Re: UPDATE - Re: [Vic] Fast (160km/h) Train to country Vic.

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

Its not entirely clear exactly what theyre going to do. I hope they
just straighten out a few curves and fix up the lines as you describe,
and let the new trains do the rest. (Ballarat is the only line where
significant curve-straightening work would be needed).

The talk of hundreds of millions of private-sector funds is nonsense,
as the $80 million of govt funding should be enough, and if it needs
topping up something could be squeezed out of National Express (as they
will benefit from the higher speeds too)

And yes, it is being presented as something new, and this is about half
true. The new trains were always coming (under Jeff), but the lines
weren't going to be fixed up. So the trains wouldn't have been able to
run at their top speed to the extent that they will be able to with the
fixing-up of lines (I prefer not to say "fast train" or "line upgrade"
both of which conjure up images of TGV's which I hope the govt does not
have in mind).

All of the talkback radio callers the other day who actually live in
regional areas and use these trains seemed to be making the point the
PTUA has been making for some time - that is, they don't care if their
train takes 10 minutes longer as long as it is frequent, reliable,
comfortable and cheap.

Vaughan

> Personally, I don't think the line will change too much physically.
The
> changes made, will at a guess be replacing old rails, replacing
sleepers,
> in all making the line capable of 160kph running. Though, some tight
curves
> may be straightened out perhaps.
>
> Perhaps the signalling gunzels here may wish to comment on how it may
> affect safeworking systems?
>
> What intrigues me though is, that the Bracks government is revealing
this
> as something new, that probably wouldn't have happened under Jeff
(though,
> knowing Jeff, he would have probably stopped it happening), but,
under the
> contract between the government and National Express, they were to
build a
> new set of DMU's (a.k.a. Super-Sprinters) that were capable of 160kph
> running. Assuming this is the case, for them to be able to run 160kph
in
> the first place, wouldn't the track need to be upgraded anyway?
>
> Regards,
>
> Michael.
>
> --
> Michael Kurkowski. / Email: mailto:mk@netstra.com.au
> Rail Enthusiast. / Web: http://www.netstra.com.au/~mk
> Train Chaser. / Telephone: 0416-044-124
> HO Modeller. / ICQ: T333 or 1459118 - Yahoo Pager: VR_T333
>


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