I believe that was in the initial design??

Fair enough, I couldn't say what the initial design was. I thought maybe he'd had a better look at the construction site than I.

I had a chance to jump on a train into Southern Cross on Friday and snapped a few photos along the way with my Galaxy S4 phone (quality isn't dSLR but you get the idea)

http://www.wolfpacfotos.com/index.php/RRL-Works-17-5-2013

Shows from Deer Park West to Southern Cross, tried to get the interesting parts as they came by. The shutter lag/focus lag made me miss a few areas properly...

Wolfpac

In my humble opinion, since the invention of smartphones and their ever improving cameras, the requirement to carry a bulky camera as well on travel excursions has largely been eliminated and is an unnecessary expense. I certainly don't have a separate camera these days and unlikely ever will.

Great pics, especially from a moving train through glass and window grime etc.

Mike.

Yeah that's the work I referred to a few posts ago, the road is called Christies Rd - I agree, it looks like they are extending it and building a bridge over the rail line so that Boral can have access, as Riding Boundary Rd will be permanently closed once the tracks are laid across it.

I haven't been able to have a decent look at what is happening here for a while (I'm without a car at present and the walking/bike track along there has been closed for the RRL works) but as I understand it, they will definitely be raising the road to approximately the level of the bridges over the Ballarat line and Riding Boundary Rd.  As far as I'm aware the RRL track pair will be going at roughly ground level, but they may drop them slightly to make an easier job of the bridge?

What makes you say they're dropping the level?

Sorry, I knew I saw it somewhere but couldn't remember where... That'll be interesting with the trucks now going directly onto Christies Rd, especially during peak hour. That ramp usually backs up well over the bridge over the Ballarat line and far beyond that!

I only had fleeting looks as I drove by and went by on the V/Lo but there's a fair bit of activity from Deer Park West to North Melbourne. (and makes it hard without transport, or a track to follow!) That makes the most sense, eliminates the dip between the two bridges and will help save fuel and eliminate the trucks speeding up and slowing down in that section.

From what I could see they were excavating out right next to the southern embankment on the western facing side of the bridge. The excavation work lined up almost perfectly with the grading they've carved out for the rail lines from Werribee.

Wolfpac

In my humble opinion, since the invention of smartphones and their ever improving cameras, the requirement to carry a bulky camera as well on travel excursions has largely been eliminated and is an unnecessary expense. I certainly don't have a separate camera these days and unlikely ever will.

Great pics, especially from a moving train through glass and window grime etc.

Mike.

Very true, especially trying to take photos on the train. The shutter from the dSLR would've sounded 'dodgy' going off all the time, so the silent phone was handy!

Saying that, I still prefer the dSLR if I know I'm going out to photograph something (off the train itself). Albeit the S4 is 13MP and my SLR is 'only' 10MP, the much, much larger lens makes a big difference. The phone's lens can never compete with my SLR's 300mm lens for zooming in... The S4 struggled a bit with the N class under the bridge at Southern Cross (lots of noise and grainy images). It was a good test of what it could/couldn't do, though.

However, thank you, appreciate it!

Wolfpac

I don't know if this is related to the RRL works or not, but on the way home today I spotted what looked like about 15 bright yellow ballast wagons stabled on the Deer Park West Quarry branch/ siding.

Sorry, I knew I saw it somewhere but couldn't remember where... That'll be interesting with the trucks now going directly onto Christies Rd, especially during peak hour. That ramp usually backs up well over the bridge over the Ballarat line and far beyond that!

Sure will be interesting! Especially for the citybound trucks - there's no interchange there, they need to make a right-hand turn into oncoming traffic, which could take ages in the peak, holding up everyone behind them!

They may be able to access the Bypass via Middle Rd if heading in that direction though, I'm not entirely sure.

I don't know if this is related to the RRL works or not, but on the way home today I spotted what looked like about 15 bright yellow ballast wagons stabled on the Deer Park West Quarry branch/ siding.

I spotted them there too the other day, Friday I think... Ballast must be going somewhere!

Wolfpac

Sure will be interesting! Especially for the citybound trucks - there's no interchange there, they need to make a right-hand turn into oncoming traffic, which could take ages in the peak, holding up everyone behind them!

They may be able to access the Bypass via Middle Rd if heading in that direction though, I'm not entirely sure.

