Re: Two Melbourne accidents

[Jennifer Richmond <richmond@melbpc.org.au>]

Reuben Farrelly wrote:

> And then...after it has arrived at the railway station, it will be
> transported by _____ to a factory/industrial area where it is destined?
> (you fill in the gaps...and "bicycle" isn't a real answer!)

Yes, I acknowledge that many customers would require road transport for the
final part of the journey, but how often would it need to cross railway lines?

> Personally I think the days of very short haul rail transport for freight
> are long gone.

Pessimist! :-)

> Rail can only reasonably compete with road on the basis that
> it can haul cargo and huge quantities of goods for a long way at very low
> cost.  (Rail being a very low friction means of movement is mainly why it
> can do this).  For short distances, the cost of handling goods for unloading
> and loading must far outweigh any savings made by energy efficiency.

But if the goods have come a long way by rail, they will need to be shipped to
the truck anyway, why not do this further out, closer to the customer?