Narrow gauge rail pose huge limitations on transport efficiencies

NARROW gauge rail lines would limit the coal basin's productivity.

THE Galilee Coal Basin presents enormous opportunities for Queensland and Australia but decisions on rail infrastructure need to be very carefully considered by all stakeholders and mistakes must be avoided, especially over the best rail gauge.

Fifty years ago, consideration was given to a major upgrade of the Townsville-Cloncurry-Mt Isa railway line, which crosses the mighty Burdekin River near Charters Towers.

Visionaries decades before had built the Burdekin railway bridge with both narrow gauge and standard gauge capability. Brisbane decided to do that upgrade in narrow gauge.

Likewise, subsequent state governments allowed the then Queensland Railways, or QR, to develop the Bowen Basin coal lines in narrow gauge, resulting in huge limitations on transport efficiencies, although 25 AC voltage overhead electrification of most of these lines was the right call.

Worse still, Port Clinton, northeast of Rockhampton on the edge of the Shoalwater Military Training Area, a large port with huge potential, complete with a natural access channel that avoids sailing through the Great Barrier Reef, was neglected and bypassed.

Today Port Clinton could have a military facility on one side and huge coal outloaders on the other.

Even the Greens would or should have been happy in net terms, notwithstanding some dredging required, as this would have reduced pressure and the use of the various other (Hay Point) passages that require sailing near and through gaps in the reef.

Now, the only state government in Australia with a structure featuring a co-ordinator-general is on the cusp of locking in some huge decisions, with ramifications that will be felt for decades and with a big impact on that much sought-after economic ingredient, namely productivity.

What is at stake here is exemplified by one simple question. In the 21st century do you want to load about 75 tonnes of coal per wagon on narrow Anglo Cape (1067mm) gauge for a maximum of 14,000 tonnes of coal on each train, or might you want to load 120 tonnes of coal per wagon for a possible maximum of 25,000 tonnes of coal on each super train, by using standard Stephenson (1435mm) gauge?

Stephenson standard gauge, just 368mm wider than Anglo Cape (QR) narrow gauge, is now dominant within Australia and worldwide. It would also have the advantage of helping to supply key missing links on Australia's interstate rail network and help provide some cost savings in equipment purchases.

It is a no-brainer, and to be fair, much of the new Galilee railway network is planned in Stephenson standard gauge.

In all of this there is a nasty little twist in the reasonable-sounding bid of QR (now called Aurizon) to build a dual-gauge Central Queensland Integrated Rail Project. The twist is an attempt to creep Anglo Cape narrow gauge into the logistics of Galilee, sadly limiting productivity.

The real danger lies with the present slow phase; with big mine projects and related infrastructure, financiers are moving more slowly and cautiously. The existing QR/Aurizon narrow gauge add-ons may be built first to Galilee and then it will be too difficult to go greenfield Stephenson standard gauge at a later stage -- another opportunity lost.

John Monash of Hamel, Jerilderie and Melbourne, in his role as outstanding engineer and expert court witness, made several trips through NSW to Queensland and always approached infrastructure planning, concrete bridge building and even Western Front battle planning on a holistic basis.

He always wanted harmony and maximum linkages with his various projects, although he allowed a narrow internal gauge with the giant Gippsland brown coal developments, which was later removed.

If Monash was alive today, I think he would say: "Do not let narrow gauge anywhere near the new and huge Galilee Coal basin or you will greatly regret the productivity limitations."

History favours getting things right first up, in this case going 100 per cent Stephenson standard gauge with Galilee.

I might add this is the case not only for Galilee, but also, if not too late, for the new Surat Basin railway. Surat in standard gauge would help afford a seamless rail linkage between Gladstone, Moree, Parkes and Melbourne.

When Campbell Newman (in a previous occupation) masterminded the use of standard gauge from The Rock-Lockhart-Boree Creek NSW branchline direct to Appleton Wharf, Melbourne for grain exports, he showed boldness and lateral thinking, a holistic Monash-type approach.

I hope he sits down with the Deputy Premier, Transport Minister and the Co-ordinator-General to sort something with Galilee while it can still be sorted, in favour of maximising rail productivity.

At the very least, some dual gauge capability from Goonyella to Abbot Point could be an interim solution. In any event the "very establishment" QR railway with the new name Aurizon, must be challenged and asked to justify in chapter and verse the use of narrow gauge along any part of the Galilee driven rail network expansion.

Tim Fischer is a former deputy prime minister and author of several rail books, including Trains Unlimited in the 21st Century, ABC Books.