NEW OPERATOR SOON `TRANZIT JIM pty'

jimontrack · Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:44 am

Dear Rail buffs, I can announce that, a new rail operator, may be set up in the next few weeks.

Facts about TRANZIT JIM pty (TJp)

TRANZIT JIM was registered as a trade mark in 1999.
Been a dream of their founder since 1989.

Business scope is `comprehensive railway operator' but is going to start off small somewhere.

A sole trader, owned by one person, also to be director.
-------- Known to rail buffs only as `TRANZIT JIM himself'.

Differs from `Garry McDonald' (WCR fame) in that TJ,
>>TJ hates the PTC, and would not want to work under them, but is very much wants to take them on.
>>Whilst TJ has the same passion for Steam, TJ also has a strong passion for Freight trains, and Modern Passenger also. (I guess not that much different thow)

Where and When are they to start ?

>Business plans are in the final stage, a lender is standing by, and the rest will come after TJ gets finance approved.
>Where to start, Melbourne, and Victoria.

What services to begin doing ?
For two reasons, TJ are trying to go after a string of different markets at the same time, with different trains and etc. Mostly for `safety via investment diversity' AND TJ has big eyes, with big plans.

Plans are, Bluebirds on two or three routes out of Melbourne,
>Melbourne - Ararat - Dimboola
>Melbourne - Albury (Would go further to Junee except for Rail Safety accreditation fees etc, and will go to Junee once that has been settled)

Also, Melbourne - Maroona - Portland is in the plans, except that TJ does not like dealing with other rail operators for track access.

Second Plans are, Hitatchis, with U-Boats as the trailers, on Hitatchi Bogies.
>>Melbourne - Newport Workshops (weekends timed to match the A.R.H.S Museum shedule)
>>Melbourne - Stoney Point (Loco Hauled Frankston - Stoney Pt, Like the old E-Trains, but the Hitatchi Ms would stay attached for the whole journey - two sets will cross near to Kannanook?)

Z Class trams, VineLander Cars, and other stuff are also of interest to TJ.
Swap bogies under U-Boat and a Hitatchi former D, use it to drive a Locomotive at other end of proposed diner tour to Seymour Loop. Diner cars are still being looked for.

SPECIALS TO LOOK OUT FOR
>First runs of each of the above tours - exclusive to rail buffs
>Bluebird trailer between two Hitatchi Motors on Melbournes BG.
>Other weird and wacky ideas and combos are yet to come to my mind.

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Anyone has, Rollingstock For sale or Lease, TJ, favorite source of second hand stock is, `www.railequipment.com.au'. We like to use them to deal with, thow are dealing with others.

rjaygee · Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:52 am

Bit late for April 1

Cheers

Rod Gayford

John of Melbourne · Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:59 pm

jimontrack · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:48 am

To John of Melbourne

The ARTC, is not another operator.

I can operate quite freely all over their network, without talking with any `rail operator'

mjja · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:36 am

You'll have to talk to Connex for the Stony and Newport runs, and PN for anywhere which isn't Connex (eg you'll have to stable somewhere).

Call me a wet blanket if you like, but the "private railway boom" of the 1990s is well and truly over. There is a definite tendency towards FEWER rail operators, not more.

And your policy of not working with other operators is going to kill you. The only way you'll be able to survive and get money in is by leasing locos to PN to keep the cash flow going.

Your ideas for pass services are pretty grand, but without a subsidy you're unlikely to be able to make a "goer" of it. Track access is expensive (especially on the SG main lines to Ararat-Dimboola and Albury), and you can't put your fares up too high or you'll price yourself out of the market. A premium service with a premium fare might work, but would be more of a tourist venture than a normal transport service.

Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"

Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)

michaelgreenhill · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:38 am

ha...ha...ha...

Busy splitting infinitives...

Brassy · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 12:03 pm

I for one am not keen to continue the Australian tradition of cutting down tall poppies or pi**ing on people's parade, but this one seems utter pie-in-the-sky.

Wait for reality to kick in:

1/ Certification of all passenger rolling stock, examinations, repairs etc. Never mind the hair-brained schemes of putting Uboats and Bluebirds behind Hitachis, just getting ANY pass stock certified to run will be prohibitively expensive.

2/ Insurance. No need to say any more about this one, just try making an enquiry to find out.

3/ Getting paths through the system, try that on for size.

4/ You are going to take on the current operators? Do you imagine they are just going to roll over and let you? They might roll over all right, kacking themselves laughing.

5/ The services you mention will not earn you any real dollars, and most likely would not cover running expenses for each trip.

I could go on but there is no point wasting verbage on this.

FieldShunt74 · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:43 pm

Why are people replying to this thread like it was serious? We should be encouraging jimontrack to expand his plans to include a rail tunnel to Antarctica to bring back ice to irrigate the Simpson Desert and other similarly unlikely scenarios. Don't split hairs with him about track access! He will most likely build his own lines on superior alignments and generate much revenue from access charges. Watch out Chris Corrigan!

Vote Maori - that's not a request, bro.

GNR10 · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 2:52 am

You're not Earthworm Jim by any chance?

Please do not misinterpret my asinine comments as something intelligible

FieldShunt74 · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:25 pm

Could be Jim of "Jim's Mowing" fame.

Vote Maori - that's not a request, bro.

mjja · Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:16 pm

No, then it would be called "Jim's Trains".

Then again, that would sound like a kid's train set.

Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"

Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)

U25B · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 1:40 pm

This sounds like a freelance model railway at a club somewhere!

Shacks · Posted: Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:10 pm

U25B, reminds me years ago of when the Maitland Model Railway Club moved to a new location. All other clus around Aust got a letter stating that a recent earth quake moved the railway some 5km. All land (track base) was belived to have shifted in mulitable pieces.

Getting back to the topic. I think you will have a width problem with the U Boats, I think they are the same width as a Tangara, if that's the case they will not make it past the first platform. Hence the 4D being narrower than the Tangaras.

I guess if it works we better find a good baker. We are going to need a few thousand Humble Pies.

Shacks

Also see http://glenschackier.fotopic.net and http://shacksbmx.fotopic.net/

Webslave · Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:16 am

I recommend anyone interested in find out more on this story to contact:

James Sinclair
49 Halcyon Way
NARRE WARREN,3805,VIC
AUSTRALIA
(03) 8790 5574

Don't forget to ask for James, because I dont think the phone is his! Smile

James Morgan
Railpage Australia™ Team
Another President of Nazarail

jimontrack · Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:20 am

<h1>IGNORE `WEBMASTERS' POST</h1>

The address posted `IS NOT - AN OFFICE OF TRANZIT JIM'

<h3>DO NOT CONTACT THAT PHONE NUMBER FOR INFO ON TRANZIT JIM</h3>

YOU WILL ONLY BE TREATED IN A JUST MANNER - QUITE RUDELY

IT is not like `TRANZIT JIM' himself (Nor me) has been advertising this address as being a place that you can contact TRANZIT JIM at for any purpose or reason relating to TRANZIT JIM.