Springs News this week that the
consortium building the AS to DAR had a bit of a
"presentation" in Alice Springs t'other day.
Good food and wine were the order of the day. :)

Among the many guests was Des Smith, ANR's chief civil
engineer who built the Tarcoola to Alice standard gauge
ahead of time and under budget, he is retired these
days but some of his observations are worth noting.

He is puzzled as to why there is NO construction out of
Alice Springs.  (As I have said here before, any bets
on the Ex SAR/ANR 830 class North by road along with a
big mob of rolling stock.)

He noted that something like 48,000 tonnes of rails
will go North by road to Tennant Creek and then be laid
back South to Alice Springs.

He also wonders why there is no concrete sleeper plant
in Alice Springs.  The "nearest" one is 510 Kms NORTH
of Alice Springs at Tennant Creek.

BTW folks, the TAS line is to be handed over to the
consortium at no cost by the Feds.  Its value today is
500 million, add to that, the Federal, NT and SA
taxpayers contribution and you get something over 1
BILLION dollars.  Thats your money there folks.

This "private" railway is supposed to be a BOOT 50 year
project, not a bad kickstart, right.!

Now let me see, elections due soon in the Northern
Territory and Federal, followed by South Australia.

....Tell