[TramsDownUnder] Thinking laterally

Now it's been demonstrated that the battery powered running on the PLR is unreliable, which in a sane world would mean trying something different rather than the same failed idea again and again, it's obvious at some time the real solution to this self-inflicted problem will be to put up the wires - like should have been done in the first place.

But in the meantime, if this is to open within our lifetimes, a backup option is needed to keep trams moving when their batteries go flat. A number of NSWR 73 class shunting locos were regauged for use on sugar tramways in Qld. A simple machine with a light axle load, maybe 2 or 3 could be put back on standard gauge bogies and supplied to PLR to pull or push dead trams back under wired sections.

This can't be a worse idea than using the dodgy battery gimmick in the first place.

Tony