Re: Can NRs run to griffith?

["T&J Jones" <jonest@senet.com.au>]

Why would the track owner pay for new infrastructure when it's currently the
train operator who is picking up the additional loco cost?

Tom

Maurie Daly <mauried@commslab.gov.au> wrote in message
mauried.479.383B515D@commslab.gov.au">news:mauried.479.383B515D@commslab.gov.au...
> Ive been looking at an interesting idea related to the AP to Darwin line.
> Its been obviously assumed that traffic from Darwin to Melb will obviously
run
> via Adelaide & the Adelaide Hills.
> Ive long looked at the long closed line from Roto to griffith and wondered
> a/ Why it was ever built in the first place and
> b/ If it would ever be of any use.
>
> You get some interesting statistics from the two routes.
>
> Darwin to Melb via Adelaide is approx 3900 km and the max load for a
single NR
> is 1200 tonnes , (limited solely by the Western approach to the Adelaide
> hills,which is unfixable.
> Darwin to Melb via Roto is approx 4280 km and the max load for a single NR
is
> 1750 tonnes, limited solely by the 1:40 short climb from Junee to
Harefield
> which is fixable , for around $7 M.
>
> The differance is distance represents 9% of the total for which we get an
> increase in load of around 30%.
>
> Obviously this would require a relaying of Roto to Griffith.
> Given the current very low train densities on the Broken Hill line , this
sort
> of proposal would increase its train density and thus lower the access
charges
> on a per train basis .
>
> If we could get a std guage line from Narrandera to Seymour then this idea
> becomes even more attractive.
>
> Comments??
>
> MD
>