The councils in the west now getting behind passenger improvements. I hope they get this up. 

Would the plan be not to have V/line services but a private company like west coast rail.

New company Wimmera Rail Services could put Stawell back on the passenger rail line

The councils in the west now getting behind passenger improvements. I hope they get this up.

Would the plan be not to have V/line services but a private company like west coast rail.

New company Wimmera Rail Services could put Stawell back on the passenger rail line

Would come down to the cost to the government of V/Line running the services or this private company which in the case of West Coast turned out to be good value for money for a long time.

Rollingstock what would they do?

Would come down to the cost to the government of V/Line running the services or this private company which in the case of West Coast turned out to be good value for money for a long time.

Rollingstock what would they do?

That and other factors.

This could really be a good thing for Victoria.  The line is SG which means rolling stock would be readily available and services could be differentiated from those offered now which include bus and overland.

What a great idea.

A spokesman for Wimmera Rail Services, who cannot be named for privacy reasons,

Does anyone else find this a bit odd, that a spokesman cannot be named?

A spokesman for Wimmera Rail Services, who cannot be named for privacy reasons,

Does anyone else find this a bit odd, that a spokesman cannot be named?

The whole thing is a furphy by clueless but good intentioned people. It simply won't happen in this guise. It can only happen with the blessing of the government and V/Line, the states regional PT rail operator...end of.

Mike.

A spokesman for Wimmera Rail Services, who cannot be named for privacy reasons,

Does anyone else find this a bit odd, that a spokesman cannot be named?

Well it was mentioned by a few, when I first posted the article, a number of days, ago.  

Which is half the reason, I thought the Wimmera MailTimes needed a bit of a flogging, printing such an article, about a nameless bloke, whom is hoping too gain some government $$$, to fund, what is a reasonable sized, rail service.

BigShunter.

The network is open access which extends to passenger services so why would V/Line need to be consulted?

The network is open access which extends to passenger services so why would V/Line need to be consulted?

The Network may well be 'open access'...however procurement of appropriate rolling stock would be the second major obstacle after the first major obstacle which would be signing off by PTV.

Mike.

I find Mike the idea of a private operator fascinating.  Why would PTV need to be convinced?  If an operator wanted to run passenger trains then PTV would provide the framework not the veto.  Competition is good.

Rolling Stock could be found.

The original article posted elsewhere finished with words to the effect that this company would be looking for funding from the Vic Government.

Not going to happen.  This is going nowhere.

Theoretically could a private rail passenger operator start up again in Victoria or even Australia as GSR is an example of this.

How to start a Railway. let me list the ways.

Mass local Interest............

MONEY.

People willing to form Committees and be involved in Fund Raising and willing to join 'Working Bee's on needed projects.

MONEY

People willing  to assume Office and the responsibilities that go with it.

Money.

Be prepared to work long hours obtaining Permits and qualifying in some of the very necessary Safety procedures

MONEY

Training, organising supervising, dealing with Government departments, Local, Sate and Federal.

MONEY.

Be conversant with OH&S, Trade Practices Acts,
Ensurring were needed, work is carried out by Trades Persons...


I am sure this is only the tip of the Ice Berg called "Setting up  Tourist/Privately run Railway.

Lots of enthusiastic locals out there want passenger rail to their town. Plenty of people out there like the idea of being on a committee.

My suggested process to make it happen:

1. Local community group ask relevant state authority "what level of patronage would it take to justify providing a [daily] train service, assuming the perway was up to the task?"

2. Local community group opens a trust account with a local law firm to accept pre-paid fares.

3. Based on the answer to #1, local community group sells advance purchase tickets to the enthusiastic locals who want the service, thereby demonstrating a financial willingness to use the service. Tickets refundable only if the service cannot be delivered by a pre-determined future date. Otherwise the buyer is committed.

4. Once the threshold level of patronage is pre-paid (for a suitably long period), local community group then goes back to relevant state authority (together with local MP and councils etc) and requests delivery of said product.

There are plenty of great ideas available for spending other people's (taxpayer) money. Precious few prepared to put up their own money.

I use Mudgee as a perfect example. 99% of people asked "would you use a Mudgee train service" said "yes". At no point were they told that it would take 6 hours (compared with 1 hour by plane, 3 1/2 by car, and about 5 by TfNSW bus/train). When it comes down to the practicalities, the locals these days would rather drive (at a time of their choosing) or fly (to get there quickly) than take a once- or twice-daily train.

If an operator wanted to run passenger trains then PTV would provide the framework not the veto.

PTV will veto until all the boxes are ticked. Only then will they "provide the framework", but the checklist is long and the boxes are difficult to tick off, especially if resources are limited.

The original article posted elsewhere finished with words to the effect that this company would be looking for funding from the Vic Government.

Not going to happen.  This is going nowhere.

How about if there was an opposition party that knew it needed to do more for public transport but didn't have any ideas of its own.  Maybe it would see throwing some money at a private operator as a chance to be seen as doing something for public transport without having to take the responsibility for running the service itself.

Now, who can think of an opposition party that might fit this bill?

Ross

How about if there was an opposition party that knew it needed to do more for public transport but didn't have any ideas of its own.  Maybe it would see throwing some money at a private operator as a chance to be seen as doing something for public transport without having to take the responsibility for running the service itself.

Now, who can think of an opposition party that might fit this bill?

Ross

The Coalition may consider this as a may forward for trials with the Government providing the rolling stock.  Perhaps this is part of the coalition transport policies some of which are to be announced today.

I'm sitting here with visions of TL152 hauling blue K-cars between Dimboola and Ararat, and weekend runs of R766 in the mix....

I'm sitting here with visions of TL152 hauling blue K-cars between Dimboola and Ararat, and weekend runs of R766 in the mix....

Kennett went with West Coast Rail and many would opine in as much as saying this was quite successful.  Passengers enjoyed good service, on time running and a dinning car on Friday evenings.  if V/Line are unable or unwilling to provide services customers would like then why not get behind a private operator with the same or less subsidy provided equivalent to that of vline.  The councils could get behind the marketing and promotion and V/Line could provide the drivers?

I'm sitting here with visions of TL152 hauling blue K-cars between Dimboola and Ararat, and weekend runs of R766 in the mix....

Kennett went with West Coast Rail and many would opine in as much as saying this was quite successful.  Passengers enjoyed good service, on time running and a dinning car on Friday evenings.  if V/Line are unable or unwilling to provide services customers would like then why not get behind a private operator with the same or less subsidy provided equivalent to that of vline.  The councils could get behind the marketing and promotion and V/Line could provide the drivers?

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

How much would a velocity set cost?

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

EX GSR steel stock?

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

EX GSR steel stock?

EX GSR 'scrapped' steel stock

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

EX GSR steel stock?

EX GSR 'scrapped' steel stock

There is a yard of it in Adelaide also there is some ex WCR stock in Geelong

I tend to agree.  If it's got good maintenance backing and uses reliable and decent (i.e Air-conditioned) rolling stock, it could work.

...and isn't there a LOT of that just lying around...

M.

EX GSR steel stock?

EX GSR 'scrapped' steel stock

There is a yard of it in Adelaide also there is some ex WCR stock in Geelong

So...you suggest this new consortium acquire scrapped, graffiti covered carriages sitting in the yard at Adelaide or ex WCR rolling stock that's not been in regular service for many years, isn't air-conditioned, isn't DDA compliant and probably has non EPA compliant drop toilets for this proposal

Mike.