Re: Ararat BG connections

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <36e119b1.644400@news.enternet.com.au> steam4me@enternet.com.au (Yuri J  Sos/Melbourne AUS) writes:
>From: steam4me@enternet.com.au (Yuri J  Sos/Melbourne AUS)
>Subject: Re: Ararat BG connections
>Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 12:05:52 GMT

>On 5 Mar 1999 07:38:16 GMT, markbau1@aol.comQQQQyuk (MarkBau1) wrote,
>and I selectively quote:


>>Ararat has a population of what, 5,000? Beufort, lucky to have 2000. There are
>>other places in Victoria with more people that do not have any service.

>The Government talk was that this would become a mid western "hub" for
>food and perishables requiring expedited delivery to the docks for
>export: well forget the dock connection, we can at least get the
>Ararat connection in.  At least that track is not ARTC-controlled -
>maybe FV will do its sums and figure it's cheaper to re-open Ararat
>rather than pay ARTC track access and then struggle with the lack of
>SG yards/loading/unloading space in Melbourne.


>Regards

>Yuri

Ya gotta be kidding.
ARTCs track access charges are the lowest in the country, considered to be 
worlds best practice , no way that FV could get lower,even if Ballarat to 
Ararat could be re-opened for nothing.
Besides ,just how much of the BG bit of Ararat yard is left,and how is the 
freight going to get to Ararat in the first place (by truck, Im sure the 
locals would love that)
FV already have to run SG grain trains thru Ararat to Portland or Geelong if 
they build a SG connection,to the grain loops.
The incremental costs of adding extra loading at Ararat bound for Melb via 
Geelong would be far less than running dedicated BG freights.
Geelong needs some SG loading facilities as well.

You are correct though about the lack of SG yards available to FV in Melb.
FV will have to address this though if they want to get into the interstate 
freight business, maybe dual guaging most of the yards at Nth Dynon or 
Tottenham.

Tottenham Yard has enough space to turn it into a reasonable freight 
forwarding facility,is in an industrial area,and has good both SG and BG 
access,and good road access.

cheers
MD