Merit in electrifying to Bombaderry?

GeoffreyHansen · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:47 pm

In light of the recent discussion on electrifying the Southern Highlands Railway, I wonder what merit there would be in electrifying the remainder of the Illawarra line from Kiama to Bombaderry? How much would it cost?

To me eliminating the change at Kiama would simplify the operation of the whole line. Admitadely however the line would some of its character.

I would suggest electrifying the line to Bombaderry and transfering the Endeavours to run between Lithgow and Bathurst.

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fcic0rscvgs0 · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:07 pm

Bwana · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:26 am

Back in the State Rail days they had an ingenious way of avoiding changeovers - they ran Diesels from Sydney to the intended destination, instead of saying "screw the passengers, we're not running diesels a metre further than the nearest wires".

Just a thought.

Beyond that, there were seperate threads at roughly the same time, couldn't have been more than 6 months ago, arguing for or against electrification of Macarthur to Picton/Moss Vale/Goulburn, Kiama to Bomaderry and Islington Junction to Telarah. Must we go over the same territory again so frequently?

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Raichase · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:02 am

To be honest, while the line only goes to Gerringong (the station being a good ten minute hike from the town shops, and further away from most of the housing...), Berry (a nice small town, but again the station is a walk from town, just not as long a walk as Gerringong) and Bomaderry (if the line went into Nowra proper, maybe...)

I've been down that way heaps of times, and the ONLY time I see any patronage on the line is when school holidays are on and everyone is on the train to the beach, or into Wollongong to loiter).

To be honest, it looks like only three stations, but it's quite a distance. The current system works well from what I have seen, and electrification would be a lot of cost for no real benefits...

As for the "diesels not running under the wires", during peak hour (for Wollongong), at least one set runs Bomaderry to Wollongong and back, while another meets a train to Sydney at Dapto. The problem with running Endeavours further than they need to is their capacity is nothing compared to a four car OSCAR/Tangara, and so they want to keep the higher capacity trains where they will be used, rather than people cramming onto an Endeavour for the same trip.

I imagine if they ran Central - Hurstville - Sutherland - Thirroul - Wollongong - Dapto - Kiama thence all to Bomaderry, you would get a lot of people on at Central/Hurstville/Sutherland as well as Wollongong looking for a fast ride home - you'd still have the same amount of people alighting between Kiama and Bomaderry, only they would be inconvenienced more with crowding as opposed to a change of trains.

Of course, one could argue to have full length trains running down that way, as they used to, but these are different times - that would be expensive, for no gain.

Plus, electrification would possibly complicate the already complicated section of line, as there is only one point for a cross (Berry), and even then, only one freight can cross at a time, due to the loops being so short. AFAIK, the only loops big enough to cross freighters are at Bombo, Dunmore and Dapto... Longer electric trains from Sydney perhaps wouldn't fit at Berry, and couldn't cross at Bombo (only one platform). Unanderra would be a trick as the "second" platform only is one car long...

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davidr2105 · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:26 am

Here we go again. For the I do not know how many times, this will not happen in the short term for the simple reason of the tunnels, between Kiama and Gerringong, will have to be lowered and this costs to much money for the ridership that there is at the moment. And please I live at Gerringong.

Raichase · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:46 am

Maikha · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:58 pm

Could we not? Please?

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42101 · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:42 pm

Maikha you are so right there mate. Very Happy

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awsgc24 · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:10 pm

taggy · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:46 pm

Well, we could get ride of one of those pesky tunnels. I do believe there is one with on 20ft of dirt cover on top. Very useless and has got to be the most non-needed tunnel in NSW! Laughing

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42101 · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:49 pm

1979 · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:21 pm

Yes, Im not to sure but Im 99% sure that only "Narrow" stock can go down there. So V sets would have to be the train to do it. Now that the South Coast is becoming OSCar territory I don't think it will happen.

Why bother anyway. If you have to change, change. Gives you a chance to stretch you legs Razz

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drwaddles · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:53 pm

What's the merit in starting threads about electrifying to Bomaderry/Goulburn/Bathurst/Maitland/Carlingford/Afghanistan every 6 months that say the same thing?

I recommend searching, reading and then post a reply in the old thread if you feel that your question hasn't been answered in the 14 pages of dirbble.

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DHT · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:12 pm

I believe at this point someone mentions that Nowra is growing place and that they don't understand why the stingy government doesn't extend the line out there and serve the small hamlets of the south coast, thereby making electrification fully viable. What are our taxes for?

To which I would jump in and reply that the bridge over the Shoalhaven would cost at least 300 million and the last suggestion to build it was met with protests with people waving placards saying "don't divide our community". I would also embelish it with my usual, not value for money gobbledygook.

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I'm with the others - can we have something new to discuss please?

davidr2105 · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:31 pm

The only reason one would extend the line over the Shoalhaven River is if there is a freight task that can pay for the bridge. Now i understand that there is coal in the Jervis Bay area but there is not even a possibility of an idea to mine it at the moment. So in the very long term just maybe electrification but I would not hold out for it.