Re: QR going national?

["Switched On" <yaropolk@hotmail.com>]

< Tell > <telljb@OZozemail.com.au> wrote in message
5NP5N1neWNv4zaotGpoz+fIBdSc+@4ax.com">news:5NP5N1neWNv4zaotGpoz+fIBdSc+@4ax.com...
> David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
> >
> > < Tell > wrote:
> >
> > > The ONLY thing that has kept QR afloat is the
> > > exorbitant prices it charges to haul coal.
> >
> > then, 2 days later, < Tell > wrote:
> >
> >
> > > How about you advise us what QR are charging per tonne
> > > of coal.
>
>
> Yes a lack of definitive information on my part, of
> course it is not easy to find, I am relying on the
> miners who squealed from the good o'l Joh days and
> continue to squeal with every annual report.

So what you are saying is that you are relying on hearsay from a group of
people in whose interests it is to rip into QR for all they are worth? Gee,
you must really be a railfan. Honestly, it is common practise for commercial
entities to whinge and moan so as to try and reduce prices for themselves,
but try and get _them_ to pass on the reductions to customers... forget it.

In actual fact, since the implementation of the Electronic Weighing and
Billing system, it has been shown that in some cases, QR has been giving the
mines a bit of a free ride at times, especially when the weighbridges fail
to operate and the wagons are loaded (and billed) on estimated weights...
you should see those guys in the load-outs pouring the coal in when that
happens.

> How about you advise us, you leapt in to defend QR.

Whatever the costs are, they are fair because the profits are being used to
improve the efficiency of the trains and track. QR is building bigger
wagons, which are more closely coupled. The state of the track in the coal
fields is excellent and is constantly being upgraded and maintained. The
availability of empty trains is also excellent, and the level of cooperation
between QR and mine staff which I observed everytime I have visited a load
out has been excellent. The other indicator as to the fairness of the
pricing is the fact that no mining company has yet gone broke out there, and
in fact, many have expanded.