# MELBOURNE | Metro Trains



## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Coming to the ground beneath your feet soon?:



ezza(heart)melbourne said:


> About time this awesome new project got its own foum as all the other cities seem to have threads for their proposed tunnels.
> 
> 
> Article from The Age
> Article(s) from the Herald Sun


This is one of many proposals for Melbourne's train system. Others include covering/sinking the Glen Waverly line and using the reclaimed land for high/medium density apartments, a rail tunnel under Alexandra Avenue then down through the city, opening a new line to Doncaster (this is what they should do first), plus many more.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

This was a proposal that thankfully never eventuated:



Yardmaster said:


>


Scary huh.


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

A lot has happened in 14 years - night services have gone from being unviable, then single-carriage operation, and now it's standing room only on a six-carriage train on some services.


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## Mesh22 (May 5, 2006)

Some renderıngs of statıon redevelopments for the Western lınes...

North Melbourne (6 platforms on 5 Metlınk lınes..+ ıntercıty V/lıne)









Footscray (4 platforms on 3 metlınk lınes.. plus V/lıne)


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Thanks Mesh! In news just in Connex have been awarded the operating licence until the end of 2009. The licence will be put up to tender and the winner will continue services after then.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

The state govenment has just announced that from the beginning of next month 200 new services will be run on Melbourne's train system per week. This will go some way to alleviating the massive strain on the system caused by huge patronage growth (up 20% from a couple of years ago) until new trains come online in 2009; or so the state government says....


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Of course, 200 services a week is about 65 services a day, and if they were spread evenly over the sixteen lines, that's just about four services per line per day. And some of those have to be counter-peak movements to get trains back into place.

That said, the extra services aren't evenly spread because some lines have enough services (and weekends are fine), or have no capacity for more, and an extra few services each day would be really helpful.

It also coincides with the opening of the newly electrified Craigieburn line, which extends the wires about 10km beyond the current terminus, taking load off country trains which previously had to service the station.


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## trainrover (May 6, 2006)

Neat. I'm doubly jealous: (a) Lots of trains, tracks and routes; (b) nary a passenger around.

How do you do this, Melbourne?


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

The last line built from scratch was the Glen Waverley line which was completed in the early 1930s. With the exception of various line extensions and electrifications, the majority of the network has been around for most of the past century and that's been plenty of time to build up a patronage base.

Previous posts have shown how the network was struggling from the 60s to the 90s when the system would have been bleeding money but rail travel has become more attractive and we are quite lucky to have most areas served by rail. It's only now when we're returning to 1960s levels of patronage, but today the population is much more spread out and more people are working in the CBD - some commuters and lobby groups seem to forget that the way Melburnians travel has changed a lot and it's just not that easy to chuck in a 1960 (or 1930) timetable which obviously favoured inner suburbs since the sprawly outer suburbs didn't exist yet.

The system as a whole does have a few relics from the past, which is why cities like Perth have comparatively better services, since the railways there reached such a low point it was possible to essentially start over from scratch.

Southern Cross station concourse:


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

^^ Great photo, Invincible.



trainrover said:


> Neat. I'm doubly jealous: (a) Lots of trains, tracks and routes; (b) nary a passenger around.
> 
> How do you do this, Melbourne?


If "nary" means "hardly any" well this isn't so .. 

A problem I find in discussing or comparing urban public transport systems here and overseas is that some people blur form & function. I got into a particularly vicious debate with Toronto patriots a few months back, and so far as I am concerned, I'll never speak to Toronto again. :nuts: 

Are you comparing like with like? I know Montreal has a "Metro" System, whereas, Melbourne does not. 

Urbanrail.net has simply suspended all pages on Oceania (including Australia) because "we don't have any real metros", whereas (and without wishing to pick another Canadian/Australian fight) Vancouver, Calgary & Edmonton are out there with flags flying?


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## trainrover (May 6, 2006)

^^ (The type of system pegged to the last three cities you mention's just a snazzy tramway -- none of the three possesses any metro.)

No, I'm neither being accusatory nor looking to quarrel. Here on these boards I push the envelope for more just as much as I do at, say, work (the morning bus queue's turning out to be where I push this envelope the most -- lost, enguiring commuters are such instances when I find myself piping up). This one hilarious coworker agrees with me, having recently gone so far as to remark that you look _*real good*_ as a passenger riding in your train. (You know, some years ago I rented a high-seated car and travelled in it for more than ten days. I'd swear that its still-a-bucket-seat-mind-you gave me a gut -- I could _feel_ my gut forming by the third day, and it took only a few seasons' of time to rid myself of it -- something to do with bowels, I reckon. Queer, huh?!)

Looking at the shots of Melbourne last night, it seems your city's in a league well beyond mine here. It speaks practicality and open-for-business.

Tell me, is freight also granted utmost priority there? The extent to which other aspects over here of how people are secondary to goods/freight/business has been my own waking-up here lately. Plus your trains seem to call at all districts in and around town there, while Montreal -- thinking it's so cool and so open-minded -- is one of the most telling ones in N America at demonstrating just how exclusionary a place can become. Lots of 'hoods around town here miss out at being included. Anyhow and basically-speaking, this is why I keep thinking how come I see few passengers in and around your trains in the earlier pictures here.


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Freight is what brings in the money and is separated to some extent.

Due to differences between the former colonies in the mid 19th century, every state picked different railway gauges. To fix this, a standard gauge network was built around the country, with some lines built new, some built dual gauge and some existing broad gauge lines converted. Most freight, except for localised freight within the state, travels via the interstate SG network which is generally separated from passenger rail and there are a few goods lines connecting with the ports and other loading facilities.

Only a handful of lines still share tracks with freight trains - they're scheduled to keep out of the way of peak hour trains since a freight train takes up too many train paths.

And the network is still very crowded - got a 9am commute today and all the trains around now are getting to the level where they're too full to board.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

trainrover & anyone else, I really recommend these sites, which provide railmaps indicating not only routes, but frequencies and travel times:

Australia
City Maps
Long-Distance

Canada & France

Since this is a Melbourne transportation thread, I especially commend the Melbourne map from the first link, and that for Central Victoria (Map M2). The "sneak preview" map accessed at the bottom of the page shows bus-routes as well.

Re. freight, Australia has much more coastline per unit area than Canada (I'm not taking the "north-west passage" into account here), and hence there is much less long-haul transcontinental freight.

Although Melbourne offloads (from recollection) 38% of the nation's inbound containers, congestion on the mainlines between Melbourne in Sydney results in less than 20% of freight being carried by rail Sydney to/from Melbourne, and a similar situation exists between Sydney and Brisbane, as against over 60% being carried by rail between Perth & the Eastern States.

Upgrades are currently being constructed to alleviate this situation: specifically, 17 7 km long crossing loops in the 500 km or so section of single track between Melbourne and Junee New South Wales.

Ironically this single-track line runs in parallel with one or even two broad-gauge tracks for two-thirds of its length ...


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## trainrover (May 6, 2006)

^^ Thank you, yardmaster, I've bookmarked your maps message for future reference -- cheers.


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## geoking66 (Jun 27, 2006)

I've never been a fan of how Australian metro systems are combined with commuter rail. It should be separate.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

geoking66 said:


> I've never been a fan of how Australian metro systems are combined with commuter rail. It should be separate.


This is a result of large, low-density sprawling metropolitan areas ... dedicated metros would be nice, but the money would be much better spent upgrading capacity on the existing networks.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Yardmaster said:


> This is a result of large, low-density sprawling metropolitan areas ...


Yes, and they became this way because of the train. Melbourne has had trains almost from it's very founding (20 years after), and therefore has developed in a sprawling fashion. Workers didn't need to live close to their factories or offices as they had a cheap, fast and effecient means of getting them there. This is unlike older European cities within which workers had to literally walk to work.

Australian workers were some of the most well off in the 19th century, all because of the train and the advantages it brought them (the opportunity to own their own home for example).

The car has continued this trend of sprawlingness, only more so.


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## samsonyuen (Sep 23, 2003)

I love the new station's facade.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

samsonyuen said:


> I love the new station's facade.


Yeah it's a bueat! Designed by the British Grimshaw architecture firm as well.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

*Melbourne's Suburban Rail System expands by 9 km*

As of today, 30th September, Melbourne has two more railway stations and 9 route-km more track on its electrified rail network.

The Broadmeadows line now extends to Craigieburn, 27 km from the city.

A totally new station is Roxburgh Park:










Yes, there are trains:










End of the line at Craigieburn:










Actually this line runs all the way to New South Wales, so its newly electrified rather than newly constructed track. 
At least another intermediate station is planned.

For that guy with the bike at Roxburgh Park I gave the skyscrapercity website address to, there's lots more on Australian public transport in the Continental Forums/Ozscrapers/Transport Forum.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

^^ From the same source, and closer to the original topic ...

For Gappa& Justme: the lines that were built that enabled Melbourne to extend so profligately to the SE (about 1870):










One comment however: there's lot's of Melbourne that has expanded ten or more kilometres beyond the nearest railway station.



Tyson said:


> The Bendigo railway line is an example of a line that was built without worrying about the cost. Barely a few years after the founding of what is now Bendigo, the government was building a line to the area of such a standard that 150 years later historians were still debating how the young colony had commanded such engineering expertise.


For those interested in Tyson's comments: the Bendigo line was opened in 1862, just 11 years after the official foundation of the colony and the discovery of gold, and 27 years after the start of European settlement in Melbourne.

