I grew up not too far from Ashford and always make a trip out there for fishing and hunting when im home and I can vouch for the roads, they are not particularly good for a normal vehicle let alone heavy haulage.
With regard to the inland rail corridor there are some serious repairs required on the track that I have seen. This would be a good infrastructure project for the state/fed govt and provide plenty of jobs. As I understand it and from what I saw 2weeks ago when in the area, there is a big push for the development of the rail line from Maitland northward up the track for the purpose of moving crop and livestock to port with a large hub located at/near Tamworth.... no reason a coal train couldnt run the same track.
This same track runs through a very small place called Deepwater that could easily accomodate (available space at cheap land prices) a loading terminal for coal. To my mind though, a light rail development or light conveyor system from ashford to deepwater may be better and cheaper in the long run than using trucks, especially given that there are a reasonable number of resource projects near Ashford that would all benifit from it (precious stones/silver/coal to name a few) so buy in and cost distribution among partners would make this a very attractive option.
as a note good old Barnaby Joyce is now hold the infrastructure and transport portfolio.... he has a hard on for push rural area development and looking after non-metropolitan australia. He would have an eye on the rail line as a massive value add.
all IMO
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