Bitumen is not designed for heavy freight.
It is pliable, unlike concrete. Can be moulded like plasticine. It is in order of 25mm to 50mm thick. Bitumen roads are dirt crusted with bitumen. When it is stretched under heavy axle loads of by the reactive soils it is built on, it cracks. Once it cracks, it allows water to penetrate and soften the formation it is built upon. Hence why many council seal the cracks with hot mix. Bitumen is made from crude oil and has a lifespan of a decade, breaking down under UV light.
Governments are currently spending $90b per annum of taxpayers money repairing roads not designed to carry heavy freight, let alone in the volumes we’re seeing.
Conversely roads made of steel are purpose built for heavy traffic. There is rail 100years old carrying 70m gross tons each and every day on the Main South Sydney to Melbourne corridor. 60kg and 53kg continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers, that last in excess of a lifetime.
Rail is 45% cheaper and produces 1/13th the amount of greenhouse gases at a time of a cost of living and climate crisis. There were 175 fatalities last year involving trucks.
To reopen the Great Northern line from Armidale to Wallangara is $220m, or $1m/km.
That’s brand new 60kg continuous welded rail on concrete sleepers. Concrete culverts and level crossing. Sunnyside bridge near Tenterfield converted from ballast top timber truss to transom top steel girders for under $3m.
Concrete sleepers are $136 each from Rocklea Grafton delivered and are spaced at 700mm centres. There are 1’428 concrete sleepers per km or 314’160 for the 220km from Armidale to Wallangara equating to $43m.
Using the existing rail would see the cost reduced to about half.
There is no age limit on rail. It is routinely ultrasonically crack tested by an on track vehicle.
It’s not a case we cant afford to reopen these lines.
It’s a case we can’t afford not to.
Rail trails are an exercise in cost shifting from the state absolving itself of the cost and responsibilities shifting the cost to councils and ratepayers who cant afford to maintain the roads let alone build and maintain financially unviable white elephant rail trails.
Got something on your mind? Go on then, engage. Submit your opinion piece, letter to the editor, or Quick Word now.
In theory, I love the idea, but there are many unanswered questions. Here are just a few.
What would be the impact on the lives of those living by the railway line, of multiple freight trains passing their house by day and night? Have they been considered?
The real cost. Take the quoted numbers and at least double them, as unexpected problems crop up…so let’s say nearer to $500m, and that just to the metropolis of Wallangara. (NB. Barnaby’s $4.7b freight link is now out to $31b and years behind schedule)
What happens north of Wallangara?
If $220m is the cost why have people been quoting $2billion? Especially given that an operating corridor is viable and huge economic stimulus for our region.
The Main Morth needs to be repaired and extended to the freight distribution centre at Warwick, then on to Toowoomba where the Inland rail runs down to Brisbane. The costs in lives, road repairs and fuel emmisions makes this an imperative. This is shown each time the coastal routes are flooded and is predicted to happen more often
Peter Szacsvay it cost hundreds of millions just to build the bridge at Bolivia Hill on the highway,
Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard – a rail trail
in the New England and the new mountain bike park in Tenterfield would be a excellent way to draw in more tourists
Kevin Condrick thats what the inland rail is.
Anne Vosper Exactly All these cost benefit/ recovery models miss the point. Check out the Appalachian railways for a great model.
I agree rail lines should never been closed for freight
Rail is good for two types of freight coal and grain not your local supermarkets or other industries that line was shut because it wasn’t viable any more like most lines that have been closed no body wants ther bread mikl and Sundays paper delivery Friday next week and the only trucks that service those towns use the new England hwy except when pacific is closed
This article is a complete falsehood. No one has published a report that is available for scrutiny that the railway can be rebuilt for $220 million. That figure is complete nonsense when you look at the previously published studies for a cost closer to a billion dollars. As for the criticism of rail trails, the comment of “financially unviable white elephant” is completely incorrect. Numerous studies and the incredible success of trails in Qld, NSW and Victoria back their viability and how they have become a drawcard for tourists and locals alike. The railway had its time but time moves on.
Lois Mcguinness back on trucks ..handling value added to the freight cost…Coles and woolies jump for joy..
Pip Ryan everything moving in containers these days anyways easy on easy off. Yet we got trucks out there carrying empty containers, be easier to just have one big long train collecting empties then trucks running empty all over the county.
Tanya Langdon trucks cause 90% of the wear and tear on our roads, if they were expected to pay the cost of damage instead of spread over the whole tax base of drivers (subsidised) rail would be much more competitive
Warren Coventry
Not a simple solution.
You still need to get the goods to the trains.
You still need to load trucks.
then deliver to train station.
Then use trucks on arrival to deliver.
Not always cheaper alternative.
Just build the rail trail.
It won’t come back.
Not enough tax money will be acquired from rail. That is why governments don’t push for it.
Helen McNeill cheaper for the taxpayers. Why should taxpayers pay for road maintenance when it’s privately owned businesses that degrade it.
Mike Smith I think the key word in your comment is “was” no one is doing that today…
Allan Pearce There are occasional incidents anywhere, but attacks on rail trails are uncommon. Opponents constantly raise the issue of maintenance. In reality like other walking and cycling paths they are not expensive to maintain. Maintenance costs based on other rail trail costs are built into business cases, as are lease and licence income streams which can be used to fund maintenance.
Unfortunatly reopening the Northern Rail is a pipe dream from fantasy land. Those quoted figures are hugely underestimated. The triple handling of freight into rail depots, and the massive delays and backlogs due to inefficient and outdated work practices are very unattractive to freight forwarders. The inland Melbourne to Brisbane rail will likewise be a huge white elephant, as dual rail is required required to be effecient. To take meaningful freight off the Newell would require a 70 car double stacked train every 2 hours, both directions! You’ll be lucky to get four trains each way, each day. Good luck wasted Taxpayers dollars.
Rob McFarlane Peter and his friends have already achieved 55kms of rail trail, enjoyed on more than a quarter of a million visits. We have support from every council in the Northern Rivers and both major parties to complete it. And if transport is a priority Peter contributed to public transport in Canberra successfuly proposing extending a Rapid Bus service to the North West Belconnen area. By contrast the rail lobby have achieved nothing, and will achieve nothing for public transport in regional NSW, or regional development.