Re: Blacktown, Parramatta, Epping, Chatswoood, St Leonards and all stations to Wolli Creek, then Canberra

[David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au>]

Bill McNiven wrote:

> Everyone else has pontificated on this subject, so now it's my turn ...
>
> Some possibly relevant points:
>
> BLACKTOWN vs. HORNSBY
>
> The work at Blacktown is basically construction of an additional platform
> face beside the existing Up Refuge line.  Constructing a track to the
> partly-existing platform face on the site of Hornsby Loco would be a bigger
> job.
>
> Blacktown is being favoured because it has become the western terminus of
> the Olympic Games service.  The Olympics plan seems to be developing towards
> running, at peak times, 16 trains/hour to Blacktown, and keeping them
> separated from the rest of the network as far as possible.  Terminating a
> train every four minutes seems to need either exclusive use of four
> platforms or exclusive use of two platforms which lead to four dead-ends.
> Given that Blacktown also needs (in off-peak periods) three platforms for
> Down Penrith, Up Penrith and Richmond (both ways), the construction under
> way seems to be the simplest way to do the job.  An alternative IMHO would
> have been to build platform 2.5 as a third branch platform on the site of
> the old stock siding and run all OP trains via platform 1 to the yard, then
> out via platform 2.  As posters to long-past threads pointed out, the
> solution adopted also allows down Penrith / Mountains trains that are
> mistakenly routed over the flyover at Seven Hills to re-join their intended
> route at Blacktown.
>
> HORNSBY RESIGNALLING
>
> A recurring tragedy of rail infrastructure planning by the various NSW
> authorities is that there isn't any (just look at the so-called "Parkes
> Y-link"!).  We've just seen all the junctions and signalling at Hornsby
> re-done without anyone asking whether the platforms are in the right place!
>
> Hornsby station, including the former goods yard and steam loco depot, is a
> magnificent site.  If somebody had said "we're going to spend megabucks at
> Hornsby so let's look at how we best use the land bounded by George St,
> Bridge St, Jersey St and the 'old' Pacific Highway", the outcome might have
> an entire new station with six platforms and a pair of independent goods
> lines sited around 200 metres north of the present station.   No change to
> the present "old" Pacific Highway bridge.  No change to the Bridge Street
> bridge.  Just replace the entire cramped "station plus goods yard plus steam
> loco depot" layout with a decent station.

That would be a great idea, but would involve closing Hornsby station / yard for
a couple of months.  The current "solution" was decided on because it could be
done using weekend shutdowns.


--
David Johnson
trainman@ozemail.com.au
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~trainman/