Re: (Vic)Mildura passenger service plan

[thalytgv@my-deja.com]

In article <874bb6$mlj$1@nnrp1.deja.com>,
  Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com> wrote:
> I doubt National Express would voluntarily return the Vinelander
unless
> the government paid hansomely for it, so its important that the govt
> screws NatEx for as much as they can. After all, NX is only interested
> in making money, not providing a community service!
The government is willing to subsidy this service, IIRC, Mildura line
is the most "Viable" line out of all(Echuca, Bairnsdale, Ararat)
Plus a few MP won the seats in the parliment by promised they will get
the train back on track,


> What Mildura really should be getting is a much better standard of
> service than it had before the demise of the Vinelander. Say, two
> daylight trains (fast ones - should be able to do it in say 5 or 6
> hours) plus a slower overnight service.
>
> PTUA has a small but active group of people in the maryborough region
> who have been agitating for trains to return there as well. The
> Vinelander isn't a good option for Maryborough because of the odd
hours
> it passes through there.
>
> What PTUA would like to see:
> * Half hourly trains to Ballarat with some straightening of curves on
> that line to speed up trains. Scrap any plans for expensive super-
> dooper high speed trains and just use sprinters or the new "super
> sprinters" on repaired and in places realigned track. For example,
that
> curve where the line wanders off to Bungaree

There is no "Super dooper high speed trains" in plan, just 59 sprinters
on order with 80m$ tracks upgrade for Ballarat/Traralgon/Bediego
services to shorten the journey time. The only problem is these trains
won't be delivered till 2003, I'm not sure these town folks willing to
wait that long.

> * These ballarat trains would then alternate between Maryborough and
> Ararat to provide each of these with an hourly service. Some M/B
trains
> could be extended to Donald (?)

You can start up with extension of some current Ballarat service to
Maryborough/Ararat.

> The daylight trip to Mildura shouldn't take 10 hours,
Right now, the Mildura line condition is rated "poor" with number of
speed restrictions.

> This government is going to have to restore services to country
> victoria if it wants to be re-elected, and public transport services
> are one such service that was decimated under Kennett.

Hopefully they(Labour) won't forget interstate service as well such
as "Overland".




Cheers
James



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