Re: [Vic] ALP urged to boost rail freight lines

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

"Brown Family" <lbrown2@bigpond.com> wrote in message
3a9b74d0.13438156@news-server.bigpond.net.au">news:3a9b74d0.13438156@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 14:58:32 +1100, David Bromage
> <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote:
>
> >The Bracks Government has been urged to get on with improving Victoria's
> >rail freight lines, starting with works between Mildura and Portland.
> >National Party leader Peter Ryan says a dual gauge line between
> >Maryborough to Portland to help mineral sands exports from the Murray
> >Basin should be a priority.
> >
> Why the dual-gauge line?
>
> Goes to show you how much country pollies know about their state's
> rail transport when Peter Ryan isn't aware of the fact that
> Maryborough already has S.G. and any money would be best spent on
> converting Mildura to S.G. rather than adding a third and slower rail
> to Portland.
>
> Isn't the ARA doing its job and making sure our pollies know where the
> tracks are in Victoria? Send all pollies a rail map on a mug or
> something. Get these poor ignorant pollies some info before they think
> that a rail what they find around a racetrack or something.....
>
> Les Brown

Looking at my trusty rail map of Victoria, it seems to me that it would be a
good idea to concentrate significant expenditure on major trunk routes. I
find it strange that no one ever suggests building new lines. For example,
rather than spend money on the seriously run down existing Mildura line, why
not invest in upgrading (65kg rail, alighnments etc.) and converting to SG
the Melbourne Swan Hill line during the new passenger upgrade to Bendigo and
extending it to Mildura via Robinvale. Heavy freight trains and decently
fast passenger operations would be possible while consolidating the
requirements for high quality track. It might even get maintained properly.
The existing low grade lines which are still required could be SGed by the
"Keating method", moving one rail across 165mm and "nailing" it down again.
Melbourne-Ballarat-Ararat should be SGed when the Ballarat passenger upgrade
occurs thus making Melbourne-Adelaide shorter and enabling passenger
services to return to Ararat, Horsham, Portland even. Heavy, well aligned
rail suitable for high speed (or at least reasonable speed) passenger
operations are advantageous for freight operations provided there is not too
many passenger trains and decent passing loops are provided.
I am keen to see a commitment to SG in Victoria as I have knowledge of some
minerals projects that could having resulted in smelting being carried out
within Australia (NSW in fact) if the railhead was SG. Instead, the stuff
will go via BG direct to port and have the value add smelting carried out
overseas thus missing out on creating jobs here in Australia. The
politicians still don't seem to grasp that a railway system needs to be
integrated to be truly effective.
Sorry I got carried away - just back on my hobby horse again.

Paul Hambleton