Re: St Leonards, NSW

["Hubert" <hubert@imap4.com>]

Upgrade the signals again so they can cram a few extra trains per hour on to the rails between Chatswood and North Sydney :-p

I don't know whether State Rail/City Rail would realise it or not, but in terms of economics, "specialisation" is very important. Apply it to how you might run trains in Sydney--

Illawarra Line is pretty much independent (not much sharing of existing network with other lines), so we can leave that alone

The South Line (Liverpool via Granville) trains can terminate somewhere like Central (platforms 22/23?) after it goes around City citcle. (also,  make these trains stop at both Burwood and Ashfield) Increase frequency to service area between Granville-Lidcombe. Trains should start at Glenfield to connect with East Hills Line (and forget about Liverpool-East Hills Y link)

East Hills trains can also terminate at Central (platforms 20/21?) after a round of the City circle. Just let them run through the Airport line and not go through Sydenham. 

Liverpool via Bankstown/inner West trains can run as a loop. No change (use platforms 16/17?)

Hornsby via Epping can terminate at Strathfield (platforms 1,2 or 5?). Make people change at Strathfield/Epping for Town Hall (via Chatswood/Redfern) and City stations. This would (should) free up carriages and allow better timing for intercity trains (not as many "overtakings" that occur at Epping/West Ryde)

West line trains can all be diverted to run via Carlingford/Epping, terminating at Central (platforms 18/19?). Just make people change at Merrylands/Epping/Chatswood for Parramatta

North Shore trains can run as shuttle between Berowra/Hornsby to Chatswood/St Leonards. Just make people change. I doubt off-peak patronage is very high 

The you're left with the "Cumberland line" to share tracks with South Line. No big drama there, just increase frequency--using the leftover carriages from Main North line.

Not exactly the best plan, but in terms of cost cutting and increasing efficiency, this would be a great way to do it. But then I bet you my life there'll be people lined up complaining about crap service because they have to change trains at least once to get somewhere. And of course with all those platform changes at "sydney Central", there'll need to be quite enormous works be done between Redfern and Central.

Hubert
20/10/1999 10.04pm



C. Dewick <craigd@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in message 7uk795$qts$1@lios.apana.org.au">news:7uk795$qts$1@lios.apana.org.au...
In <380D5AD9.5517B8B9@fastlink.com.au> Railway Rasputin <bob@fastlink.com.au> writes:

>The curves between Waverton and St Leonords are too tight and to much
>work for 4 tracks to North Sydney.

No they aren't. Bradfield's original city railways plans were to extend 4
tracks to at least St Leonards with a possible extenstion to Chatswood, but
Chatswood station was never actually designed to allow for a 4th track, and
the land area that could be used there is now part of the bus interchange. I
can't see Telstra shifting Chatswood telephone exchange so another track can
be installed on that side... 8-)

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
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