Some bridges enroute to Bendigo: only one of them has a train on it, to get some sense of scale. 

Jackson's creek Viaduct (at Sunbury):










Taradale Viaduct:










Malmsbury Viaduct:


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Melbnovo said:


> Richmond station receives so many passengers yet it is a horrible, dingy old station. Flinders street could also do with a makeover inside.





invincible said:


> Richmond might have a huge number of passengers using it, but it exists almost purely as an interchange station unless there's a sporting event.
> 
> That's why there are three sets of underground passageways linking the ten platforms, but only one of them is open to the outside world.





Yardmaster said:


> ^^
> 
> 
> [*]Richmond is schedulled for an overhaul commencing 2021 ...


IMO they should scrap Richmond station all together! Instead build a new station inbetween Melbourne park and the MCG, which would provide better and more convenient access to these venues, as well as continue it's use as a transfer station. East Richmond station would be renamed Richmond and have more services (unlike the none it virtually has now) as it is more centrally located for local access. The only people this disadvantages that I can see, are those who catch a connecting bus on Punt Rd. But it would only be a short Tram ride or walk away, or they could even detour the bus route to the new station.


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## Tyson (May 2, 2006)

I think the track arrangement is a bit complicated in that area and also the tunnel portals for the Caulfield Loop may be too close to be able to build platforms.

You could say it's only a short walk for people taking the connecting bus, but it's also a short walk for people heading to Melbourne Park or the MCG as well. In it's present location the station is at least close to shops and residences, while moving it closer to the city will isolate it. People have been walking between Richmond and the MCG for as long has each of them have been in existance.

It would be a suitable spot for an additional station for those facilities. Say just two platforms on the Sandringham line and just have trains stop there on event days. Better suited IMO because it connects with both Richmond and Flinders St regardless of which direction the loop is running.

Of course is it really worth it for people to change at one station just to take another train one stop?


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

Tyson said:


> I think the track arrangement is a bit complicated in that area and also the tunnel portals for the Caulfield Loop may be too close to be able to build platforms.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> ...


A very convenient place for a station from the public's point of view, but I agree there would be engineering difficulties putting more than a couple of platforms there (apart from the Caufiled tunnel portals there's also the flyover on the Burnley lines to contend with): and if you have to change trains, given the multi-modal ticketing system, you might as well change to the tram.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

^^^^ Yeah those tunnels come out right where I'd put the station, hmmmmm. Maybe you could have a split level station, half underground? This will fit in nicely when the lines are built over in Richmond and beyond to Glen Waverly.

This photo has part of Melbourne's train system in it - so I'll post it here.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Here is the interior of one of Melb's Comeng trains. This layout has the most seats, which has been a problem lately as trains have been overfull, so there's talk of removing some to make more standing room. Another layout I've seen has more standing room near the doors, as well as fold-up bench style seats of a different colour. All the Comeng interiors were refitted recently.










And here we see the platforms inside Flinders Street Station from the Swanston St concourse.










There has been alot of talk over the years about covering all lines and platforms with one giant roof, or even a shopping centre or market. Obviously nothing has come of it yet.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Melbourne still runs some old Hitachi trains from the 1960's. They are probably our most 'metro' style trains in that they have straps to hold on to for standing passengers and a fair bit of standing space. They don't have air con however, so they're not the most comfortable trains to ride.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

I'm guessing that's you Gappa?


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## allurban (Apr 7, 2006)

gappa said:


> There has been alot of talk over the years about covering all lines and platforms with one giant roof, or even a shopping centre or market. Obviously nothing has come of it yet.


I'm sure that Melbourne isnt lacking greenspace...but hey, how about a(nother) park?
:banana:
Cheers, m


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

city_thing said:


> I'm guessing that's you Gappa?


Nope, gappa's taking the photo not appearing in it.


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

allurban said:


> I'm sure that Melbourne isnt lacking greenspace...but hey, how about a(nother) park?
> :banana:
> Cheers, m


It's probably unlikely that anything will ever be built over the station in the next couple of decades. I don't think an elevated park would look quite right anyway.

Here's a photo by Planks & Sticks - immediately east of Federation Square, which will be most likely be the next section of railway south of the CBD to be built over.








The gantries holding the overhead lines are also a more modern design which don't extend as high as the original 1920s design used on the other side of the bridge in the background. 

To the west of the CBD, there are sections of railway line (and a major road) which are slated to be built over in a similar fashion as part of the Docklands project, with plenty of progress being made so far. The plan is that eventually, the bridge over the railway will just look like a small hill.


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## Hybrid 87 (Aug 3, 2004)

Good combination of text and pic      


gappa said:


> They don't have air con however, s*o they're not the most comfortable trains to ride*.


Followed by such pic 


gappa said:


>


With such face it looks really "Comfortable"


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## allurban (Apr 7, 2006)

invincible said:


> It's probably unlikely that anything will ever be built over the station in the next couple of decades. I don't think an elevated park would look quite right anyway. <> The plan is that eventually, the bridge over the railway will just look like a small hill.


taking a look at your photo, the railway lines are lower than the road and buildings on both sides...

so the park "if built" would look like a gentle rolling hill, rising slightly like an embankment/...

ah well, some green space then, and some development...

green roofs will be very beneficial to all cities.

Cheers, m


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Yeah, but that's not the area above Flinders St station that we were talking about before - as I said, that area is planned for redevelopment but it's unlikely that there will be a park there since a new park was opened a few years ago immediately to the south (right) of that photo, behind the carpark.

It would look weird at Flinders St station because that's where the elevation changes as the railway lines move closer to the river bank and actually becomes an elevated railway. It's not that noticeable, but at the main entrance under the dome, you have to go down escalators to reach the platforms whereas at the other entrance under the clock tower, you walk straight onto the platform from the street and have to use underground passageways to access the other platforms.

Reference - gappa's photo - the main entrance is behind the location where the photo was taken.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2239/2000215929_7d652678d3_b.jpg

There's already quite a lot of parkland in the nearby area anyway (prev. area marked in red)


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## allurban (Apr 7, 2006)

good point.

thanks for the info.

Cheers, m


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Here's some photos of Parliament Station:




























Rumour has it that it is the deepest station and has the longest set of escalators in the southern hemisphere. Maybe someone can check that out?


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## AG (Sep 12, 2002)

It must be pretty close to being the deepest in the southern hemisphere, the lowest platforms are 38m below street level, by no means close to the surface.


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

Here's some more photos of train stations. In this case Prahran and South Yarra.

Prahran:




























South Yarra:










Oh yes, and one of the interior of the entrance to Flinders St:


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## fishcatdogbird (Sep 12, 2002)

^ awww i miss Melbourne!


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## gappa (Mar 13, 2007)

This is Camberwell Station showing a part of platform 1 and the adjacent train stabling yard.


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

April 22 2012 - Cardinia Road station opened in Pakenham (southeast suburbs of Melbourne)









http://ptv.vic.gov.au/maps-stations-stops/metropolitan-trains/train/11









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/7108076343/in/photostream)









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6961784720/in/photostream)









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6961671896/in/photostream)









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/7106031505/in/photostream)









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account 
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/7106066139/in/photostream)









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley* flickr account
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/7106042465/in/photostream)


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

April 22 2012 - Lynbrook station opens in southeast suburbs of Melbourne









http://ptv.vic.gov.au/maps-stations-stops/metropolitan-trains/train/4









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley *flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6959855522/in/photostream









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley *flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6959867704/in/photostream









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley *flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/7105882883/in/photostream









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley *flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6959830898/in/photostream









source: *Michael "Comeng301M" Coley *flickr account
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comeng301m/6959799522/in/photostream


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## plotstyle (Jan 28, 2004)

Station redesign to get recipe right
Jason Dowling
June 29, 2012

George Calombaris. Photo: Simon Schluter

THE Baillieu government will spend $1.6 million on the redesign competition for Flinders Street Station - but will not commit any funding to upgrade the historic site.

The government will today announce prominent Melbourne restaurant owner and MasterChef host George Calombaris will be on the judging panel for the redesign.

A spokesman for Major Projects Minister Denis Napthine said Calombaris had been included in the panel to bring a business perspective to the redesign. He said no decision had been made on funding the station redevelopment.
Advertisement: Story continues below

''Potential government funding and/or any mix of government and private funding would be dependent on what the winning applications are. All of these matters will be given consideration at the completion of the design competition,'' he said.

Opposition major projects spokesman Tim Pallas criticised the competition as an expensive ''stunt''.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/s...-recipe-right-20120628-215ee.html#ixzz1zE08WJ


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## Dale (Sep 12, 2002)

I've been waiting for this for a L-O-N-G time.


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## plotstyle (Jan 28, 2004)

The shortlisted architects for the Flinders Street Station Design Competition represent a fantastic mix of local and international talent, the Minister for Major Projects Dr Denis Napthine announced today.

“This competition has always been about finding the best local and international talent to re-invigorate Melbourne’s iconic Flinders Street Station precinct and looking at this shortlist I think we’ve managed to do that,” Dr Napthine said.

