Passing Lanes on SG line was Seymore/Wangaratta question.

What No value in double line? Come on now!! Even ARTC predict a minimun120%
increase in traffic in just a few years:o))
Cheers
">> "K & D @ Cootanee" <coota999nee@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
>
> I cannot see any point in maintaining a seperate NE track for V/line and
> PacNat services.
>
> The present BG line is just a leftover anachronism from the early days of
> gauge standardisation. In the not too distant future the broad gauge
> should extend into NE Vic. only as far as Cragieburn. The redundant BG
> rails would be very useful duplicating the SG line as well as giving the
> existing SG line some decent rail where needed. With luck, a little
> secondhand rail may be left over to be cascaded onto the worst
> branchlines.
>

shane.polle@austmg.com wrote:

<snip>

> I'm sure as soon as PN is given the first oppurtunity to get rid of the
> Vic rails it will dump them as quickly as possible. I really don't see
> PN being in the track ownership business for the long haul.

I'm interested to know the reasoning behind this view.

Paul Westcott

ARTC has the SG lines not Pat Nat.
Time to spend some money and the proposal makes good commercial sense
delivering improvements within 3 years.

--
Cheers

K & D @ cootanee...

<<< Remove 999 from email address to reply >>>
"Paul Westcott" <p_gwestcott@REMOVETOREPLYoptusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:42c1138b$0$15470$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> shane.polle@austmg.com wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> I'm sure as soon as PN is given the first oppurtunity to get rid of the
>> Vic rails it will dump them as quickly as possible. I really don't see
>> PN being in the track ownership business for the long haul.
>
> I'm interested to know the reasoning behind this view.
>
> Paul Westcott

Ok, i don't know PN's ongterm view or any plans .

Track infrastructure is a long term investment, to justify that
invetsment you need certainty over the freight task and grain gives
some of that without longterm contracts due to the total logistics
chain setup and longterm invetsment by farmers. But general freight can
be there one year, gone the next. The govt could spend money upgrading
a freeway and distroy alot of the economics that rail had on a
particular sector. Govt policy towards trucking to allow larger and
heavier loads helps the economics of trucking in recent years, or
simply the local industry could just close. General freight becomes low
risk when there is multiple customers, not 1 or 2, ie typical
interstate traffic. You also risk future govt telling you someone else
can use your track and this is how much they can pay (right or wrong).

Meanwhile for an above rail operator, sure you spend up big on a loco
or wagon fleet. But especially container flats and locos can be used in
rurual Vic one day, Darwin the next or even gauage converted to some
degree or sold OS. rollingstock is protable, much lower capital outlay
for the risk and flexible.

I believe PN will only invest in the tracks as a piecemeal approach,
just to prevent the costly locos from falling into the dirt too often.
NZ and Tas are good examples, I think tonnages increased in both cases,
but the quality of track is/was declining.

PN/TOLL gave back NZ's rails and I'm sure they will try with Vic and
Tas as well. In the case of Tas, most of the lines are alongside Hwy 1,
so the rails should infact be nationally owned and maintained by the
ARTC, same for parts of Vic like the NE.

Personal view is that private freight rail is good for rail, but govt
should control the rails, like they do for the roads (Govts don't own
truck fleets), this way govt policy really controls what is on road and
what is on rail. For pax communter it should be all govt owned and at
best contracted out with an appropriate subsidy govt decitated fares
for private management of the operation and HR control. Private is not
perfect but generally they do a better job and longterm contracts
reduces the impact variability of change of govt at elections.

Shane

shane.polle@austmg.com wrote:

<snip>

> I believe PN will only invest in the tracks as a piecemeal approach,
> just to prevent the costly locos from falling into the dirt too often.
> NZ and Tas are good examples, I think tonnages increased in both cases,
> but the quality of track is/was declining.

Experience unfortunately tells us that his is true. But on top of that,
PN closed the Portland line last year because it didn't need it, thus
shutting that route to any other operators.

> PN/TOLL gave back NZ's rails and I'm sure they will try with Vic and
> Tas as well. In the case of Tas, most of the lines are alongside Hwy 1,
> so the rails should infact be nationally owned and maintained by the
> ARTC, same for parts of Vic like the NE...

Yet I seem to recall that PN insisted on the track being included in its
takeover of Freight Australia's network, despite the Vic govt making
noises about taking back control of the track.

Paul Westcott

Paul Westcott wrote:
> shane.polle@austmg.com wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> > I believe PN will only invest in the tracks as a piecemeal approach,
> > just to prevent the costly locos from falling into the dirt too often.
> > NZ and Tas are good examples, I think tonnages increased in both cases,
> > but the quality of track is/was declining.
>
> Experience unfortunately tells us that his is true. But on top of that,
> PN closed the Portland line last year because it didn't need it, thus
> shutting that route to any other operators.

Yes if the govt owned the line another operator could make some noise
to get it reopened.

>
> > PN/TOLL gave back NZ's rails and I'm sure they will try with Vic and
> > Tas as well. In the case of Tas, most of the lines are alongside Hwy 1,
> > so the rails should infact be nationally owned and maintained by the
> > ARTC, same for parts of Vic like the NE...
>
> Yet I seem to recall that PN insisted on the track being included in its
> takeover of Freight Australia's network, despite the Vic govt making
> noises about taking back control of the track.

Ok, I thourght it was the opposite. Maybe they have another plan.

Shane