Absolutely, and will no doubt cause accidents, also... It'd almost be quicker to head up to the Werribee overpass and do a U-turn up and over the bridge there, less traffic but a longer drive.

Soon see, but we can all see what's going to happen, unfortunately.

It'll be like the traffic light saga for the Ferris Rd turnoff in Melton. That intersection seriously needs traffic lights installed, too, but they keep being held up (the lights would stop the masses of banked up traffic doing illegal U-turns at the trotting track and back over the Ferris Rd bridge) it'll be the same thing at Caroline Springs.

It's amazing to see how badly banked up the traffic is there. How either Ballarat Rd or Christies Rd wasn't built over the other eliminating that intersection I'll never know.

Wolfpac

I spotted them there too the other day, Friday I think... Ballast must be going somewhere!

Wolfpac

If the following has anything to do with the above I do not know but, If you look at the 2.3 km mark of the April RRL flypast video there is what strongly looks like a couple of large piles of rail, a welding truck and a crew operating said welding truck welding rails into longer lengths.

Woodford

If the following has anything to do with the above I do not know but, If you look at the 2.3 km mark of the April RRL flypast video there is what strongly looks like a couple of large piles of rail, a welding truck and a crew operating said welding truck welding rails into longer lengths.

Woodford

Interesting, thanks for pointing that out (I don't think I'd actually seen that clip yet!) and it certainly looks like it. They're obviously not too far away from laying rail in the flat parts of the RRL, especially between bridges. At least where it's through paddocks and where they're not filling with rock.

At the 26.77km mark (Deer Park Bypass) you can sort of see where the excavation is starting, basically where the grey patch is near the bulldozer closest to camera. Was a lot deeper when I went past.

Wolfpac

Bit of an update for the upcoming works for July: http://www.regionalraillink.vic.gov.au/news/july2013

Most interesting bits:

Sounds like a LOT of work is going to be done at Sunshine station, with new station concourse being built and old station being demolished.

Sounds like the vast majority of the work will be done on the Ballarat line/Anderson Rd grade separation in the next month or so (closing the road for three weeks)

A new bridge deck over Kororoit Creek.  I didn't know that was happening at all - what's the go there?  Will that replace the current bridges or be in addition to them?  I figure they'll need four tracks over that gully eventually but I wasn't thinking it would happen before Melton was electrified.

Bit of an update for the upcoming works for July http//www.regionalraillink.vic.gov.au/news/july2013

Most interesting bits

Sounds like a LOT of work is going to be done at Sunshine station, with new station concourse being built and old station being demolished.

Sounds like the vast majority of the work will be done on the Ballarat line/Anderson Rd grade separation in the next month or so (closing the road for three weeks)

A new bridge deck over Kororoit Creek.  I didn't know that was happening at all - what's the go there?  Will that replace the current bridges or be in addition to them?  I figure they'll need four tracks over that gully eventually but I wasn't thinking it would happen before Melton was electrified.

Thanks for that link, I certainly better hurry up and get to Sunshine station before they level it and get some photos before it's gone...

Wolfpac

I have been looking over the RRL website and I see the new stations planned for West Footscray and Tottenham. The video does not clearly show if these stations are going to be actually used by V Line or not. Can anyone shed any light on this? At present V Line uses North Melbourne (soon to be bypassed by the RRL), Footscray and Sunshine.

I have been looking over the RRL website and I see the new stations planned for West Footscray and Tottenham. The video does not clearly show if these stations are going to be actually used by V Line or not. Can anyone shed any light on this? At present V Line uses North Melbourne (soon to be bypassed by the RRL), Footscray and Sunshine.

No, V/Line won't be using West Footscray or Tottenham. They will be using Sunshine on the new Platform 4 and rebuilt Platform 3 and Footscray on the rebuilt platforms which will most likely be renumbered 3 & 4 (centre platforms).  West Footscray is getting completely rebuilt to the west of the existing station, Tottenham is getting a new front entrance since most of the station is elevated anyway. Sunshine is getting completely rebuilt as well.

No, V/Line won't be using West Footscray or Tottenham. They will be using Sunshine on the new Platform 4 and rebuilt Platform 3 and Footscray on the rebuilt platforms which will most likely be renumbered 3 & 4 (centre platforms).  West Footscray is getting completely rebuilt to the west of the existing station, Tottenham is getting a new front entrance since most of the station is elevated anyway. Sunshine is getting completely rebuilt as well.

