Rural rail subsidised by up to $4,000 a trip, prompting overhaul call

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Rural rail subsidised by up to $4,000 a trip, prompting overhaul call

An outback tourism body is calling for an overhaul of two rural passenger rail services, with figures revealing taxpayers are forking out $30 million a year to keep them running.

ABC News can reveal each passenger trip on the Westlander (Brisbane-Charleville) is subsidised about $4,000 while each passenger trip on the Inlander (Townsville-Mount Isa) is subsidised about $3,500, not including concessions.

The total cost in subsidies to the State Government for these two services alone has blown out more than $30 million for the last financial year.

A one way trip from Brisbane to Charleville costs an adult passenger about $148.50, leaving Queensland Rail to pay thousands of dollars more for the actual price.

The subsidy cost for the Westlander service has almost doubled to what was revealed in 2013 ($2,236) and the subsidy cost for the Inlander is up about 70 per cent since then ($2,038).

The Westlander made 3,677 passenger journeys and the Inlander made 4,526 in the 2015/16 financial year.

The new figures were released in an answer to a Question on Notice to Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe.

Quilpie Shire Mayor Stuart Mackenzie, who is also the chairman of the Outback Queensland Tourism Association, said Queensland authorities should look to other models being used around the country like The Ghan passenger train.

Tickets for The Ghan are a lot more expensive but passengers enjoy a more luxurious trip.

In January 2015, the sleeping and restaurant cars were cut from the Westlander and Inlander, leaving passengers with basic facilities.

That has led to a drop off in passenger numbers.

"You get a higher paying customer which would improve those efficiencies which would hopefully start to knock those subsidies back," said Mayor Mackenzie.

"As it is now, it's a means of getting from A to B and that really is not how trains are seen outside of the major urban areas in Australia,"

"It should be seen as a tourism product in itself; so a great way to travel for tourists but also to provide a level of service that people are prepared to paid for."

Any service cut a blow for struggling regions

But Cr Mackenzie warned cutting the services completely would deliver a blow to struggling regional towns.

"It's critical," he said.

"It's been never more so in the last few years with the grazing industry and then the resource industry hit.

"The tracks are there, it's about getting good quality services and people interested everywhere to use them."

A spokeswoman for Mr Hinchliffe said the services were an essential public service.

"Queenslanders use rail services for a variety of reasons, including visiting family and friends, travelling to medical appointments or taking holidays," she said.

"Some of Queensland Rail's passengers are vulnerable people, including the elderly, infirm and people for whom other modes of travel may not be suitable.

"Queensland Rail allocates the overall funding appropriately across the business and they advise that last year they increased the allocation to the travel services by approximately $40 million."

[ozbob]

We have made a number of representations over the years, particularly to improve the facilities and timetable of the Westlander.

It just falls on deaf ears sadly,  the Westy and the Inlander are just remnants of great rail days, pathetic sight as the Westy rolls through Goodna.

It is all too hard ...

[SurfRail]

Put them out of their misery.  Those costs are utterly obscene - I'd rather there be no railway than one run so eye-wateringly badly.

[ozbob]

Yep.  I fully expected them to be ' retired ' in 2013. Katters might get uptight if the Inlander is pulled though. 

So they probably won't for now ' be retired '.

[SurfRail]

They could probably run a bus every half hour 24/7 for that outlay.  Crazy.

[beauyboy]

While I love the Landers, engine hauled should be a thing of the past. When Anna Bligh announced the replacement of the Sunlander with the tilt. I hit the roof! The Inlander and the Westlander both need to be upgraded with 3 car DMUs.
Car 1 - crew/Sleeper
Car 2 - Sitter / buffee
Car 3 - Sitter

It would speed up travel time and cut costs.
Also at the current Subsidy would recover costs within a few years for the new sets!

[ozbob]

^

understand DMUs are being looked at.

[tazzer9]

While I love the Landers, engine hauled should be a thing of the past.

For a train which its sole purpose is transport and where its about the destination, not the journey.  I fully agree.
DMU or Push pull loco is the way to go.

I Still think they should run a GSR/Spirit of the Outback style service on all the old Lander services, including going to wallangarra and goondiwindi once every two weeks, charge thousands but make it worth the money.

[Old Northern Road]

So that means the Westlander costs around $14.7 million per year to run or about $140,000 per trip

Why on earth are they so expensive to run?

[tazzer9]

They might be exaggerating how much it really costs by lumping maintenance and fuel of all diesel locomotives into that sum.    When in reality they would still be paying for them directly or through a lease.

