Re: Reopening NSW branch lines

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Barry Campbell (barryC@qimr.edu.au) wrote:
> Albert Alcoceba wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > Yes... but back in Comet days, the motor car wasn't as prevalent.
> > 
> ISTR riding on the Comet at least one day a week in 1979 and AFAIK it
> didn't stop running until at least well into the 1980s. Has car
> ownership increased that much since then?

Not really, but the willingness of government to operate passenger trains
outside big cities has decreased.

There was an editorial in the Age a week or so ago about the unwillingness
of passenger railways to seek new markets, particularly tourist
destinations. The example given was V/Line where most of the passenger
rollingstock sits idle at Spencer Street from 9.00 to 16.00. It was noted
that airlines would never dream of having multimillion dollar aircraft
sitting idle in Sydney or Melbourne at those times - that's when they fly
to Ayers Rock and Hamilton Island.

So, for example, the first Bendigo train after 9.00 (10.10?) should run
through to Echuca and be marketed to tourists.

Cheers
David