Re: The future of broad gauge was Ouyen - Pinnaroo line

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Lineman (grime@dcsi.net.au) won a Nobel Prize for literature by writing:

> "David Bromage" <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
> FCGw4.1553$fh4.496458@news0.optus.net.au">news:FCGw4.1553$fh4.496458@news0.optus.net.au...
> > david (david@nmit.vic.edu.au) won a Nobel Prize for literature by writing:
> > > If  BG is converted to SG, what is the future of the preserved BG fleet
> ? Where
> > > will they run ???
> >
> > The metropolitan and commuter lines (Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour
> > and Traralgon) would remain BG, and probably Warrnambool. There is no
> > economic justification for regauging the commuter lines.
>
> Apart from the benifits of standardization.

What are the benefits of years of disruption and BILLIONS of dollars to
convert the metropolitan network and give exactly the same service as you
get now? Suburban trains don't run beyond the end of their overhead wires,
so there's no need to regauge.

If the benefits were great enough and the cost was right, Adelaide would
have converted its suburban network.

> All they have to do is order the new rolling stock with standard gauge
> bogies,convert each line as the rolling stock arrives and the jobs done,

Who is going to pay for it?

> its
> not all that difficult especially where there are up/down tracks or
> alternative routes to minimise dislocation.

In Melbourne, there are no alternative routes. The system is entirely
radial.

> Its all been done before and the
> experienced people who did it are even more experienced and are just waiting
> to go.

It's been done before on country lines with relatively little traffic
(compared with suburban lines).

Cheers
David