Re: End of the Sand Train?

[pcc@ocean.com.au (Leslie Brown)]

Frank Jones <fjones@webaxs.net> wrote in aus.rail:

>Craig Haber wrote:
>> 
>> G'day,
>> 
>> Victrack scheduling notice W.98/102 shows the following services
>> cancelled
>> 0543 light loco Syth Dynon - Spotswood (Tu, Th, Sa) CANCELLED
>> 9599 block sand Spotswood-Newport (Tu, Th, Sa) CANCELLED
>> 9409 block sand Newport-Lang Lang AGS (Tu, Th, Sa) CANCELLED
>> 9597 block sand West Tower-Spotswood (MoO) CANCELLED
>
>When does this take effect from? I had heard it was from 17/1/98 but
>another rumour says it has been given 1 month's reprieve.
>
>For the record, P23 was noted leaving Newport at about 5pm with the sand
>train ex Spotswood as the RTA Tait special arrived. Was this the last
>one? There were still wagons in the siding at Spotswood however.
>
>I wonder what the excuse is for the loss of this contract. Could the
>underlying reason be that we couldn't be bothered maintaining the line
>past Cranbourne, which I believe is now in poor condition (30km/h speed
>limit, from one report)? Sounds a familiar story... a bit like the
>Melton Viaduct story in the TV news the previous week...

10 VHSF wagons are awaiting collection at the ACI siding at Spotswood.
This will be the last time they will be collected. The siding is
expected to be closed after this has been done.

According to a source (unofficial) within ACI, all future deliveries
will now be by road.

It is also planned that a major redevelopment will take place
occupying the space were the rail sidings are. Whether planning
includes the re-introduction of rail transport once the site
improvements have been made is neither known nor anticipated by my
source. It is the end of 108 years of sand delivery by rail to the
site.

Meanwhile, the Princess Freeway Action Committee are issuing free
pre-printed postcards to people at Shell Service Stations to post to
the PM to lobby for improvements to the Princess and Westgate Freeway
claiming the "Freeways are struggling to cope with increasing freight,
commercial and commuter traffic".

The Federal government will no doubt relent and spend $100 million on
these improvements, a consequence of which will be to siphon more
traffic off the Geelong rail line, so bringing any improvements to the
road back to square one. And yet if the government spent $20 million
on a rail upgrade, not only will it eliminate the need for the road
upgrade, it will also help greenhouse emmission control, reduce
environmental impact, reduce road travel time, accidents, road-rage,
road-congestion at Freeway exits, etc.

Perhaps what is needed is a rail-lobby effective enough to put a
better more cost-effective alternative to the PM then spending money
on a road that will be more expensive to maintain that rail, and,
given the government's encouragement of road-based transport as the
only viable transport option, only need further improvements in 10
years time.

Perhaps ACI will encourage their employees to send that postcard?

Les Brown.