Article: End of the line looms for outback rail service

[ozbob]

From the Australian click here!

End of the line looms for outback rail service

End of the line looms for outback rail service

Kevin Meade | March 24, 2008

THE long trip from Brisbane to the tiny outback Queensland town of Dirranbandi was once regarded as one of the nation's great train journeys.

The 670km passenger service known as the Dirranbandi Mail was closed in 1993 after patronage dwindled.

Since then the people of Dirranbandi, a cotton, cattle and grain centre across the NSW border from Lightning Ridge, have relied on a twice-weekly rail freight service from Brisbane.

But the Queensland Government has flagged a plan to close the 60km stretch of the line from Thallon to Dirranbandi.

Under the plan, the road running east to Thallon would be upgraded to a better standard than the Balonne Shire Council could afford, while the Government would save an estimated $1million a year in maintenance of the rail line.

When the proposal was put to a meeting of the residents late last year, only 50per cent were in favour.

Dirranbandi stock and station agent Stephen Burnett strongly backs retaining the line.

"I'm also in favour of having the road upgraded, but we shouldn't have to forsake our rail line just to get that done," Mr Burnett said.

"This line has been the lifeblood of this town since 1913.

"The Government talks about being environmentally friendly and keeping greenhouse gases down. Well, surely, maintaining rail services is the best option for doing that."

Robert Dow, spokesman for the national pro-rail lobby group Rail Back on Track, said that regional rail infrastructure across thecountry should be kept intact.

"In the future there'll be a need to re-establish a lot of these lines that are being closed left, right and centre across the country," Mr Dow said.

"With fuel prices rising, road transport will become increasingly expensive and rail will be a more efficient alternative."

Former Balonne shire mayor Robert Buchan, who was replaced by Donna Stewart in local government elections this month, backed the plan to close the line.

He recommended upgrading the road to Thallon to a main road, which the state Government would maintain.

"At the same time, the state Government would save many times the cost of maintaining that road by not having to maintain an under-utilised railway line," he said.

Ms Stewart, who has yet to be installed as mayor, said she did not want to express a view on the line until she was briefed by the council.

She said her general philosophy on rail lines was that residents should not lose a service they had enjoyed for many years.

A spokeswoman for Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said no decision had been made on the line, and discussions on the issue would be held with the new council.

[ozbob]

The Charles Wooley radio show did a follow up interview on regional railways.

Details of the radio show --> http://www.regionalradioworks.com.au/www/default.asp?contentID=2

Thanks to Charles and Regional Radioworks for their interest.