Diverting Bendigo and Seymour/Shepparton services on to the Albion corridor will allow for more services. Currently the Bendigo service shares track with the Sunbury line from Sunshine. I fail to see how diverting V/Line services through the Airport will cause strain. You could not make this up. Here is the Herald Sun complaining about the Melbourne Metro which will provide added capacity to the system costing too much and yet spending even more money on a dedicated rail service to the airport which will do nothing in the way of relieving the rest of the network.I must say, I am really quite bemused by this talk about rail to the Airport. Even discussing spending $10 Billion for rail to the airport whilst Albury and Shepparton corridors are services by old life expired equipment that third world countries would sneer at, impending capacity constraints on the Cragieburn and Bendigo corridors and the crisis on long distance V/line services, is absolutely disgusting and nothing short of blatant electioneering on the part of the Turnbull Liberal Government. Just think of what Victoria could do with $10 Billion. For a start it could electrify the Ballarat line out to Melton, rehabilitate the line from Upfield to Somerton which would ease the pressure on and allow for extra services on the Broadmeadows route. Transform the Bus Network into a fully functional high frequency network instead of the dog breakfast we have now, provide extra tracks between Caulfield and Dandenong. I could go on. I just find it hard to take when the Airport isnt even adequately served by bus. As far as Im concerned, there should be only two options to be considered. Make it a V/Line service diverting, Shepparton and Bendigo services through the airport, or string up cheap trolley wire, rebuild some old trams (Victoria has plenty of them), build some tram stops and make it part of the tram networks. MichaelYes, of course the money could be better spent. I would rather the Metro 2 tunnel. But hey, if the feds are putting up the money, Victoria might as well chip in $5 billion otherwise it will be a wasted opportunity. I don't think that they will consider diverting V/line services alone. They would have to come in addition to the Metro services. There would just be too much of a strain on the V/line trains. Doing the line properly: making it part of the train network with other stations, will have several great benefits. Less traffic on the Tullumarine Freeway, a service to the airport, reduced Skybus demand (or even better, a cheaper Skybus service), etc. Melton electrification will come fairly soon. Metro 1 will add more services on the Broadmeadows route. Upfield to Somerton will also eventually come. So will Caulfield to Dandenong quadruplication when a government wins in a landslide. It's about time something is done about the airport. It's an embarrassment to the world's most liveable city!
...... or string up cheap trolley wire, rebuild some old trams (Victoria has plenty of them), build some tram stops and make it part of the tram networks.I don't think a tram service would work. It may be OK for airport workers, but not for airline passengers, because:
Michael
Fair enough, although I would not imagine it would be hard to configure the trams so that they would have longitudinal seating and storage space for luggage. The point is that the Airport link should be done on the cheap. Diverted V/Line services, not tunneling and electrification....... or string up cheap trolley wire, rebuild some old trams (Victoria has plenty of them), build some tram stops and make it part of the tram networks.I don't think a tram service would work. It may be OK for airport workers, but not for airline passengers, because:
Michael
- Airline passengers usually have heavy luggage. Trams are not suitable.
- Too slow. Airline passengers want to get to or from the airport as quickly as possible, which is where (semi) express rail comes in.
It comes down to who is the airport link primarily intended for? Airline passengers or airport workers?
.
Anyway, I am quite surprised that the federal government has finally decided that Melbourne is worth spending infrastructure money on! Too bad that Turnbull's lost 30 news polls in a row. This will all stop if Abbott returns.Not necessarily. If Abbott returns that will pave the way for a Labor government, who might be very happy to keep Victoria onside.
Going via Broady would only make sense if you quadruplicated the current line to Broady and ran Bendigo trains via the airport as well to free up capacity on Sunbury/Melton lines. Is there room to do that under the Tullamarine fwy at Pascoe Vale? And it would probably wipeout any cost savings too.Which seems hideously expensive considering the RRL to Airport is already segregated, and the only cost would be an additional BG track between Albion and the junction to the Airport, followed by a dual track pair through the airport to Gisborne.
So, according to their Website: https://www.skybus.com.au/melbourne-city-express/timetableTotally agree if you are insisting That the Airport link should be a dedicated link serviced by Metro.
Skybus operates every 10 mins during daytime between Southern Cross and the Airport, so 6 per hour at about 50 seats = 300 passengers an hour in each direction. Plenty of spare seats on a 6 Car Metro train.
Where are all the passengers going to materialise from to justify a train from Southern Cross with a similar frequency?
Yes, a V junction beyond the Airport ("Oaklands Junction" could actually mean something maybe), one way heading over to about Clarkefield, the other to around Donnybrook. Run the Bendigo and Seymour/Shepparton trains through with an Airport stop, as well as Airport trains that terminate/start from that "Oaklands Junction". It then frees up capacity on the other two lines for Metro. The line from Airport to Southern Cross needs to be Express, or maybe one stop, depending on the route that it takes.So, according to their Website: https://www.skybus.com.au/melbourne-city-express/timetableTotally agree if you are insisting That the Airport link should be a dedicated link serviced by Metro.
