Re: Leigh Creek

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

In article <3669AF7A.B2D0B610@denr.sa.gov.au> Neil Waller <nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au> writes:
>From: Neil Waller <nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au>
>Subject: Re: Leigh Creek
>Date: Sun, 06 Dec 1998 08:41:06 +1030

>Bob wrote:

>> A couple of points here. ASR were not one of the three finalists for this.
>> These were Freightcorp, Westrail and Silverton. They have known this for some
>> time. Do they have a contract at present? If not they could pull out whenever
>> they want. The new contract is due to commence on 31st January 1999 and
>> Freightcorp intend to use there own wagons. I suspect that ASR were not making
>> any money on  this job and this would be why they are threatening to pull out.
>> Freightcorp will be hiring crews ASAP and we can expect a flood of ASR crews
>> wanting to sign up with Freightcorp who pay the Award wages unlike ASR.
>> Cheers
>> Bob



>The comments by ASR's GM may have been a diversion but apparently
>Flinders Power wanted them to haul in the interim at $3 tonne at which
>price ASR claim they could not show a profit.


$3 per tonne is a very low rate, less than 2 c per ntk.
No Government Railway gets anywhere near these sorts of rates.
The Iron Ore Railways do ,but only as they can haul mighty heavy trains, 20K 
tonne + per train.
This couldnt be done on the existing Leigh Creek Track.
Corect me if I am wrong , but I understood the Leigh Creek coal traffic 
amounted to just one train per day, ie one full and one empty with average 
loads of around 5000 to 6000 tonnes.
This would require at the most 2 X 81 s and 4 crew with possible one extra for 
irregular rostering , ie sick days / leave etc.
Certainly doesnt need 15 crew.
Does anyone know who provides the train control for the Leigh Creek line now ?

cheers
MD