Or they are very bad when it comes to fuel rebates.

[Gazza]

So that means the Westlander costs around $14.7 million per year to run or about $140,000 per trip

Why on earth are they so expensive to run?

You're saying only 100 people use the Westlander annually?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Oh wait.... we can't do that anymore because of some stupid terms and conditions.

[SurfRail]

So that means the Westlander costs around $14.7 million per year to run or about $140,000 per trip

Why on earth are they so expensive to run?

You're saying only 100 people use the Westlander annually?

I think that meant 100 return trips for the train itself.

[ozbob]

Oh wait.... we can't do that anymore because of some stupid terms and conditions.

yep.. Real c%%t act..

[ozbob]

Some readers may not understand what ^ this about.

Prior to the splitting up of Queensland Rail into QR National and Queensland Rail - passenger services trains such as the Westlander and Inlander were technically ' mixed trains '.  They had in their consists a number of freight wagons and provided a regular, free from damage, relatively quick freight service beside passengers.   One condition that was forced onto Queensland Rail after the split was that they could not run any freight services. So the very cost effective freight services were discontinued.  The revenue from the freight service largely offset the costs of running the trains.

When I travelled out to Charleville on the Westy in 2012 I spoke to a number of business folk.  They complained bitterly about the loss of the freight services.  The goods that used to arrive like clockwork and in excellent condition had been reduced to an irregular damaged process.  One of the major electrical stores said that up to 30% of his new stock was being damaged by the road freight service.  This of course makes life that much harder for these western battlers.

From the archives:

Sent to all outlets:

2nd June 2012

Rural Queensland is falling apart due to rail transport neglect

Greetings,

Today in the Couriermail there is a report of funding shortfalls for roads. (Newman axe for $400m road projects, CM June 2 page 18.)

The roads are being smashed by ever escalating numbers of trucks.  Road trauma is out of control. It has been another very sad week for road trauma - multiple deaths and injuries,  on the roads.

Specifically mentioned in the CM article is the Warrego Highway " .. which is in dangerous disrepair ... ".

The Western rail line to Charleville, with branches to Quilpie and Cunnamulla  runs adjacent to the Warrego Highway.  Prior to the 2011 floods, the Westlander passenger train ran as a mixed train, attached to the passenger carriages for each journey out west to Charleville were 4 or 5 freight wagons. This provided an economical, timely and reliable, safe way of transporting goods along the line to Charleville.  Following the floods the freight service on the Westlander was never restarted.

I travelled on the Westlander in April of this year.  At Charleville I spoke with a number of local citizens who were scathing about the loss of their freight service.  The goods now arrive by road transport, without any reliable time line,  and the damage to the goods is causing significant difficulties, damage that did not occur anything like what is happening by the roads.  Also of great local concern is the ever escalating number of trucks, the massive damage being done to the road system, and the sheer terror of being forced to drive on the roads under such conditions.

It is time that the Minister for Transport and Main Roads directed Queensland Rail to negotiate with QRN with a view to restoring general freight services on the Western line.  Attaching freight wagons back to the Westlander effectively means the the cost of providing the passenger service is largely offset, and there are broader economic benefits for the community.  Their goods will once again arrive on time and without damage.  Less damage to the road system, road trauma costs are lessened, environmental impacts reduced.

It is time we moved bulk and long haul freight back on to rail for the economic and social benefit for all Queenslanders.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[SurfRail]

Unfortunately there is no scrambling that egg, otherwise the case for retaining the service would be considerably stronger.

[mufreight]

There is no practical or legal reason why QR can not hook and pull freight for Aurizon on the Westlander and Inlander services, QR under the present arrangement is only not permitted to operate its own freight services.
The expansion of the meatworks at Oakey  could mean general freight to Charliville carried in refrigerated containers the containers then returned to Oakey cleaned and chilled then loaded with export meat then picked up by the next eastbound Westlander for the trip to Brisbane with the containers then going to Fishermans Island for export, five container flats of 2 containers gives 20 containers or something better than 300 tonnes of capacity each week

[verbatim9]

I think a dual guage twin electrified  track will be built from Toowoomba to Rosewood along with inland rail when its constructed. Then run buses out to Roma that connect with the train @ Toowoomba. Hence Toowoomba being a PT transport hub servicing Crows nest Clifton Dalby  Warwick and outer areas to Roma. 90 min train frequency from 4am to midnight with the last train arriving from Bne around 0100 7days. "It will really open up the area and take pressure off the Hwy".