Re: Travel patterns (was Re: New form of rail transportation)

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

whitehat <whitehat@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
3a140129@news.alphalink.com.au">news:3a140129@news.alphalink.com.au...
>
> "Michael" <usenet.spam@gunzel.net> wrote in message
> 8FEE8C858gunzelT333@139.130.239.94">news:8FEE8C858gunzelT333@139.130.239.94...
> > Ben <smithb@alphalink.com.au> wrote in article
> > <3a13bef1@news.alphalink.com.au>:
> >
> > >> Unfortunately, the idea of a railway extended from Williamstown under
> > >> the bay to Dandenong sounds a little absurd.
> >
> > >What about a half decent ferry service that connects Williamstown,
> > >Footscray, Southgate, Port Melbourne and St Kilda or even Frankston.
Not
> > >one of those touristy things but a proper ferry service using
> > >"Rivercats" (Yarracats/Baycats) like in Sydney and Brisbane.
> >
> > Funny you bring this up. I was discussing with another aus.rail member
> last
> > night, the idea of a ferry network possibly integrated into the Met fare
> > system.
> >
> > Without looking at a Melways, my idea was to have services as follows:
> >
> > (Assuming a ferry terminal to be setup on Northbank, at Flinders Street
> > Station - which can be done at relatively minor cost).
> >
> > * Northbank - Docklands - (few stops) - Marybyrnong - (Keilor??). [How
far
> > can a boat go up the Marybyrnong river?]
> > * Northbank - Williamstown - Corio - Queenscliff - Sorrento -
Mornington -
> > Black Rock - Northbank.
> > * Northbank - Black Rock - Mornington - Sorrento - Queenscliff - Corio -
> > Williamstown - Northbank.
> >
> > A service upstream on the Yarra River would be useless, since, for the
> > distance you can travel - there are already a number of public transport
> > options.
> >
> > At the same time, you could possibly integrate Geelong rail into the Met
> > fare system, hence becoming Zone 3 beyond Werribee.
> >
> > There is genuine need for public transport in many of the areas
mentioned
> > above, and is still keeping to the mostly radial model outlined by other
> > people. (With the exception of Sorrento-Queenscliff - anyone expecting
> > people to go via Melbourne is total lunacy).
> >
>
> I don't know much about ferry design, but it seems unlikely that you can
> design a ferry that can negotiate the outer reaches of Port Phillip Bay at
> good commuter speed and still fit under the very low Spencer street and
> Queen Street bridges.
>
> Any boaties out there care to comment?
>
> whitehat
>
>
>

Hovercraft

cheers Peter