Re: Melbourn, haven for loco haul

[David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>]

David Bromage wrote:

> thalytgv@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> > According to Railway Digest, Melbourne's Stony Point line is the last
> > place in Australia with locohaul suburban train since Bayside trains is
> > resposible for its operation.
>
> These services are operated by V/Line Passenger, but will accept suburban
> tickets. Sunbury still gets loco hauled trains terminating, but Melton and
> Craigieburn are operated by Sprinters. This does not include trains
> running on to other places.
>
> Cheers
> David

That's what I wrote, however, Craigieburn and Melton local services maybe
sprinters but there are many other trains serving these stations that are loco
hauled. And likely to be loco hauled for the forseeable future. The afternoon
Craigieburn train was actually planned to be a Seymour with a sprinter
detaching at Donnybrook to attach to a new up Seymour formed by the current
1330 down. However, VLF decided that the path was more important to their
goods train from Tocumwal and because we have seen fit to abolish many
safeworking positions on the line and can now no longer offer a flexible
railway, the Seymour service has to suffer - Jeffed again.

One addition to the Seymour service that would not require a goods train being
moved would be a 2100 down every night perhaps even on Saturday night or maybe
even a 2300 down on Sat. Then we could say that a service was being provided
rather than it being just a system.

DEL.