>Some figures for the Tarcoola to Alice Line.
>The line is 831 k/ms long and the estimated construction cost was
>$145.000.000, the line was completed within that figure and one
>year ahead of schedule.
>The "Official" commencement began when Gough Whitlam unveiled a
>plaque at Tarcoola on the 12th April 1975 and the Inaugural Train
>with AL 18 arrived in Alice Springs 9th October 1980.
>The line has 52 Bridges with the largest being across the Finke
>River at 400 metres long.
>Some figures for the Alice to Darwin Line.
>The line will be about 1440 k/ms long.
>Substantial cuttings and earthworks will be required for the
>first 20 k/ms out through the hills North of Alice Springs.
>BUT the last 320 k/ms from Katherine to Darwin will not only
>require an estimated 320 million cubic metres of earthworks but
>some very substantial bridges to cross some major rivers.!
>It has been estimated that there will be over 100 Bridges on this
>line and 25000 lineal metres of pipe and box culverts.
>Australian National Railways estimated the construction cost back
>in the early eighties at $375.000.000, it will now cost well over
>one billion today.
>Cheers
>----Tell
>Alice Springs NT
Tells calculations are correct.
I mistakenly got the kms and the miles mixed up in the earlier scenerio.
900 miles not 900 km.
If the estimated cost today is indeed over the billion mark,then the line
should not be built , and almost certainly wont be.
cheers
MD
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Maurie Daly
Department of Communications Lab.
Canberra
Australia
mauried@commslab.gov.au
ph 6 2791331
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