Re: Melbourne to Darwin

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <6mof5q$c6e$3@reader1.reader.news.ozemail.net> telljb@ozemail.com.au (Tell) writes:
>From: telljb@ozemail.com.au (Tell)
>Subject: Re: Melbourne to Darwin
>Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 14:51:43 GMT

>Peter Ware <pware@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>>One cynical news reporter made the observation that the route of the line
>seemed to
>>take it through every coalition seat that was under threat from One Nation.

>That is not being cynical Peter, that is fact.  
>ON have given the pollies such a fright, they are
>grabbing at anything, including Everald Compton's
>Melbourne to Darwin 300 Kph dream train.

>----Tell
>Alice Springs NT

One good thing that may come out of this , if this proposal ever sees the 
light of day,is that being a privately funded railway , it wont be plagued 
with all the idiotic problems that the current Govt railways have,like idiotic 
loading guages and axle loads and access charges, or changes of rules when you 
cross a state border etc.
Lets face it , we could get a decent US style railway with 30T plus axle loads 
on really decent track, using standard US off the shelf locos.
ie a bigger version of BHP iron ore.

Freight rates of 2 c /ntk or less are then really feasible.

cheers
MD