National rail perspectives

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Simbera/status/1614735513889701888

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

RAIL PROCUREMENT SHAKEUP TACKLES $2 BILLION WASTED ON IMPORTS

> https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/rail-procurement-shakeup-tackles-2-billion-wasted-on-imports

[ozbob]

The Guardian --> Only 2% of freight between Melbourne and Sydney goes by rail – putting Australia's emissions targets at risk

... Between Melbourne and Sydney, just 2% of freight is taken by rail, the research found, down from about 40% in the 1970s, according to Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics. ...

[achiruel]

Nailed it in this line:

While rail is still popular for bulk goods, decades of neglect has left tracks used for non-bulk freight between states in poor shape.

When there has been barely any investment in interstate rail since the '80s, but huge investment in the Hume and Pacific Highways, is there any surprise that so little freight is being carried by rail?

Speed has a lot to do with it. I can put a pallet on a truck in Brisbane today and have it delivered in Sydney tomorrow. I can't even send a pallet by rail, because that's not an option the major transport companies offer. The minimum would be a 20' container, and delivery will likely take 3 days. Same problem exists for the NCL in Qld. Road freight to CNS takes 2 days, rail is 4-5, and minimum volume is 20'. No-one takes pallets by rail anymore.

East-west freight is a different story, not sure of exact volumes but LOTS of freight crosses the Nullarbor by rail.

[HappyTrainGuy]

It's all about the bottom dollar. QR saw this in the 80/90's when higher ups started running it as a business rather than a service and axed quite a lot of these freight services. You could load trains faster. Provisioning was quicker. Less vehicles required on site. Less staff required at stations/loading yards. Less qualifications required (a truck driver requires minimal qualifications. Just a heavy vehicle license. Most don't even have to unload the loads. Railways require a crap load of different qualifications and certifications). Smaller yards required. Quicker transit times due to less stops. Less workplace health and safety problems ie forklifts/palletjacks under wires. Removal of all stop/express freight trains/unifying running paths. What also didn't help was scrapping rollingstock (rather than sell to competitors) to the bare essentials and then when it was privatised the rest were scrapped and QR legally prevented from operating rail freight services put the final nail into the coffin. Half the westy used to be freight.

[ozbob]

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1728889496027197451?s=20

[ozbob]

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1737100241227469170?s=20

[ozbob]

https://x.com/urbanizationist/status/1737044644465406027?s=20

[ozbob]

https://x.com/railmaps/status/1740526380507603142?s=20

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> New chief executives for Inland Rail and ARTC

New chief executives have been named for Inland Rail and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), as the Federal Government makes a number of appointments to the bodies responsible for nationally significant rail projects and the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.

They are:

Nick Miller – Chief Executive Officer of Inland Rail

Wayne Johnson – Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ARTC

...

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Update on flooding impacting ARTC network

The ARTC rail corridor between Kalgoorlie and Rawlinna in Western Australia remains closed due to significant flooding.

Prolonged and intense rain in the area is impacting the ARTC's ability to access all locations of the rail line and commence recovery efforts.

While the crews have observed water levels subsiding in some locations, there are still a number of sites significantly impacted with water over the track.

Recovery efforts and repairs are underway at multiple sections of the track where water has receded however many areas remain impacted by floodwaters.

The best-case scenario would allow the ARTC to reopen the line on Sunday 24 March however this is heavily reliant on weather conditions improving and water levels dropping.  This timeline will be reassessed in the coming days.

The current weather outlook over the next 24 hours is for more rain in Kalgoorlie with possible isolated thunderstorms from Tuesday. ...

[ozbob]

https://www.railexpress.com.au/update-on-flooding-impacting-artc-network-2/

" The ARTC rail corridor between Kalgoorlie and Rawlinna in Western Australia will reopen at 12 noon on Easter Saturday (WA time) after significant flooding impacted the rail line.

ARTC crews have made and are continuing to make considerable progress with recovery efforts as water levels recede, helped by favourable weather conditions and engineering activities on the ground. ... "

[ozbob]

https://x.com/inframagoz/status/1806132116914409643

[Jonno]

The Guardian --> Freight operators will buy new diesel trains if governments don't back green alternatives, industry says

Freight operators will buy new diesel trains if governments don't back green alternatives, industry says
Exclusive: Report says Australian sector risks losing further ground to trucking, putting it at odds with nation's emissions targets

The future of Australian rail freight is at a "critical juncture", the industry says.

Transporting cargo generally relies on diesel-powered trains, and with no plans on the horizon to electrify the vast sections of tracks connecting Australia's largest cities, the sector is worried operators will have little choice but to reinvest in diesel locomotives, ultimately harming its ability to decarbonise in coming decades.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) is launching a report on potential decarbonisation on Monday.

That report, developed by engineering consultancy GHD, says there has been a lack of planning from those in charge of rail infrastructure. It says without action, the rail freight sector could lose further ground to trucking, putting it at odds with Australia's climate target commitments. ...

[ozbob]

https://x.com/mathewasharp/status/1813380084004446332

[ozbob]