Re: standardising Victoria

["Paul Hambleton" <P.Hambleton@bom.gov.au>]

"clinton + diane smith" <cdsmith@dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
39fab568$0$11621$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39fab568$0$11621$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
>
> David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
> TA7K5.27$i%1.3517@news0.optus.net.au">news:TA7K5.27$i%1.3517@news0.optus.net.au...
> > Chris Gordon (cmgord@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au) wrote:
>
> >
> > The Moorabool viaduct is not a huge problem. It can be made dual gauge
> > (gauntlet track might be preferable) for that short section. The
> > signalling is not complicated.
> >
> > Cheers
> > David
> Hi guys
>
> Geelong to Ballarat was double track years ago, including, I imagine, the
> Moorabool viaduct, so another track should not be a problem. Even so it
> would be better to standardise enough lines so that broad gauge was not
> required to or from Geelong.
>
>
> cheers Clinton
>
>
Surely the next stage of the standardisation of Victoria's rail lines should
be the Mildura line. Mildura-Maryborough-Ballarat-Gheringhap (including
Panitya to Ouyen ) seems logical and perhaps the BG from Ballarat to Geelong
could be eliminated. There would need to be dual gauge from Ballarat to
Warrenheip until the new high speed Ballarat-Melbourne line was completed in
SG! Dual gauge would also be required to the Port of Geelong. Heywood to
Mount Gambier should also be reopened in SG. The locations of various BG
workshops around Ballarat would be a problem and moves may be required.
The other obvious candidates for immediate conversion are the north eastern
lines Tocumwal-Shepparton-Seymour, Oaklands-Benalla and then
Albury-Benalla-Seymour-Melbourne with passenger services going all SG on
these lines. The Broadmeadows-Albion freight line could be improved to
handle the SG country passenger services until the suburban network started
going SG.

Paul Hambleton