Melbourne Rail/Bus service starts November 8

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle - 15.10.08

Rail commuters’ short term pain for long term train gain

Written by HARVEY DIKE.

A $500 million upgrade of the North East rail line promises long term gain, but it won’t be without short term pain for local commuters.

Works to upgrade the broad gauge line to standard gauge will see train services between Seymour and Albury replaced with buses from November 8.

And V/Line said yeserday that it could last for as long as 18 months.

It has also confirmed that the bus service:

• will not check in luggage, meaning only carry-on is allowed;

• has no first class seating; and

• no bicycles will be allowed to be transported.

Travellers are being advised to allow up to 30 minutes extra for the journey to and from Melbourne.

Twice daily XPT services can be used, and while 68 seats at V-Line prices will be available, reservations will have to be made.

But according to V/Line spokesman Daniel Maloney, the 18 month wait for the project’s completion will be well worthwhile.

"The improved track will mean that trains will run at normal speeds between Albury and Melbourne, and that the old travel times can once again operate," he said.

"The track has been in a very poor state, and we will be able to remove the speed limits that we were forced to impose.

"As well, the track shutdown time will be used to refurbish three locomotives and 15 carriages, as well as convert them to standard gauge, so travel will be much more comfortable."

As well as the upgrade involving conversion of the 200 kilometres of track between Seymour and Albury to standard gauge, new platforms will be built at some stations, and a totally new station west of Wodonga will remove 11 level crossings through the centre of that city.

Travel times on the Melbourne to Sydney rail corridor will therefore be further reduced.

Brian Dale of the Australian Rail Track Corporation said yesterday he is confident the new track will bring further benefits.

"Because it is to be a high quality track, it will be much quieter, it will require less maintenance, and our monitoring facilities will ensure that noise never becomes an issue with people living nearby," he said.

"The crews involved in the work are very experienced, and we are confident the project will be delivered on time and on budget."

However, both spokesmen emphasised the need for people to continue to exercise extreme caution at level crossings during the works.

"It is wrong to think the rail lines will be less busy because the broad gauge is out of action," Mr Maloney said.

"It is possible that the opposite will be true.

"The standard gauge will still be carrying the XPT and goods trains, and there will be even more activity on that line during construction."

Mr Dale agreed, saying that construction traffic would be using the old broad gauge right up to the time it was dismantled, and that people still had to check both lines.

"And we won’t be starting the project at Seymour and working our way north," he said.

"We’ll be active at various stages all along the track, work trains will sometimes have to use the old broad gauge, and there are times when we’ll be operating around the clock."