Re: A rail sweetner for voters in Victoria?

[steam4me@enternet.com.au (Yuri J Sos)]

Mark,

Didn't see your message till I posted my reply to the original post.

markbau1@aol.comQQQQyuk (MarkBau1) wrote, and I selectively quote:

>Just a guess but could they be talking about the Cressy line upgrade?

The SG line is being upgraded at the moment using some funds that were
allocated in last year's budget.  There is little point in a VLF
tenderer paying for an ARTC line and, as far as the general public is
concerned, the line's already open..... so it's not worth much as a
"political issue".

Given that "The Age's" transport writers still call that train the
"Overlander", you wonder if they have as good a grip on geographical
accuracy;  they've also written in the past about re-opening the
Mildura line so their attention to detail is "shaky".

Could Heywood - Mt Gambier be a "political issue"..... that's west,
(well south west, well ok then west south west) but just about as
north western as Ararat<g!>.

>I see no reason in the world to reopen Ballarat to Ararat.

The reason is called getting re-elected - the best reason in the whole
world <g!>.  There may be a VLP political issue.  Russell Savage,
independent member for Mildura has been running a long, strong
campaign to get passenger rail back to Mildura.  Now that's northwest.
Russell Savage is one of two independents that seem to have the
ability to irritate our beloved Premier (see other post).  Maybe Mr
Kennett would like to get rid of him.

But it doesn't fit Ararat area..... I'd have thought
upgrading/improving the line Maryborough - Mildura would make some
sense especially if there is to be a return to passenger trains
(though the tenders for all that don't come up till 06/00, after the
next State Election apparently to be held in 10/99 so the expenditure
commitment is not needed for pork barrelling purposes - or do we have
a "different" tendering process here in Victoria?).

At Ararat, the BG line ends near the turntable lead.  There is some
intact BG track in Ararat yard (number 2 road past the platform).
Depending on how hard the locals have been riding their local member,
there may be a political issue with respect to bringing the BG into
Ararat station:  the reason the tenderers have been asked to adjust
their bid is that they (the tenderers) may not see that track work as
being high on their list of infrastructure improvements (both leading
tenderers have said they want to re-open to Leongatha, but haven't
asked for funds for the repair of the Cranbourne - Nyora section for
example).  So the tenderers say, "we'll put in a track along the
platform and a rudimentary yard, but we don't see much cost/benefit to
us as we don't see much business development there for us, so you (the
gov) will have to adjust the bidding price for VLF downwards to
compensate us for the trackwork."

But who knows what the facts really are?  I'm only speculating as
well, assuming (ass you and me!) the article as factual.

That same article also re-iterated that Australian Transport Network
(ie Wisconsin Central) and Freight Victoria (Freightrail America) are
the two frontrunners with Pittburgh third and ASR (Genesse & Wyoming)
mentioned seemingly only for completeness.


Regards

Yuri
-- 
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Yuri J Sos
Melbourne VIC AUS

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