Is it possible to run a passenger service between Horsham and Portland? Via Ararat.

Technically - yes.

Practically - no.

As Ballast_Plough says, yes, and no.

Why would anyone bother? It can be driven by road in a little over 2 hours. Even with blatant manipulation of possible numbers who would say that they would patronise such a service, no operator would ever take it on, unless they had a bankruptcy wish.....which would come rather quickly.

unless of corse the government is subsidising the route.

Technically - yes.

Practically - no.

As Ballast_Plough says, yes, and no. Why would anyone bother? It can be driven by road in a little over 2 hours. Even with blatant manipulation of possible numbers who would say that they would patronise such a service, no operator would ever take it on, unless they had a bankruptcy wish.....which would come rather quickly.

Agree with you both. Whilst it can be done, it's not worth it, especially when there are far more important things that need to be completed.

I think what Wyche is getting at is (maybe) a service going to/from Ararat meeting the Vlocity from Melbourne.  One could go to Portland and the other to Dimboola; however I'd have to agree that there might not be much point.  I have friends who live in Horsham and they tell me since the train died in 1993 there's nil local interest in getting it back - in fact at the moment they're lobbying the government to remove the railway from the town full-stop so they aren't disturbed by those annoying noisy interstate freighters.  Hamilton/Portland was killed off many years before that (1981 I believe) so I'm guessing that would be even less viable.

Its a nice thought but there's not much political advantage in giving a train service back to a community that isn't really interested in the first place.

Yes it's possible, the tracks are there, the paths are there and the stations still exist at the required major stops of Dimboola, Horsham, Murtoa, Stawell, Ararat, Hamilton and Portland. (I would assume Portland and Hamilton wouldn't need much to bring them up to scratch as the platforms still exist in decent condition).

Yes it would be possible to guage convert another train set, I would suggest an extra N set and N class loco, that way it could be kept in the same pool as the Albury trains which would save having an orphan SG Vlocity or orphan SG Sprinter which would cause operational difficulties.

However, while yes these things are possible, the questions that you should be asking is... If this service was offered, how well would it be utilised? Could a road coach meet the current demand?

It would seem going by current numbers utilising the service (roadcoach) already provided on the 'busier' stretch between Nhill and Ararat that the answer to the above questions is no.

So your answer is yes, it is possible to have a passenger service from Horsham to Portland. Should it happen though? no.

I think what Wyche is getting at is (maybe) a service going to/from Ararat meeting the Vlocity from Melbourne.  One could go to Portland and the other to Dimboola; however I'd have to agree that there might not be much point.  I have friends who live in Horsham and they tell me since the train died in 1993 there's nil local interest in getting it back - in fact at the moment they're lobbying the government to remove the railway from the town full-stop so they aren't disturbed by those annoying noisy interstate freighters.  Hamilton/Portland was killed off many years before that (1981 I believe) so I'm guessing that would be even less viable.

Its a nice thought but there's not much political advantage in giving a train service back to a community that isn't really interested in the first place.

The Ararat-Portland service was run by the Tulloch DRCs which were terribly unreliable. Later they were upgraded electrically which made them more reliable but by then the Portland service was annulled.
This was around 1981-1982, the time for "New Deal for Country Passengers" and the Lonie report. The Lonie Report recommended that all country trains cease except for Geelong trains. So rail services were on the way out.

I think what Wyche is getting at is (maybe) a service going to/from Ararat meeting the Vlocity from Melbourne.  One could go to Portland and the other to Dimboola; however I'd have to agree that there might not be much point.  I have friends who live in Horsham and they tell me since the train died in 1993 there's nil local interest in getting it back - in fact at the moment they're lobbying the government to remove the railway from the town full-stop so they aren't disturbed by those annoying noisy interstate freighters.  Hamilton/Portland was killed off many years before that (1981 I believe) so I'm guessing that would be even less viable.

Its a nice thought but there's not much political advantage in giving a train service back to a community that isn't really interested in the first place.

AKA Korumburra and Leongatha. Strange thing is though when I travel to Horsham for a weekend, as I will be again in a few weeks to see the Stick Shed open day, the bus from Horsham is often doubled up and doubled up again at Stawell.

http://www.murtoastickshed.com.au/


The Ararat-Portland service was run by the Tulloch DRCs which were terribly unreliable. Later they were upgraded electrically which made them more reliable but by then the Portland service was annulled.
This was around 1981-1982, the time for "New Deal for Country Passengers" and the Lonie report. The Lonie Report recommended that all country trains cease except for Geelong trains. So rail services were on the way out.

Hasn't a lot changed in 30 years

...
Hasn't a lot changed in 30 years

And unlikely the next 30

State government shy away from rail projects costing less than a Toorak shack!
Meanwhile they go running around begging, borrowing and stealing every penny to fund mega billion dollar road ones

And unlikely the next 30

State government shy away from rail projects costing less than a Toorak shack!
Meanwhile they go running around begging, borrowing and stealing every penny to fund mega billion dollar road ones

I know I'm a bit off track here, but the last 30 years as we all know has seen a renaissance of rail in Victoria. Moreover we won't have conservative governments for the next 30 years and it's a 50/50 chance Dr Denis will lose the next election anyway.

The next 30 years is probably worth its own thread as most of us will still be on the perch, I'll be 88 by then...exactly what could be the specific changes/improvements to PT in Victoria by 2043

Mike.

The next 30 years is probably worth its own thread as most of us will still be on the perch, I'll be 88 by then...exactly what could be the specific changes/improvements to PT in Victoria by 2043

Mike.

That might be a subject for the Armchair Operators - all sorts of weird and wonderful dreams come to mind.........

Seriously, yes, as Melbourne keeps expanding, so must the Metro and Regional Public Transport Options, of which rail is the most proven mover of people en-masse.

It's very difficult to predict things that far into the future.  I have a friend who sincerely believes in another 20 or 30 years we'll all be travelling around in our own personal flying cars powered by thousands of tiny electric gyroscopes.  Even if that happens I'm sure we'll still need to have mass transit, especially in the bigger cities; otherwise the traffic congestion in our skies will blot out the sun.

Look at the "Back to the Future 2" film, they completely omitted our omnipresent mobile communications devices!  And where's my hover-board?