Having now established (at least to my satisfaction) that trams can be
made to run on rail tracks, the next question this begs is - does this
finding hold some potential for the transport network in Melbourne?
I keep thinking about the alamein line and musing that it has a couple
of clear problems.
1. The first is that it doesn't go anywhere of significance. Alamein is
not exactly Box Hill Central if you know what I mean. The logical
solution is extension of the line to somewhere like Chadstone or to join
the Glen Waverley line (thus actually having a railway that runs TO
somewhere of significance) but one need only follow the line along to
see that the Golf link, freeway and topology make a rail extension
difficult and expensive.
2. The second is that during peak hours there is a clear business need
to provide for a direct commuter service to the city. It is all well and
good to talk about conversion of the line to light rail but the truth is
that during peak hours this would mean that commuters would need to
change transport modes - am undesirable loss of amenity.
How then to solve this problem? I think that hybrid problems demand
hybrid solutions. The problem of relatively low patronage spur lines
seems to beg for a hybrid solution.
So what criteria should our solution meet.
a) Transport mode should be able to use existing rail lines to handle
city commuter traffic during peak hour with transport continuing a
direct service into the city.
b) transport should provide some sort of transport beyond alamein
station but without the cost/expense/golf link disruption of a rail
extension. I'd like to see a rail extension but it is difficult to see
it getting off the ground - especially as it is in jeff's electorate.
This suggests some sort of light rail solution.
The hybrid solution I am proposing is this. During peak hours normal
trains would run along the line as they currently do.
During non-peak hours however a light rail vehicle, using broad gauge,
would travel along the line then after coming to Alamein follow existing
roads across the freeway to Chadstone and thence onto one of the
Dandenong line stations. They key difference here is that for the first
tihe we would see broad gauge light rail infrstructure on Victorian
roads. This solution thus provides a light rail link to Chaddie whilst
retaining existing amenity.
Obviously the height of platforms is a problem. I propose that the ends
of the platforms be extended and taper down to a ground level platform
so that people can come down to the level of the light rail vehicle. The
light rail vehicle would stop at the end of the platform. Alternatively
all stations could be made centre platform stations like Hartwell and
then ground level platforms could be built on the opposite sides of the
track so that people could board the light rail vehicle from there.
I suppose the final hurdle is the question of the termination point of
the light rail vehicle at the Camberwell end of the line. Camberwell now
does not have adequate space for new ground level platforms so this
leaves this option out. East Camberwell looms as the obvious second
choice. An interchange could be built there for people to change from
light rail to heavy rail during off peak hours.
One extension to this idea that I rather like is the idea of continuing
the light rail service to Box Hill. During daylight hours this would
provide a useful service for shoppers. Box hill station has a disused
platform, so perhaps the light rail vehicle coudl terminate there (after
the ground is built up to a suitable height so that the track is level
with the platform).
Thus our peak service is as follows;
Heavy rail City to Alamein with light rail running Alamein to Chadstone
and thence to station on Dandenong line along broad guage tramway.
Off peak
Light rail departs Station on Dandenong line to Chadstone to Alamein to
East Camberwell then express to Box Hill.
Shoudl for some reason the above idea prove impracical I offer the
following modification. If broad gauge trams can't be used - why not a
low-rider bus capble of running on broad gauge rail tracks?
What do readers think?
cheers Peter