*The shortlisted designers are: (listed in order of registration)

Ashton Raggatt McDougall (Melbourne)
John Wardle Architects + Grimshaw (Australia and UK)
HASSELL + Herzog & de Meuron (Melbourne and Switzerland)
NH Architecture (Melbourne)
Eduardo Velasquez + Manuel Pineda + Santiago Medina (Columbia via University of Melbourne)
Zaha Hadid Architecture & BVN Architecture (UK and Melbourne)*

“The short list covers some of the world’s best architects such as Hassell + Herzog & De Meuron and Zaha Hadid, renowned local firms Ashton Raggatt McDougall and NH Archtiecture and emerging talents Eduardo Velasquez, Manuel Pineda and Santiago Medina from Columbia.

“Between them, this group is responsible for some of Melbourne and the world’s most renowned buildings including Hamer Hall, Beijing’s National Stadium used in the 2008 Olympics and Rome’s Museum of XXI Century Arts.

“Judging from their previous work this is a very exciting group of architects and I am looking forward to finding out more about their visions for the Flinders Street Station precinct.

“The shortlisted entrants now have six months to develop their ideas and attend various technical briefings and workshops before Stage 2 of the competition closes on 4 July 2013.

“Following this, final designs will be put on public display for the people’s choice voting while the competition jury meets again to select a winner,” Dr Napthine said.

Competition jury chair and Victorian State Government Architect Professor Geoffrey London said the jury was impressed by the immense amount of work undertaken by the 117 submitting teams.

“Given the complexity and scale of the design challenge, the high overall quality of submissions made the jury’s task of short-listing a difficult one,” Professor London said.

“However after carefully applying the competition evaluation criteria, the jury is confident that the six short-listed teams represent the strongest propositions for the redevelopment of this precinct, much-loved Melbourne icon and intensely used transport hub.

“The jury looks forward, with great anticipation, to see how each of the six Stage 1 design concepts evolves over the months ahead,” Professor London said.

http://www.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/flinders-street-station-design-competition/news#news-481175


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

In November 2012, Melbourne added 15 more km of route to its Metro network: at least 30 km of track. It also added two more stations- five for the year, characteristically, without much note.

The two stations were Sunbury & Digger's Rest: on the original line to the Goldfields. There were already regional trains at Sunbury:










But now there were Metro trains as well.










At Sunbury, where originally the Governor of the day and the general aristocracy celebrated the opening of the first 40 km of public railway in Australia- on the broad gauge- a great celebration was held. Now, it is a train stabling yard: with lines leading on to the hinterlands.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

Williams Landing will be coming on-line soon.


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## MelbourneCity (Sep 12, 2002)

Do we know when? Drove past today & still much to do!


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

MelbourneCity said:


> Do we know when? Drove past today & still much to do!


I don't: but it's much further advanced than the new West Footscray. As with Laverton, they're building these things to survive an atom-bomb: or at least another Granville.


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

*William's Landing*

Photo from William's Landing, courtesy of redbaron: this project spans both the main highway from Melbourne to Geelong, the metropolitan & regional lines in the same direction, the ARTC ( National Freight Network Lines) and probably a few other pathways as well. This necessitated the installation of footbridge in the photo below: the grafitti will go along with the temporary fence.




redbaron_012 said:


> and today....
> 
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## cjb287 (Dec 20, 2008)

Recently released Network Development Plan for Melbourne's rail network by Public Transport Victoria






All pending government commitment and funding of course


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

Wyndham Weekly
http://www.wyndhamweekly.com.au/story/1386773/williams-landing-station-open-on-april-28/?cs=1301



> *Williams Landing station open on April 28*
> By DAN MOSS, State Parliament Editor March 25, 2013, 1:15 p.m.
> 
> WILLIAMS Landing train station will open on April 28 with trains every 11 minutes on average during peak times.
> ...


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## Yardmaster (Jun 1, 2004)

Sounds like everythings on schedule, according to the CEO on radio today. Re. the video just above ... well that's my station ...

already well under way.


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

on 28 April 2013, Williams Landing Station opened on the Melbourne Metro Werribee Line between Hoppers Crossing and Aircraft train stations. Travel time to Southern Cross station on the express trains is 28 minutes.









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=2









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=3









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=4









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=5









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=6









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=10









Source: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/gallery-e6frea6u-1226631066938?page=11


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Today:



> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...-view/view/melbourne-suburban-investment.html
> 
> *Melbourne suburban investment*
> 07 Mar 2014
> ...


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## dan72 (Apr 26, 2012)

Are you sure the capacity is only 4500 passengers on the line? That makes each of the 18 trains per hour carry only 250 people?


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Railway Gazette:



> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...iew/view/melbourne-airport-link-endorsed.html
> 
> *Melbourne Airport link endorsed*
> 14 Apr 2014
> ...


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Railway Gazette:



> www.railwaygazette.com/news/policy/...link-in-a145bn-rail-funding-announcement.html
> 
> *Melbourne Rail Link in A$14·5bn rail funding announcement*
> 07 May 2014
> ...


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Myers Emporium by craigsydnz, on Flickr


2014 4:19 pm by craigsydnz, on Flickr


2014 3:27 pm by craigsydnz, on Flickr


2014 7:58 pm by craigsydnz, on Flickr


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

2014 1:51 pm by craigsydnz, on Flickr


----------



## trainrover (May 6, 2006)

Never heard of ice


----------



## MelbourneCity (Sep 12, 2002)

Ice = Crystal Meth


----------



## IanCleverly (Nov 24, 2010)

Daily Mirror said:


> A naked man has died after falling into power lines while standing on top of a train carriage.
> 
> The man, thought to be in his mid 20s, was a passenger on the train and had climbed onto the roof as it approached a station in Australia. A witness told ABC the man was walking along the roof when he fell into the train's electrical system, as it pulled into Balaclava station, in Melbourne.
> 
> ...


Story taken from Here


----------



## koresh (Sep 3, 2007)

*Showgrounds Station Melbourne Victoria *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccsBmHgY1FI


----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Southern Cross Station.


mobus said:


> Image by GlennWilson


----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Melbourne by craigsydnz, on Flickr

Melbourne by craigsydnz, on Flickr

Melbourne by craigsydnz, on Flickr

Melbourne by craigsydnz, on Flickr


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal:



> http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/australia-nz/victorian-government-pledges-$us-34bn-for-rolling-stock.html?channel=542
> 
> *Victorian government pledges $US 3.4bn for rolling stock*
> Tuesday, November 11, 2014
> ...


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal:



> http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...o-rail-project-back-on-track.html?channel=541
> 
> *Melbourne Metro Rail project back on track*
> Monday, February 16, 2015
> ...


----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Really hoping this one gets pushed through sooner rather than later. It's the Melbourne equivalent of Sydney's second harbour crossing and both are transformational for their networks.


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## ssiguy2 (Feb 19, 2005)

How many passengers a day does the Metro carry? 

I find getting stats for Australian transit ridership very hard to come by.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

I think it was around 800,000 per day - I'm not sure though. That figure might include trams as well.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

Just had a quick google and wiki says it carries 415,000 per day. The 800,000 must include trams and buses. 

Also found this bizarre article on the Herald Sun's website (note: the Herald Sun is a trash-paper, the city's equivalent of the daily mail or the NY Post). "Drunk students rename boring stations". It's really not that interesting and certainly not worth publishing.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...oject-reimagined/story-fnkd6ppg-1227221566158


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

deleted


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## twentyfivetacos (Jun 11, 2011)

Most recent patronage figures are from 2012/13

Trains 225.5 million
Trams 182.7 million
Buses 115.7 million

More detailed figures can be found here
http://ptv.vic.gov.au/about-ptv/ptv-data-and-reports/research-and-statistics/


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## ssiguy2 (Feb 19, 2005)

Considering those would be unlinked trips, it's not as I would have thought.


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Global Rail News:



> http://www.globalrailnews.com/blog/...treet-station-restoration-to-begin-this-year/
> 
> *Flinders Street station restoration to begin this year*
> 19 FEB, 2015
> ...


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal:



> http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...er-to-keep-alstom-plant-open.html?channel=541
> 
> *Melbourne EMU order to keep Alstom plant open*
> Tuesday, March 03, 2015
> ...


----------



## Dale (Sep 12, 2002)

Good gosh! I've been reading about plans to renovate Flinders for twenty years now! Glad to see this coming to fruition.


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## SurfRail (Oct 16, 2012)

twentyfivetacos said:


> Most recent patronage figures are from 2012/13
> 
> Trains 225.5 million
> Trams 182.7 million
> ...


I was vaguely under the impression bus patronage got as high as 120m per annum at one point but is now hovering back down at around 100m. The other numbers look about right though.


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## mrmoopt (Nov 14, 2004)

dimlys1994 said:


> From Rail Journal:


They need to install more vertical poles and longitudinal seating in the centre of all these new order Xtraps. Melbourne can't cope with the existing layouts, even at 2x2.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Video on Melbourne Metro project:


----------



## Dan78 (Nov 17, 2009)

dimlys1994 said:


> Video on Melbourne Metro project:


This is exciting news; I'm glad for Australia that they're moving forward with upgrading their rail transit. Melbourne and Sydney are definitely thinking about the future.


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## Nexis (Aug 7, 2007)

*Aussie Spark Driver, Drivers View: Ringwood - Nunawading, Lilydale Line, X'Trapolis*


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## MarcusCicero (Dec 29, 2014)

Hey gang, does anyone know if Melbourne metro has any plans to making a dedicated and segregated city line, in the future with this project? Its a real shame that only Sydney will have a true rapid transit line by 2019, while Melbourne will have a new but seemingly crippled service that ties into the existing rail infrastructure from Footscray and beyond. 

