Re: Railway over Yarra River.

[steam4me@enternet.com.au (Yuri J Sos/Melbourne AUS)]

On Thu, 2 Sep 1999 23:58:46 +1000, "Stephen Devenish"
<JohnnyR@bigpond.com> wrote, and I selectively quote:


>The line as stated by Chris Gordon, was in fact the line down to Webb Dock
>where Pactricks load cars on and off ships.  The line went down along the
>Lorimer street and past Holden and the back around into Web Dock.  The line
>was in fact Dual Gauge although as no trains used the line and the third
>rail (Standard Gauge leg) was removed.  

The line is still intact beyond the Bolte bridge..... I've never seen
holes in the sleepers where the SG allegedly was.  I thought only the
river bridge and the crossing of Footscray Road was dual gauge.

>another poster, movement of Cars by rail isn't big in Australia and with
>Pactricks moving the car loading down to Webb Dock the need for rail access
>was of no advantage.  

But isn't Webb Dock to be developed as Melbourne's premier dock with
container facilities?

>There were 2 AN Dual Gauge to Dual Gauge turnouts (AN
>standing for Australian National) embedded in concrete at the end of the
>line, these were removed, cleaned and rebuilt on timber and installed on
>the Appleton Dock line.  

Webb Dock end or Melbourne Yard end?

>So Patricks actually stuffed the line but raised
>another line from out of the ashes.  The Appleton dock line will see even
>more traffic as Globex Bulk Commodity Facility comes on line.  The Webb Dock
>line was slated for removal when the freight centre was relocated and no
>train had actually run down there in the previous years was evident by the
>rail and turnout condition.

Why was only the rail from the Bolte Bridge back to Melbourne Yard
lifted and removed?   The line is intact beyond the bridge.  There was
an article in the Age a couple of months ago that there are plans by
the MPC to build a bridge across the Yarra  to re-connect the line.
City Link has already said it will not permit B-triples on its bridge
to transfer containers from Webb Dock to Appleton/Swanson Dock.

As an aside, where will the manganese ore to be smelted in the La
Trobe valley that's to be shipped from Tasmania be unloaded?

Regards

Yuri
-- 
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Yuri J Sos
Melbourne VIC AUS

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