Re: Rail modifications to Gelong line?

["John Wayman" <trecker@optusnet.com.au>]

How about  an extra track for  trains b/w Laverton Junction and Werribee?

Cheers
John Wayman

Craig Haber <albatross@harnessnet.com.au> wrote in message
37EB74E7.C585904D@harnessnet.com.au">news:37EB74E7.C585904D@harnessnet.com.au...
> G'day,
>
> Michael Walker wrote:
>
> > I thought the present Sprinters were built to be able to do 160 km/h?
>
> No they don't go that quick.  The Geelong line is limited by
infrastructure
> problems between Spencer St and Newport and congestion at Laverton -
trains
> with higher top speed won't necessarily improve running times.
>
> Investment in infrastructure and use of existing trains could accelerate
the
> service, for example:
>
> Speed signalling Footscray-Newport (very short sections are the barrier to
> higher speed running here - 65km/h for passes, 80km/h from
Sprinters/sparks)
>
> Totally re-align Newport, ideally with the Geelong line as the "main line"
> (rather than the diverge), or at least 65km/h diverge for Geelong line
trains
> (all the money spent re-signalling and re-aligning Newport did not improve
> this, the 40km/h diverge remains)
>
> Re-align Newport south, eliminating the stupid track layout which forces
all
> trains to slow for a 65km/h diverge (another thing not fixed when Newport
was
> re-signalled)
>
> Improved timetabling (or ideally a flyover) at Laverton Jcn (virtually
every
> down country train is checked here).
>
> Improved timetabling Newport - Spencer Street - nearly every country train
has
> to follow a spark from Newport, I reckon this costs 5 mins or more.
>
> Just as an example - it is quite possible for a loco hauled train at
115km/h to
> achieve 46 mins Spencer Street - Geelong given a clear, express run.  Of
course
> this rarely happens - virtually every up country train follows a spark
from
> Newport to Spencer Street, and nearly every down country train is checked
at
> Laverton Jcn, and often have to follow sparks from Laverton to Werribee.
>
> It is a very frustrating line upon which to travel!
>
> Regards,
> CH.
> --
> Craig Haber
> albatross@harnessnet.com.au
> http://www.harnessnet.com.au/ch/
> Proofread carefully to see if you any words out
>
>