Sydney will have completed stage 1 of its Northwest Sydney Rapid Transit line, and stage 2 to be completed by 2024, forming the first rapid transit rail line in Australia and spurring a massive development boom along the rapid transit rail corridor for years to come.

Below is a comparison between the 2 massive city public transport projects. I wonder if anyone can shed any light as to why the costings are so similar yet the deliverables are so disparate in terms of service and bang for buck so to speak. 

Cheers.

*Sydney total price tag $8.3 billion (Stage 1). 
Length: 36km (Stage 1 and Stage 2 total track length of 66km). 
Completion date: 2019 (Stage 2 completion date: 2024). 
Type: Rapid Transit Metro.*
























*Melbourne total price tag $11 billion. 
Length: 9km
Completion date: 2026. 
Type: Suburban Heavy Rail.*





http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/more-than-40-buildings-to-be-acquired-for-melbourne-metro-rail-project-20151020-gkdcfu.html


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## Nexis (Aug 7, 2007)

Melbourne is mainly a tunneling project , where Sydney is a mix of tunneling and above ground running...


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## Melb_aviator (Aug 28, 2007)

The 2 projects do vary greatly in terms of their overall brief, but both face their own challenges.

Melbourne Metro has to face some significant tunneling challenges in its construction, given the mixture of ground that it needs to be built through. 

The Melbourne system is largely a capacity building project for the existing network, with the addition of a few inner city stations as a good value add. It will facilitate the potential for more network growth in future years to areas such as Rowville, Melton and Melbourne Airport, but the other good thing is that it will be built with the design of longer trains in its design.

The biggest questions remaining are:

1/ How can it be paid for?
2/ Will South Yarra get a station connection as part of this project?


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## MarcusCicero (Dec 29, 2014)

Actually Stage 1 of the Sydney Rapid Transit line will consist of 15km worth of tunneling which is 6km more than Melbourne's tunneling project, but almost $2 billion less of a price tag. Despite Melbourne's rail project still being a slower commuter railway line with presumed less ambitious frequency to Sydney's no timetables-a-train-every-4-minutes strategy.

What I really want to also know aside from the comparative costing analysis is, will Melbourne's underground line be scalable into the future, with the capacity to convert into a rapid transit metro line if upgraded and segregated on its own track. Ideally one would want to see this underground line left segregated and linked to Melbourne airport one day. 









_Taken from the "Delivering the North West Rail Link" pdf_


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

I honestly don't know why such tags as "metro" and "suburban commuter" are thrown around willy-nilly. If anything, the Japanese examples of "commuter rail" and "metro" kinda throw these stereotypes about the two transit types out the window. The most frequent lines in Japan are actually some commuter lines, not the metro lines. 

Equally, the freeing up of capacity by the Melbourne tunnel should allow for an "unbundling" of the network, and an increase in overall frequency across the network, making the distinction between "rapid transit metro" and "suburban heavy rail" moot. A TUAG frequency is often considered to be 6tph. Even Stockholm, which has a proper metro system, runs at these frequencies. If Melbourne, after freeing up capacity, begins to run at these frequencies off-peak, then the tunnel has done its work.


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## MarcusCicero (Dec 29, 2014)

Svartmetall said:


> I honestly don't know why such tags as "metro" and "suburban commuter" are thrown around willy-nilly. If anything, the Japanese examples of "commuter rail" and "metro" kinda throw these stereotypes about the two transit types out the window. The most frequent lines in Japan are actually some commuter lines, not the metro lines.
> 
> Equally, the freeing up of capacity by the Melbourne tunnel should allow for an "unbundling" of the network, and an increase in overall frequency across the network, making the distinction between "rapid transit metro" and "suburban heavy rail" moot. A TUAG frequency is often considered to be 6tph. Even Stockholm, which has a proper metro system, runs at these frequencies. If Melbourne, after freeing up capacity, begins to run at these frequencies off-peak, then the tunnel has done its work.


There is a clear and unambiguous distinction between a low frequency suburban heavy rail line and a high capacity high frequency metro line with the very latest auto-signalling that is driverless and runs on a segregated line with no timtable. Unshared segregated rapid transit metro lines are the staple of large metropolises around Asia and Europe. Now if Melbourne metro is able to deliver a train every 4 minutes and make the journey in almost half the time like the Sydney northwest metro line is planned to have. Then that is definitely worth taking notice of.

I do hope one day as Melbourne increases in population that the new line can be easily ungraded and segregated for a seamless commute and faster turnaround times. For now I presume the trip might be metro style up until Footscray but not beyond that point. However until there is a concerted effort to further untangle the Melbourne lines, I fear the trains will remain joined at the hip and prone to delays if any of the trains sharing those lines experiences a breakdown. Sydney also experiences those woes, hence the massive investment and rail infrastructure shakeup of late.


----------



## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

MarcusCicero said:


> There is a clear and unambiguous distinction between a low frequency suburban heavy rail line and a high capacity high frequency metro line with the very latest auto-signalling that is driverless and runs on a segregated line with no timtable.


The way you phrase it there is. But there is NOT a difference between a suburban heavy rail line and a metro line in the way you think. I gave you an example in Japan. Not all lines there are segregated, but the frequencies are phenomenal. The Chuo Rapid Line to Kichijoji in Tokyo for example has 21 tph in peak - so that's a train every 2 mins 50 secs approximately (link here). Or you have the even more frequent Keio line that runs 26 tph (see here). By contrast, the Tokyo metro often runs less frequent trains (Yurakucho line for example runs 16tph link here). So, you see, commuter and metro? Really so clear cut?



MarcusCicero said:


> Unshared segregated rapid transit metro lines are the staple of large metropolises around Asia and Europe. Now if Melbourne metro is able to deliver a train every 4 minutes and make the journey in almost half the time like the Sydney northwest metro line is planned to have. Then that is definitely worth taking notice of.


No, they are not. The Tokyo Metro and TOEI subway only account for 22% of all rail transport in Tokyo. The rest is ALL commuter rail - frequent, fast, interlined, commuter rail running different service patterns. 40 million riders per day on average in fact (with 8.66 million for the metro systems). This is also repeated in the other big cities there with commuter rail having a significant share of the rail transport compared to metros/subways. 

Stockholm and Munich - proper, metro systems. But guess what? Interlined trains - so two "lines" using the same track. 12tph per branch at peak hour in both systems, giving a frequency of 24tph for joint sections (or even higher for the Stockholm green lines). So they're not fully separated lines. Additionally, off peak you get only 6tph - so lower than your "TRAIN EVERY 4 MINS OMGZZZZ". 

Chicago - the "El", not fully separated, still has level crossings. Is a subway system. 

Tokyo - allows through running of commuter trains through the metro system. Gives the system whereby you have Seibu Ikebukuro line (commuter rail) running through the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin line (metro line), which then runs along the Tokyu Toyoko line (commuter rail) and then interlines through to the Minatomirai line (subway) in Yokohama. This means you can ride on the same train all the way from Yokohama to Saitama, but it also means that the "metro" is not segregated from commuter rail.

In fact, I could go on and on about examples from around the world, so...



MarcusCicero said:


> I do hope one day as Melbourne increases in population that the new line can be easily ungraded and segregated for a seamless commute and faster turnaround times. For now I presume the trip might be metro style up until Footscray but not beyond that point. However until there is a concerted effort to further untangle the Melbourne lines, I fear the trains will remain joined at the hip and prone to delays if any of the trains sharing those lines experiences a breakdown. Sydney also experiences those woes, hence the massive investment and rail infrastructure shakeup of late.


It's not a particular type or mode that matters, it's all about making that mode work best of all. By untangling the network in Melbourne and making sure that (as far as possible) all lines run through the centre without too much bundling together, they'll be able to run more frequent trains. That will be sufficient for Melbourne. 

I cannot help but feel this "competition" here is nothing more than a Sydney vs. Melbourne contest, and that's not helpful to be honest. You want one of those - stick to Ozscrapers.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

MarcusCicero said:


> Hey gang, does anyone know if Melbourne metro has any plans to making a dedicated and segregated city line, in the future with this project?


This video explains it rather well. The idea is to be able to increase other lines to 'metro style' frequencies. The same idea applies with Sydney Metro, once the second harbour crossing opens, capacity constraints will be lifted and we'll be seeing consistently higher frequencies on most lines.


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

Japan is an extreme exception and outlier. In the vast majority of cities and countries there is a difference, with some simply being a clearer and more extreme difference than in others. Australia is also somewhat of an exception in the sense that it has developed its suburban network to high standards rather than invest in a separate system. But like I've said before, just because transgendered people exist, along with femme men and butch women, doesn't mean that genders don't exist for anyone and we should simply forget about the concept. There are exceptions to almost every generality.


----------



## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

Nouvellecosse said:


> Japan is an extreme exception and outlier. In the vast majority of cities and countries there is a difference, with some simply being a clearer and more extreme difference than in others. Australia is also somewhat of an exception in the sense that it has developed its suburban network to high standards rather than invest in a separate system. But like I've said before, just because transgendered people exist, along with femme men and butch women, doesn't mean that genders don't exist for anyone and we should simply forget about the concept. There are exceptions to almost every generality.


Is it such an extreme outlier? Like I showed, there are lots of other examples of blurring the lines between commuter and subway networks. In Berlin, their S-bahn runs more like a metro than the Stockholm tunnelbana in many ways. It's more frequent for large portions of the network even! Equally for the Hamburg S-bahn, there is actually little difference between it and their U-bahn network in the city. 

