Re: History of the building of the NE SG line.

[wajohns@tpgi.com.au (bill johnston)]

In article <mauried.335.3755F38C@commslab.gov.au>, mauried@commslab.gov.au 
says...
>
>In article <3755217E.5FD080FD@ancc.com.au> David Langley <
>del@ancc.com.au> writes:
>>From: David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>
>>Subject: Re: History of the building of the NE SG line.
>>Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 22:20:14 +1000
>
>>Maurie Daly wrote:
>
>>>
>>> The initial idea had Sth Dynon to West Footscray Jnct a
>s being two separate
>>> tracks , ie 1 BG and 1 SG , not what we have today.
>>> Was the dual guage implemented at a later date or from 
>day 1.
>
>>From day 1. I have not heard about the original thoughts 
>but I would guess that
>>someone in traffic would have said that a single bg line 
>between South Dynon and
>>West Footscray would have been unworkable in those days.
>
>Yes , I can understand the logic of the above from a traff
>ic operations 
>perspective in that a double track line is a hell of a lot
> easier to operate 
>than 2 X single track lines.
>What doesnt make sense though is why wasnt Albion to Jacan
>a simply 
>dual guaged, ie the same as Sth Dynon to West Foostcray Jn
>ctn.
>From a cost perspective it would have cost roughly the sam
>e price , given that
>the dual line double guage option would have not required 
>either Macintye or 
>Tulla loop to have been built.
>I guess such decisions are lost in history.
>
>MD
>
My recollection is that indeed the original design was two single tracks 
Dynon to West Footscray and Albion to Jacana.  After construction had 
commenced additional funds were found to redesign the Dynon West Footscray 
section. NO extra money was available for Albion-Jacana. The original design 
has crossing loops at Tottenham and McIntyre. With the redesign the Totty 
loop was moved to Sunshine. The bridge work (piers at least) at Tottenham, 
over Ashley Street, for the second track was already completed and remained 
unused until Sunshine loop was moved back to its original design location 
with the advent of the Adelaide S.G.
A couple of questions, for anyone still with me. Was the installation of the 
fixed points at both ends of the double track, the first installation in 
Victoria or did these beasts exist in the Wodonga area earlier? The fixed 
"points" use a casting on the inside of the converging / diverging rail to 
carry the flanges of the wheels across the gap. Why is this not done 
elsewhere such as the flat tramway crossings or Cane railway/tramway 
crossings? This would avoid the hammer blows, as the wheel drops into the 
gap, that eventually wrecks any such installation? The same method could be 
also used on point frogs to again reduce the hammer effect and the wearing of 
the frog. I presume someone will come back and say it is a derailment hazard 
as the flange may break; but many many wheels have now passed over Dynon-West 
Footscray and other similar junctions without flange failure.
 
Bill Johnston