Re: Ararat seeks public's view of planned rail restart

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

In article <8itbh9$773$1@nnrp1.deja.com> Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com> writes:
>From: Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>
>Subject: Re: Ararat seeks public's view of planned rail restart
>Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2000 15:31:53 GMT

>I don't remember whether the overland still stops there, but one train
>a day isn't enough (is the melb-bound one the night one or the day one?)

>There would be a lot of people wanting to go from ararat to ballarat as
>its their nearest major regional centre.

>If the Ararat train went along the std gauge it would be hard for even
>me to argue that its economically justified to run a reasonable service
>frequency. On the other hand, is a train is going to Ballarat, it
>requires less impetus in efficiency terms to justify proceeding to
>Beaufort and Ararat.

>Vaughan

I cant understand why it would be less economic to run a pass train service on 
SG to Ararat and beyong possibly (at least to Horsham) ,than it would be to 
run a service just to Ararat on the old BG.
Both services would be uneconomic,but that doesnt mean not justified.
Its more sensible to run the service on SG simply because it increases the 
utilization of the existing SG line ,generates more revenue for the track 
provider (ARTC) and increases the likelyhood of raising the speed limit on 
this line to 115 km/h all the way.
Eventually,if the train density on this line can be sufficiently increased 
ARTC will have to implement CTC between Newport & Ararat.
The BG service requires re opening a currently closed line , maintaining it to 
115 km/h running for just a passenger service,building a new station / 
platform at Ararat and implementing some sort of safeworking scheme between
Balarrat and Ararat,as well as re opening at least one station for crossing 
purposes.
Obviously the down side is that NXP or who ever will need some SG pass 
trains,but its inevitable that they will,as eventually we will see the Albury 
services run on SG as its economically unviable to have a BG line all the way 
to Albury with the current low number of trains on it.
Does NXP have a monopoly in VIC to run country pass trains?
ie can an organization like WCR run a SG service to Horsham if they wish.?

MD