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Thread ID: 89579	2008-05-05 01:30:00	Govt buys back Rail Operations, what a waste of our money	robbyp (2751)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
666069	2008-05-06 01:24:00	It's a pity we have such a narrow gutted rail gauge otherwize we could put truck trailers on rail flat tops and transport stuff that way as they do in the US. This way we keep longhaul trucks off the road.	paulw (1826)
666070	2008-05-06 02:05:00	Rail already shifts 10,20 or 40' containers. Does the truck trailer have to do the whole trip?	PaulD (232)
666071	2008-05-06 03:37:00	Toll Rail had the CEO of a transport business running it. He could see that trucks were subsidised more than trains so that's where he was putting his money. So if the government reduces subsidises on trucks?.	SolMiester (139)
666072	2008-05-06 04:29:00	We have to go by rail in the future. Running out of oil etc makes this inevitable. I am old enough to remember the days when rails did practically go to the marketing centres. (Super markets unheard of then). Typical idiot decisions 1) Christchurch which used to have rail almost to the city centre. Then moved the station to an outlying area without even a bus service. So making it almost impossible to catch the train. 2) Christchurch - Lytleton used to be electrified. Guess what now. 3) My old home town Blackpool did away with one of the lines serving the town, turning the route into yet another motorway. They have found that the remaining lines cannot handle the traffic and are surveying for a new line to be laid down. With computers, rail travel could become the way for all traffic including passengers to be handled. We would no longer need to own private cars - WHOOPEE. I wonder if any remember Flash Gordon and the tiny personal rail cabs they used? Tom Don't our trains run on oil anyway, so it is not going to eliminate emissions. Perhaps rail is a more efficient use of oil. My worry with this, is that they are now going to require many hundreds of millions bringing the old system up to scratch, and where is the money for this going to come from? Has there actually been a cost benefit study carried out for this investment.	robbyp (2751)
666073	2008-05-06 05:18:00	Don't our trains run on oil anyway, so it is not going to eliminate emissions. Perhaps rail is a more efficient use of oil. My worry with this, is that they are now going to require many hundreds of millions bringing the old system up to scratch, and where is the money for this going to come from? Has there actually been a cost benefit study carried out for this investment. I believe they are diesel/electric. Nobody has mentioned how many jobs this by back is going to create	plod (107)
666074	2008-05-06 07:55:00	Rail already shifts 10,20 or 40' containers. Does the truck trailer have to do the whole trip? Yep. The trucks don't carry containers though. The trunks normaly carry non containerize freight.. Drive on at one end and off at the other.. though the tractor unit doesn't go along for the ride just the trailers.. Container trains in parts of the US are 4 forty footers stacked two high per flat top. Try that one here..	paulw (1826)
666075	2008-05-06 20:55:00	I believe they are diesel/electric. Nobody has mentioned how many jobs this by back is going to create if it's on par with previous gov. rail,double or treble present #	Cicero (40)
666076	2008-05-06 21:20:00	I believe they are diesel/electric. Nobody has mentioned how many jobs this by back is going to create In actual rail traffic staff , stuff all. In mangaement and consultancy about a 100% extra..	paulw (1826)
666077	2008-05-06 22:41:00	Don't our trains run on oil anyway, so it is not going to eliminate emissions. Perhaps rail is a more efficient use of oil. My worry with this, is that they are now going to require many hundreds of millions bringing the old system up to scratch, and where is the money for this going to come from? Has there actually been a cost benefit study carried out for this investment. We have to remember that we have spent millions on roads and cars etc in the past. If we had realized what a stupid idea it all was, we could have spent millions on rail instead. Imagine if instead of a road, rails had been put down and each house etc had its own rail line in (replacing the driveway we use now). With computers no drivers etc would be required. Imagine - no traffic rules, no bank robberies, no drunken drivers, no need to stay awake on long journeys, almost entirely no accidents(I guess there will always be some). It could still be done. New Zealand being small and well organized could be a world leader - but it will not be done overnight. In fact probably about 3 or 4 generations would be needed to finish the job. The sooner we start the better. We have to some day. Tom	Thomas01 (317)
666078	2008-05-06 23:18:00	I've just spent 6 weeks overseas which has taught me a few important things. 1] Rail is good. We need rail. It's never easy, no one is ever happy about the service they get or the cost. But it's still a vital ingredient in a city and nationwide transport network once your population/traffic density hits a certain level. Auckland needs rail and the idea of more use of rail nationwide for freight is good, even if how to make it work is still a mystery. Which brings me to point 2 ... 2] NZ needs more people. Yes, that's right. Our low population is a luxury we might not be able to afford in the long term. The sad history of both commuter and freight rail in this country (not to mention many other commercial ventures) is partly a product of our low population. Our economy needs more people in it if we are to prosper. Realistically, these people will come from Asia. 3] The English kid themselves about their weather, while the Scots do not. Spring in England? Bring your woollies. 4] The Americans don't know jack about coffee or bacon, even though they think they do. 5] The English don't know jack about good bread, despite living a heck of a lot closer to bread-aware Europe than us. Go figure. 6] Bangkok needs a good rail network about 3000% more than Auckland does.	Biggles (121)
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