There's one more bound for Pinnaroo leaving Dry Creek tonight (about 11pm). I'll be chasing it on its return journey tomorrow, a 700-700-CL would be a great way for operations to finish.

Did this service run?

Did this service run?

Yes it did.

From reports by various people on the South Australian Railway Enthusiasts Facebook group it left Dry Creek with 2216, 703 and GWU004 + 31 AHGX hoppers. The GWU was detached at Tailembend arriving at Pinnaroo at dawn.

Should have been loaded by now and be on its way back to Adelaide.

Matt

Did this service run?

Yes, today locos 703 & 2216 hauled the last train out of Pinnaroo (11:45am departure, arrived at Tailem Bend approx. 3:37pm) with gwu004 attached at Tailem Bend. I reckon I saw at least 15 other enthusiasts chase this train.

This may have been covered elsewhere but does GWAs contract enable them to just mothball the line or could the SA gov't take back control of it.

The reason I ask is that with the impending standardisation of the Mildura and (according to some sources) the Pinaroo Line (Victoria) it may become attractive to ARTC in the future to link this line to Mildura and a proposed northern extension from Mildura to Menindee were the Vic Government sell / hand over this line.

BG

The GWA situation (from what I understand of it) goes possibly something like the following (which I dont profess to be a subject matter expert)...

1) The dirt that the rail track (rail, sleepers etc. i.e. all the componentry that makes a train track) sits on is owned by the state government and is on a long lease.  Eventually, this will go back to the state in subsequent generations' lives.

2) The assets 'above the dirt' rail, sleepers, spikes, switches are owned by GWA.

You can talk about 3rd party access being legally enforceable, which I guess is theoretically possible - but when it isnt remotely economical to do so, then you have another situation on your hand and therefore not practical for any other rail company to do so either.  

If GWA state they'll provide access to the line, which commercially you pay not only for the costs of maintaining it (as the only user of it - GWA are not obliged to offer equivalent rates likes ARTC for exmaple), but you then pay GWA also a margin for them being the RIM etc. its all framed to not work commercially for anyone to operate on such lines outside of GWA.

Unless, either the SA Govt or ARTC make it financially worthwhile for GWA to sell / relinquish the assets, the current state of play will likely remain.

Railway tracks left to rot and become overgrown !

The GWA situation (from what I understand of it) goes possibly something like the following (which I dont profess to be a subject matter expert)...

1) The dirt that the rail track (rail, sleepers etc. i.e. all the componentry that makes a train track) sits on is owned by the state government and is on a long lease.  Eventually, this will go back to the state in subsequent generations' lives.

2) The assets 'above the dirt' rail, sleepers, spikes, switches are owned by GWA.

You can talk about 3rd party access being legally enforceable, which I guess is theoretically possible - but when it isnt remotely economical to do so, then you have another situation on your hand and therefore not practical for any other rail company to do so either.  

If GWA state they'll provide access to the line, which commercially you pay not only for the costs of maintaining it (as the only user of it - GWA are not obliged to offer equivalent rates likes ARTC for exmaple), but you then pay GWA also a margin for them being the RIM etc. its all framed to not work commercially for anyone to operate on such lines outside of GWA.

Unless, either the SA Govt or ARTC make it financially worthwhile for GWA to sell / relinquish the assets, the current state of play will likely remain.

See below for ownership details from DPTI.

There is also a 3rd party access regime in place already: http://www.escosa.sa.gov.au/sa-rail-overview.aspx

In that case who owns the actual Tailem Bend, Lameroo and Pinnaroo stations.. would it be the DPTI, ARTC or G&W?