Re: Warragul line (Vic) questions

[jdennis@acslink.net.au (John Dennis)]

On 18 Nov 1998 03:27:30 GMT, dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)
wrote:

>Chris Younger (chris@silas-1.cc.monash.edu.au) wrote:
>> The line between Bunyip and Longwarry is the only section of single track
>> but by the look of it it once was dual track.  Does anyone know why this
>> section was made single track?
>
>IIRC, it was never double track. Provison was made when the line was
>doubled in the 50s, but some infrastructure (bridges?) would not permit
>this section to be doubled.

The Bunyip River bridge is the only major impediment to double
tracking this section.  IIRC the overhead was constructed to double
track specifications too, and the track can be seen to "change sides"
along the way - move from the where the up track would be to the down
side.

This is an interesting little section of track, with the platforms at
each end being located on the single line, so that if a passenger
train was required to wait to gain access it was not able to even stop
at the platform.  Work began on a new platform at Longwarry which was
located on the double track, but it was never completed.

The section was controlled by miniature electric staff, complete with
staff exchangers.  AFAIK these were the only such devices that the "L"
class electrics used.  Nowadays it is controlled by an automatic
signalling system - first come first served.

Cheers...JD
==========================================================
John Dennis                         jdennis@acslink.net.au
Melbourne                                  denjo02@cai.com
Australia                   Home of the Dutton Bay Tramway
DBT URL:       http://www.acslink.net.au/~jdennis/dbt.html