Skybus operates every 10 mins during daytime between Southern Cross and the Airport, so 6 per hour at about 50 seats = 300 passengers an hour in each direction. Plenty of spare seats on a 6 Car Metro train.
Where are all the passengers going to materialise from to justify a train from Southern Cross with a similar frequency?
However the opportunity exists to use this link as a basis of removing capacity constraints on the Bendigo and Seymour Shepparton lines with services provided by V/Line.
Michael
I must say, I am really quite bemused by this talk about rail to the Airport. Even discussing spending $10 Billion for rail to the airport whilst Albury and Shepparton corridors are services by old life expired equipment that third world countries would sneer at, impending capacity constraints on the Cragieburn and Bendigo corridors and the crisis on long distance V/line services, is absolutely disgusting and nothing short of blatant electioneering on the part of the Turnbull Liberal Government.Agree,
Just think of what Victoria could do with $10 Billion. For a start it could electrify the Ballarat line out to Melton, rehabilitate the line from Upfield to Somerton which would ease the pressure on and allow for extra services on the Broadmeadows route. Transform the Bus Network into a fully functional high frequency network instead of the dog breakfast we have now, provide extra tracks between Caulfield and Dandenong. I could go on. I just find it hard to take when the Airport isnt even adequately served by bus. As far as Im concerned, there should be only two options to be considered. Make it a V/Line service diverting, Shepparton and Bendigo services through the airport, or string up cheap trolley wire, rebuild some old trams (Victoria has plenty of them), build some tram stops and make it part of the tram networks.
Michael
What does everyone here think about using a Monorail aligned with major roads along the route (not the Freeway), stations at VU and Highpoint along the way? Something like this. I can't think of a single downside
Scott Morrison said this morning, I'm no engineer, but...it won't be a monorail.
Mike.
The Simpson's Episode on Monorail technology really wasn't that far from the truth! its 1960's futuristic technology that never really achieved what it was hoped for. Small capacity, slow speeds and costly and complex junction infrastructure for changing lines.What does everyone here think about using a Monorail aligned with major roads along the route (not the Freeway), stations at VU and Highpoint along the way? Something like this. I can't think of a single downside
Scott Morrison said this morning, I'm no engineer, but...it won't be a monorail.
Mike.
I just hope Sydney can sort out the LR construction drama down George Street pretty quick or forget any chance of such a project being repeated any time soon and follow the Sydney Monorail.
Precisely. The Airport link can only be justified if it solves other problems. Spending $10 Billion on a dedicated link is ridiculous. I do not get the obsession of a dedicated link to the Airport. An efficient service provided by V/Line from Bendigo, Seymour and Shepparton should be suffice.I must say, I am really quite bemused by this talk about rail to the Airport. Even discussing spending $10 Billion for rail to the airport whilst Albury and Shepparton corridors are services by old life expired equipment that third world countries would sneer at, impending capacity constraints on the Cragieburn and Bendigo corridors and the crisis on long distance V/line services, is absolutely disgusting and nothing short of blatant electioneering on the part of the Turnbull Liberal Government.Agree,
Just think of what Victoria could do with $10 Billion. For a start it could electrify the Ballarat line out to Melton, rehabilitate the line from Upfield to Somerton which would ease the pressure on and allow for extra services on the Broadmeadows route. Transform the Bus Network into a fully functional high frequency network instead of the dog breakfast we have now, provide extra tracks between Caulfield and Dandenong. I could go on. I just find it hard to take when the Airport isnt even adequately served by bus. As far as Im concerned, there should be only two options to be considered. Make it a V/Line service diverting, Shepparton and Bendigo services through the airport, or string up cheap trolley wire, rebuild some old trams (Victoria has plenty of them), build some tram stops and make it part of the tram networks.
Michael
Mel doesn't have airport train now because its expensive, some people just don't seem to get this part.
My thinking is the absolute top end price will be around $4-5B assuming it doubles up serving other customers AND/OR solves other problems in the network as has Perth, Syd and Brisbane. But NO WAY in HELL is Melbourne going to get a dedicated airport line for $4-5B OR MORE!
again Toronto has alot in common with Melbourne and in the end so might be the final solution for rail to the airport
Communities of Bendigo, Seymour and Shepparton would be over the moon about the prospects of having a direct rail link to Victoria's main International airport.Precisely. The Airport link can only be justified if it solves other problems. Spending $10 Billion on a dedicated link is ridiculous. I do not get the obsession of a dedicated link to the Airport. An efficient service provided by V/Line from Bendigo, Seymour and Shepparton should be suffice.
Michael
The Politicians may love it, but you can bet that apart from a 'photo opportunity' none of then would use it when they needed to go to the Airport, be it for a 'business trip (aka junket)' or a holiday.
Ah yes, but not in the State that she serves. I bet she didn't use PT after getting off her plane on her return to Tullamarine.The Politicians may love it, but you can bet that apart from a 'photo opportunity' none of then would use it when they needed to go to the Airport, be it for a 'business trip (aka junket)' or a holiday.
Don't necessarily believe everything you think...
Minister Allan was on ABC radio this afternoon describing her use of the Sydney Airport line...
Mike.
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