Re: Ararat rail return at a crucial stage

["Paul Hambleton" <phambleton@labyrinth.net.au>]

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!"

Paul Hambleton

"Maurie Daly" <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
3abad62b.23809969@can-news.tpg.com.au">news:3abad62b.23809969@can-news.tpg.com.au...
> On Fri, 23 Mar 2001 14:02:40 +1100, "Les Chandra"
> <les_chandra@asparagus.hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >You're damn well right that pass services ought to be operated to
Stawell,
> >Horsham and Dimboola.
> >
> >GSR hasn't the slightest interest in providing proper regional rail
> >services: they are being paid special subsidies to stop their pathetic
> >Overland "service" at a few stations 4 times a week.
> >
> >NX would be interested, but claims it has no rollingstock to spare (what
> >happened to all the old Vinelander stock, and for that matter the ex
> >joint-stock Overland sitting cars?). It would want a subsidy too.
> >
> >WCR wouln't want to convert their nice preserved carriages and steam
trains
> >to standard gauge.
> >
> >The Ararat reopening is significant for several reasons:
> >
> >* it breaks a drought for introduction of new rail services without too
much
> >hard work
> >* it can be operated with existing stock (be extending Melbourne-
Ballarat
> >services)
> >* it goes to Ballarat (people from western Victoria don't really want to
go
> >to Geelong)
> >
> >Let's hope it happens.
> >
> >Les
> >
>
> I really wonder though whether its a good way of spending $5 million
> to re open a railway line to a town of 5600 people.
> A BG rail service to Ararat will ensure that there never is any hope
> of a passenger rail service beyond Ararat.
> If the $5 million were spent on buying or converting some existing BG
> rolling stock to SG , then a pass service could be re instated back to
> Dimboola immediately.
> As for people wanting to go to Balarrat but not to Geelong , how much
> of that is because historically you couldnt do it , ie there was never
> a pass service from Ararat to Geelong.
> Just what is ir thats available  in Balarrat that isnt available  in
> Geelong.?
>
>
> MD
>
>