article in today's Advertiser

["Lachlan Smith" <lsmith@senet.com.au>]

There is a big 2 page spread in the Advertiser today entitled 'Back on
Track" describing the demise of SA railways over the past ~40 years, and
the revival which is starting to happen. On the most part the article
provides a pretty good summary, although the accompanying map is full of
mistakes (eg. line to Pinnaroo disused, line to Peebinga not disused, line
between Pt Augusta and Whyalla does not exist etc.). It claims that the
revival is due to the increased amount of grain transported by rail, more
rail freight from Adelaide to Perth, Barossa Bluebird etc.. It also claims
that many thought the sell off of AN would be death of SA railways. Wrong.
The formation of AN two decades earlier marked the death of SA railways.

In my opinion, the following steps need to happen in order for South
Australia to have a first class rail system (both country and suburban):

- the suburban network must be electrified, with an underground loop
constructed under the CBD as per the 1970's proposal. The Tonsley line
should be extended an extra kilometre to Flinders Uni/Medical Centre, and
the line to Maclaren Vale rebuilt (the corridor still exists). All the
existing rollingstock could be retained and converted to electric
operation.
- interstate trains could then return to Adelaide station, the suburban
trains having vacated it. 
- relocation to Adelaide station would make country services once again
viable to places such as Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Broken Hill,
Murray Bridge, Mount Barker, Mt Gambier etc..
- finally, standardisation of the line from Wolseley to Mt Gambier
(extremely important from an agricultural point of view).