A Fraternal Photo
by John
Me and my brother Peter. No doubting the genes.
My brother also makes steam engines, but he prefers the ones which move on steel rails. Unfortunately he lives a long way away, in the deep north of Australia, so we see him and his wife only once a year or so.
johnsmachines 
My sister and brother live 2500 and 5000 miles away. When we are together, the resemblances strike everyone. We also have many shared interests.
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Your brother (& possibly yourself, John) & readers might be interested in our fight to keep the Murwillumbah to Casino Rail Line, AND to get it running again. It seems that dark forces want it to be converted to a (playground) rail trail – but as that lot have no interest in seeking a mutually beneficial solution, it is obvious that the rail trails’ purpose is to close the line to trains. Real estate, here we come! ;-(
There is only a 20 km gap in ‘Cairns to Perth’ – i.e. from Condong to Coolangatta (when the GC line is finished). I have proposed a ‘Twin Towns Transit Centre’ station, straddling the border next to OOLy airport – Q trains on top, NSW below. And for a bike trail, there is an old line from Lismore to Ballina which could become a great bike trail – much nicer than the desert between eg Lismore & Casino –
Together, ‘Cairns to Perth, via Byron and the (Great Australian) Bight’ could become one of the Great Rail Journeys of the World – add a lovely 30 km bike ride to Lismore in the middle – a huge tourist magnet.
Q rolling stock is fixed, but for NSW we would need battery powered rail motors, using eg the running gear from a Tesla semi; enough power for several trips each day, & 3 or 4 carriage trains providing hourly service 6am – 10 pm. Self driving, a plus!
Northern Rivers is a great tourist destination – the Tweed Caldera, Byron Bay, Gold Coast – opportunity is very soon to be sabotaged. ;-(
Pls visit & sign https://communityrun.org/petitions/queensland-rail-to-casino
& / or
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1945142689143458/?multi_permalinks=2336754386648951%2C2332162117108178%2C2332164167107973%2C2336814716642918%2C2336760239981699¬if_id=1556755301568067¬if_t=group_activity
& / or
https://www.facebook.com/TOOT4Trains/ & or
https://www.facebook.com/nrrag/
Thanks,
Stuart.
& have a good holiday, John!
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