Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

[Blackstar*]

<span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="color: #CC0000">Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises</span></span></span>
BALFORD HENRY. Observer writer [email protected]
Friday, May 30, 2008

TRANSPORT Minister Mike Henry says Jamaica's rail service should be back on track within three years, following a deal with the Chinese Government.

Henry, who was addressing Parliament Wednesday during his contribution in the sectoral debate, also told the House that no fare increase was being contemplated for Corporate Area commuters at this time.

On the prospects for the resumption of the local railway service, Henry said that the government was now signing off on arrangements for a resumption, within three years, after eight months of discussions with Chinese officials.

He said that the deal would include the building of 18 new railway stations and new tracks for greater speed and load-carrying capacity; special areas to be realigned to enable trains to maintain speed levels; replacement of wooden sleepers with concrete ones; provision of five new engines plus 45 passenger coaches and 68 freight coaches.

He said the railway resumption would see a reopening of the Kingston/Montego Bay service, as well as service between Spanish Town and Ewarton, St Catherine.

&quot;The passenger and freight rail service is intended to significantly impact on the rising fuel cost, with the Government focused on getting much of the island's freight transportation done by rail,&quot; he said.

<span style="font-size: 8pt"> Source </span>

[bee_bop]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

<span style="color: #660000">It is surprising that previous governments allowed the railway networks, across the island, to deteriorate as they have. Railway transport is one of the cheapest means of transportation available, and a farsighted government would have seen it as a way of escaping the costs of increasingly expensive fuel imports.
However, I suppose the 'trucking lobby' had their own influence in this matter. It seems rising fuel costs may have upset the whole balance, hopefully to the benefit of the consumer.</span>

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

I don't say it won't happen,but It involves a lot of work. They will jav eto hualize the linee wihch includes tunell, unless they are going to bypass the Rio Cobre gorge. then they will hav eto replace th esleepers after the compleyelu realign th ewhole ststem. it is a mammoth projecy,and only th eChiones could maske iot work an a reasonable cost. I liek what they say they are doing about the Palesadoes strip too I hope they plan to elevate it to the original hight, so that travelling out there one will still have the original views of the ocean.

[barosa]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">TRANSPORT Minister Mike Henry says Jamaica's rail service should be back on track within three years, following a deal with the Chinese Government.

Henry, who was addressing Parliament Wednesday during his contribution in the sectoral debate, also told the House that no fare increase was being contemplated for Corporate Area commuters at this time.

<span style="font-weight: bold">On the prospects for the resumption of the local railway service, Henry said that the government was now signing off on arrangements for a resumption, within three years, after eight months of discussions with Chinese officials.

He said that the deal would include the building of 18 new railway stations and new tracks for greater speed and load-carrying capacity; special areas to be realigned to enable trains to maintain speed levels; replacement of wooden sleepers with concrete ones; provision of five new engines plus 45 passenger coaches and 68 freight coaches.</span>

He said the railway resumption would see a reopening of the Kingston/Montego Bay service, as well as service between Spanish Town and Ewarton, St Catherine.</div></div>

BlackStar, The news is very good!, indeed it's very promising. I'll remind you that we have had our hopes lifted several times in the past only to be dashed... My hope is that this time, the Chinese have put some &quot;meat on the bones&quot; and Mike is able to give us something to chew on... Hopefully, things will be much different going forward although my reservatiion will be &quot;let's wait and see&quot;. What we are not yet privy to, is the details; as they say, the devil is in those details. I have been disappointed too many times before...


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-weight: bold">It is surprising that previous governments allowed the railway networks, across the island, to deteriorate as they have. Railway transport is one of the cheapest means of transportation available, and a farsighted government would have seen it as a way of escaping the costs of increasingly expensive fuel imports.</span> However, I suppose the 'trucking lobby' had their own influence in this matter. It seems rising fuel costs may have upset the whole balance, hopefully to the benefit of the consumer.</div></div>

Littleman, your point made is well taken. My response to it is simply: <span style="font-weight: bold">How could they?...</span> The Govt of the day was not only financially bankrupt but was also bankrupt of any ideas that would retain even a minimum of service or the semblance of it from one of the world's earliest Railroads. <span style="font-weight: bold">They had no sense of the value of the Railway and its &quot;historical importance&quot; to Jamaica</span>. Its demise was based mainly on economic factors at the time...
_____________________________

There's always hope for a brighter tomorrow.

