Article: Inland rail a key objective

[ozbob]

From the Champion-Post click here!

Inland rail a key objective

Inland rail a key objective
20 Jun, 2012 09:11 AM

More than 100 delegates from all parts of the eastern seaboard have registered for the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail Symposium in Parkes this Friday.

The symposium which will be attended by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese is being hosted by Parkes Shire Council and the NSW Local Government and the

Mayor of Parkes, Ken Keith said it was a most significant gathering.

"The interest in this nationally significant project is most evident by the number and calibre of speakers and delegates attending,' he said.

"There is definitely strong support throughout the community for this vital infrastructure and the symposium is an ideal platform to heighten the importance of interest in this project."

The symposium will explore the key issues related to the development of the national infrastructure project.

A line-up of eminent speakers will include Mr Albanese, Warren Truss, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Bryan Nye, CEO Australasian Railway Association, Professor Philip Laird, Wollongong University and Mr John Hearsch, Great Australian Trunk Rail. The former CEO of QLD Rail, Mr Vince O'Rourke will chair the Symposium.

The Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project is of National significance addressing one of Australia's greatest competitive disadvantages, the tyranny of distance. It is a planned railway linking the Port of Melbourne to the Port of Brisbane. The vast majority of freight in this corridor is currently carried by road due to the limited rail infrastructure, significant transit times and prohibitive costs. The Symposium will highlight the importance of these issues and will work toward a solution by gaining momentum and united support.

Many Symposium delegates such as Sharon Rabey, Executive Officer of Regional Development Australia Central West, have welcomed the Symposium with open arms. "It is imperative to have reliable and cost effective transport to support existing regional businesses and to attract new business investment in regional areas. This inland rail project will support regional businesses in supplying national and international markets, enabling them to compete globally", she stated.

"Hosting the Symposium will be of significant benefit to the township of Parkes, adding to its burgeoning profile as a popular events destination and enhancing the town's status as a developing national transport logistics hub", said Mayor Keith.

For further information visit www.inlandrail.com.au or email inlandrail@parkes.nsw.gov.au

[Jonno]

Will they plant another tree when finished?

This is another project that should be simply, "just build the F'in thing". Even Howard gave it the two thumbs up by saying its one of most bankable projects in Australia then.

Its an Interstate line, so over to the Feds and ARTC to get it done. Deal with the all too hard issue of the Toowoomba range. Not SG rail access to Brisbane is suicide for this project and get it done.Probably $3-4B, get private sector involved to help throw some money at it and maybe even run it. Use fed money to bring the capital cost down to commerically viable, with profit sharing above certain levels.

regards
Shane

+10000

[somebody]

I think this project will see the death of the coastal lines though.  There won't be the traffic to make them viable.

[Fares_Fair]

Hon Anthony Albanese MP just tweeted that he is about to fly from Hobart to Parkes for this Inland Rail Conference.

[ozbob]

I think this project will see the death of the coastal lines though.  There won't be the traffic to make them viable.

Coastal Lines?  Brisbane to Cairns, never go.  Sydney to Brisbane?  Unlikely.

No other coastal lines as such.

[somebody]

I meant SYD-BNE and SYD-MEL.

While they might not be ripped up, there will be little traffic to justify investment in them.  They will likely stabilise around their current state.

[ozbob]

I can recall being involved in a discussion on ABC National Radio circa 2006 on the Inland Railway.  Good to see we are still talking ... lol

I think in the years to come every bit of railway infrastructure will be used heavily, particularly as road transport becomes a lot less economical.

[somebody]

I can recall being involved in a discussion on ABC National Radio circa 2006 on the Inland Railway.  Good to see we are still talking ... lol

I think in the years to come every bit of railway infrastructure will be used heavily, particularly as road transport becomes a lot less economical.

Fuel use per tonne-km SYD-MEL on rail is around 80% of road fuel use.  According to stats I have seen when I was much younger.  Road upgrades have continued since then so the gap is probably narrower today.  Actually, when I think about even that stat I am not sure if the longer rail route vs road is compensated for.

[ozbob]

Not sure where you get 80% of the fuel costs from, but when you start to factor in carbon costs, trauma and so forth rail wins hands down for the long haul --> http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TVOR_Report.pdf  this advantage will increase very significantly in time as fuel oils become a lot scarcer.  USA is kind of interesting, bulk rail freight is booming already ... no real surprise.  Will take a little longer in Oz, but will happen.

[somebody]

Rail freight never fell into disuse in the US, like it did here.

I'll have a bit more of a look at that later, but it seems to be saying a similar thing to what I was alluding to: that without infrastructure investment rail freight will never increase on SYD-BNE or SYD-MEL.

[ozbob]

And it will, economic reality.  Hence, the talk fest ...

[somebody]

I suspect I am somewhat more cynical than you.

[ozbob]

 

Twitter

Anthony Albanese ‏@AlboMP

Have landed in Parkes - off to lay last new concrete sleeper on rail line to Broken Hill - 1 million sleepers #nationbuilding

[ozbob]

Well worth a read if you haven't seen it.

http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TVOR_Report.pdf

The True Value of Rail

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Port of Brisbane eyes inland rail investment

Port of Brisbane eyes inland rail investment
May 23, 2013 - 5:54AM Tony Moore

Brisbane's newly-privatised Port of Brisbane, which supported $50 billion in imports and exports last year, is interested in investing in part of a $4.7 billion inland rail project linking Brisbane, Toowoomba, Parkes and Melbourne.

