The future of the Broken Hill Line.

Maurie Daly (mauried@commslab.gov.au)
Wed, 9 Jul 1997 09:05:00 GMT

With NR diverting the majority of its westerly bound freights via Melb, one
wonders what the future of this line is.
At the moment we have 2 IPs per week , one countrylink train per week and one
NR train per week,(SP5/PS6).
After AN is sold and the IP is run by private enterprise,one wonders whether
the train will continue to run this way,(if I were running it I would want to
run it via Melb simply to get the extra patronage.)
Also if the reason NR is choosing to run most of its trains via Melb is due to
excess track access charges by The Rail Access Corp,one would think that
similar charges would also apply to the IP and SP5/PS6 as well, which could
leave WL31/32 as the only train to use the line.
It would not be feasable to keep a line open for 1 train per week(not a
category 1 main line anyway.)
Can anyone comment on whether the new operator for the IP is mandated to run
the train via Broken Hill with the current frequency?

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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