Australian networks have been often described as "hybrid" systems - they straddle the line between what is traditionally considered to be a commuter rail system and a metro system. Melbourne and Sydney boast metro-like frequencies at a number of points on their networks and yes, they also boast some features that would normally disqualify them from being a metro such as level crossings, multiple lines sharing a track etc. 

But then I have also shown that traditional metro systems (Munich and Stockholm) have shared sections for different lines, and Chicago has level crossings on their subway system at points. So clearly even in what are traditionally regarded as metro systems, there are factors that would disqualify them from being a metro! This is why I say it just doesn't matter what it is called, and the post above was a point scoring exercise for Sydney over Melbourne, and I don't see the point of that as both projects are trying to do different things.

No, this is why I said at the bottom of my post - what matters is not what it is called and whether it is a "metro" or whether it is commuter rail, what matters is the function that it performs. The Melbourne system is being untangled by this project to allow more frequent services and hopefully allow turn-up-and-go frequencies, which are largely regarded to be the 6tph mark (according to surveys on how long people are willing to wait for services). Sydney is going another route by creating a separate system to the Cityrail system. It's a different approach, nothing more. It's also a new line into the suburbs, whereas the Melbourne project is a new tunnel to relieve capacity constraints on the network.


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

Several S-Bahn systems are considered full metro systems in places like encyclopaedia articles and therefore are not considered any form of exception. And Metro systems that have level crossings like Chicago's L are indeed very rare. And ones that have level crossings on fairly busy streets are even more rare.


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

Nouvellecosse said:


> Several S-Bahn systems are considered full metro systems in places like encyclopaedia articles and therefore are not considered any form of exception. And Metro systems that have level crossings like Chicago's L are indeed very rare. And ones that have level crossings on fairly busy streets are even more rare.


Right, so something that is called commuter rail is also a metro (as S-bahn systems are a form of commuter rail). And all the other problems with a strict definition about what a "metro" is that I brought up are just exceptions. So everything is an exception as a rule... Honestly, do you not see how silly it is to try to package everything into some arbitrary box?

As I have said repeatedly, it doesn't matter per se what it is called. The term "commuter rail" or "suburban rail" was used in a derogatory sense compared to the much vaunted "rapid transit metro" which was given special status over the page and that is what I took umbridge to (as well as the lack of understanding about the exceptions around the world). This is ridiculous to me. What matters is the job that the system does and how well it does it. The Melbourne system will ramp up frequencies, will serve a large amount of the metropolitan area by rail, will become more reliable by giving additional capacity etc etc. This means that it'll do its job better, no matter what you call it. To argue about definitions just takes away from the improvements being made and becomes nothing more than a silly argument about semantics. 

I'll just call it the magical mystical choo choo. I think this is an excellent box to package it in.


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## Nouvellecosse (Jun 4, 2005)

I don't think that people should use the official definitions as an excuse to not recognise the difference between systems in a given category, but I also don't think people should use the systems that act as exceptions as an excuse not to accept the usage of categories. The different categories aren't precise enough to tell a person all she needs to know about a system, and people need to recognise that. But the use of categories do normally give some useful information about different systems even if they can't tell the whole story. There is a place both brevity and concision, as well as for greater elaboration. I realise not everyone is going to agree, but that is my stance.


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## MarcusCicero (Dec 29, 2014)

I guess my bias is that I have seen how wonderfully implemented segregated rapid transit lines operate in China and many of its tier 1 cities (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing) that I visit frequently when not in Australia. There seems to be a robust convention that has arisen due to Chinese cities moving towards the most efficient configuration possible. China is very drastic and almost autistic I guess you would say in its approach in this. They would rather demolish an inefficient model than bandaid the problem until its unrecognizable.

Similarly Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore use this convention of segregated rapid transit lines vs the other hybrid systems. So I recognize the merits of Sydney and Melbourne choosing such a system to break the ailing and overburdened system it uses today.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Night Network










From 1 January 2016, Melbourne's Night Network will get you where you need to be. The Night Network trial includes all night public transport on weekends, with all night trains and trams, late night buses, and a 2am coach service to key regional centres.

The trial network has been designed to provide over 70 per cent of Melbournians with an all night train, tram or bus within one kilometre of their home, so that there is the best chance possible to properly assess the success of all night transport on weekends.

Night Trains will run hourly all night on weekends on all lines, except Stony Point and Flemington Racecourse lines.

Many stations will benefit from more frequent train services through the night, where they are serviced by two or more train lines. For example, key stations such as Footscray, Caulfield, Clifton Hill and Burnley, and several others, will have two trains an hour.

http://ptv.vic.gov.au/getting-around/night-network/


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Flinders Street bound.. by Peter Reading, on Flickr


Morning train by David Redfearn, on Flickr


Southern Cross Station by Rachel, on Flickr


15 AUG 15 16°C MELBOURNE - 22 by oh.yes.melbourne, on Flickr​


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Railway Gazette:



> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...rnes-high-metro-capacity-trains-contract.html
> 
> *Three shortlisted for Melbourne’s High Capacity Metro Trains contract*
> 13 Nov 2015
> ...


----------



## koresh (Sep 3, 2007)

*Melbourne Metro : Cranbourne Line train departing Dandenong Station *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kamgqs0aYA


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## koresh (Sep 3, 2007)

*Melbourne Metro : Pakenham Line *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYGnc-lFnsQ


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal:



> http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...ure-for-melbourne-metro-rail.html?channel=541
> 
> *PPP structure for Melbourne Metro Rail*
> Friday, November 20, 2015
> ...


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## koresh (Sep 3, 2007)

*Melbourne Metro *


----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mrsmartman (Mar 16, 2015)

tayser said:


> We're in a (long) process of reconfiguring the existing rail network to move more lines to through-routing.
> 
> Here's the way existing lines operate:
> 
> ...


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=219129


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## nameless dude (Dec 16, 2008)

double post


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## nameless dude (Dec 16, 2008)

*Flinders Street to South Yarra via City Loop, Frankston Line*


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## Nexis (Aug 7, 2007)

Those tracks & catenary are in horrific shape , when will they be replaced?


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## ssiguy2 (Feb 19, 2005)

Curious..........if someone is going from A to B and they can get there by bus, tram, or Metro is Metro more expensive? Is there an add-on fare with the Metro trains or are they completely the same system?


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

^^ Same as far as I know. There is just one Myki fare (or ticket fare) no matter the mode. It's all under the same umbrella and is zonal in nature. Happy to be corrected though.


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

On a related note, I've started uploading and processing my videos from Melbourne. Two public transport videos so far. 

First up, Flinders Street, surroundings, tram stop, walkthrough and platform view. 









Next is Swanston Street, the busiest tram street in Melbourne. Please ignore the typo in the title, I missed the T on the title slide.


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## nameless dude (Dec 16, 2008)

ssiguy2 said:


> Curious..........if someone is going from A to B and they can get there by bus, tram, or Metro is Metro more expensive? Is there an add-on fare with the Metro trains or are they completely the same system?





Svartmetall said:


> ^^ Same as far as I know. There is just one Myki fare (or ticket fare) no matter the mode. It's all under the same umbrella and is zonal in nature. Happy to be corrected though.


Yep, if I'm not mistaken the fare structure's divided into two zones, one around the inner city and another that's everywhere in the metropolitan area outside of it, and the fares are the same regardless of transport modes (see default fares): 

http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/metropolitan-myki-fares-2016/

Though note there's a free tram zone within the CBD.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mattie! (Dec 2, 2008)

Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal

- Start construction 2016 and completed by 2018.
- Nine level crossing removed on Melbourne's busiest train line.
- Three sections of elevated rail and five rebuilt modern stations built along the rail corridor.
- 225,000 square meters of public open space will be created.
- The elevated rail will be built whilst the current rail line is still in operation.



> *Sky train project for Melbourne's busy Cranbourne-Pakenham line gets go ahead*
> A nine-metre-high elevated track will be built along Melbourne's Cranbourne-Pakenham line to carry a sky train, part of the Victorian Government's effort to combat traffic congestion.
> 
> As part of the $1.6 billion project being announced today, nine level crossings will be removed along the Cranbourne-Pakenham line, with three sections of the track to be elevated.
> ...


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Railway Gazette:



> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...iew/melbourne-grade-separation-completed.html
> 
> *Melbourne grade separation completed*
> 09 Feb 2016
> ...


Video from opening, taken by Level Crossing Removal Authority:






Timelapse of level crossing removal:






And another video, from Comeng998:


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## ssiguy2 (Feb 19, 2005)

Curious..........if you are going from A to B and you have the option of taking a tram or bus but can also take the Metro train, does the Metro train cost more?


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## nameless dude (Dec 16, 2008)

See post #360


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## ssiguy2 (Feb 19, 2005)

Sorry I forgot I asked the question. 

That's the way it should be.


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## kunming tiger (Jun 30, 2011)

I heard that they sold the Port of Melbourne to help pay for this project. Is that true?


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

Quick video here - just one of Parliament station on the city loop. I took this back in December. 









Oh and one more short one of trams and the train on the overpass at the intersection of Flinders and Spencer streets.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## mrsmartman (Mar 16, 2015)

Do they have air rights above the station?


