Re: MagLev to Wollongong: "We'll do it anyway"

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

Wollongong Quokka (quokka@zip.net.au) wrote:
> From the front page of today's (24/7) Illawarra Mercury:

> "Wollongong would get a 'stand-alone' very high-speed train link to Sydney

Which would never be financially viable. It would cost at least $1 billiion
and the diversions for the existing line proposed by SRA a decade ago
would be much more suitable.

> if the Federal Government scuttled the present MagLev proposal to Canberra."

Which apparently looks very likely.

> "[MagLev project director Philip Sellars] said everything possible would be
> done to ensure Wollongong had a MagLev service should the French-designed
> TGV win the right to build the Sydney-Canberra link.

This seems about as sensible as the new Wollongong - Sydney air service.

> "'We will continue to pull out all stops to guarantee what the people of the
> Illawarra desire', Mr Sellars said."

> [...]

> The article also claims 70,000 people signed the petition supporting the
> MagLev, which is a lot of people for a city of around 210,000.  We can't be
> certain exactly what messages can be gleaned from that... except that people
> here would love to see the train travel time to Sydney reduced drastically.

And there are much better ways to do it than an untested maglev.

Cheers
David