Re: Overland to continue 4 another 2 years

["Les Chandra" <les_chandra@asparagus.hotmail.com>]

The plans that I last saw from AN was for a total bypass of the Adelaide
hills. It would have been an upgrade of the Monarto South - Cambrai (or
wherever the terminus is) line, extension through to the Barossa then down
through Gawler to Adelaide.

I haven't seen the report for about a decade, but from memory, the line
would be cheaper to operate than the line through the hills (lighter
gradients), but would be significantly longer and thus no quicker.

Better for freight. No benefit for pax.

Les




Maurie Daly <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
3b1d728e.814045@can-news.tpg.com.au">news:3b1d728e.814045@can-news.tpg.com.au...
> On Tue, 05 Jun 2001 14:05:49 GMT, taliesin@NOSPAMchariot.net.au
> (Taliesin Walker) wrote:
>
> >I fear that the Overland will always be under threat. At least until
> >the Adelaide - Melbourne line is significantly upgraded allowing
> >competitive running times.
> >
> >But what are the chances of the kind of money required to upgrade the
> >line being spent? Not much probably.
> >
> >Tali
> >
> >Remove NOSPAM from email address.
>
> The only major upgrade the Adelaide line now needs is for the Adelaide
> Hills to be bypassed .
> AN costed this option at around $200 M , which seems to me a bit high.
> There are now a lot of significant benefits to be gained by doing this
> .
> Since in Victoria the SG line doesnt have to negotiate the Inglston
> bank , the Adelaide hills are the single worst obstruction to running
> efficient freight trains on this line .
> Eliminating the hills would allow close to doubling the loads of
> existing freights .
> There are also benefits for the STA as well.
> The existing SG line thru the hills could be converted back to BG and
> then the STA could again run services to Bridgewater, Nairne and
> Murray Bridge .
> The Victour Harbor line would be no longer isolated.
>
> MD
>