How much "on call" and extra capacity rolling stock is available at the present time?
I expect that there is very little extra capacity within the system to carry the freight volumes being discussed here.
Do we still have state railway workshops producing flat cars?
How many extra locomotives would be needed and where are these going to come from?
MB
I suggest there’s practically nil extra capacity or substantial workshops to promptly construct rolling stock.
This is the price we now pay for profit driven privatisation and minimal holdings cost rationalising.
Remembering it comes from an era of ‘just in time’ logistics.
In the immediate term I think we should formalise a structural fuels supply chain sourced from across the Pacific.
Even if it’s a % of total imports and it’s technically more cost incurring.
This is because established supply chains are more durable and potentially flexible than scrambling deals in emergencies.
We, and the nation spend a lot of time and effort on elaborate defence footings and military bling, well this is a timely profound lesson in basic survival logistics.
Imagine how much better we would be today if we had a developed biofuels sector.
Imagine how worse off we would be if a % of the economy wasn’t already electrified.