The Alice Springs - Darwin railway construction project took approximately 18 months to complete 1,420km of track (including up to 2km of track per day) at a total cost of approximately $1.2 Billion completed in 17 September 2003. (approx. 846,000/km
`In one day, on April 28, 1869, these men, fired with the enthusiasm of the greatest railroad construction race in the history of the world, laid ten miles and fifty-six feet of track in a little less than twelve hours to bring the rail head of the Central Pacific three and one-half miles from Promontory, Utah, USA using steam driven cranes and shovels by a small squad of Irish workmen and Chinese Coolies.' A record unbroken to this day.
(I will wash my mouth out later)
The proposed ambitious project will cost an estimated $8-$13 billion and the time - 9 years to build starting in 2022 to be completed 2031: This to build approximately 27 kms of track, infrastructure & stations!
No wonder the country is rooted as Hanrahan would say; Rooted I tell yers Mate! Rooted!