Re: Melbourne SG Traffic and Network Service Plan

[Neil Waller <nwaller@dehaa.sa.gov.au>]

Maurie Daly wrote:
> 
> 
> After 1st May , there would be no reason at all for Viktrak to know or even
> care what trains were running over its Network,after all its all the
> responsibility of the lessees,so the concept of a Timetable for all of
> Victoria will be a thing of the past.
> Obviously each Company may wish to have a timetable , but in the case of
> VF there isnt really any need to have a timetable for freight trains, you
> simply run them all as required.
> Effectively the Train Controllers become the timetable writers .
> 
> MD

It is different on the interstate network.

Each operator will have negotiated a path with ARTC or who-ever and it would be
important to them that that path be honoured.   

This is particularly so with time-sensitive traffic (like passengers) where
the path is a regular path or where an operator has paid a premium for a 
particularly advantageous path.

So too would be the westbound traffic out of Melbourne bound for Perth Friday 
evenings.   There is a fair bit going that way and each operator needs to know
when it must operate to ensure all have a fair go (including that coming the
other way).

So the interstate traffic is, essentially, a constant.   Therefore an overall
train plan must exist.

What this plan is would become obvious after a month or so of operation.

Freight Victoria must fit in with this schema.   It can run on the broad guage
lines as and when it pleases (regular passenger services permitting) but 
where it traverses the interstate SG lines it must fit in with other operators.

It would need to know when it can use those lines, and even if another operator
is a partner who would accept FV loading.
 
At various times no paths would be available; at other times there would be no
problem.

This information should be freely available.   What was paid for a path might be
confidential; that the path is taken is not.


(Sir Humphrey:  "Freedom of Information means telling the press what they could
otherwise find out for themselves.")
-- 
Neil Waller	(nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au)
Department of Environment Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs
Telephone:	Oz: (08) 8204 9218; International: (618) 8204 9218
Mail:		GPO Box 1047, ADELAIDE 5001     Australia

Unless explicitly attributed, the opinions expressed are personal
and not those of DEHAA or the South Australian Government.