Thread: great british railroads

Thanks Drivesafe,thought it was my lousy computer skills,or a anti raving setting!!,probably just as well,as it's a strong passion of mine to see this country with a modern and efficient NATIONAL rail system that would make our roads safer and create more susstainable employment,
Cheers Gregg

That has been a passion of many folk for decades past but it has never eventuated.In the Menzies era the opportunity was there with federal funding but some little men with personal state interests and for the want of a better term railroaded it.Those egotists are now dead and gone and Australia lost that golden opportunity. IMHO Queensland lost a great chance to rectify part of the problem when ,as it was straightening the line for it's latest speedier trains they did not have the foresight to change the coastal lines to the standard gauge.The rest could have been changed at another time.I see that one new line that Gina Reinardts new mine will be built by her company and use the standard gauge. Ironic isn't it?

It does not make economic sense to change to 4' 8 1/2" gauge. There is more 3' 6" in Australia than standard or wide gauge. It would be cheaper to change those to 3' 6
" gauge. QR has almost as much track as the rest of Australia combined.

There's more narrow gauge in the world than standard gauge or so I believe

Hell in Australia we have/had 15", 18", 20", 21", 600mm, 2', 2'6, 3', 3'6, 3'8, metre, 4' gauges for working (ie not tourist ala RH&D/Ratty) railways and probably a bunch more I can't remember!

The line from Brisbane /Sydney/Melbourne/Adelaide/Port Augusta/Darwin/Perth and various mining lines in WA are standard gauge.WestOz regional lines are 3'6".All 3'6" gauge in SA are not now used and the main gauge is Standard.The proposed fast freight rail from Melbourne/Brisbane will be standard gauge.Then of course the Irish gauge ( 5'3") is still in use in Vic.
Funny thing the man who built the first line in Queensland (Ipswich/Bigges Camp) in 1865 was an Irishman and he chose 3'6". Something to do with the new state not having enough in the treasury historical chronicles tell us.