Re: Darwin Railway's new rollingstock?

[dbromage@omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

thalytgv@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> My humble calculation indicates this will require 120 locomotives likely
> newly build as most of the carrier are shortage of power.

How did you come up with that number? Much of the current freight to Alice
Springs continues to Darwin by road. Assuming loco changes at Alice, then
only another 15-20 NRs would be required for the new line.

> Along with about
> 1000 new wagons to be adeque for freight trains from Sydney, Melbourne,
> Adelaide and maybe Perth.

There is so much stored rollingstock around the system I don't really see
why new stock would be required, exept maybe to replace some older stuff.
200 new 5-packs wouldn't go stray, with some older flats sold/leased to
new operators.

> If Great Southern Railway willing to serve this
> section, it would probabily extend its "Ghan" service to Darwin and will
> require about 40 carriages again brand new since GSR already sold most of
> surplus carriages and about 2 locomotives as well.

I think that's a bit much. A second full Ghan set ought to be plenty.
That allows a weekly Sydney - Darwin and a weekly Melbourne - Darwin.

GSR are hiring NR locos anyway, at least for the moment. ELs would be more
suitable. Whatever they use, no new locos would be requires.

> GSR might want to provide a
> tourist shuttle service for Darwin to Kakadu National Park,

Does the plan for the line go through Kakadu?

Cheers
David