Should Australia have High Speed Rail on the East Coast?

[Sojourner]

In relation to the other thread I brought up the possibility of a High Speed Rail link on the East Coast of Australia. The ALP are already talking about putting Stimulus into Infrastructure, is this a project that should be done?

[The Sleeping Giant]

No. Waste of money. Cheaper to fly.

[Magpiespower]

Let's see if they can build the NorthWest (Sydney) rail link first...

[auto]

would think the costs would be outrageously high but every modern country needs a bullet train so i say do it.

[Booney]

IIRC Melbourne to Sydney and vice versa is the bussiest daily route for air traffic in the world. Surely a bullet train would be the right move for that route?


*Edit - 4th bussiest *

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_busiest_passenger_air_routes

[Psyber]

Nice idea - when we have worked out whether there is any money and we can afford it.
I'd favour fast trains between all the capitals and major centres in between over the NBN.
But it would have to be done in affordable steps...

[Dog_ger]

High speed Australian Internet would be better.

For the same price of what we are paying now....

I'd favour cheaper SAFE flights.

[Psyber]

High speed Australian Internet would be better.
For the same price of what we are paying now....
I'd favour cheaper SAFE flights.

But trains can be electrified whereas planes emit masses of CO2..

[Dog_ger]

Psyber, we are decades away from high speed rail my good friend.

Didn't vote.

[Psyber]

Psyber, we are decades away from high speed rail my good friend.
Didn't vote.

I agree that we may be decades away from it...
Apart from anything else, we need reasonably cheap and reliable base load power first.
But even something like my recent moderately fast trip from London to Paris by Eurorail was nice.