The two companies that currently manage and use the Gawler to Barossa railway have thrown their support behind the introduction of a passenger service on the line.
Genesee and Wyoming Australia and Penrice Soda Holdings have commercial arrangements in place that has seen limestone hauled from Penrice’s Angaston mine to Osborne for many years on the line.
Both support development for the line - both for passenger services and for a potential container service to support the export wine industry.
Genesee and Wyoming Australia (GWA) owns the rail system from Gawler to Angaston and is committed to operate this line in its current gauge to meet the transport needs of Penrice and any other potential customers of this line.
Penrice is committed to rail as both a safe and economically viable option for its limestone haulage, which totals about 500,000 tonnes per annum.
The companies put together a joint statement (printed on Page 12 - Letters to the Editor) in response recent speculation about future gauge changes.
“For the residents of the Barossa Valley, it is important to know that both Penrice and GWA are committed to rail services in the longer term,” the joint statement said.
“Genesee and Wyoming Australia and Penrice will both continue to work closely with the SA Government to fully understand the timing and impact of any proposed changes to the gauge of the TransAdelaide network from Adelaide to Gawler, and its implications for the Barossa Valley services.”
The Department of Transport Energy and Infrastructure plans to rebuild the Gawler line track on new concrete sleepers.
At some stage this will see the tracks changed from broad gauge to standard gauge.
The concrete sleepers will be gauge convertible - making it possible to first run broad gauge and then change in the future.
Both Genesee and Wyoming Australia and Penrice understand that when the TransAdelaide metropolitan railway lines are converted to standard gauge, then the line between Gawler and Angaston would also need to be converted by the State Government to allow rail services between the Barossa and Adelaide to continue.
There has been no State Government announcement about a gauge change on the Barossa line, however the State Liberal Party believes the passenger service is worth investigating and included a proposal in a recently-released policy document.
The support for other rail services, including passenger, from the two key companies and the State Liberal Party stands out as completely opposite to the opinion of one Federal politician.
Nick Champion, the Federal Member for Barker, does not believe a passenger rail service fits the Barossa.
Mr Champion believes a new commuter rail service would inevitably bring pressure for urbanisation and sub-division.
“This would destroy the distinctive character and beauty of the Barossa Valley area,” he said.
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