And this:

https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/318571/MARL-Sunshine-Route-Strategic-Appraisal.pdf

No serious route detail but some strategic details.

Great news. Looking forward to viewing it on proper news sources soon! Anyway hopefully they will reroute the Bendigo line via the airport at least. It would be great to see both the Bendigo and Seymour lines rerouted via the airport. If a tunnel is involved (which I'd assume there'd have to be one), I'm sure just having the airport trains running through it wouldn't make the most of it. Would it be worth having the Sunbury/Watergardens services also running through it, and having the existing Metro tracks for just Melton/Wyndham Vale services? I am still of the view that Wyndham Vale and Tarneit should be served by Werribee services, heading to Deer Park via RRL. Exciting news nonetheless.

Would it be worth having the Sunbury/Watergardens services also running through it, and having the existing Metro tracks for just Melton/Wyndham Vale services?

Short answer, No.

Long answer, Hell Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Sorry man...another useless link unless one is slightly demented and actually subscribes...

Mike.

Try this one, Mikey

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/melbourne-airport-rail-construction-set-to-start-by-2022/10022642

Attended a press briefing earlier today. Personal comments below. What I take is that the Airport line will run via existing corridors via Footscray/Sunshine/Albion/McIntyre before starting on the new alignment. Not the shortest route, but given that any others would involve probably close to 80% tunnels, it is probably the cheapest. Importantly, it also allows Airport trains to serve a larger "catchment", with regional passengers changing at Sunshine and Newport line at Footscray. The Metro tunnel links in with the alignment; that work will be pretty much finished just as the Airport line construction works start up, so the workforce gets some continuity and the industry retains people better. That was a problem four years back, with no work happening after RRL finished, and skilled specialist rail people being forced to leave Victoria for work. Sunshine looks like becoming more a growth hub; only 5 years back I though it a backwater, but already that is changing, this project will likely enhance that area. Journey times expected to be around 30 minutes Southern Cross - Airport.

In terms of overall planning for Melbourne, it also changes the population growth from the eastern suburbs, which have pretty much reached their limits in terms of terrain (Mt Dandenong) or practical distances (Pakenham is 60km from Melbourne).

Good on the Government; after decades of inertia they are really starting to run a quantity of serious rail projects. Been way too many studies over the years, but little outcome. One remark of the Premier was "You can't catch talk to the airport".

Assuming the Sunshine route, what is the estimated distance in kms from Sunshine to Tullamarine Airport?
I know from Vic Sig's website that it is 12.2 kms from SCS to Sunshine. So I am trying to estimate the actual total distance.

ABC News link

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/melbourne-airport-rail-construction-set-to-start-by-2022/10022642?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne

ABC News link

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/melbourne-airport-rail-construction-set-to-start-by-2022/10022642?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne

Look back up the Thread, Sydney. You were only about Six Hours behind when I posted that link

ABC News link

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/melbourne-airport-rail-construction-set-to-start-by-2022/10022642?WT.ac=localnews_melbourne

Look back up the Thread, Sydney. You were only about Six Hours behind when I posted that link

Oops, sorry. I actually saw that and my eyes deceived me into thinking it was posted in June.

Off the the Optometrist tomorrow for eye test and new glasses I think.


(Though I await the inevitable News forum post from a certain user in regard  to the same announcement).

Good on the Government; after decades of inertia they are really starting to run a quantity of serious rail projects. Been way too many studies over the years, but little outcome. One remark of the Premier was "You can't catch talk to the airport".

Agree in principal although it must be remembered that the State Government were not interested in the Melbourne Airport Rail link until the Feds stumped up the $5bn, it was listed as a low priority project by Infrastructure Victora (and may well still be), a fact that was sighted by the gov pretty much every time the issue was raised.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/andrews-government-talks-down-melbourne-airport-rail-as-pm-pledges-cash-20170407-gvfmxn.html

BG

Agree in principal although it must be remembered that the State Government were not interested in the Melbourne Airport Rail link until the Feds stumped up the $5bn, .........

With a start in 2022 (a state election year) it’s pretty much following the State Government’s original post-Melbourne Metro Tunnel timeline. How is it that a $4bn project a few years back is now north of $10bn? As this appears to be an airport line exclusively, the cost per passenger will be more than $60. If the LNP win government it’ll be via Jacana with Mr Guy hoping to have it entirely funded by the Commonwealth Government’s $5bn and a billion or so left over for the East-West Link road project.

