Re: Bethungra Spiral

["Garry Hoddinett" <hoddos@netspace.net.au>]

If I can recall correctly the Booze - Hamilton report into the NSW railways
in the late 1980's suggested that the Main South could be converted to
single track beyond Goulburn.  One of the best railway magazines in
Australia - "Rail Australia" reviewed this idea and suggested it did have
some merit in reducing operating costs.  Apparently beyond Goulburn, the
numbers of trains is half what run in the Goulburn - Sydney section.  It was
noted that in the USA many single track main lines carry considerably more
trains then double track main lines in Australia.  Even in Australia there
are many single track lines carrying many more trains than the Main South
beyond Goulburn.  It is all about using resources efficiently. However, I
did say it was probably an Overkill reaction to convert the Goulburn -
Cootamundra section to single track.

In speaking to the editor of the magazine he also said there was merit in
converting the Main West beyond Mount Victoria to single track but this
should have been done before the solid concrete beds were put into the
tunnels.  Again he thought the line is under utilised to justify being
double track. The big plus in conversion to single track was that all the
tunnels (10 ratholes & Marrangaroo) could easily be modified to accommodate
double stack containers - significantly reducing the costs associated with
any upgrading of the Main West to enable double stack container trains to
operate to the west.