Re: Prspector News Release

["Daryl Cheshire" <daryl.cheshire@dse.vic.gov.au>]

removethis tbsa.com.au (Peter Berrett) wrote in message
<358f8910.5596337@news.tbsa.com.au>...
>
>Hi all
>
>Here is the text one of one of teh WA Minister for Transport's recent
>announcements;
>
>
>>23/6/98
>
>>     Transport Minister Eric Charlton said today that the new
Perth-to-Kalgoorlie ‘super train'
>>     due to commence operations in 2001 was part of national revolution in
rail.
>
>>     "The new high-speed Kalgoorlie Prospector and AvonLink commuter
service to Northam
>>     are part of an exciting new era which see a variety of fast trains
operating around
>>     Australia," Mr Charlton said.
>
>>     "Criticism from the Opposition's Alannah MacTiernan about these
exciting new trains are
>>     predictable and demonstrate once again that the Opposition has no
vision or plan for
>>     providing Western Australians with world-class transport amenities.
>
>>     "Ms MacTiernan's caustic assessment of these latest developments are
typically poor
>>     form because she knows full well that we announced in August 1996 our
intention to
>>     work towards replacing the ageing Prospector.
>
>>     "The Coalition Government has been working diligently on delivering
high-class rail to the
>>     people of WA.
>
>>     "This time last year I initiated a rail summit to bring all States
together with the single
>>     objective of creating a high-speed rail corridor across the continent
from Brisbane to
>>     Perth.
>
>>     "We are now seeing an unstoppable thrust which will result in a
one-shop control body for
>>     interstate trains and the standard gauge transcontinental line
upgraded to a world-class
>>     high-speed corridor for freight and passenger services."
>
>>     Mr Charlton said WA was leading the way.
>
>>     An audit carried out by Westrail more than a year ago identified that
$175 million would
>>     be needed to upgrade the standard-gauge track between Kalgoorlie and
Perth to cater for
>>     high-speed freight and passenger trains.
>
>>     The section between Koolynobbing and Kalgoorlie would require the
most intensive
>>     upgrade ($40 million) in order to carry high-speed freight and
passenger services.
>
>>     Mr Charlton said the Federal Government announced in September last
year that it would
>>     initially provide $250 million of the estimated $1 billion needed to
upgrade the east-west
>>     standard gauge line.
>
>>     "Currently the newly-formed Australian Rail and Track Corporation is
overseeing an audit
>>     on a national basis and will decide what parts of the line will get
Federal funds," he said.
>
>>     "Westrail has already committed internal funding of between $50 and
$80 million to install
>>     state-of-the-art signalling on the West Australian section of the
east-west line.
>
>>     "The $175 million for the total upgrade between Perth and Kalgoorlie
will also be sourced
>>     from Westrail internal funding as part of general track upgrade and
general maintenance
>>     forward estimates."
>
>>     The Minister said that Westrail's annual budget required for this
specific work would be
>>     shaped after the Australian Rail and Track Corporation allocations
became clearer.
>
>>     WA was working closely with ARTC on all issues associated with the
track upgrade and
>>     operational criteria.
>
>>     "With a new access regime operating around Australia there will be
many new private
>>     operators using the track network bringing more and more healthy
competition into play,"
>>     Mr Charlton said.
>
>>     Media contact: Doug Cunningham 9321 7333
>
>This quite a positive development - one wonders whether there might be
>some scope for extension of the service across the nullabor once or
>twice a week. Obviously the speed of the train would be limited past
>kalgoorlie but one imagine that a reasonable speed would be achievable
>on the straght stretch of track on the nullabor.
>
>I wonder also that with all these moves to high speed trains across
>Australia whether we will see Premier Jeff announce an upgrading of
>the Victorian stretch of track to Adelaide.
>
>I can hear the annoucement now
>
>"I am pleased to announce that the State Government has agreed to fund
>an upgrading of the Melbourne to Adelaide rail line to high speed
>standards. After the multi-million dollar upgrade trains will be able
>to achieve very high speeds with an average of 50MPH possibly
>achievable on the Victorian stretch of the line!"
>
>cheers Peter
>
>ps On second thoughts Dave Proctor is right - such suggestions are
>simply unrealistic and unachievable. Maybe 40MPH is more achievable?!
>

You wouldn't be able to breathe above that speed!

Daryl