Thanks for clearing that up

From my observations today bridge work for the new RRL tracks between Footscray and Sunshine is well underway.

On the tram network, lots of work is being done to merge closely spaced stops to speed up the service for passengers. I reckon the current rebuild of West Footscrazy is a lost opportunity to merge it with Middle Footscary as they are only 500 metres apart. This would speed up suburban services all the way to Sunbury.

Oh well, it looks like it is too late now.

On the tram network, lots of work is being done to merge closely spaced stops to speed up the service for passengers. I reckon the current rebuild of West Footscrazy is a lost opportunity to merge it with Middle Footscary as they are only 500 metres apart. This would speed up suburban services all the way to Sunbury.

Oh well, it looks like it is too late now.

1. The bridges over Kororoit Creek are the original line, and a second tarck built around 30 years ago . The original bridge probably has a wooden deck and it will be replaced with concrete slabs .

2. A golden opportunity was lost in not building one new station between Middle Footscray and West Footscray as part of this project . Ridiculous having suburban trains so close together .  Ditto Aircraft should be closed now Williams Landing is open .

Platforms taking shape at Tarneit

On the tram network, lots of work is being done to merge closely spaced stops to speed up the service for passengers. I reckon the current rebuild of West Footscrazy is a lost opportunity to merge it with Middle Footscary as they are only 500 metres apart. This would speed up suburban services all the way to Sunbury.

Oh well, it looks like it is too late now.

Something sensible, never gunna happen. Yes, could've made one station out of the two, plonked it fair and square in the middle of the two current stations.
Stupid is as stupid does.

1. The bridges over Kororoit Creek are the original line, and a second tarck built around 30 years ago . The original bridge probably has a wooden deck and it will be replaced with concrete slabs .

2. A golden opportunity was lost in not building one new station between Middle Footscray and West Footscray as part of this project . Ridiculous having suburban trains so close together .  Ditto Aircraft should be closed now Williams Landing is open .

Seabrook residence arnt happy with how the commissioning of Williams landing has gone, with the associated bus route changes. Lots of stops vanished, and people having to walk much further in some cases. Closing aircraft, while it has some logic to it, would not be popular. Still used quite a bit when i go past and there's a train there or not far away.

Understand a Vline N class was testing RRL a platform 15 at Southern Cross the other day does this mean, we will soon see Gippsland services use platform 15 & 16 before the total RRL is completed.

Understand a Vline N class was testing RRL a platform 15 at Southern Cross the other day does this mean, we will soon see Gippsland services use platform 15 & 16 before the total RRL is completed.

Must be. I expect Geelong services will also these platforms.

There is no capacity for sg trains on the RRL between Spion Kop Junction and  South Kensington .  The 20 trains per hour capacity will be fully taken up over South Western, Western & Northern VLP services . When Melton goes electric the slots released will be re-allocated over  Geelong, Ballarat & Bendigo .  So that is why no dg as far as Sth Ken and onto Sims St Jct.

However there is sufficient capacity on the Nth Melbourne flyover (both tracks as dg) to handle VLP bg ex Plats 1 - 8 , VLP sg Albury & sg Interstates as the South Western VLP will run largely off 15/16 .  The bg VLP trains ex all plats at Southern Cross do not merge till Spion Kop Junction .

So the plan splits the broad and sg trains pretty well away from Metro, and it is only the Shepparton & Seymour bg that interact with Metro within the Inner area .  The longer term intention is to run these trains via Upfield (where there is spare capacity) and release slots to Metro on the route via Essendon .  

The RRL arrangements at Southern Cross and over the North Melbourne flyover will allow parallel sg arrivals & departures as far as the Down end of the flyover, whereas the existing layout is one train only on sg at a time between Sims St Jctn and No.1 Signal Box.   Given the current number of sg trains the sg single line through the Dynon yards is not a serious problem . If and when  Shepparton went sg then (i)  dg can easily be provided into platform 3 South at Southern Cross off the dg runaround road, and a second sg track could be laid through the Dynon Yards, creating double sg track all the way out to Tottenham Yard .

During the 2-week shutdown next month, why would all Bendigo services be replaced by road coaches ?  In some previous shutdowns trains were run as far as Sunbury, with coaches from Sunbury to Southern Cross.  Does the electric service to Sunbury now mean there is insufficient space for Vline turnarounds there ? Or is it that Sunbury is now under Metro control, which would mean Vline getting second priority on slots and sidings ?