Re: $550m to speed up Vic rail services

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

> On current plans, the trains are to run express SSS - Bendigo, not
> stopping even at Castlemaine. Fortunately, the premier has said that
> there will be further consultation on this. WHich is just as well,
> because they should stop at least at Kyneton and Castlemaine (with
> slower, stopping services interspersed for Woodend, Macedon, Gisborne,
> as well as possibly places like Malmsbury and Taradale)
> 
> The same applies to the ballarat line. On current plans, they won't
> stop at ballan or bacchus marsh. And the Traralgon trains aren't going
> to stop at Moe or Morwell.

Interesting the report address this, they identified the Geelong line
has mostly through passengers (ie most of the passengers want to go all
the way to Geelong).  The other lines have varying amount of passengers
using each station.  It goes on to say the stations served by these fast
trains would be:

Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, North Melbourne, Spencer Street.
Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyenton, Woodend, Sunbury, North Melbourne,
Spencer Street.
Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Warragul, Flinders Street, Spencer Street.
South Geelong, Geelong, Nth Geelong, North Melbourne, Spencer Street.

 
It also goes on to say:
. North Shore is the least important on the Geelong group
· The 4 stations without any boardings and alightings are the least
significant on the
Bendigo group (Malmsbury, Kangaroo Flat, Eaglehawk and Dingee)
· Rockbank followed by Ballan are the least significant stations on the
Ballarat group; and
· Yarragon followed by Longwarry are the least important on the
Traralgon group.

So you can guess which stations get closed.


> If you live in these places, make sure you remind your local MP that
> trains going through the electorate at 160kph without stopping will not
> do you much good.

See station list above.

Also the report says these fast trains will supplement the existing
services.


But I would be more worried about saving the double line to Bendigo, if
that goes single then the time savings would be next to none, single
line and crossing loops don't work after the line has been double for
130+ years.  (Just look what happened to the Adelaide Hills, every day
the first train up the hills runs late because of the wet tracks and
then every other train for the rest of the day is late).


-- 

C.

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