Re: Melbourne (Aus) 80th anniversary of suburban electrification

[John Dennis <jdennis@acslink.net.au>]

In article <375292d0.0@news.bris.corplink.com.au>,
  "MattyQ" <matticueQ@corplink.com.au> wrote:
>
> David McLoughlin wrote in message
<37521C41.7270@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>...
> >The only place I can recall offhand where trains run on tram tracks
is
> >one of the Buenos Aires (Argentina) metro lines where the trains use
a
> >heritage tramway through a city street to get to and from their
depot.
>
> I think what GOD is referring to is the sugar tramways of Northern
> Queensland. In a way, he is correct (did I just say that?) in saying a
train
> runs on tram lines. However, technically, they are not tramways
because they
> do not run on grooved rails and most do not run on roadways (since
"tram" is
> another word for "streetcar").
>
> They are officially called tramways to avoid compulsory employment of
> railway safeworking systems required to run them as a railway.

I doubt that he was referring to the sugar tramways of Queensland,
whether in the north or the south.   Indeed, it would be a strange
person who described Nambour as being in Northern Queensland, although
like most of Queensland, it is north of Brisbane.

I was under the impression that some years ago there was some sort of
change in legislation such that these lines are now officially referred
to as railways, not tramways.  IIRC the level crossing signs now say
"railway crossing" instead of the "tramway crossing" of twenty years
ago.

Nothing to do with Melbourne, electrification, suburban trains or 80th
anniversaries, but happy to keep this entertaining thread on the move.

Cheers...JD
--
John Dennis
Home of the Dutton Bay Tramway
http://www.acslink.net.au/~jdennis/dbt.html


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