Mexican railway (Melb - Wagga)

["Peter Berrett" <pberrett@optushome.com.au>]

Hi all

The Melbourne to Sydney XPT service does Melbourne to Wagga in 4 hrs 15
minutes approximately.

Here is an extract from the XPT timetable

08:30  Melbourne
10:23  Benalla
10:48  Wangaratta
11:35  Albury
12:01  Culcairn
12:15  Henty
12:30  The Rock
12:48  Wagga Wagga

Removing stops between Albury and Wagga, it appears that a 1 hour express
service between the two towns is possible.

Here is an extract from the Vline timetable

Melbourne Spencer St                                                 7.50 AM
12.00 PM 5.10 PM
North Melbourne North Melbourne                             5.14 PM
Broadmeadows Broadmeadows                                  8.08 AM 12.19 PM
5.32 PM
Seymour Seymour Stn                                                 8.57 AM
1.08 PM 6.22 PM
Avenel Avenel Stn                                                       6.37
PM
Euroa Euroa Stn
9.29 AM 1.38 PM 6.59 PM
Benalla Benalla
9.58 AM 2.08 PM 7.30 PM
Wangaratta Wangaratta                                              10.22 AM
2.32 PM 7.53 PM
Springhurst Springhurst                                               10.39
AM   8.10 PM
Chiltern Chiltern
10.49 AM   8.19 PM
Wodonga Wodonga Stn                                             11.09 AM
3.14 PM 8.39 PM
Albury Albury Stn                                                      11.20
AM 3.30 PM 8.50 PM

Based on the above it seems that an express Melbourne to Albury to Wagga
train might be able to do Melbourne to Wagga in around 3 hours 30 minutes
(running on the standard gauge track).

Has Vline Passenger or anyone else considered such a service? Have there
ever been Melbourne to Wagga trains (ie not as part of a service to Sydney)?

Wagga is probably Australia's largest inland city excluding Canberra. That,
and the fact that the locals are mad about football would seem to suggest
that there is a need for a Melbourne to Wagga service.

cheers Peter

ps I think the NSW Govt would be really P***** if such a 'Mexican' service
was introduced! That alone is reason enough to introduce it!