Re: New Hi Speed Train to replace prospector

["pberrett@"<removethis@inferno.mpx.com.au>, tbsa.com.au@inferno.mpx.com.au (Peter Berrett)]

On Mon, 22 Jun 1998 09:48:44 GMT, mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie
Daly) wrote:

>On the ABC news tonite 22/6 was a short article about a new hi speed (200 
>km/h) train to replace the prospector,between Perth & Kalgoorlie.
>Included was a major upgrading of the SG line between Perth & Kalgoorlie,and 
>also , although no detail was given , a new signalling / safeworking system.
>Are we talking here about yet another State specific safeworking system?
>Anyone have any more details.
>Can 200 km/h trains still use trackside signals or are we talking about cab 
>signalling.
>
>cheers
>MD
>

Given the interest shown in high speed rail eg the forthcoming TGV?
from Sydney to Canberra and the Steel Mississippi from Melbourne to
Darwin one can detect a discernable trend towards a very high speed
rail network

Given political pressures it seems logical that once the first high
speed 300kmh interstate service is built (and I assume successful)
everyone else will want to be connected - and that includes Perth and
Adelaide.

If this is the long term trend would it not make more sense for
Westrail to begin planning for a 300kmh TGV service to Kalgoorlie? It
does not neccessarily have to build the track at this stage - it
merely needs to ensure that the track alignment and corrdor chosen for
200kmh running is suitable for upgrading to 300kmh at a later stage.

It seems this would save everyone a lot of money in the long term.

At least the track across the nullabor is ideal for this sort of
running. Several hundred kilometres of dead straight flat track is
ideal for this sort of service.

Lets just hope the TGV consortium is chosen for the Sydney to Canberra
service - that will let the rail genie out of the bottle. Premier Jeff
is already champing at the bit for an extension to Melbourne and if
that gets the go ahead you can bet Queensland will want the same too.


cheers Peter