Re: Implications of high speed trains in Victoria

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

David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
8gVF5.84$my.6769@news0.optus.net.au">news:8gVF5.84$my.6769@news0.optus.net.au...
> Peter Berrett (pberrett@optushome.com.au) wrote:
> > Castlemaine would be within commuting distance of Melbourne.
>
> People already commute from Castlemaine at current journey times.

>
> > One wonders
> > whether in light of the high speed line that services to Maldon and
> > Daylesford might be considered?
>
> I doubt it. Maldon and Daylesford are relatively small towns and wouldn't
> have a big commuting population. The Maldon branch isn't long enough to
> justify such high speed running, and too much of the Daylesford line has
> gone. The cost would be too high for the benefit realised.
>
> > growth in Romsey. A service to Maryborough via Castlemaine might even be
a
> > possibility.
>
> If you want to run to Maryborough, simply extend a Ballarat service. Or
> divide at Ballarat with an Ararat service.
>
> Cheers
> David

Sorry David

I should have made myself clearer. High speed trains can still travel on
slow track they just have to go slower - is this right? The point I was
trying to make was that a train heading to say Ararat could travel at high
speed over the track to Ballarat and then at a slower speed over the track
to Ararat.

The key issue here is the overall travel time Ararat - Melbourne. A
previously unviable or less viable service might become more attractive to
commuters because a significant portion of the journey is at higher speeds
thus reducing the overall travel time.

So Ararat which might previously have been a 2 1/2 hour service might become
a 1 1/2 hour service - a reduction in commuting time which could have a
significant effect on demand from Ararat.

So much press has been devoted to how travel times will be slashed to
various major rural cities that the flow on effects to smaller rural cities
just a little further down the line have been overlooked.

Returning to the cities I nominated - yes Maldon and Daylesford are
relatively small towns but who is to say that with a rail service to
Melbourne, half of which is at higher speeds, these cities would not grow?
Daylesford would probably work out as being a 1 hr 10 minute commuting
distance (perhaps even 1 hour) from Melbourne. That's not too different from
Boronia where I live in the eastern suburbs.

Maldon is further out but even with their existing bus connection there
might be growth in passenger numbers to the point where the government
considers a passenger service. You mention that the branch line isn't long
enough to justify such high speed running. It doesn't need to be high speed.
The point is that the overall commuting time Maldon to Melbourne will be
reduced.

The net effect can be likened to shrinking Victoria. Ballarat will be moved
50 kilometers closer to Melbourne as will Bendigo, Traralgon etc. When one
considers these rural towns in light of reduced transit times and in light
of growing poopulations it seems likely that rail services on some lines eg
Maldon, Ararat, Maryborough etc coudl become viable.

cheers Peter