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bevans
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 4:48 pm
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Independent Kalgoorlie MP John Bowler wants iron ore from a soon-to-be developed mine near Wiluna to be shipped from Esperance rather than from the proposed new port at Oakejee, near Geraldton.
Mr Bowler says the cost of replacing the current narrow gauge rail in the mid-west with a standard gauge will be enormous.
He says the Government should encourage the rail to be extended north from Leonora to the Wiluna mines.
"The Esperance port is one of the best in Australia. It is still under-utilised," he said.
"I'd like to see the rail extended ... from Leonora through to Wiluna. It would open up a lot of mining county up there and I think it'd be far more profitable for Australia and Western Australia than all the work that's being proposed for the mid-west."
ABC
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How would an SG line help?
Regards,
Brian
RP2 - Project Director
"Victoria, the home of world class project blowouts and overruns" Mr. Bachelor, hang your head in Shame!
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P2017
Chief Train Controller
Joined: May 03, 2006
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:51 pm
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Wouldn't it be further to travel from Wiluna to Esperance?
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crisfitz
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Aug 21, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Enroute somewhere
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:10 pm
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Not to mention the track occupancy problems.
Esperance wharf may have additional capacity, but the train unloading facilities certainly don't. And there is no room for expansion.
Then there is the Leonora line. In very average condition, certainly require additional loops, reballasting / rerailing, etc, etc.
Like most politicians, speak first, find out the details later 
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P2017
Chief Train Controller
Joined: May 03, 2006
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:22 pm
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Correct there crisfitz,
Where the new port will be all brand new and the track will be too.
It would cost more to upgrade leonora line...
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NathanCastle
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Last Visited: Nov 24, 2008
Location: Gippsland
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Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:15 pm
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Oakejee Is closer to Asia !!! That would have to mean something ?
This proposed carbon trading scheme Is going to ruin the economy of Australia. "Dump It Now"
65 miles from Flinders Street Station Melbourne and 703 feet above sea level
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HOWARAS
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:02 am
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from memory it's about 570kms from wiluna to kal... and then you have another 400kms or so, from kal to esp.... and thats only to serve... how many mines out of wiluna??... as far as i know... there's the two or three gold mines... the magellen mine and i think one other nickel or something like that mine (don't quote me on that last one)...
we did survey a lot out there, but what we've surveyed wont be into the planning stages of operation for atleast another 10 years... if there is enough to warrant a railway...
and of course a brand new alignment would need to be built from leonora to wiluna...
as the crow flies it would only be 250 or so kms from wiluna to Cue, may as well, just connect up what ever rail operation out of wiluna to the Geraldton network.
yep sounds like polly whaffle to me....
cheers
don
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RTT_Rules
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Gladstone Qld
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Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 2:40 pm
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Not sure of the standard of the Gerealton network, but QR, also the owner of ARG moves 11,000t 1500 metre coal trains totatlly more than 100mpta on 26t axle loading at up to 80km/hr. Even if the current track standard dictated a lower axle load and/or speed. Why does making the line SG make it so superior compared to what runs down to Espereance?
Regards
Shame
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rocket66
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Feb 09, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 26, 2008
Location: All over the place at the moment !
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:42 am
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| crisfitz wrote: | Not to mention the track occupancy problems.
Esperance wharf may have additional capacity, but the train unloading facilities certainly don't. And there is no room for expansion. |
There is room for expansion at Esperance port, but the track occupancy is the biggest problem. Getting more trains on the South line will require more loops to be put in.
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NathanCastle
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Last Visited: Nov 24, 2008
Location: Gippsland
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:29 am
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| RTT_Rules wrote: | Not sure of the standard of the Gerealton network, but QR, also the owner of ARG moves 11,000t 1500 metre coal trains totatlly more than 100mpta on 26t axle loading at up to 80km/hr. Even if the current track standard dictated a lower axle load and/or speed. Why does making the line SG make it so superior compared to what runs down to Espereance?
Regards
Shame |
Well then why did the Iron Ore railways In the Pilbara get built to standard gauge and not narrow ? If narrow gauge Is so good !
This proposed carbon trading scheme Is going to ruin the economy of Australia. "Dump It Now"
65 miles from Flinders Street Station Melbourne and 703 feet above sea level
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awsgc24
Minister for Railways
Joined: Feb 18, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:34 am
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| NathanCastle wrote: | | RTT_Rules wrote: | Not sure of the standard of the Gerealton network, but QR, also the owner of ARG moves 11,000t 1500 metre coal trains totatlly more than 100mpta on 26t axle loading at up to 80km/hr. Even if the current track standard dictated a lower axle load and/or speed. Why does making the line SG make it so superior compared to what runs down to Espereance?
Regards
Shame |
Well then why did the Iron Ore railways In the Pilbara get built to standard gauge and not narrow ? If narrow gauge Is so good ! |
Are there any mountain ranges in the way between Willuna and Kalgoorlie? Or is the terrain flat?
It is noted that Nathan Castle's Byline quotes a height above sea level as well as a distance from Melbourne.
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RTT_Rules
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jun 23, 2004
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Gladstone Qld
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 11:14 am
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| NathanCastle wrote: | | RTT_Rules wrote: | Not sure of the standard of the Gerealton network, but QR, also the owner of ARG moves 11,000t 1500 metre coal trains totatlly more than 100mpta on 26t axle loading at up to 80km/hr. Even if the current track standard dictated a lower axle load and/or speed. Why does making the line SG make it so superior compared to what runs down to Espereance?
Regards
Shame |
Well then why did the Iron Ore railways In the Pilbara get built to standard gauge and not narrow ? If narrow gauge Is so good ! |
Ok, Why wasn't it built to Borad gauge if width of rails is so critical. Answer Standard is about standardisation with off the shelf technology.
The iron ore lines were green field projects started in the 60's when NG was doing well to run at 80km/hr with 15t axles. SG has exceeded this decades ago. You just have to look at the orginal Pilbra ore trains in comparision to the similar time framed Qld Bowen Basin coalies. NG technology has progressed along way since then and the driver to remove NG has since dropped proportionally except where common gauge is preferred. Hence QR in recent years there is little noise from QR or the govt to standardise the Mt Isa or coal field lines and even the new routes are all be built to NG, including the new line, yards and coal wharf unloading to the Surat Basin. This project certainly has the critical mass to go SG and simply BG the ~125km Callopie to Banana common section which is a modern alignment built to SG requirements.
If you are going to build from scratch from near point to point you'd go standard. But if the option existing to add on to an existing NG network that is already a reasonable loading, then isn't this the cheapest?
Regards
Shane
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