Article: Rail repair vital to cattle carting

[ozbob]

From the ABC News Southern Queensland click here!

Rail repair vital to cattle carting

Rail repair vital to cattle carting

By Chrissy Arthur
Posted May 4, 2010 08:42:00

A south-west Queensland mayor says it could take until mid-July before the rail network is fully restored, putting extra pressure on flood-damaged roads.

Queensland Rail (QR) says the western rail line to Charleville has reopened after flood repairs but it will be several weeks yet before freight and livestock services return to Quilpie.

Quilpie Mayor David Edwards says there has been a huge amount of damage to rail infrastructure but it is vital the line begins operating as soon as possible.

"We're hoping it'll get up and running again because once this country gets fully stocked again with cattle there are going to be thousands needed and more and more trucks coming into the country," he said.

"We're definitely going to need the rail to be going to cart our big lots of cattle to the east to the sales and to the abattoirs."

QR spokesman Tim Ripper says the future of the Quilpie line is ultimately a State Government decision but crews are working hard to fully restore it.

"Our current direction that we've received from Government is to reinstate the corridor back to providing those services to Quilpie," he said.

Councillor Edwards says Premier Anna Bligh has also assured mayors rail services to the region would remain.

[Dean Quick]

Flood damage usually gives the authorities a convenient excuse to close country branch lines. Lets hope that the Gov't stands by its commitment to re-open this line and resume running the cattle and freight services so vital to this community.