Guest guest74886 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 (edited) Saw the news today about it taking 40 years to build 'Hi Speed Rail Link' from Melbourne to Brisbane and initially wondered as to how much influence the usual suspects, airline and airports industry, oil, developers, in built resistance to change,the road haulage industry, the rural lobby and the waste of money on loony State Governments had on the outcomes and then looked up the following about the China to Tibet high speed rail connection and wondered why Australia is still having committees about it. "The 815 km section of the future Qinzang Railway from Xining to Golmud, Qinghai opened to traffic in 1984. But the remaining 1,142 km (710 mi) section from Golmud to Lhasa could not be constructed until technical difficulties of building railroad tracks on permafrost were solved. This section was formally started on 29 June 2001, finished on 12 October 2005, and signalling work and track testing took another eight months. It was completed in five years at a cost of $3.68 billion." :frown: Edited April 10, 2013 by guest74886 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 (edited) I can't ever see it happening in Australia. The terrain is challenging, capital costs very high, and the distances and (lack of) population density such that it is never going to compete on time or price with air travel So until the price of oil starts shooting up exponentially and makes air travel impossible, there won't be a burning platform to get it done. And when that does happen, it will be too late Edited April 10, 2013 by northshorepom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike@Bonbeach Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 If they do decide eventually to go ahead with the scheme they should get the French to build it for them in half the time and probably half the cost, but knowing Australia they will probably want to do all themselves, re-inventing the wheel as they go. Then you'll probably find that they then re-invent a new ticketing system which will take years to sort out,(here in Melbourne we have the infamous MYKI system). Visitors to Melbourne can't even jump on a train or tram and buy a one-off ticket. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Agree with northshore. Just not practical and it can't compete with air. Even at high speed train times, it's not going to beat air between Bris and Melbourne. Also, we all know what is going to happen to them costs! Probably double. What was scary is I saw the greens on tv today commenting on how to fund it and they were talking about this huge amount of untapped money in super! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 It would be like the Tilt train in Queensland which never goes fast enough to actually tilt. Most of the time cars are overtaking it. It averages100 kph for the trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 It'll probably never happen unfortunately. I was just saying to the DH the other day that a high speed train between Canberra and Sydney would be great (we were on the train to London at the time, I love trains!!!!!) but in reality it could never compete with the bus for cheap travel or the planes for speed - but it could for comfort! The Canberra -Sydney route was archaic to say the least, if, indeed it is still running at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 My brother is a train driver in Canberra, the stories he tells me are amazing, the rail system is so antiquated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie 2 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Why would you travel up and down the east coast by train when plane is quicker and no doubt, would be cheaper. A decent rail line for freight would be good, as it would, hopefully, get rid of the trucks that are on the roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 My brother is a train driver in Canberra, the stories he tells me are amazing, the rail system is so antiquated. So the train is still running then? I am surprised that it is still viable but I guess it is being subsidized. The rolling stock is 1950s I should think. Id have used it more often if the train actually arrived in Sydney at the sort of hour that allowed you to have a day in the city. As it is, it is vying with Murray's $15 fares and it doesnt shape up too well! Much prefer the train - you can walk around, dont get so much motion sickness, have more room to move etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 To be honest I dont know if he does passenger or frieght. So the train is still running then? I am surprised that it is still viable but I guess it is being subsidized. The rolling stock is 1950s I should think. Id have used it more often if the train actually arrived in Sydney at the sort of hour that allowed you to have a day in the city. As it is, it is vying with Murray's $15 fares and it doesnt shape up too well! Much prefer the train - you can walk around, dont get so much motion sickness, have more room to move etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Canberra trains from Sydney use 1990s stock We had a good laugh about this one at work today - cynicism all round I'm afraid. And I think we're in a good position to judge....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 BTW, on the subject of rail freight, there have been quite a few developments recently and a ton more in the pipeline - Southern Sydney Freight Link has just been commissioned, which adds a new line in the SW of the city to separate freight and passenger trains, North Sydney Freight Corridor doing similar north from Flemington to Newcastle is just starting, there's a new multimodal freight terminal at Enfield taking containers off the M5 into Port Botany, a bunch more of those in the pipeline at Moorebank and Minto, doubling of the freight line into Botany, etc etc etc. It's burgeoning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Aussie trains are a joke really- they won't build any fast ones for the same reason that vast tracts of the country remain unpopulated- laziness and a lack of political will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I found the train trip between Canberra -> Sydney -> Canberra very pleasant. Glacially slow, but great scenery and a buffet car serving beer the whole way. In the local rag this morning there was a proposal for an underground city station to be open by 2065. Laughable really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Canberra trains from Sydney use 1990s stock We had a good laugh about this one at work today - cynicism all round I'm afraid. And I think we're in a good position to judge....... Ah they must have upgraded since I last used them then LOL - defo 1950s or 60s at a pinch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I found the train trip between Canberra -> Sydney -> Canberra very pleasant. Glacially slow, but great scenery and a buffet car serving beer the whole way. In the local rag this morning there was a proposal for an underground city station to be open by 2065. Laughable really. Saw that on the RiotACT - never going to happen really is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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