Trying to get my mind wrapped around the concept of rail heading southwest from ROF and not being very successful.

The geatest advantage I can see is the elimination of the two big bridges that would be needed for the southern route, but it would still entail two smaller bridges, as well as adding another minimum 125km to the length. That could be a worthwhile tradeoff as the cost in money and time would be significant for those bridges, but a study of the local terrain shows there is far more swamp and water involved to the southeast. A road, particularly a winter road, can skirt these areas quite easily, but rail needs a minimum amount of twisting and turning, as well as greater support for the railbed.

With the above having been said, my previous arguments that a road has to come from the south could be flawed. If these guys are serious, and there is no reason to doubt it, they could be the answer we are all waiting for.

A road, designed to service these four communities, and continue east to the ROF, as it stands, would have the support of first nations as well as noront, and as CLF would need almost immediate access for their construction phase. they could feasibly support it also. Actually they would have no other option, as NOT is close to coming out with an updated report on their chrome assets, which could easily put them in direct competition for the whole chrome market.

This does not answer the question of rail,and it will still be a necessity, but it provides a 5 year span in which to build it.

At any rate, there are five entities that have to be heard from; KWG,NOT, CLF,FIRST NATIONS,and ONTARIO GOV'T. We have heard a proposal from KWG. We have heard a proposal from NOT. We now have a proposal from First Nations. We are anxiously awaiting a report from CLF, and soon after a combined report from the Gov't. Can the final plan be far ahead?

AND it is September.

Best regards

K