The proposed inland freight line would be seven hours faster and about 170 kilometres shorter than the existing coastal railway.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss outlined the Port of Brisbane's enthusiasm for the futuristic project on Friday.

"The Port of Brisbane has indicated that they are interested in being an investor," Mr Truss said.

"And in particular, in the stretch of the line from the Port of Brisbane to Toowoomba."

This map shows the the proposed route for the project, which Mr Truss has indicated the Coalition wants to have in place by 2020.

The Port of Brisbane's desire could be driven by a massive 91.8 per cent growth in cotton seed exports from the Darling Downs and southern Queensland, mainly to China.

Coal exports through Port of Brisbane also increased from 6.3 million tonnes in 2009-10 to 8.85 million tonnes in 2011-12 as part of an overall 22.9 per cent exports boost in 2011-12.

Fairfax Media has been told the Port of Brisbane is interested in investing in the new freight line between Rosewood, near Amberley, and Kagaru, near Beaudesert.

Port of Brisbane chief executive Russell Smith predicted on Wednesday that container trade through the port would increase four-fold over the next 25 to 30 years.

However Mr Smith declined to nominate where the port would look to invest profits.

"We regularly discuss priorities for the future of sustainable landside transport access to the Port of Brisbane with elected representatives and departmental staff at all levels of government," he said.

"That includes Warren Truss."

He indicated improvements to the freight line, providing better access to northern New South Wales and the Darling Downs, were important.

"The agricultural export sector is fundamental to the future growth of Queensland and northern New South Wales," he said.

"However, ensuring the long-term sustainability of this trade is dependent on the industry securing an efficient route to market.

"Port of Brisbane believes that efficient freight rail access from the farm to the port is vital to achieve efficient access."

A 2010 study into the proposed inland rail shows about 271 kilometres of new line would need be built and about 119 kilometres of rail line upgraded from narrow gauge to dual gauge between the New South Wales border and Kagaru.

Debate about the inland rail project was kickstarted by federal Opposition comments that it would not invest in urban rail projects, but would invest in freight rail.

Federal Labor has recently invested money in urban rail projects, including $742 million for the Moreton Bay rail line, $365 million in the Gold Coast rapid transit scheme and

$25 million in planning for the Cross River Rail project.

In the past week Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Mr Truss both declined to fund Brisbane's Cross River Rail project and promoted the inland freight project.

"We are saying the Cross River Rail is a state responsibility, whereas the Melbourne to Brisbane railway line we see as one where the commonwealth would potentially be the major investor," Mr Truss said.

Mr Abbott in Brisbane yesterday agreed the project should be operating by 2020.

In July 2010 a report into the Australian Inland Rail Link argued the project may be more economically viable if it was delayed for 10 years.

[johnnigh]

I think this project will see the death of the coastal lines though.  There won't be the traffic to make them viable.

And about time too...

Flood-prone, tidal surge prone at many points, serving relatively insignificant communities north of Newcastle. Why mourn this sub-standard relic of past poor decisions?

North of Brisbane it's a bit different, but alignments so subject to disaster seem dubious, ditto for Bruce Highway. Try something else...

[Golliwog]

My view is that this might go some way to cover for the lack of support for CRR, but only if they can actually put some detail into their plans. Currently all they have is "We think this is a good idea" which really doesn't cut it considering how gung-ho they are about putting money into the Gateway.

[ghostryder]

Sydney Brisbane corridor could be broken into two section Sydney to Craven and Craven to Brisbane. South of Craven there are Coal infastructure and passenger services that would for the time being keep that section of the line open but once you pass Craven things change. UGL have a facility ar Lansdowne Cement gets dropped at Wauchope and Boambee Beach and sugar is railed from Grafton.

The trains.
Each week there are 12 trains that run through from Melbourne to Brisbane that only shunt in sydney in the case of faulty rollingtock or motive power, they pause only long enough to change crew. These services leave every night from Brisbane and Melbourne except Sundays. there are four trains that run between Adelaide and Brisbane two in each direction and these shunt Melbourne and Sydney along the way. and leave Tuesday and Fridays from Brisbane and Adelaide. Pacific National and Aurizon run 15 Melbourne services leaving Melbourne and Brisbane shunting in Sydney on Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday (PN Only) and Saturday. Pacific National run upto 5 steel trains from the illawarra district shunting in Sydney and Newcastle and as required dropping empty sugar wagons at Grafton. Upto 5 empty steel trains are run from Brisbane each week picking up loaded sugar from grafton as required and shunting at Newcastle an Sydney.

once a week a cement/sugar train runs between Newcastle and Grafton.

Steel trains generally run as triple headers the remainder have run normally between 1 and three units pending loading but on average most are double headed and between 700-1100m but loads and lengths depend on demand and time of year.

Scott

[SteelPan]

whatever happens, pls-pls keep it away from a certain person, well known in "seniors circles"  who played politics with it at every opportunity!