Re: Ararat rail return at a crucial stage

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"Paul Hambleton" <phambleton@labyrinth.net.au> wrote in message
BOBu6.7$le1.8451@vic.nntp.telstra.net">news:BOBu6.7$le1.8451@vic.nntp.telstra.net...
> If the Melbourne - Ballarat fast train upgrade was done in SG and the
> Ballarat - Ararat section was converted to SG then the existing rolling
> stock used for Melbourne - Ballarat could be used to Ararat, Stawell etc.
> while the new rolling stock serviced the Melbourne - Ballarat fast train
> service.
> Also, the Overland trip between Melbourne and Adelaide would be
considerably
> faster.
> To plagiarise Sammy Kekovich on the fat - "You know it makes sense!"

The problem with this is that the rolling stock that would need to be
converted to SG would then be captive to that line. You would not have
economies of scale, i.e. a train arrives from Bendigo, and then goes to
Ararat, returns to Melbourne and then goes to Traralgon.

The amount of rolling stock required for a SG operation would be far more
than would be required for a BG operation, as there would need to be spare
cars on SG (as well as spare cars on BG - bogie exchange is not something
that can be done at one minutes notice). If Melbourne to Ararat was on BG,
then the spare car requirement could be reduced, as it would cover both
fleets.

Dave