So what? Acts can be changed. Governments do it all the time! Nobody is
suggesting Puff should be mothballed or the visual splendour of the line
in some way desicrated. Rather it is merely a recognition that there is
a sizeable population in the area now who could use a train standard
commuter service to Belgrave at peak periods.
I think J Richmond is to be congratulated for showing some consideration
for the people who live in the hills.
The idea of a breakfast train is a good one. I have my doubts about
whether a steam service would have the accelleration necessary to make
the service viable. An electric service would be ideal but the visual
pollution of the wires rules this option out.
Certainly the Gembrook line is not straight but surely a tilting
mechanism would compensate for the higher speeds around corners? I'm not
suggesting that a 200km/hour service introduced, merely a speed that
might make a Gembrook to Belgrave service viable.
Is there an exampleof a tilting narrow gauge line somewhere in the
world? (Excluding the less narrow gauges like in QLD)
cheers Peter