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Flinders Street Station Upgrades


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Found this pretty cool map of Melbourne's trains and trams together.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Global Rail News:



> http://www.globalrailnews.com/2016/03/15/melbourne-almost-doubles-order-for-new-metro-trains/
> 
> *Melbourne almost doubles order for new metro trains*
> 15 MAR, 2016
> ...


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

Another contribution from my touring of Melbourne. This time, it's Melbourne Central station. Again, like the other City lop stations, we can see there are two floors with four tube tunnels. Melbourne Central is the third busiest station on the network after Flinders St and Southern Cross.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

Melbourne Central has to be the ugliest of the City Loop stations. I wish it had a different name too - tourists must think it literally is the city's main station when it's just named after the shopping mall on top (it was originally named Museum Station).


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

city_thing said:


> Melbourne Central has to be the ugliest of the City Loop stations. I wish it had a different name too - tourists must think it literally is the city's main station when it's just named after the shopping mall on top (it was originally named Museum Station).


I quite like the name as it is one of the best located for the shopping malls and Bourke St Mall. It almost has the same amount of lines heading through it as Flinders St, which everyone thinks is the major station, when technically it's Southern Cross given that's where the regional trains leave from. 

Also, the looks are not bad. It reminds me a bit of T-Centralen here in Stockholm but actually nicer looking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iGgqLR6Src


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

One of my favourite stations in Melbourne - Southern Cross. For those who don't know, it's the hub for regional trains in Melbourne as well as for suburban trains too. There is a regional coach station attached where one can catch the skybus from and also a large tram stop on Spencer St. Southern cross connects the city to the Docklands district through a rather nice bridge with great views.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Crosspost from Australian railways thread:



ciaobellaxo said:


> Grade separation works in Blackburn. Taken a few days ago.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

*Contract awarded for Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removals*

The contract for the removal of every dangerous and congested level crossing between Dandenong and the city has been signed, and work will start within weeks.






An Alliance including Lendlease, CPB Contractors, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Aurecon and Metro Trains Melbourne was formally awarded the contract today.

The $1.6 billion project will remove nine dangerous level crossings, build five new stations, upgrade signalling and power. The project will transform rail and rocks into kilometres of new parks, paths and open space, which will be overseen by an Expert Panel.

Together with the 65 new High-Capacity Metro Trains on order, the project will create space for 11,000 extra passengers to catch the train on Melbourne's busiest rail line.

The project will improve the reliability of the metropolitan, regional and freight services, meaning trains will arrive on time, more often.

We've also released the Consultation Outcomes and Submissions Report today, which summarises thousands of pieces of feedback it received from the community.

A range of measures have been incorporated into the project as a result of this feedback, including escalators at all the new stations, more bike paths with better lighting, noise walls along the structure, and more car parking.

Work will start at the end of this month, beginning with the installation of fences and site preparation. 

View the Government media release

http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/me...aulfield-to-dandenong-level-crossing-removals


----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Video on Mernda rail extension project and the Hurstbridge Rail line upgrade project:


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Furlong Road bridge construction at St Albans:


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Railway Gazette:



> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...-supply-more-xtrapolis-emus-to-melbourne.html
> 
> *Alstom to supply more X’Trapolis EMUs to Melbourne*
> 05 May 2016
> ...


----------



## nameless dude (Dec 16, 2008)

From the Ozscrapers section regarding the Metro Rail project:



strata said:


> Metro Tunnel stations are now to include platform screen doors:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## yking (Feb 26, 2009)

Designs of 5 New Melbourne’s underground Metro Tunnel stations unveiled

http://architectureau.com/articles/..._source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook#img=0


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Taken from Australian railways thread:



ciaobellaxo said:


> Drilling at the Blackburn grade separation.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

It's a shame they're not going to build a station at South Yarra. I imagine one will be built in a few years time and at great expense when the government realises one is needed there to help with connections.

And even if the new stations "CBD North" and "CBD South" are indeed called that - there's no way the people of Melbourne will use those nouns. They will always be Melbourne Central and Flinders Street. Even in Perth where the one station has two names (Perth station & Perth Underground station) even just says 'Perth Station'.










The government should start planning Metro 2 right now as well. As soon as this tunnel is done all resources should be put into construction Metro 2, with it hopefully running east to west and providing excellent transport for the new Fisherman's Bend super-development.


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## eastadl (May 28, 2007)

^^ Is that it. Am I missing something here? This rather large metro project will result in just 2 new stations not currently served by rail - Domain and Parkville? Seems a waste


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## John.S (Mar 4, 2016)

eastadl said:


> ^^ Is that it. Am I missing something here? This rather large metro project will result in just 2 new stations not currently served by rail - Domain and Parkville? Seems a waste


It takes the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines out of the Caulfield Loop (shared with Frankston and Sandringham) as well as the Sunbury Line out of the Northern Loop (shared with Werribee, Williamstown, Upfield and Craigieburn Lines). It also adds a station in Arden, although I'm not sure how close it is to North Melbourne station.


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## Dale (Sep 12, 2002)

Wiki says this will not be completed until 2026. Is this true ? And will this be like Brisbane Crossrail, wherein the opposition party gains party, scuttles the other party's rail plan, then, engineers its own rail scheme (adding years more to the project) ?


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

More on grade separation project:











And animation of viaduct construction:


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Works at Center Road, Bentleigh, 4th July. Taken from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_Crossing_Removal_Authority


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## jaysonn341 (Mar 19, 2012)

Unsure if this has been discussed on here, but what does everyone think of Sky Rail? I'm all for it, I don't live nearby but it would greatly benefit my route to work. 

So with all the benefits of rail over (no disruptions, no expensive engineering and construction to deal with high water table, no expensive service removals etc), do the protesters even have a point?


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## PeFe (Dec 6, 2009)

Sydney is full of "skyrail" style train lines, usually 1 storey above the road and grade separated. It is absolutely a non-issue here.
I am surprised by some of the reactions in Melbourne...maybe because it is "new", even though I am sure I have seen similar lines down there (that line through Collingwood station for instance) 
Melbourne seems to be having "growing pains"...issues with apartments in "nice" suburbia, new transport infrastructure for example.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

jaysonn341 said:


> Unsure if this has been discussed on here, but what does everyone think of Sky Rail? I'm all for it, I don't live nearby but it would greatly benefit my route to work.
> 
> So with all the benefits of rail over (no disruptions, no expensive engineering and construction to deal with high water table, no expensive service removals etc), do the protesters even have a point?


I also think that level crossing removal project is vital and much needed to reduce the levels of congestion and accidents and I support this. But I also understand the residents' fears over gantry cranes above or near their houses and, indeed, there's a need for proper business case and detailed consulation for such thing:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-06/major-work-begins-on-controversial-sky-rail-project/7574686


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

More on grade separation:


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## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

So here we go - a few more tours of Melbourne public transport by me. 

First up is a train ride - from Flinders Street Station to Box Hill Station on an express train. 









Next up is a tour of Box Hill station and the tram stop (the terminus for tram number 109).


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal:



> http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...pp-reaches-contractual-close.html?channel=541
> 
> *Melbourne suburban train PPP reaches contractual close*
> Tuesday, November 22, 2016
> ...


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Melbourne has a new rail map.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## skyfann (Oct 12, 2014)

Are there any new undergroundstations planned?


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

skyfann said:


> Are there any new undergroundstations planned?


Yes, 5 new underground station as part of Melbourne metro rail project:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Metro_Rail_Project


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## John.S (Mar 4, 2016)

skyfann said:


> Are there any new undergroundstations planned?


Also under very early planning stages is Metro tunnel 2 from Clifton Hill to Newport via Parkville, Southern Cross and Fishermens Bend


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## kunming tiger (Jun 30, 2011)

What is the time frame for Metro Line 2?


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## John.S (Mar 4, 2016)

kunming tiger said:


> What is the time frame for Metro Line 2?


Well beyond 2026 when metro tunnel 1 is complete (and that's just for first soil). The state government is focussing on level crossing removals, which at the moment number 150+


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Metro Report

http://www.metro-report.com/news/ne...view/more-xtrapolis-emus-for-melbourne-1.html

*More X’Trapolis EMUs for Melbourne*
21 Feb 2017










AUSTRALIA: Public Transport Victoria has signed a €100m contract for Alstom to supply a further nine six-car X’Trapolis 1·5 kV DC electric multiple-units for Melbourne's 1 600 mm gauge suburban network.

Announcing the order on February 21, Alstom said production was expected to begin at its Ballarat plant later this year for delivery by late 2018 and would take PTV’s X’Trapolis fleet to 101 units

...


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Rail Journal

http://www.railjournal.com/index.ph...o-tunnel-shortlist-announced.html?channel=525

*Melbourne Metro tunnel shortlist announced*
Monday, April 10, 2017










_THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has announced that final bids for the $A 6bn ($US 4.5bn) Melbourne Metro tunnel and stations public private partnership (PPP) have been received and are being assessed by the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority (MMRA)_

Three consortia have been shortlisted:

• Continuum Victoria - Acciona Infrastructure, Ferrovial Agroman, Honeywell, Downer EDI and Plenary Origination

• Cross Yarra Partnership - Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital, and

• Moving Melbourne Together - Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, Ghella, Salini Impregilo, Serco and Macquarie Capital.

The proposals detail options to build the 9km long metro tunnel and five new underground stations at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain

...


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## Ashis Mitra (Jan 25, 2009)

Will it be a separate true metro? Or a conversion of existing local train system to the new underground alignment?


