Sesame Street having openly gay muppets will happen sooner than the reopening of the Geelong - Ballarat line to passengers.

Why is the idea of a train between Geelong and Ballarat so unappealing to yard here ?

It is a natural service with the infrastructure already in place.

Why is the idea of a train between Geelong and Ballarat so unappealing to yard here ?

It is a natural service with the infrastructure already in place.

People don’t like taking coaches. Build the line and they will come

Vline services lose money, due to woefully inadequate fares.

Maryborough has 2 trains in each direction per day. It has 3 daily coaches, but these go to Castlemaine, not Ballarat (there are Ballarat direct coaches but these run very early in the morning or late at night, or only run some days).

If you are looking to go to Ballarat for the day, it becomes a full day trip.

Ararat - Ballarat seems to get quite a bit of local travel, the reason being you can make a return trip just for the morning or afternoon, whether by coach or train. Maryborough and Echuca don't have the same luxury. Frequency is Freedom!

It's a shame single car Sprinters are not available. Then maybe could justify double the Maryborough frequency.
A 3 car V/Lo is a waste for under 10 pax per trip.

cheers
John

Maryborough has 2 trains in each direction per day. It has 3 daily coaches, but these go to Castlemaine, not Ballarat (there are Ballarat direct coaches but these run very early in the morning or late at night, or only run some days).

If you are looking to go to Ballarat for the day, it becomes a full day trip.

Ararat - Ballarat seems to get quite a bit of local travel, the reason being you can make a return trip just for the morning or afternoon, whether by coach or train. Maryborough and Echuca don't have the same luxury. Frequency is Freedom!

It's a shame single car Sprinters are not available. Then maybe could justify double the Maryborough frequency.
A 3 car V/Lo is a waste for under 10 pax per trip.

cheers
John

Why in the hell are they using 3 car V/los when these can be used for the Busier Geelong services or even the Seymour Services? Use Sprinters for the Maryborough services or upcycle those old carriages when they are due for scrap and run them. Vlocities for the Maryborough run, what a waste.

Michael

Just replace Ararat with future Dimboola and Hamilton covering. And replace Maryborough with Geelong-Ballarat Line with some services extending to Maryborough.

Just replace Ararat with future Dimboola and Hamilton covering. And replace Maryborough with Geelong-Ballarat Line with some services extending to Maryborough.

Running Geelong to Maryborough is surely the way to go but how would you manage the Dimboola and Hamilton services?

Would you hub these out of Ballarat?

I really can't see Geelong > Ballarat happening any time soon. And I amongst others on this thread very much doubt there is sufficient demand to justify it at this time. It will be another 20 years I reckon before you get even close and that should only be if an expanded coach service between the 2 is bursting at the seams.

BG

The fares as a percentage of their contribution to V/Line's ticket box won't be changing any time soon.

Consequently and don't laugh because this would happen, many would become a serious drain on the taxpayer as they sit at home on the dole, with increasing levels of depression and initially some would even turn to drugs, crime or prostitution in an attempt to supplement their meagre unemployment benefit.

Why is the idea of a train between Geelong and Ballarat so unappealing to yard here ?

It is a natural service with the infrastructure already in place.

Why in that case are Vicroads looking to $500m to duplicate the highway?  There are masses driving that highway between geelong and ballarat.

The fares as a percentage of their contribution to V/Line's ticket box won't be changing any time soon.

Then don't expect some super expensive dedicated high-speed line.

Consequently and don't laugh because this would happen, many would become a serious drain on the taxpayer as they sit at home on the dole, with increasing levels of depression and initially some would even turn to drugs, crime or prostitution in an attempt to supplement their meagre unemployment benefit.

Melodramatic much.  

Why should one group be advantaged over those who don't have access to decent public transport and are forced to pay considerably more for their transport through driving.

Why in that case are Vicroads looking to $500m to duplicate the highway?  There are masses driving that highway between geelong and ballarat.

What’s this about the Geelong to Ballarat Line becoming only SG, I haven’t heard anything about that
Just build an SG Line adjacent to the exisiting Ballarat Line for these Overland and future Dimboola Trains would be easier than running them via Geelong which takes longer and is ridiculous.

The current plan I believe is to dual gauge the line but failing that why not just place the SG track to the immediate west of the current BG track in the current corridor?

Re Bendigo To Echuca lx are finally four years late all protected but promised increased 100kmh line speed VLP deny ever making so for time being we still plod along with 80kmh tfn.

Bendigo line upgrade project provides funding to upgrade signalling in Bendigo area to absolute block with presumably two position colour light signalling between Bendigo and Eaglehawk and Bendigo and Epsom.  Additionally funding to upgrade Nth Bendigo to Echuca to class 2 track allowing 130kmh, all to be complete by early 2021, but remember VLP is doing job so dont hold your breath !!!