TY  - JOUR
AU  - Owens, Helen
TI  - Rail Reform Strategies: The Australian Experience
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 9592
PY  - 2003
Y2  - March 2003
DO  - 10.3386/w9592
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w9592
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w9592.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Helen Owens
M1  - published as Helen Owens. "Rail Reform Strategies: The Australian Experience," in Takatoshi Ito and Anne O. Krueger, editors, "Governance, Regulation, and Privatization in the Asia-Pacific Region" University of Chicago Press (2004)

AB  - Widely different approaches to rail reform are evident across countries and within Australia.  Reforms have involved structural separation (both vertical and horizontal) and varying degrees of private sector involvement. Evidence from Australian experience suggests that no one size fits all.  The characteristics of rail networks - namely the degree of market power, the strength of intermodel competition, competition in downstream markets and traffic density would all influence the approach adopted.  These differ for urban passenger, regional freight (general and bulk) and long distance networks.  The potential implications for future rail reform are outlined.
ER  -