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Ashis Mitra said:


> Will it be a separate true metro? Or a conversion of existing local train system to the new underground alignment?


It's underground extension of commuter rail


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Level Crossing Removal


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Metro Tunnel’s First Breakthrough At State Library Station

Three massive machines – each weighing more than 100 tonnes – have met 30 metres underground, in the first major breakthrough of the Metro Tunnel.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan was given a rare look under the city today, where she met the men and women whose hard work made the breakthrough possible.

It’s a huge milestone for the multi-billion-dollar Andrews Labor Government project and signifies months of around-the-clock excavation by the three machines – known as roadheaders.

The roadheaders have been mining station caverns and underground passenger connections under Swanston Street, near Franklin Street, for the new State Library Station.

In total, more than 500,000 tonnes of material will be excavated – the equivalent of almost 70 Olympic swimming pools – with 1,500 tonnes of rock and soil removed every 24 hours.

Seven roadheaders will be used in the CBD as part of the project – four for State Library Station and three for Town Hall Station. Each weighs 118-tonnes, is 15-metres long and is lowered underground in separate pieces, before being re-assembled underground.

The road headers have dug out more than 20 per cent of State Library Station, with excavation expected to be finished by late-2020.

_https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/metro-tunnels-first-breakthrough-at-state-library-station/_


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## PeFe (Dec 6, 2009)

^^

Wow, dig those platform shelters .....I don't think the Melbourne train network has anything like that at any other stations.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Murrumbeena and Carnegie Stations























https://www.coxarchitecture.com.au/project/caulfield-to-dandenong-level-crossing-removal/


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

JOAN STARTS TUNNELLING

We have reached a major milestone with tunnelling commencing on the North Melbourne to Kensington section of the Metro Tunnel Project.

The tunnel boring machine (TBM) Joan is the first to break ground, with Meg to follow shortly, while two others – Alice and Millie – will be launched in 2020 from the future Anzac Station in the Domain Precinct towards South Yarra.

During tunnelling, the TBMs will pipe the excavated soil (slurry) back to a site in North Melbourne, whilst also lining the tunnel with curved concrete segments.

Joan and Meg will arrive at Kensington in early 2020 before being transported back to site in North Melbourne where they will start excavating towards Parkville before tunnelling towards the CBD.






_Metro Tunnel | Transport Victoria_


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## PeFe (Dec 6, 2009)

mw123 said:


> Murrumbeena and Carnegie Stations
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I saw these new developments for the first time the other week when I was in Melbourne for an AFL match.

Wow, I really liked the new "skyrail"...the ride in the trains in the newer sections is really smooth.

And the new stations are more spacious (but maybe a bit "futuristic bleak" in their aesthetics)

The new parks and bike paths beneath the elevated structure look good.

No doubt commercial property values surrounding the new stations will increase hopefully leading to better quality new apartments and retail spaces.

Unfortunately the older sections of the line still look like its the 1970's....graffitti and rubbish strewn everywhere. I hope the local residents in Melbourne dont oppose further "skyrailing" of the train network.


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## Molae (Nov 13, 2018)

^^ I often used Carnegie & Murrumbeena Stations and think the 'Skyrail' has been an awesome improvement and taken suburban train stations to a new level for Melbourne. In fact I prefer it to the new sunken stations at nearby Ormond, McKinnon and Bentleigh on the neighbouring Frankston Line (which are still a dramatic improvement on what they replaced as well).


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Metro Tunnel


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Parkville Station


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

State Library Station


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Town Hall Station


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Suburban Rail Loop

The Suburban Rail Loop will be a twin-tunnel, *standalone rail line* that is fully integrated into the existing public transport network.

Being a standalone line means the design of the trains will not be constrained by the requirements of Melbourne’s 100-year old train network.

As a result, the *Suburban Rail Loop will be serviced by a dedicated fleet of quicker, high-tech trains*, enabling easy hop on and hop off travel for passengers. The trains will be four or five carriages long, meaning the platforms can be shorter, reducing the walking distance at each station.

Pre-construction work on the Stage One route from Box Hill to Cheltenham is underway, with fourteen boreholes already dug, and close to 100 expected to be drilled by mid 2020.

The information gathered during pre-construction work will help determine the exact station locations for the project. Construction on Stage One of the Suburban Rail Loop is expected to commence in 2022.


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## FabriFlorence (Sep 29, 2004)

^^ Very good project!


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

The new elevated Reservoir station opens 2019.12.16.

https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/ride-the-reservoir-rail-bridge-in-december


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

newly opened elevated Reservoir station




























https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/new-reservoir-station-and-high-street-now-open


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

Carrum station (on elevated realignment) opens 2020.02.17










https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/your-new-carrum-station-opening-soon


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Melbourne Metro Tunnel


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## Woonsocket54 (May 7, 2005)

Woonsocket54 said:


> Carrum station (on elevated realignment) opens 2020.02.17
> 
> 
> 
> ...


photos of newly opened elevated station:

https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/projects/station-street-carrum/image-gallery


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* China's train maker in full production to meet overseas orders *
_Excerpt_

CHANGCHUN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's top train maker CRRC is at full production capacity to meet six overseas orders, the company said.

*The company is delivering a whole set of metro trains for the Australian city of Melbourne this week with the cargo sent to a Chinese port for shipping.*

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in January, the company has been making every effort to prevent and control the epidemic in its production base in the northeast China city of Changchun.

Production has been gradually resumed since Feb. 10, with priority given to catch up on orders due to be delivered in the first quarter, said Li Wanjun, senior technician of the CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. Ltd.

Production for six overseas orders, including a subway train for Boston in the United States, light rail trains for Tel Aviv in Israel and double-decker buses for the Australian city of Sydney, is at full speed.

Among them, the production of four trains of the light rail project in Tel Aviv has been completed on schedule. They will be transported on Feb. 25.


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## ajw373 (Oct 24, 2007)

OT I know, but double deck buses for Sydney? Surely they mean double deck trains, aka the remainder of the B sets??


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Level Crossing Removal Project website

https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/contract-awarded-for-the-cranbourne-line-upgrade

*Contracts awarded for the Cranbourne Line Upgrade*
16 Mar 2020










Contracts worth a combined $679 million to continue upgrading the Cranbourne line have been signed, with construction crews to start mobilising in coming days at Greens Road in Dandenong South.

The works – to be delivered by two alliances in partnership with the Level Crossing Removal Project – will allow for peak-hour services every ten minutes on the Cranbourne line.

Current single track between Cranbourne and Dandenong limits the number of services that can run on the line and leads to frequent delays.

An alliance comprising of McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott MacDonald and Metro Trains Melbourne will duplicate track between Dandenong and Lynbrook and remove the Greens Road level crossing in Dandenong South

...


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Latest on Level Crossing Removal Project:


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

More on Metro Tunnel project:


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




----------



## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Some metro tunnel construction photos:


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

New Cheltenham Station has reopened as part of the level crossing removal program.


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## PeFe (Dec 6, 2009)

I really like the road crossing removal program in Melbourne. Not only do you get faster safer trains (less chance of running into cars) but also lots of areas have brand new upgraded stations with parks or recreation spaces below.

To think that some Melbournites complained saying that "sky rail will devalue my property!" Its the absolute opposite....I would say residential and commercial property values have gone up around these new stations.

I wish the South Australian government had the same level of finances to do the same thing in Adelaide!


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

I agree! The new stations and the spaces underneath are looking great - can't believe people were against this.

Too many of Melbourne's stations look downright neglected and are in sore need of renovation (Sydney had this problem throughout the 90s too). This program seems to be sorting out some of that along with of course removing those level crossings.

Some more from the same line, this is of the newly opened Mentone station.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Final design has been chosen for the new Coburg and Moreland Stations.


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## historyworks (Jul 12, 2007)

Is this program being funded out of the roads or public transport budget because it's something being done for road users? It's not something that trains benefit from operationally because they have right of way at level crossings anyway. I'd hate to think that scarce public transport funds are being channeled into something for the benefit of car drivers so that driving becomes even more attractive at the cost of public transport use.


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## P2O5 (Mar 31, 2015)

historyworks said:


> Is this program being funded out of the roads or public transport budget because it's something being done for road users? It's not something that trains benefit from operationally because they have right of way at level crossings anyway. I'd hate to think that scarce public transport funds are being channeled into something for the benefit of car drivers so that driving becomes even more attractive at the cost of public transport use.


Level crossing removal permits higher frequency train services. We're about to remove a rake of crossings in Dublin to permit higher frequency suburban rail services. Not sure if that's planned in Melbourne?


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

historyworks said:


> Is this program being funded out of the roads or public transport budget because it's something being done for road users? It's not something that trains benefit from operationally because they have right of way at level crossings anyway. I'd hate to think that scarce public transport funds are being channeled into something for the benefit of car drivers so that driving becomes even more attractive at the cost of public transport use.


