Re: Papua New Guinea Rail

[nrmadden@t130.aone.net.au (Neville MADDEN)]

In article <34B9B791.3D45@tbsa.com.au>, 
peter berrett <pberrett@tbsa.com.au> 
wrote:
>Hi All
>
>Has anyone seriously contenplated a railway line from Cairns to Port
>Moresby? I realise that this may look a little far fetched but let me
>run through a few points;
>
>
>1. We spend millions in aid (including developmental aid) each year to
>PNG. A rail line could significantly improve the economy of PNG by
>providing a direct link for tourists coming from Queensland and freight
>coudl easily pass between the two countries.

Peter,

Are you serious or are you trying to 
start a "stranger than fiction" thread 
going.

Have you ever been to PNG or Irian Jaya?
The topographic problems alone would 
immediately deter anyone from even 
planning a venture like this.

Tourism...declining everytime a European 
gets killed/injured/hassled up there.

Freight...Burns Philp gave away shipping 
passengers then freight as there was not 
enough to warrant the replacement of 
their aging island trader fleet.

Karlander from Denmark tried to make a 
go of it on a regular basis but put 
their hands up also.  

Nowadays a drop off of containers in 
Moreby, Lae and Rabaul is about all that 
happens with the occasional load of 
timber, coffee and lesser still of copra 
leaving the country. 
>
>2. Any such line could be extended to Irian Jaya at a later stage thus
>assisting to develop this region as well.

Huh??
>