Andrews specifically mentioned that the project is not just a link to the airport but a way of unlocking capacity for fast rail to Geelong and Ballarat (and hopefully Electrification to Wyndham Vale and Melton).

Unfortuntely the press release was frustratingly short on details on how this would happen so at the moment i feel like we are taking his word for it - always fraught with danger when it comes to pollies. However Andrews has been pretty good at sticking to his word so I'm entitled to believe him.

Andrews on ABC Morning with Jon Faine today and mentioned the service would go via Sunshine and Albion (The Albion Option).

When asked for details stated the report which has been prepared was released yesterday to the public, I am about to go looking for it.

Also stated it would new track from Sunshine into SCS with works at Sunshine (new platform/s)??

Works also at SCS. Who knows what platforms will be used there but suggests SCS will be a terminating point as no platforms left at Flinders Street.

No mention of loop service which would be a disappointing outcome as running from Sunshine to North Melbourne thence into the loop via the Clifton Hill group out via Flinders Street and back to the airport would be a great option.

Works also at SCS. Who knows what platforms will be used there but suggests SCS will be a terminating point as no platforms left at Flinders Street.

No mention of loop service which would be a disappointing outcome as running from Sunshine to North Melbourne thence into the loop via the Clifton Hill group out via Flinders Street and back to the airport would be a great option.

How would you fit the extra services into the Clifton Group? It is maxxed out in terms of paths already in the peak, if they upgrade signalling to make more paths they will be eaten up straight away due to the exploding demand from the South Morang line

Works at SC is good news, extra platforms maybe and/or untangling the mess that is there now, possibly even rebuilding the flyover as it was meant to have been done for RRL?

BG

This is the press release

From Sunshine, trains will head north utilising both the Albion East rail reserve and sections of tunnel to protect homes and businesses, before connecting in to Melbourne Airport.

https://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/airport-rail-to-take-off-under-labor-government

I take from this two new lines from Albion to the junction to the airport over and above the 2 freight lines which exist now.

This means a new bridge over the river.  Then to the tunnel and then into the airport into the new stations at the airport previously announced.

Works at SC is good news, extra platforms maybe and/or untangling the mess that is there now, possibly even rebuilding the flyover as it was meant to have been done for RRL?

Ah but you see BG, in their great wisdom, our leaders sold off acres of railway land near SCS that could have provided an near-infinite amount of room for new platforms and tracks.

I am all for urban renewal but it cracks me up every time I drive through the Dudley St underpass and see the demolished Melbourne Yard bridge abutments.... and the rebuilt ones for the RRL just 10 years later. In another 10 years I’ll be able to examine a new track pair in the same spot!

Works at SC is good news, extra platforms maybe and/or untangling the mess that is there now, possibly even rebuilding the flyover as it was meant to have been done for RRL?

Ah but you see BG, in their great wisdom, our leaders sold off acres of railway land near SCS that could have provided an near-infinite amount of room for new platforms and tracks.

I am all for urban renewal but it cracks me up every time I drive through the Dudley St underpass and see the demolished Melbourne Yard bridge abutments.... and the rebuilt ones for the RRL just 10 years later. In another 10 years I’ll be able to examine a new track pair in the same spot!

Agreed.  How sort sighted was the idea to remove yards around the Operations Terminal when this is space needed for an already congested set of yards in Melbourne.

SCS being cut back to the platforms available now will not be sustainable as you say since growth into this major terminal will continue into the next 25 years.

Are there platforms available not in the current configuration which could be used for Airport Line trains?  Surely there is some capacity available in the area somewhere, especially off peak.

This is the press release

From Sunshine, trains will head north utilising both the Albion East rail reserve and sections of tunnel to protect homes and businesses, before connecting in to Melbourne Airport.

https://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/airport-rail-to-take-off-under-labor-government

I take from this two new lines from Albion to the junction to the airport over and above the 2 freight lines which exist now.

This means a new bridge over the river.  Then to the tunnel and then into the airport into the new stations at the airport previously announced.

To get the required capacity and speed necessitates new line(s) and bridges.

The other piece of the puzzle will be around Albion.  The short RRL section for Bendigo trains between Sunshine Station and Anderson Rd will almost certainly need to be extended to just South-east of Ginifer Station.  At least there's room under the bridge at Ballarat Rd (I think).

At least there's room under the bridge at Ballarat Rd (I think).

Back when the RRL was being built I asked this precise question at a “Meet the Engineers” event. They said there was indeed room and the overpass at Anderson Rd also included passive provision for another track pair - that is, the road should not need to be moved again. I am less confident on this second point.

