There was gold in them there hills.

Why were the railways in Victoria originally built to such a high standards (in general) compared to the other states, in particular NSW and Qld.  
The Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong lines in particular were all built to high speed standards yet in NSW and qld they weren't.  Despite in many places have easier topography.

The simple answer is population density.

Back in the day, the railways needed to reach most every small town, due lack of roads, cars, etc. To do that in Victoria is relatively easy, given the size of the state. NSW is much bigger, and Queensland is bigger again, hence the lower standards in those states.

The same appears to hold true to this day. Driving regional roads in Victoria, they seem much better maintained than those in NSW and certainly Queensland.

id say geography too - getting out of Sydney required a lot of extra work than getting out of Melbourne - so the funds available could go into better quality track instead of building an alignment to deal with the grades.

I note in some recent Victorian posts references to 'Victoria Dock' in train origins/destinations.

What is the geographical relationship between Victoria Dock and Appleton Dock these days, please?

I note in some recent Victorian posts references to 'Victoria Dock' in train origins/destinations.

What is the geographical relationship between Victoria Dock and Appleton Dock these days, please?

They both come off of the North & South Dock Lines and are basically next to each other. Victoria Dock, use to be operated by Westgate Port Services until QUBE bought them out. Appleton Dock has various operators including DP World, Patrick, ABA/AWB, and others.

http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR150.pdf

Jack

I note in some recent Victorian posts references to 'Victoria Dock' in train origins/destinations.

What is the geographical relationship between Victoria Dock and Appleton Dock these days, please?

They both come off of the North & South Dock Lines and are basically next to each other. Victoria Dock, use to be operated by Westgate Port Services until QUBE bought them out. Appleton Dock has various operators including DP World, Patrick, ABA/AWB, and others.

http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR150.pdf

Jack

Thanks Jack.

Something else that I have learned for the day.
In effect the area serves the sole remaining Berth (24 ?) of the once mighty Victoria Dock.

^{(Must have overlooked it in the demise of the rest of Victoria Dock - must have some mate at Docklands that I can sell it to)}.

They both come off of the North & South Dock Lines and are basically next to each other. Victoria Dock, use to be operated by Westgate Port Services until QUBE bought them out. Appleton Dock has various operators including DP World, Patrick, ABA/AWB, and others.

http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR150.pdf

Jack

This discussion on ports led me to sort out the differences between Patrick Corrigan and Chris Corrigan as their similar business interests has led to my confusion. Wiki says they are unrelated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Corrigan_(businessman)

The confusion arises because Chris Corrigan was Managing Director of Patrick Corporation. Patrick Corrigan is not connected to either.

When did the srhc aqurire gm 36 and who from

When did the srhc aqurire gm 36 and who from

Here you go dan, all on Comrails http://www.comrails.com/cr_locos/r_gm.html#36

GM36
Original Owner = Commonwealth Railways (CR)
Built by Clyde Engineering, Granville, NSW, builders No.66/445

Original Cost:

"$254190"

11.5.1966

Entered service on TAR (CR)

14.2.1994

Stored Port Augusta.

Ownership transferred to Australian National Railways (ANR later AN)

8.1995	Sold to Seymour Railway Heritage Centre for $8500.
25.8.1995	Left on its delivery run to Seymour

1. Why do the railways refer to passengers as customers this always confused me.

2. What exactly is the difference between a tram and a Light Rail Vehicle, and when does a tram line become a light rail line?? (I kind of know this one but can't explain it to my mum easily)

1. Why do the railways refer to passengers as customers this always confused me.

2. What exactly is the difference between a tram and a Light Rail Vehicle, and when does a tram line become a light rail line?? (I kind of know this one but can't explain it to my mum easily)

1. It's PR Spin, designed to make us feel warm and valued.
2. I asked the same question a couple of years ago, and I'm still none the wiser. I'm blowed if I can see any significant difference.

1. Why do the railways refer to passengers as customers this always confused me.

2. What exactly is the difference between a tram and a Light Rail Vehicle, and when does a tram line become a light rail line?? (I kind of know this one but can't explain it to my mum easily)

1. It's PR Spin, designed to make us feel warm and valued.
2. I asked the same question a couple of years ago, and I'm still none the wiser. I'm blowed if I can see any significant difference.

1. Yes it's spin, the railways see themselves as providing a service which the passenger uses (for a fee) so hence the passenger becomes a customer when he/she purchases the service (buys a ticket!)

2. I always looked on it as a tram runs on the streets (with other traffic eg cars) and Light rail runs on an exclusive corridor. However in most cases like the Gold Coast light rail and the Glenelg tram, the systems is a mix of both.

1. Yes it's spin, the railways see themselves as providing a service which the passenger uses (for a fee) so hence the passenger becomes a customer when he/she purchases the service (buys a ticket!)

I will add that it is also not something that is confined to rail, all forms of transport use this term.

