Re: Any news on Australian Rail going private

["Krel" <krel4203@netconnect.com.au>]

Krel <krel4203@netconnect.com.au> wrote in article
<01bcb35b$21b2e7e0$920057cb@krel4203.semex.net.au>...
> 
> 
> technet                                                       
> <technet@onramp.net> wrote in article
> <01bcb317$6807e9a0$e7c832ce@bank-4>...
> > Looking for any recent news on the privatization of Australian Rail.
> > We can't get any timely Australian Rail News (we are in Dallas, Texas).
> > 
> > Would appreciate any info on news  in the form of  attachments, 
> > links, E-Mail or response to this news group. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> Announced today 28/8 the following sales
> 
> AN Passenger to Great Southern Rail (Macquarie Bank)
> 
> AN Maintenance and SA Freight to Geneesee and Wyoming of NY state USA
> 
> Tasrail to some local concern ( I missed the name)
> 
> We live in interesting times! :-)
> 
More info as follows :-

	AN Pass to Great Southern Railway (Macquarie Bank + GB Railways of UK +
Serco Asia Pacific of UK) for $A 16m.

	Tasrail to Australian Transport Network ( Wisconsin Central + Tranz Rail)
for $A 22m.

	SA Freight to Genesse and Wyoming of USA for $A 57.4m.

	The Tasrail sale include the Federal Government supplying $A 10m. for land
restoration and $A 5m. for track upgrading.

	The AN Pass sale includes an agreement to extend the Indian Pacific
service to Melbourne and The Ghan to Sydney and improve the Overland's
connection in Adelaide under a $A 14.3m. capital expenditure program.

	
Some thoughts:
	It seems that AN Workshops were included in the SA Freight sale. 
The Tasrail sale ends up netting only $A 7m (22-15) but goes to a proven
aggressive rail marketeer. One wonders why the $A 15m. could not have gone
to a publicly owned Tasrail before this. It is not clear who funds the AN
Pass capital expenditure (GSR or the Feds). I'm not sure what is meant by
the Overland's Adelaide connection but it may mean finally doing something
about ARPT Keswicks isolated location. ( The Overland in North Terrace
Station again, I'd like to see that). My guess is that the extension of the
IP to Melbourne will be at the expense of the Overland on some days. 

Like I said we live in interesting times.


-- 
Cheers Krel

The Law of Inverse Proportions - The chances of the signal clearing 
without having to get out of the cab and go to a lineside phone is inversly
proportional to the amount of rain falling at the time :-)