Australian businesses could save over $200 million (US$144 million) in freight costs each year if they switch to the under-construction Inland Rail once it is completed, new research has found. According to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) modelling, the 1,700 kilometre Inland Rail network would drive down the cost of transporting 22 million tonnes (24.2 million tons) of goods by $213 million per year. The CSIRO’s research (pdf) published on March 15 revealed that over 12,000 supply chains, 5,000 enterprises and 94 commodities, including coal, steel and grain, would benefit from the reduction in transport costs. More specifically, businesses adopting the new rail network would be able to cut down transport fees by nearly 50 percent for freight moving between Melbourne and Brisbane. And among the states along the new rail routes, Queensland will see the largest saving with a 40 percent reduction in freight costs, followed …