Re: QR Going National

["Shane Polle" <ShaneP@amc.aust.com>]

Guys,
Of the seven states and terrorties, only NSW and Vic went other than NG, which was at the time a cheap method of laying rails. Sure it was slower, but so was everything back then. 

The Q has been asked here many times, if we should have converted NSW and Vic to NG, rather than try and do the opposite. If we had, then I'm sure Aus would be like anyother country and we would have trains running from Carins to Perth, many years ago, on one guage.

Qld is hardly an isolated railway, what about Vic, WA and TAS. Even the CAR is isolated in someways, as you cannot not take double stackers to far east. Anyway its track is of simular length to Vic + NSW + CAR and it still carries more

At the end of the day, if NSW and VIC/SA had a railway system of simular standard to QLD, then they might have something to boast about. Even the sugar mills spent more on rail diversions than the southern states combined.

Theres more to an efficent rail system than the width of the rails. Having them the wider apart just reduces the excuses.

Shane