Re: Victorian sg conversion

[Chris Gordon <cmgord@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au>]

> > the
> > whole split of Hillside and Bayside was made so that Bayside tracks
> > could (and should) be converted to sg; Hillside ones needn't be.  The
> > only rough spots would be Flemington Racecourse, and bg access to
> > Newport Workshops (achieved via Tottenyam & Brooklyn).
> 
> The Racecourse line would be easy to Dual Gauge, the only restrictions are
> on BG trains and that's 80kph. If any Connex driver wants to do more than
> 80kph out to the Racecourse, I think that we seriously need to question his
> sanity (speed limit 65kph). The same could be said for Newport workshops to
> Flinders St via Footscray.
> With Alstom's workshops up at Ballarat, there would be major problems
> getting Connex sets up there for major maintenance.

Ok from what I understand the SG projects are looking at the following
* NO SG suburban system.
* The Melbourne - Ballarat line would stay BG.
* Melbourne - Bendigo would stay BG.  (after all the freight from here
goes to Appleton Dock, so SG is not an advantage)
So you would have almost no alternative then going via North Geelong to
Adelaide. (even if you could go Melbourne - North Geelong - Ballarat -
Ararat)
* Mildura SG conversion is a matter of the mineral sands project and how
they want to ship the sand out. (ie containers or in bulk) Containers
would go BG to Appleton Dock, Bulk would go SG to Portland.  (so if they
go in Bulk the Mildura line gets converted).  There are many options for
the Mildura line, but they would do the Robinvale line at the same time
as the Mildura line.
* Golbourne Valley lines would go SG (I think this is the first big
one), so the existing grain out of Tocumwal, Echuca, Oaklands and those
areas would be SG.  This also fits in with the Melbourne - Brisbane SG
link (via Tocumwal) BUT the plans are to run this link via Albury for
the first 5 or so years.
* They have had plans for the Hastings SG link for many years (a
different route to the existing BG link).  Reason this is getting closer
to happening (10-15 years away) is our existing ports (Appleton,
Swanston, Webb) are getting close to full.  Hastings would be the next
big Container port in Victoria (this is all covered in the Ports
Strategy document on the DoI site: http://www.doi.vic.gov.au)
* The next gauge conversion in Victoria will start next year and will be
the Geelong Grain loop.  (it goes to Dual Gauge).

On a side note, because of the saturation at our docks, they have
reached a limit of the number of truck and "big" trains.  So the plan is
to run "satellite" trains from Somerton and Laverton from where the big
trains stop and these shuttle trains would run all day to and from the
docks.  (They would be no change to Dynon)


Reference: Last ARHS meeting.

-- 

C.

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