Also, the term consumer is used as well - all three are in use.

Interestingly passenger is derived from the word passage.  Somewhere along the line the 'n' was added into it (along with other words like messenger and harbinger, Im not sure why though).

1. Why do the railways refer to passengers as customers this always confused me.

1. It's PR Spin, designed to make us feel warm and valued.
.

I feel warm and valued when the 06:32 turns up on time...

Has been referred to here by people in the industry? Passengers/customers are called SLF. Self loading freight.

I feel warm and valued when the 06:32 turns up on time...

Ah but does it arrive at it's destination on time? I would love to feel warm and valued however the 09.14 Dn Bendigo with it's perennial tardiness leaves me feeling cold and taken for granted more often than not!

BG

A photo has appeared on the Shipping Nostalgia forum depicting the unloading of a locomotive at 'Victoria Port'. The photo date is 2 October 1921 and is credited to the Victorian State Library.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1191746/title/unloading-locomotive/cat/501

The loco looks like an SAR V class 0-4-4 of the late 1800s. Initially I thought that the photo date might be wrong but it now appears correct as there was at least one V class used on the construction of Yallourn in the 1920s. As to the location I don't know. The wagon certainly looks like a Victorian QR open.

Anybody got any ideas on the location, please?

(Hope that the link works)

Hello All,

Real , vertically integrated railways call people travelling on a train a passenger , hence passenger train .

Real railways stop at railway stations , not train stations , because a train station is a depot where trains are stabled and maintained , and therefore bereft of passengers.

( Except those that sleep under the seat and are undetected prior to the train shunting out. When they wake up and loudly complain they are called trespassers ! )

People with MBAs like to think they know everything despite ample evidence to the contrary and these people think customer / consumer is someone they pretend to pander to, but actually ignore in practice . These are also the people that make very ernest comments like " safety is our primary concern " despite the fact they have never bothered to read the Rule Book , and nor do they have any intention of doing so.

Saying words like customer / consumer indicates to less worthies ( ie the great majority of the population ) that they passed an exam on free market economies after one semester , and therefore that makes them as smart and knowledgable as JM Keynes and Paul Samuelson ( both well known Economists who have many publications to their name which at least indicates they did substantially more than one semester. ) .

Best wishes and regards, Radioman.

Hello All,

Real , vertically integrated railways call people travelling on a train a passenger , hence passenger train .

Real railways stop at railway stations , not train stations , because a train station is a depot where trains are stabled and maintained , and therefore bereft of passengers.

( Except those that sleep under the seat and are undetected prior to the train shunting out. When they wake up and loudly complain they are called trespassers ! )

People with MBAs like to think they know everything despite ample evidence to the contrary and these people think customer / consumer is someone they pretend to pander to, but actually ignore in practice . These are also the people that make very ernest comments like " safety is our primary concern " despite the fact they have never bothered to read the Rule Book , and nor do they have any intention of doing so.

Saying words like customer / consumer indicates to less worthies ( ie the great majority of the population ) that they passed an exam on free market economies after one semester , and therefore that makes them as smart and knowledgable as JM Keynes and Paul Samuelson ( both well known Economists who have many publications to their name which at least indicates they did substantially more than one semester. ) .

Best wishes and regards, Radioman.

Oh well said Radioman.

Welcome to the Dinosaur Clan  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Departing Port Wakefield, SA perhaps (or wherever the NG met the BG in that area)? Wikipedia lists V10 as being transferred there. This ComRails page gives the period of hire to the SEC of Victoria as 25.10.1921 to Oct 1922.
http://www.comrails.com/sar_locos/r_c_v.html#10

Departing Port Wakefield, SA perhaps (or wherever the NG met the BG in that area)? Wikipedia lists V10 as being transferred there. This ComRails page gives the period of hire to the SEC of Victoria as 25.10.1921 to Oct 1922.
http://www.comrails.com/sar_locos/r_c_v.html#10

Thanks Kitchgp.

Does V/Line still run its Green Star parcel service for blood deliveries to country hospitals? There’s a thread here from 2008 about it, some news stories from 2010 when Terry Mulder claimed Labor was withdrawing it, and Marcus Wong has some photos of it in action around 2013. Does it still exist or has it been a victim of V/Line’s rapid transition to commuter rail operator?

What is the origin of the location known as Bank Box on the Western line between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan? Has there been a crossing loop and signal box there in the past?

What is the origin of the location known as Bank Box on the Western line between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan? Has there been a crossing loop and signal box there in the past?

From: http://www.vrhistory.com/Locations/A034-Rowsley.pdf

Bank Box Loop was originally a block post for Down trains on the single line section from Bacchus Marsh to Ingliston stations along the Ingliston Bank. On 7 April 1963 Ingliston station with its 3 short roads was abolished (straight railed) and the 903m long Bank Box ATC loop was commissioned to replace it.