Re: End of the Sand Train?

[Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

> 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.
> 
Can such a group exist? If so how?
I guess part of an answer would be
1. How do groups such as the Princes Fwy one start? (By the way, they
also have a large mobile billboard somewhere between the Ring Road
intersection and Laverton advertising the same thing)
2. How do we get enough local people and rail supporters to support and
sustain such a group?
3. Around the last election time all sorts of promises were put forward
by local politicians promising support for duplication of the railway
between Greensborough and Eltham (probably partially to offset the
backlash against the Eastern Ring Road proposal put up locally not long
before). After the election the obvious happened - we never heard about
it again. How can we hold our local pollies accountable for the promises
they make before elections regarding rail issues?

It is all very well to suggest that such a lobby group should occur but
none of the existing groups are all that interested from what I see. The
ARA probably comes close but appears more interested in promoting export
industries and the like (probably given up any hope of a local industry
as being in the too hard basket given most Aus goverments attitudes).
The PTUA appears to be a toothless tiger, their web site is rather old
looking and most commuters (who they are supposed to represent and would
provide their best theoretical support base) probably have forgotten
they exist. And the preservation groups quite rightly stick to their
core aim of preservation. What do aus.railers think (and out of interest
for you Victorians - which of you would help promote or become a member
of such a group)?