A private group
wishes to construct a high speed line from Melbourne to Darwin,
the 4,500 km (2,800 miles)distance right across australia, with
passenger trains travelling at speeds of 300km/h (186mph) and
frieght at 200km/h (125mph). The project is estimated to cost AU
$10 billion, with the Government pledging AU $100 million in
support.
The line would go via Melbourne, Shepparton, Griffith, Parkes, Dubbo, Moree, Toowoomba, Emerald, Longreach, Mt Isa, Tennant Creek and Darwin.
This kind of construction is completely unprecidented. No line of this length has ever been build, most high speed lines are in the order of 150-600km (100-400 miles) long. The general wisdom is that after this distance high speed rail cannot successfully compete with aircraft. It is unlikely that this line could dent the airline market in Australia.
Presumably to save costs the line will not have overhead electric cables. This will be a first because up to now all new lines have been build with overhead electric cables to support electric trains. The plan is to use gas turbine powered locomotives. Gas turbines will have to be used since diesel trains have their limit at 200km/h (125mph). Gas turbines are the engines used by helicopters. However experience with the Canadian/American Turbo trains show that gas turbine powered trains are unreliable - the engines are not well suited to the demands of a railway locomotive.
I am doubtful as to the success of this project. Australia is extremely thinly populated with only about 18 million inhabitants. European countries such as the UK, France and Germany all have about three times this population. A high population density is a requirement for the success of rail, and there may not be the population centers in Australia to make it worthwhile. Plans currently are to start operation in 2004
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