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DavidB
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Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Last Visited: Jan 25, 2007
Location: Canberra
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 11:00 am
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ABC radio reports that Costa has refused to rule out cutting the Northern Tablelands Xplorer back to Tamworth. The Member for Port Macquarie has also said that the Grafton XPT is likely to go. The Central West XPT will also be reviewed at the end of the year.
Cheers
David
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ParkesHub
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jul 29, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 4, 2008
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 1:53 pm
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| DavidB wrote: | ABC radio reports that Costa has refused to rule out cutting the Northern Tablelands Xplorer back to Tamworth. The Member for Port Macquarie has also said that the Grafton XPT is likely to go. The Central West XPT will also be reviewed at the end of the year.
Cheers
David |
Well, that won't leave much left of Countrylink then.
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pennoes
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Jun 12, 2003
Last Visited: Oct 3, 2007
Location: Tamworth, NSW
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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 4:44 pm
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I really think that if we don't want these services to go, we would be well advised to write to our local MP's, transport ministers etc. as DavidB has mentioned previously. MP's well know that if they receive one letter, it is almost equivalent of 100 people with the same point of view in the community.
One would have to say that if you write you would need to mention that the solution to the situation is to improve services (via better track/infrastructure/trains) rather than just continuing with a slow, sub-standard, cost inefficient countrylink service. If the latter is the case, I am in favour of running buses (as much as I love trains) based on the very sound economic logic in the Parry report.
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maybenever
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Jun 07, 2003
Last Visited: May 1, 2006
Location: Upper Muddystuff
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 12:15 pm
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Hello everyone.
All this Talk has caused quite a stir in Armidale. I picked up my folks from the Xplorer (not the XPT as ALL the local press have said) and to get all of the passengers and baggage from Tamworth to Armidale would have taken 3 buses. Every time I have been to the station in the last few months, this would have been the case.
The road between Tamworth and Armidale is not great. Cutting the service would increase road use, further deteriorating the road - or are they still planning to take the bus via Walcha Road - would take a coach about 3 hours I'd say!
On the bright side, Mr Costa said it would be cheaper for the Government to purchase every passenger a new car than to continue the train to Armidale. I'll have a Falcon thanks Mr Costa...blue.
The Mayor and local member have formed a 'war council', and it would have to be a completely out of touch government to take the service away... Oh no, that is exactly what we have...
Later
Wesley
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DavidB
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Location: Canberra
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 12:37 pm
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| maybenever wrote: | | The Mayor and local member have formed a 'war council', and it would have to be a completely out of touch government to take the service away... Oh no, that is exactly what we have... |
Have they got in touch with Friends of the Northern Railway? They were instrumental in getting the service back to Armidale in 1993, and have been lobbying to have it extended to Glen Innes. I was a member of FONR when I was at UNE.
Cheers
David
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maybenever
Deputy Commissioner
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Last Visited: May 1, 2006
Location: Upper Muddystuff
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 1:11 pm
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| Quote: | | Have they got in touch with Friends of the Northern Railway? |
Yep.
My powers of deduction tell me that it was the Northern Railway calling the trains XPT's!!! But yes, they are there!
David, your post gave me another idea.
The New England Railway is doing up a 2 car 620/720 set at present. They have another 4 power cars and 1 intermediate sitting at Armidale as well. Maybe they can run the train from Tamworth to Armidale. I'd be prepared to pay a bit extra!!!
Later
Wesley
Wesley
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DavidB
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Location: Canberra
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 1:37 pm
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| maybenever wrote: | | The New England Railway is doing up a 2 car 620/720 set at present. They have another 4 power cars and 1 intermediate sitting at Armidale as well. Maybe they can run the train from Tamworth to Armidale. I'd be prepared to pay a bit extra!!! |
What do you mean an intermediate car? The 620/720 sets were always 2-car. Do they also have part of a DEB set?
A 620/720 isn't as good as an Xplorer, but it's worth looking at. They would need to be fitted with intercity standard seats for a start. But if the worst came to the worse, it may be possible to do an Armidale - Tamworth - Armidale return connecting with the Sydney - Tamworth - Sydney Xplorer. (Is there an up calling on signal at Tamworth?) I can't see why a same platform connection (or cross platform connection if one of the docks could be rebuilt) would be any more inconvenient than changing from a bus.
The financial arrangement could be similar to WCR whereby Countrylink does the reservations and all ticket revenue goes to the Department of Transport. The Department makes provision for concessions and other CSOs then pays the operator a standard fare per passenger journey. There is then an incentive for the operator to boost patronage. Any on train revenue (e.g. catering) is retained in full by the operator .
Cheers
David
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standard_gauge
Dr Beeching
Joined: Apr 13, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 26, 2008
Location: Outside the toilet, waiting for Della Bosca to come out !!
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:20 pm
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| DavidB wrote: | | maybenever wrote: | | The New England Railway is doing up a 2 car 620/720 set at present. They have another 4 power cars and 1 intermediate sitting at Armidale as well. Maybe they can run the train from Tamworth to Armidale. I'd be prepared to pay a bit extra!!! |
What do you mean an intermediate car? The 620/720 sets were always 2-car. Do they also have part of a DEB set?