The entire corridor has also been designed in such a way that future electrification of any or all of the RRL tracks is as simple as stringing up wires and poles in certain places. Obviously we would hope that airport works respect this.

Whilst the cost would be higher than the Albion option, direct access to the airport from Southern Cross (via tunnel with interchange at Footscray, and stations at Highpoint/ADF site, Essendon Fields) would be the best option. To ensure viability, this new line would then as a later stage head south and form part of a new line that would end up through Melbourne's SE suburbs. It would have to be a full service metro line, not just an airport link. Bolstering/supplementing existing infrastructure can only go so far, as the city has become physically so large. Rapid transit in the form of such a metro service is the only way to go forward in terms of public transport. This is primarily due to consecutive short sighted governments selling off reservations and allowing unfettered sprawl.

potatoinmymouth
The entire corridor has also been designed in such a way that future electrification of any or all of the RRL tracks is as simple as stringing up wires and poles in certain places. Obviously we would hope that airport works respect this.

I am also making the assumption based on the animated video of the new link presented the link will be electrified which is very sensible.  The report can be found here: https://www.railpage.com.au/downloads?mode=download.view&id=1130

Further, my concerns are the project is being railroaded by Andrews as the Sunshine Link may not be the best way to deliver the service where business travellers don;t want to take the long way round and would rather have a direct route to the CBD but via the Melbourne Loop or Metro Tunnel?

Planned Travel times:

a target travel time of 30 minutes to compete with other travel modes

> 10 minute service frequency
> express operations where possible and cost-effective
> around the clock services to match Melbourne Airport’s 24 hour operations
> integration with other services to provide direct trips and minimise the need for transfers
> catering for people travelling with luggage including possible check-in and luggage drop
> minimising impacts on other rail services and the road network

Ah but you see BG, in their great wisdom, our leaders sold off acres of railway land near SCS that could have provided an near-infinite amount of room for new platforms and tracks.

I am all for urban renewal but it cracks me up every time I drive through the Dudley St underpass and see the demolished Melbourne Yard bridge abutments.... and the rebuilt ones for the RRL just 10 years later. In another 10 years I’ll be able to examine a new track pair in the same spot!

Pull the hideous roof off it, double deck the bastard P 8 to P16 and move on!

Sparks on the lower level, regionals on the upper with a nice wide open concourse over P 2 > 7 to fit more shops into to pay the bills

All P 8 upper > P16 upper including P 15 and 16 ground level accessed via the existing rapid entry P15/16 roads.

Airport rail. XPT and any other SG or terminating services that may require it can still use P1 > 7.

But I suspect the airport rail terminus may end up underneath SC unless water table is a problem - if they already have to tunnel might as well go all the way.

BG

The big question in my mind is what to do about Sunshine Railway Station.  This is a very new station and when rebuilt did not include a Standard Gauge Platform.

The new design and rebuild needs to include the ability to interchange SG with BG at Sunshine.  This would provide the ability to interchange with Albury services and Ballarat and Bendigo/Echuca/Swan Hill and of course the Airport Line.  That is one benefit of the Sunshine interchange.

Will 30 minutes be too long to get from the Airport to the CBD via train?

Will 30 minutes be too long to get from the Airport to the CBD via train?

It's getting a bit long to be honest.  But far better than being stuck on the freeway/tollway in a bus or taxi or dealing with the carparks or drop-off/pickup battle at the airport....

Will 30 minutes be too long to get from the Airport to the CBD via train?

It's getting a bit long to be honest.  But far better than being stuck on the freeway/tollway in a bus or taxi or dealing with the carparks or drop-off/pickup battle at the airport....

I think it is a little long also.  

Sydney Airport is only around 11 kms from the CBD and the train takes around 9 mins, however like myself and others when using the train I tend to use one of the stations in the Sydney Loop.  

https://www.google.com.au/search?ei=WEJVW5yjLcGmmAWlkaegCQ&q=train+timetable+sydney+airport+to+Sydney+central+station&oq=train+timetable+sydney+airport+to+Sydney+central+station&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i8i30k1.6659.7186.0.7460.7.5.0.0.0.0.232.232.2-1.1.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..6.1.232....0.f2Hw4PfPi8c

This can take  much longer.

taking the train from Domestic at Sydney to Wynyard is a trip of 21 minutes.

Jon Faine this morning stated he took a V/Line service from SCS to Sunshine yesterday which took 16 minutes.