Re: ABC News and the Overland >> the end is nigh.!

[Neil Waller <nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au>]

David Bromage wrote:
> 
> Tell (telljb@ozemail.com.au) wrote:
> >Did anyone else pick up the late TV news on ABC last
> >night.  GSR are saying the Overland is costing them BIG
> >money and its future is in doubt.
> 
> GSR are required to mailtain the existing services for at least 2 years (or is it
> 5?) as part of the sale contract. They cann't legally withdraw the OL until at
> least the end of next year.
> 
> Cheers
> David


As has been pointed out by GSR management.

There has been some mis-information - "GSR have improved services" which
applies
to the Ghan but not to the Overland.

The Overland has run with as little as 3 passenger cars this year.   Not
a good omen.

But essentially this is a plea for the Federal and Victorian Governments
to sort out their dispute as to who actually pays for putting the bloody
great stockpiles of concrete sleepers at Maroona into the Maroona -
Geelong
line and raise the very long 50 kph section to 110 or better.

I believe NR has actually prompted the Victorians into action over this
at
last - 2 years late.

It is also a plea for the Murray Bridge - Mt Lofty regrade.

As Rail 2000 points out $100 million will cut 3 hours off the Adelaide - 
Melbourne rail service making the Overland run about 9 hours rather than
12.

The Federal and SA Governments are spending this sort of money on the Mt
Barker Road from Glen Osmond to Crafers to save 10 minutes.

The Adelaide Adertiser had a very good article on this last week (I
can't
remember the day but its later in the week) if you like to dig it out of
you local librariy's newspaper reading room.

-- 
Neil Waller	(nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au)
Department of Environment Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs
Telephone:	Oz: (08) 8204 9218; International: (618) 8204 9218
Mail:		GPO Box 1047, ADELAIDE 5001     Australia

Unless explicitly attributed, the opinions expressed are personal
and not those of DEHAA or the South Australian Government.