Re: [Vic] Balarat - Ararat Line

[mauried@tpg.com.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <393acdbf@dnews.tpgi.com.au> "Rich" <richardcremovethis@tpg.com.au> writes:
>From: "Rich" <richardcremovethis@tpg.com.au>
>Subject: Re: [Vic] Balarat - Ararat Line
>Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 03:59:53 +0800

>> >
>> > As many people would know one thing stopping the re-opening of the
>> > Balarat - Ararat line is the stored wagons at Middle Creek.  This might
>> > be of interest to you:
>>
>> I hardly think that some stored wagons would be stopping the reopening of
>> this line. Reality is that this line is a goner, forget about!
>>
>> Mark
>Actually it was a great line but who lives along it? Why do a passenger
>service. Actually close the Bacchus Marsh - Ballarat Section as well and
>just run Sprinters via N Geelong - this route has more potential for speed
>While you're at it, convert Benalla Oaklands to SG and close BG north of
>Mangalore - the BG track is a luxury we just don't need. Why is it that
>authorities are so incompetent to close infrastructure which is actually
>needed eg Bairnsdale, while maintaining infrastructure not needed (BG north
>of Mangalore). Side benefit of Oaklands SG conversion is reopening back to
>the Rock - for competitive grain market and Albury bypass if required. Don't
>laugh  - for a short time Pinnaroo was on the main Melbourne Adelaide
>interstate line

>>


Unfortunately,its nowhere near that simple.
The existing BG line in Vic is leased to FA for 15 years.
FA certainly wont want to pay for guage conversion and in some cases its 
simply not in their interests to have existing lines converted.
Closing the existing BG line beyong Mangalore means that FA trains would have 
to run on the SG track and therefore incurr track access charges that they 
otherwise dont have to pay.
It also means that the Albury pass trains would need to run on SG rather than 
BG and thus rob FA of revenue.
There is also the issue of who pays to convert FAs existing BG fleet to SG .
Had the conversions been done before Vline freight was sold ,things would have 
been a lot simpler.
Running sprinters to Ballarat via Geelong could be done now ,but again there 
would be compensation issues with FA.

MD