[iches]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

I hope they design the various cars in such away that the thieves can't get a free ride, like how the Cowboys use to do!

[bee_bop]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

<span style="color: #660000">I still am of the opinion that a trucking lobby helped to cause the demise of the railway service. They profited handsomely from its demise.</span>

[little pepper]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

I heard ages ago after hurricanes messed it up that the govt had been given money by overseas countries to fix it and that money vanished.

Maybe different times, different people would actually spend the money on what it's meant for this time. It would be nice to be able to take the train trip.

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: little pepper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I heard ages ago after hurricanes messed it up that the govt had been given money by overseas countries to fix it and that money vanished.

Maybe different times, different people would actually spend the money on what it's meant for this time. It would be nice to be able to take the train trip. </div></div> This is the biggest nonsence i'v ever heard. No oeganization or government foreign or otherwise ever gave Jamaican government money to fix the rail system. The world bank told them it is not worth rehabillitating. That is why no western company i swilling tio touch it with a long stick.

[little pepper]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

I don't disbelieve you, Dr Dudd. That's just what I was told, and I can't remember whether I read or was told so - nowdays thinking about it, it could have been one of those urban myth stories that people like to invent, esp. with politics in Jamaica - I hear all sorts of stuff like such &amp; such PM is a batty bwoy, and other weird things - always against the political party the story teller doesn't support.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The world bank told them it is not worth rehabillitating. That is why no western company i swilling tio touch it with a long stick.
</div></div>
Can you prove this?
How many times we have had this conversation of this BB, most in this very forum on the Trains and not once have you been ever been able to come forward with any evidence of these and other false claim.

The PNP Government saw no value in repairing the rails, the biggest evidence of that was the contract they signed with the Toll-Road Operators that virtually killed any talks of resurrection of the Rail Service with all the suitors including the Chinese.

Meanwhile the Intellectual Ghetto talking heads who sat by under the PJoke more man have cyar policy now want to sing a different tune because the JLP is now in power.

<span style="color: #6600CC"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">Urban crush drives traffic woes</span>
<span style="font-style: italic">published: Wednesday | June 4, 2008

Mark Titus, Enterprise Reporter</span>

The failure of the state to implement an uncompromising transportation policy has contributed to the traffic mayhem unfolding on Jamaica's streets.

Add that to unstructured urban planning, and commuters face a Pandora's box of woes.

This is the view of Jacqueline Douglas-Brown, programme director of the Urban and Regional Planning Programme at the Faculty of the Built Environment at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

&quot;My feeling is that governments have successively not addressed this issue of how you move people from one town to the next, one city to the next, on a daily and weekly basis,&quot; she told The Gleaner recently.

&quot;No transportation policy is in place, and they have not responded to the growth of our towns or cities adequately, and this has led to the existing disorder in the management of our traffic today.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Self sustainability</span>

Douglas-Brown, who holds a master's degree in urban and regional planning, argues that Government must promote the concept of self-sustainable communities.

&quot;Portmore exemplifies what has happened to too many of our towns throughout Jamaica - a lack of planning,&quot; she said. &quot;Portmore is a dormitory town, but what if that should change and various activity systems were developed in the community? Then the need for that traffic coming into Kingston would reduce.&quot; </span></span>

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080604/lead/lead5.html

[Q3210]

Re: Trains will roll again in three years, minister promises

This will be a court battle between Hiwayrobbery 2000 and the Govt. to reverse the railway rehabilitation. We`ll be all old and bent when this ever is through.

Another case of the PNP Govt. shooting the Jamaican citizen in its foot and succumbing to the latest colonialists, Boyugues of France.