Originally Posted by
limelight
Sunfish,
Sydney and Melbourne could keep their current runways, and would not require any new ones if there was a fast train service between the two cities. If the train could do it in three hours, then number of flights would reduce dramatically.
Limelight,
Think "outside the square" --- and do some serious costing.
The assumption always is that the un-subsidized cost per passenger seat km. is automatically cheaper by train.
This is simply not so, and given the distances between Australia's few population centers, sadly for HS rail, airlines are devastatingly competitive.
Remember, HS rail has NOT destroyed aviation services within China or Japan, or, for that matter, Europe.
And, folks, the good (or bad, depending on your point of view) news is that rapidly rising electricity prices in Australia, due to ratbag energy policies, makes HS rail even more un-competitive.
Tootle pip!!