Japanese bid to bring Australia into the high-speed game

[Guest j_doug]

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/techandscience/japanese-bid-to-bring-australia-into-the-high-speed-game/ar-BBb3iru

 

In Tokyo this week for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the first of Japan's remarkable high-speed rail lines, the Shinkansen, former deputy prime minister and noted train buff Tim Fischer drew a laugh with a spot of Australian self-deprecation.

 

"Australia invented 22 different railway gauges," Fischer told a conference audience, referring to that notorious situation in which the colonies built rail tracks different widths apart, which for many years prevented proper interstate travel.

 

"We have some competence in this subject."

 

The anniversary of the opening of the first Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka in October 1964, a few days before Tokyo hosted the Olympic Games, is a moment of immense national pride in Japan.

But the anniversary is also being used by the companies that operate Japan's rail system as part of a new push to promote the export of their fast rail technology.

 

They are focusing on countries that have, at least, expressed an enthusiasm for high-speed rail – India, the US, Malaysia.

 

And, of course, Australia, which has been talking about building high speed rail almost as long as the Japanese have been riding on it.

 

 

 

[katoftw]

I always giggle at the stupidity that we could run a similar system to the Japanese.  The Japanese work hard for little money.  It is why the system is viable and dependable.  The Australian system is be the opposite.

Edited October 26, 2014 by katoftw

[westfalen]

I admire Tim Fischer as the only pro-rail politician we ever had in this country, although like all politicians of all persuasions he never actually took much action while he was in office, but where does he get the statement "Australia invented 22 different railway gauges"?

 

There are three main gauges in use on main line railways 5'3", standard and 3'6", and the only one of those we can even come close to claiming we invented is 3'6" as before its first use on a mainline railway in Queensland in 1865 it was only used by a light railway in Norway.

[bikkuri bahn]

FWIW, a presentation made by JR Central at a conference in Canberra last year, an overview of the Tokaido Shinkansen and pitch to Australia:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CEsQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Frdahunter.org.au%2F_literature_1934%2FGen_Okajima_General_Manager_Central_Japan_Railway_Company_-_The_Japanese_Experience&ei=UOhQVJv6G87Z8gWJwIHACw&usg=AFQjCNFyClubcMdIWB97n2I_iN_qKN-6oQ&bvm=bv.78597519,d.dGc

Edited October 29, 2014 by bikkuri bahn

[marknewton]

I think that comment about us inventing 22 gauges was an I example of his "humour", for want of a better word.

 

I met him once - we had him on the engine coming back from a trip to Maitland. Nice enough bloke I suppose, but he came across as a bit airy-fairy on railway matters.

 

As for HSR in Australia, I don't think it will ever happen. Transport policy at state and federal level is all about roads, and both major parties are leery of public sector spending on big infrastructure projects - apart from so-called PPP road projects which are just a means of shovelling public money into their private sector mates pockets. I don't imagine that the LNP has many connections with JR Central, so unless they become "donors" they're wasting their time.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[E6系]

Good luck !!!