Train Articles

["Tom Zsolt" <Tom.zsolt@deetya.gov.au>]

I read the Age News Extra for Saturday 23rd May this morning.  (It
sometimes takes me a while to read these things) and there was a column in
the travel section on rail services in Victoria.

There were two main points to the article:
1) Complaints re the lack of decent train services to just about any
tourist sights in Victoria.  Mentioned Mildura, Swan Hill, Bairnsdale, Mt
Gambier and Echuca as examples; and,
2) Suggested that a network of lines operating at 200-240 km/h with low
tech diesels (?) would be a boon to tourism in the state as most locations
would be within 2-3 hours travel.

The article mentioned that there are currently trains in Victoria capable
of running at speeds up to 180 km/h but that track conditions prevent
anywhere near this speed. (Is the author referring to the XPT or could
sprinters actually run this fast?).

Interesting article as there is hardly any serious pro rail articles
mentioned in the main stream press.  Let alone relating to tourism.  The
article ended by criticising the lack of foresight shown by governments in
relation to transport in Victoria.

Tom Zsolt