The federal government has committed $5 million to undertake rail feasibility studies for two key lines in northern Australia.

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Is there any tourist potential to go with it?  A passenger service from Darwin down through to Brisbane along this line might work, then maybe it wouldn't.  I realise a break of gauge at Mt Isa  would be problematic.

Has been some discussion on this subject over in the NT forum https://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11380886.htm

Is there any tourist potential to go with it?  A passenger service from Darwin down through to Brisbane along this line might work, then maybe it wouldn't.  I realise a break of gauge at Mt Isa  would be problematic.

There is no discussion of Gauge for the new network components.  Is the plan to SG the Mount Isa line entirely?

If the line is not SG then I fail to see how a tourist or passenger service could be provided (as an extension of the Mount Isa service) without additional SG rolling stock.

There is no discussion of Gauge for the new network components.  Is the plan to SG the Mount Isa line entirely?

If the line is not SG then I fail to see how a tourist or passenger service could be provided (as an extension of the Mount Isa service) without additional SG rolling stock.

There is no current planning to standardise the Mt Isa line, but considerable planning to boost capacity from the current 7.5-million tonnes to 20-million tonnes on some sections using the existing gauge. The proposed line west of Mt Isa to Tennant Creek will almost certainly be standard gauge - the most likely commodity to drive construction will be major phosphate deposits about half way between Mt Isa and Tennant Creek...these mines will still be closer to Townsville than Darwin, so if miners choose to export out of Townsville, then some of this proposed line might have to be dual gauge. Cross border freight via the parallel Barkley Highway corridor is about half of that moved from South Australia on road and rail, so there probably will be potential for this line eventually, but it's a very long way off if the phosphate mines don't happen.

I realise a break of gauge at Mt Isa  would be problematic.

Several techniques have or are being use to overcome this break of gauge:

* A) Bogie exchange (Dry Creek, Dynon, etc) between BG and SG;
** not yet seen between SG and NG though QR did have some Bogie Exchangeable compatible QLX waggons.
* B) Piggyback of trains of one gauge on rails on flatcars of the other gauge (conditions apply)
* C) Third rail (not a problem between 1435mm and 1067mm as in QLD, WA)
* D) Variable gauge axles (used for certain pax trains in Europe such as France-Spain or Poland-Russia) but not yet seen for freight trains.
* E) ISO Shipping Containers, with suitable gantry crane.
* Z) Mixture of the above.

Does the bogie exchange at Dry Creek still operate?

Does the bogie exchange at Dry Creek still operate?

No. All Bogies exchanges have been shut down, but the modern Adelaide one was particularly efficient while it was operating.

This design could presumably be resurrected for use at Mt Isa if required.

Any BE facility should be at or near a significant population centre; Mt Isa rather than Tennant Creek, all other things being equal.

Does the bogie exchange at Dry Creek still operate?

It was closed soon after gauge conversion of the Melbourne - Adelaide line as there has been no BG freight in SA that needed converting since then!
Peterborough and Port Pirie bogie exchange plants were removed and buildings demolished pretty quickly.

The Dry Creek bogie exchange building is still there with part of the building altered with the installation of an under floor wheel lathe