Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

Tim Fischer was Deputy Prime Minister.

"Australia's rail network was more helpful to the invading enemy than the defenders. it leaves this huge country helpless against any aggressor who is able to mount an attack." - Lord Herbert Horatio Kitchener after visiting Australia in 1911.

In celebrating 150 years and pointing the way forward for rail heritage and tourism rail heritage, it has to be said we need to maintain and improve the efficiency of the existing rail infrastructure first and foremost.

Why is this so? You cannot run superb rail heritage tourism rail product along railway lines which have been temporarily or permanently closed to all rail traffic; the network has been shrinking for decades with the exception of the Adelaide-Darwin transcontinental and one or two others. We need a viable and extensive set of railway lines to help facilitate rail heritage tourism going forward.

Thinking about this in detail I have prepared a research paper which will be released at Tamworth on the 28th of September entitled:

'Mark Twain Downunder by Train: Sydney to Melbourne to Castlemaine. A paper on enhancing the tourism potential and profile of the unique rail heritage of Australia'

Today I give you a preview of this paper, in part, but more particularly some thoughts on how Australia and the railways can withstand the oil price hike, in turn ensuring there is a network of some length on which to operate rail heritage tourism.

Herewith a key list of rail projects in particular, to help Australia withstand the 2005 huge oil price hike (with many spikes to come), through boosting certain rail infrastructure and taking one lateral thinking road initiative.

The list

• Continue the work of the ARTC with its recently boosted capital program extending loops and improving signalling and train control across the network, along with more specific upgrading for the standard gauge system in NSW under the lease arrangements within that state.
• State Governments and where applicable the Federal Government continue other direct rail projects such as the new Mandurah to Perth electrified commuter line, the Castle Hill much needed Sydney rail link and the Sunshine Coast rail link to Brisbane, and extension Robina to Coolangatta.
• Install harmonised 'SAFE-T-CAM' systems across all interstate highways to further monitor truck, coach and car movement over distance, particularly interstate highways, in the interest of boosting truck driver safety by eliminating illegal pressures and demands.

Specific New 'Small and Big' Ticket Projects:

• Eliminate two kilometres of rail distance between Sydney and Melbourne for most trains by dual signalling the Down mainline through the Bethungra Spiral, installing two new sets of points, but keeping the spiral operational as a passing loop when occasionally required.
• Remove the Picton kink from the Sydney-Melbourne mainline by upgrading to mainline standard the original mainline through Thirlmere to Mittagong with dual directional signalling.
• Eliminate the Cullerin Range kink by at long last utilising most of the freeway corridor with its better pathway between Gunning and Goulburn
• Eliminate and close the Irish Broad Gauge line between Seymour and Wodonga as part of both the Wodonga Rail Bypass Project, and upgrading the existing two tracks on the corridor (each in turn) to standard gauge and 160km/h speed limit.
• Standardise the key Geelong-Maryborough to Mildura link, and Ouyen to Pinnaroo, in accordance with the Victoria State Government budget announcement late last century.
• Provide in the course of the next ten years a double-stacked container route around the Adelaide Hills by standardising Adelaide-Gawler-Angaston-Cambrai to Murray Bridge; in due course (but not yet) plan for the standardisation also of Gawler to Peterborough.
• Survey the corridor for a standard gauge line from Leonora or Menzies to Newman, not yet justified but one day it will be.
• Build the dual gauge (standard 4' 8½" and Anglo Cape 3' 6") from Charleton near Toowomba to Helidon as a deep level single track rail tunnel
• Open-cut the Ardglen Rail tunnel on the north-west mainline of NSW lowering the grades on either side for this key coal line.
• Revise the Newcastle Rail Revamp by continuing to proceed with the elimination of electric trains (and gantry) between Broadmeadow and Newcastle but maintain existing tracks for diesel hauled and gas turbine rail motor shuttle services, sinking a 100-metre section between Newcastle and Civic into a shallow trench.