Though isn't frequency somewhat hampered by the level crossings? I've always seen this project as an enabler to increase frequencies across the network once the metro tunnel opens.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

* State Library Station works



































*


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

Works on stage 2 of Hurstbridge line duplication has started and planned for completion by 2022. The project includes:

the new Greensborough Station
the upgraded Montmorency Station
3 km of double-track between Greensborough and Montmorency
1.5 km of double-track between Diamond Creekand Wattle Glen
Section between Montmorency and Diamond Creek will remain single-track due to heritage status of Eltham Trestle Bridge.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

From Bayside News, an update on much-awaited Frankston line extension to Baxter









Rail extension funding still in the budget - Bayside News


THE extension of the Frankston line to Baxter is still included as a “key project” in the federal budget, despite being at a standstill for a year. A business case assessing the electrification and duplication of the Frankston line to Baxter was completed in October last year. Despite pressure...




baysidenews.com.au





To remind the readers of this thread - this project involves duplication and electrification of Frankston-Baxter section of Stony Point line, which is currently served by DMUs. Project map from ABC News:
More new train stations promised for Melbourne as Coalition teams up with Federal Government


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

*Metro Tunnel South Yarra Tunnel Portal *




























_Melbourne Metro Tunnel Facebook_


----------



## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

HCMT Trains still being tested. 

HCMT (17) Test run 29/10/2020 by Tony Tan, on Flickr

HCMT Test run (17) by Tony Tan, on Flickr

HCMT Test run (17) by Tony Tan, on Flickr


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

* Reservoir Station*









*







*
















*















*

























Reservoir Station / Genton


Completed in 2020 in Reservoir, Australia. Images by Peter Clarke. Leading architecture firm Genton’s recently completed Reservoir Station project — conceived in collaboration with landscape architects McGregor...




www.archdaily.com


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Evans Road, Lyndhurst level crossing bridge is now complete.





Upfield Line has reopened with trains now running on an elevated line.


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)




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## mrmoopt (Nov 14, 2004)

These subliminal line colour indicators is a good start in information provision for people onboard the train.










For people boarding the train, confirmation indicators of next station, next to the mind the gap stencils will be better.


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## urbanflight (Dec 12, 2018)

*'Game changer': State commits $2.2b to first section of Suburban Rail Loop*

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1328089375729537024


> he Victorian government has committed $2.2 billion in its upcoming budget for early works on the first section of its $50 billion Suburban Rail Loop – a 90-kilometre rail line running through Melbourne's middle suburbs.
> 
> Premier Daniel Andrews unveiled the locations of the proposed six new underground train stations in Melbourne's south-east on Monday, announcing what is likely the most expensive early works project on a Victorian transport project to date.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

So we should have this, metro tunnel and airport link under construction at the same time!

Hopefully they go the way of Sydney with this project and choose an automated metro solution. The concept renders seem to suggest that will be the case.

I am also glad they are starting on the south eastern section as I am not a fan of the way this line will supposedly operate in the west and doubt it will end up being built as the plans suggest in that section.


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## Frenchlover (Sep 3, 2020)

urbanflight said:


> *'Game changer': State commits $2.2b to first section of Suburban Rail Loop*
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1328089375729537024


Better with a map extracted from the video :


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

A few concept images and detailed map of stage 1.


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## onetwothree (Nov 14, 2004)

Looks like a great project! Are the stages beyond stage one already final or only preliminary? I was just looking at a map and something like Sunshine to Werribee seems like a very long distance with no intermediate stations.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

onetwothree said:


> Looks like a great project! Are the stages beyond stage one already final or only preliminary? I was just looking at a map and something like Sunshine to Werribee seems like a very long distance with no intermediate stations.


They are preliminary plans thankfully. Stage 2 is likely to be Box Hill to either Broadmeadows or the airport and that will likely proceed as the plans suggest.

However I and others doubt it will be built all the way out to Werribee - there really is no reason and there's not much to be gained. 

The cynic in me says it is the government just saying that they are linking every train line ie. You're all winners and there's no losers with this project come next election.

They would be better off making a start on Metro Tunnel 2 rather than build this line out to Werribee.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

* Melbourne Airport Rail Link construction to start 2022, trains to run to CBD every 10 minutes *
ABC _Excerpt_
Nov 21, 2020 

Passengers landing at Melbourne Airport will be able to take trains to the heart of the CBD every 10 minutes once the Melbourne Airport Rail Link is completed in 2029, governments say.

The Victorian Government and Federal Government have each committed $5 billion to the project, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison said would begin construction in 2022 and support up to 8,000 jobs.

In an announcement highlighting the details of the agreed route through Sunshine, authorities stated the project would take travellers from the airport into the CBD in less than 30 minutes.

More : Melbourne Airport to be a 30-minute train ride from CBD by 2029, governments say


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## dimlys1994 (Dec 19, 2010)

^^Official video clip:


----------



## Svartmetall (Aug 5, 2007)

This is incredible! What a game changer for Melbourne, and what an amazing set of projects. Clearly Melbourne didn't like the fact that Sydney was starting to steal its thunder.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Will repost this here even though it's technically regional/intercity rail. As part of the same announcement, the government is starting a new rail line to Geelong. 

It looks like at this stage they will still be using the 160km/h diesel sets however this line should be upgradable to faster electric trains. With this upgrade, the train to Geelong will be about 10mins faster than driving. 

*Geelong Fast Rail*

The Australian and Victorian governments have announced the first stage of Geelong Fast Rail, which will deliver faster services with a travel time of around 50 minutes between Geelong and Melbourne.

The Werribee corridor has been selected as the route to deliver faster services for Geelong, with new dedicated track between Werribee and Laverton for Geelong trains, cutting average travel times for passengers by up to 15 minutes.

*Stage 1: Werribee to Newport*
Delivering faster services between Geelong and Melbourne’s CBD with a travel time of around 50 minutes enabled through a major investment to the Werribee corridor.

*Scope*

New track dedicated to regional services (between Werribee and Laverton).
Upgrades to bridges over main roads.
Station upgrades at Werribee and Laverton
New bridges and culverts over creeks and rivers.
Signalling and train control system upgrades.


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## mrmoopt (Nov 14, 2004)

mw123 said:


> Will repost this here even though it's technically regional/intercity rail. As part of the same announcement, the government is starting a new rail line to Geelong.
> 
> It looks like at this stage they will still be using the 160km/h diesel sets however this line should be upgradable to faster electric trains. With this upgrade, the train to Geelong will be about 10mins faster than driving.
> 
> ...


What is old is suddenly new again?

Werribee runs every 10mins, even with overtaking loop it will reach saturity pretty soon with Geelong trains again?

Then will RRL trains be terminators or will Geelong stoppers all be via RRL?

I think it needs more passing loops for it to work. Limited space avail, so Spotswood also needs a passing loop?

Then the Mobiltown junction needs grade separating.....

The entire section Southern Cross (both the RRL lead in towards Footscray) and onwards to Werribee will need moving block, which means the whole regional fleet also needs in cab and onboard train equipment upgrades?

What a mess. Down the track Werribee line from Newport will need to leave this horrible thing of an idea to cross the yarra around Newport to make MM2


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Pakenham Station renders have been released


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Also designs for the new East Pakenham Station.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

The new bike trail under the Upfield line. 



__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1455379011371102210


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

*54 level crossings gone for good*

We’re celebrating a major milestone with Melbourne’s 50th dangerous and congested level crossing officially declared gone for good at Bondi Road, Bonbeach – along with the removal of 4 more level crossings at Chelsea and Edithvale – bringing our total to 54 and counting.

The golden milestone which was reached one year ahead of schedule, with a total of 85 level crossings set to go across Melbourne by 2025 to improve safety, reduce congestion and create capacity for more trains, more often.

Every one of our projects is an opportunity to do more and since 2015 we have built 31 new train stations, created nearly 14 MCGs worth of new open space, planted more than 1.9 million new plants, shrubs and trees and delivered a whopping 40km of shared user paths across the city.

From Monday 22 November, train services will also resume along the full length of the Frankston line, which is one of Melbourne’s busiest, and the new Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach stations will open after 10 weeks of major works.

_Level Crossing Removal Authority


  






  






  






  






  






  




_


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

*Funding boost means SRL build starts next year*

Construction of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East will be underway next year, with the Victorian Government announcing a major investment in the state’s biggest and most significant infrastructure project – an investment that will create up to 8000 direct jobs.

The Victorian Government is providing new funding of $9.3 billion towards major works on SRL East to deliver 26km twin rail tunnels and 6 underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill, as well as investment in new community projects and initiatives in the broader areas around the stations.

With a massive pipeline of road and rail upgrades delivered across Victoria, delivering SRL will change how and where Melbourne grows in the decades ahead.

_Suburban Rail Loop Authority_


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## Stuu (Feb 7, 2007)

mw123 said:


> *Funding boost means SRL build starts next year*
> 
> Construction of Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East will be underway next year, with the Victorian Government announcing a major investment in the state’s biggest and most significant infrastructure project – an investment that will create up to 8000 direct jobs.
> 
> ...


11 years to build a suburban metro line seems excessive


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

*Melbourne’s train, tram and road networks to be hit with summer of disruption to allow major works during quieter months *
7News _Excerpt_
Nov 22, 2021

Victorians will be able to enjoy summer without a travel limit now that most COVID-19 restrictions have fallen away - but there will be weeks of disruptions to the train, tram and road networks.

On Monday, Minister for Transport Jacinta Allan said the state’s Big Build will be heating up over the warmer months.

This means major works on 10 rail lines, seven tram routes and four critical roads.

More : Melbourne’s train, tram and road networks to be hit with summer of disruption


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

*New Narre Warren Station*









*New Parkdale Station






















*


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Newly reopened Bell Station


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

It has been announced that the future station at Melbourne Airport will be built above ground and that there will be a station at Keilor East.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)




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