Ann: Aurizon secures major national freight contract, page-133

Transcontinental intermodal train 3PS1 from Perth to Sydney departs Kalgoorlie, WA at 1955 AWST early evening on Tuesdays, so it would have left Perth's Forrestfield during the early Tuesday morning.

Upon departing Parkes NSW, it normally operates via Forbes, Cootamundra West and then the Melbourne-Sydney line through Yass Junction and Goulburn.

On Friday 12 January, it was 11 minutes early passing through Mittagong in the NSW Southern Highlands at 0901, so by the time it slowly progresses through the Sydney southwest industrial area, it should be at Chullora by around 1115 AEDT.

One can't suggest this routinely happens, as anything can go awry, but nonetheless it's the sort of great punctuality that logistics managers like.

Including time to and from at either end by connecting container trucks, it's likely goods that left a Perth factory on Monday (think those frozen meals WOW sell called "On The Menu") are in a Sydney warehouse by Saturday if the facilities receive on a weekend.

The coastal shipping situation with communists working for DP World on strike today despite already receiving up to $200,000pa is far from ideal, but any logistics manager using that mode at present wouldn't have their head correctly screwed on.

Rail across the continent is significantly cheaper per container than road.