A 620/720 isn't as good as an Xplorer, but it's worth looking at. They would need to be fitted with intercity standard seats for a start.
Cheers
David |
I think he probably mixed up 900 class with 620 class, they do look somewhat similar...
Speaking of WCR, how come NSW never consider privatisation before? despite Victoria had alot of problems since 99, privatisation has reduce alot of tax payer's subsidy. Even the recent "bail out" extra funds still in comparison much cheaper than government own days. Not to mention trains are more reliable and puntual, cheaper to run.
Hey?..whatever happen to my warning level?
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DavidB
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 5:36 pm
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| James C wrote: | | I think he probably mixed up 900 class with 620 class, they do look somewhat similar... |
An option could be to remove the cab from a 720 and make it an intermediate trailer (probably with a small buffet) in a 620-720-620 set. IIRC there were a few around with damaged cabs and/or controls removed. I think State Mine, Lithgow has a 720 with a fire damaged cab so there is potential for a swap.
| James C wrote: | | Speaking of WCR, how come NSW never consider privatisation before? despite Victoria had alot of problems since 99, privatisation has reduce alot of tax payer's subsidy. Even the recent "bail out" extra funds still in comparison much cheaper than government own days. Not to mention trains are more reliable and puntual, cheaper to run. |
It would be seen as privatisation, which Labor governments generally don't like. WCR is actually a subcontractor to the Department of Infrastructure (so is V/Line for that matter) so it's not true privatisation like GSR or Tranz Scenic.
Cheers
David
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maybenever
Deputy Commissioner
Joined: Jun 07, 2003
Last Visited: May 1, 2006
Location: Upper Muddystuff
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:30 pm
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Hey,
The set that they have done up is definately a 620/720. The others were sent up from storage in Tamworth after vandals set fire to one. They may be 900's, not sure.
Later
Wesley
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standard_gauge
Dr Beeching
Joined: Apr 13, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 26, 2008
Location: Outside the toilet, waiting for Della Bosca to come out !!
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:55 pm
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| James C wrote: | | Speaking of WCR, how come NSW never consider privatisation before? despite Victoria had alot of problems since 99, privatisation has reduce alot of tax payer's subsidy. Even the recent "bail out" extra funds still in comparison much cheaper than government own days. Not to mention trains are more reliable and puntual, cheaper to run. |
It would be seen as privatisation, which Labor governments generally don't like. WCR is actually a subcontractor to the Department of Infrastructure (so is V/Line for that matter) so it's not true privatisation like GSR or Tranz Scenic.
Cheers
David[/quote]
Freight Corp would be one of the very few example where privatisation under a labor government right?
Hey?..whatever happen to my warning level?
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robbo
Train Controller
Joined: Jan 30, 2003
Last Visited: Jun 16, 2008
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:11 pm
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| DavidB wrote: | | maybenever wrote: | | The Mayor and local member have formed a 'war council', and it would have to be a completely out of touch government to take the service away... Oh no, that is exactly what we have... |
Have they got in touch with Friends of the Northern Railway? They were instrumental in getting the service back to Armidale in 1993, and have been lobbying to have it extended to Glen Innes. I was a member of FONR when I was at UNE.
Cheers
David |
That's something Costa's forgotten about ... what are all the Uni students going to do in the holidays? Catch the bus home? I don't think so. Just thinking about it, every university campus in NSW is served by a train nearby (except Macquarie, but that's soon to be rectified)... this is an important thing to keep. Students might be half-fare payers but they probably do need ways to get home (and plane isn't always an option either).
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pennoes
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Jun 12, 2003
Last Visited: Oct 3, 2007
Location: Tamworth, NSW
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 11:42 pm
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This is true, a lot of students do use the railways as they are cheaper options.
The prob is however that there are too many concession people using the services, they need more full fee paying customers. They are loosing lots of money & it tends to be a viscous cycle - full fee paying people don't use the service as much cause its too slow and easier to catch a plane, thus the majority of people who can't afford planes etc are concession holders...
(By the way I am certainly in favour of concessions - I am a student myself, but you have to look at the economics for the business of running the railways)
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marcos
Station Master
Joined: Jun 16, 2003
Last Visited: Feb 11, 2008
Location: northern nsw
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Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 11:48 pm
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For a privatly run regular passenger service tamworth-armidale it would at least have to be a 900 class deb set with the interior refurbished as these cars have never been upgraded internally since the 1950s when they were built. Travelling time should be fairly similair to xpl as some of the reduction in transit times was only due to less stopping times at stations. 600/700 class have no air con or buffet.
The tamworth-armidale line and also the murwillumbah line exist soley for a daily passenger service, there is no freight so both these lines would be a large expense. What a shame trakfast parcels service is long since history due to gross mismangement. Why is it that eastern australia airlines etc can provide a small parcels service (extra revenue) together with there passenger service and state rail too hard and ran at a loss. 
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marcos
Station Master
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Location: northern nsw
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