Re: QR going national?

["Lineman" <grime@dcsi.net.au>]

Richo <richardc@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
38070698@dnews.tpgi.com.au">news:38070698@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Who needs to boast about it - and why should boasting about it be
restricted
> to Queenslanders. I live in Victoria - what do I have to boast about about
> this state's railways?:
> a railway a pale shadow of itself 20 years ago, much less route
kilometres,
> main line track speeds no higher than the 1930s (unlike Qld), less
> electrification than 20 years ago (unlike Qld) newest suburban trains
dating
> from 1981 (unlike Qld) system split into 2 gauges (unlike Qld, where QR
> makes no pretence of operating on standard gauge) no new motive power
> purchases since the 80s (unlike Qld) traffic restricted to grains, a few
low
> value ores and the odd bit of timber (unlike Qld) no new urban rail routes
> since 1985 (unlike Qld) ...no working Garratt (unlike Qld) and no hope of
> salvation (unlike Qld)
> > Cheers,
> >
> ><snip>
>
>
Come on,comparing Queensland to Victoria is bit like chalk and cheese.
Victoria had to run a tramway system which is as extensive as any in the
world and quite modern by today's standards(not forgetting that the powers
that be would happily have removed most W class trams from general service.)
We can do nothing about the physical size of both states,(even
Queenslanders where seriously thinking of splitting Queensland in to 3 only
100 years ago),so it makes sense for Queensland to invest heavily in
infrastructure for Long haul tonnage by train,I'm assuming most of FNQ has
goat tracks still for main roads.
And what's wrong with 1980s locomotive and suburban train technology that's
not abused,serviced properly,and used as designed,it was not that long ago
that our main suburban fleet paid for by tax payers was seventy years old on
average.
It would be nice if Victoria had some fat coal contracts to subsidise the
rest but we don't so end of story
As for the Garratt,persevere, like Christmas its coming.
Salvation,Well I think we might see some of that in the near future if we
don't have any Bracken promises.
Lineman