Re: Implications of high speed trains in Victoria

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Peter Berrett (pberrett@optushome.com.au) wrote:

> 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?

There is a significant cost factor for the minimal number of additional
passengers. You have to put in new track to modern passenger standard,
plus the associated safeworking.

You also need an extra railcar to detach at Woodend or Castlemaine, which
means a $5 million railcar going to pick up a dozen or so passengers. That
railcar could be better used on a main line to a bigger population centre.

Or extending the service beyond Bendigo. The 8.35 Bendigo could easily
become the 8.35 to Swan Hill and Echuca. Swan Hill could conceivably get 3
services per day, two railcars and a pass.

 8.35  12.35  17.42  Melbourne  11.05  16.40  20.40
10.00  14.00  19.37  Bendigo     9.20  15.10  19.10
12.10  16.10  21.50  Swan Hill   7.10  13.00  17.00

> 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.

Ararat and Maryborough have a lot of merit.

Even with only 100km/h beyond Ballarat, a day train to Mildura would be a
better use of the equipment. The journey time would be roughly 7 hours.

Cheers
David