Regional Fast Rail project

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The Regional Fast Rail project was a State Government initiative in Victoria, Australia, to decrease travel times on parts of the Victorian regional railway network. Launched on September 5, 2000, the project involved the upgrading of tracks linking Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, and the Latrobe Valley to Melbourne, the state capital, as well as the introduction of 38 high-speed "VLocity" diesel multiple-unit trains built by Bombardier.

Contents

[edit] Project Overview

The Regional Fast Rail project is possibly the biggest single upgrade to regional railway lines in 120 years, including:

  • delivery of 38 new VLocity trains
  • upgrade of 500 km of track
  • installation of 400 new and upgraded railway signals
  • installation of more than 460,000 concrete sleepers
  • upgrade of 170 level crossings
  • introduction of new rail safety systems
  • the development of new train timetables with improved services
  • new fibre optic signalling that provides broadband opportunities in regional areas

[edit] Trains

To provide for the faster services, an existing order for 2-carriage DMUs was altered to increase the top speed and to increase the number of the trains, dubbed VLocity trains, to 38.

Services on all four RFR lines plus other lines outside the scope of the project are provided by the VLocity trains, the older Sprinter DMUs, and locomotive-hauled "N sets" and "H sets". As each of these trains have different top speeds, timetables are designed with particular services being run by particular types of trains.

[edit] Services

The VLocity trains began running to the slower schedules in December 2005, and 160 kph services began on the Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo lines on 3 September 2006. On the Traralgon line, 160 kph services began on 15 October 2006, although in both cases a few selected services ran to slightly faster schedules for a week or so beforehand.

[edit] Line by line

[edit] Geelong line

The double-track Geelong line had the track and signalling upgraded to allow for VLocity trains running at 160 kph between Werribee and Geelong. The Geelong line already comprised two bidirectional tracks between Newport and North Geelong. The bidirectional signalling was extended on one track into Geelong station, and on the other track to closer to Geelong. However, 160 kph was only provided for on the East track for down trains and the West track for up trains.

[edit] Ballarat line

Track and signalling was upgraded to allow for VLocity trains running at 160 kph between Deer Park West Junction and Ballarat. In addition, some deviations were built to ease curves or, in one case, to provide a considerably shorter route (the original route was retained, however, to provide a passing loop).

[edit] Bendigo line

Track and signalling was upgraded to allow for VLocity trains running at 160 kph between Sunbury and Bendigo. Also, bidirectional signalling was provided between Sunbury and Kyneton. Between Kyneton and Bendigo the double-track line was singled to allow for better clearances past heritage structures, although retaining some sections of double track in the form of long crossing loops. The crossing loops were provided with bidirectional signalling, but only one of the two tracks was upgraded for 160 kph running.

[edit] Traralgon line

Track and signalling was upgraded to allow for VLocity trains running at 160 kph between Pakenham and Traralgon. Bidirectional signalling was also provided on the double-track sections between Pakenham and Bunyip, and between Longwarry and Moe. However, only the former up track (now called the South track) was upgraded for 160 kph running; VLocity trains are limited to 130 kph on the former down track (now North track).

[edit] Criticisms

Criticisms of the project have centred on the cost, the lack of time savings, and the removal of one track from part of the Bendigo line. The State Opposition have dubbed the project the Farce Rail Project.

[edit] Costs

The Government originally hoped that most of the cost of the project would be borne by the private sector. However, when this support failed to materialise, the Government decided to pay for the entire project themselves. In addition, like many large projects, the project has run overtime and over budget.

[edit] Time savings

The original promise was for trains to run to Geelong in 45 minutes, Ballarat in one hour, Bendigo in 80 minutes, and Traralgon in 90 minutes. However, this was soon changed to add four minutes to each journey.

However, even these times were only for a few trains each day that would run express between Melbourne and the respective regional cities. Furthermore, the number of trains what would run to these schedules was cut to one each way each day. Even though most journey times are now faster than before the project, the public impression is that time savings are minimal.

[edit] Bendigo line singling

The removal of one track from much of the Bendigo line has also been the source of much criticism, although the original plans for crossing loops was altered to allow for longer crossing loops.

Many believe that the reason for eliminating the double track is to save costs, rather than for technical reasons.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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