Re: RIP ASW?

["Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au>]

David Langley <del@ancc.com.au> wrote in message
news:37A2A904.51609969@ancc.com.au...
> Exnarc wrote:
>
> > What about the stupid curves at: Sunshine, Melton, Parwin, The Marsh,
Ballan
> > and Ballarat, and the slow climb with a full load (if you got a run)
from
> > the Marsh to Bank Box etc. or the climb on the up out of Ballarat, all
that
> > has to be taken into account.
> >
> > The Ballarat line was always the prefered route by VR because of: (a)
the
> > political (both Local MP's & ARU) pressure to keep work in Ballarat, &
(b)
> > the slow safeworking across the plains ie. Automatic Electric Staff
> > (Gheringhap-Maroona). In reality (I speak from personal experience) the
> > Ballarat Line was a pain if you lost your path trying to fit between all
the
> > passes. As I said before the problems with the present route could be
fixed
> > with money: Spent on track upgrading and CTC. With regards to the
political
> > pressure, I can remember the Ballarat ARU members walking out of a
seminar
> > held in Melbourne (in about 1988) because a senior AFULE official dared
to
> > suggest that any proposed SG route to Adelaide should go via Cressy.
>
> If the money that was spent on the Newport to Ararat via Cressy line was
spent
> on Sunshine to Ararat and include the money spent on the Ballarat line
> signalling anyway, you would end up with a better railway than todays
alignment.
> You wouldn't for a start go down through Bacchus Marsh, a loop line could
easily
> be built between ParwAn and the Rowsley bridge. No one is suggesting that
the
> grades are going to be flattened but the railway is more direct and I
still rest
> my case regarding the Cressy line.
>
> Anyway as Eddie pointed out earlier it's all academic anyway. The die has
been
> cast and the railway is the poorer for it.
>
> David.
>
In your opinion David, not mine!!!!

Bob.