Re: VIC government probe into standard guage

["Stephen Devenish" <JohnnyR@bigpond.com>]

To Standardise or Not to Standardise, that is the question.

The answer,

Hell yes, do it now and get it over and done.  What about all the arguments
and problems, well it took nearly one hundred years to get off our arses and
convert from Melbourne to Adelaide lets not let it take any longer to
convert the rest of the state.

As for the suburban system, well leave it in Broad gauge.  Bayside trains
would suffer the most problems but I'm sure it can be worked out.  In
Adelaide the lines up the Adelaide hills where double track broad gauge for
the metro system, when it came time  to convert the system was changed to
standard on one side and broad on the other.  Some extra crossing loops
where installed on the Broad gauge side and even some standard gauge loops
where built.

We have to get this over and done with before Victrack sell off all the land
that the operators don't want (basically anything more than 3m from the
running edge of the rail) and developers put up flats and units.

Provided the job in the city is done correctly and the interface is made
well the met system will not be affected too much.  Some obvious places like
Broadmeadows (where I'm working now) will be trouble but its not impossible.
John Holland have done a number of proposals for operators and special
interest groups on standardising and every one has there own ideas.  I
personally believe that the metro broad gauge system could be left as is.

As for the steamers, well it would be good of the old government for throw a
little cash there way and look at moving in the wheel sets 165mm.  I don't
see that being much in the grand scheme.  At look at it another way, the
steamers could then head interstate and have a little get together like
Steam Rail in the US.  This would get more in the coffers and open up the
old Victorian System to the rest of the country.

Well, I guess I better head off to bed, no doubt I will be getting a call
for Connell Wagner tomorrow for more prices on gauge conversion.

Some info for the interested:

On the (M)elbourne to (A)delaide (G)auge (S)tandardisation Project  (MAGS
Project)  we came up with three types of turnout conversion, Full
conversion, Partial "Straight stock" and Partial "Set Stock"

We also had to look at:

Change of foot: Where the rail leg that was regauged the leg changes to ease
curves and keep the track as close as possible to platforms.

Centralisation: Where both rails had to be moved in to the centre line of
the bridge or load out.

Cheers all,



--
Stephen Devenish
"Santa Fe all the way"