Re: End of the Webb Dock Railway Line

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <6q0jim$jl8@inferno.mpx.com.au> bevans@omni.com.au (Brian Evans) writes:
>From: bevans@omni.com.au (Brian Evans)
>Subject: End of the Webb Dock Railway Line
>Date: Sun, 02 Aug 1998 01:37:30 GMT

>It is hard to believe that in 1998 we have a situation where 3 different 
>organisations have request access to the Webb Dock Line over the past 3 years. 
>There is enough business in that dock for rail to eclipse any other dock in 
>the Port of Melbourne. Further, The line was originally laid for dual gauage 
>on the road crossings and the Yarra River bridge as V/line originally saw the 
>need for a SG service to Web Dock. However, the Government of Victoria's 
>anti-rail policy has won over again. IMHO, Vline Freight are far too soft as 
>are the Port of Melbourne. (Is the port of Melbourne Authority worth anything 
>less in value since inadequate rail access is now a problem?)


I guess the real question here that needs to be asked is exactly where is the 
freight coming off Webb Dock actually going to / coming from and can rail 
service the market as well as road. 
There are a number of capital city docks connected by 
rail , and with the exception of the Botany line in Sydney , none of them seem 
to carry very much freight. (ie more than 1 train per day.)
The least used seems to be the Dry Creek - Pt Adelaide extension.
The newest to be built , ie the Fishermans Island SG line in Brisbane doesnt 
even seem to have any regularily scheduled SG trains on it,and Im not even 
sure why it was built.

If any readers have current annual tonnage figures for the various capital 
city port,rail extensions it would be interesting reading.

Whilst the last thing we need is more trucks on the road , we also need some 
sort of national rail transport policy which could address the issues of 
whether its better for each capital city to have its own ports serviced by 
rail,or whether it would be better to send all freight to the one port where 
it could then be railed to its final destination.
Of course , such a concept could never happen due to the state rights 
arguments.

cheers
MD