Re: Interstate Platform at Geelong?

["Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au>]

Craig Haber wrote in message <370F47AE.49C51FDB@harnessnet.com.au>...
>
>The SG platform is *definately* under construction at North Shore.  It
appears
>to be 2 carriages long, constucted from steel with concrete bases (pretty
much
>like Coburg and Diamond Creek's second platforms).
>
>I hope it gets more use than the adjacent carpark - they spent quite a bit
on
>it, I've never seen more than 2 cars parked there!
>
>Cheers,
>CH.


Jeff Kennett made an election promise in 1996, that an SG platform would be
built at Nth Geelong- this was done to prop up the Liberal vote in the
Geelong electorates.   Therefore one can only assume that another state
election is around the corner.

As regards platform size, if the conductor knows already what cars
passengers are booked into ex Nth Geelong, he can pre-plan what stops have
to be made.

As regards platform size be thankful, because in Seymour they have been
trying to get the XPT to stop at their 2 car platform for many years, but
the local politicians in the State parliament just pass the buck, and with
the railway officials (V/line & CountryLink), it is a case of- well if we
didn't do it 30 years ago we don't do it now.
CountryLink will stop at The Rock, Henty, Culcairn, and Uranquinty, but if
your town has a population base of 11,000 (Seymour+Puckapunyal) well they
don't stop.
It is used if the XPT misses the connection at Albury, and when drunks have
to be removed by the police.
If the train is positioned properly then 3 cars can be loaded at once.