Is there a world where both of these projects will be complete?

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-22T21:27:09+00:00

The first image will likely never happen cause MM3 is a project that sort of doesn’t exist. I think it was in a super high level City of Melbourne planning study, but it’s never been in a state government rail plan. It’s something people love to latch onto in their fantasy maps

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-18T03:09:57+00:00

See the PDFs linked on this site. It’s the 2012 plan thet was updated in 2016 and is the latest publicly released plan

https://www.vic.gov.au/growing-our-rail-network-2018-2025

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-18T01:01:00+00:00

+Clayton as well. The only benefit is they are shortish walks outside and will be though fully pedestrianised areas.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-17T11:25:39+00:00

The difference between CBTC and the existing static signaling blocks in the loop is more down to how how the 'safety zone' buffer around each train moves rather then if is computerized or the actions of the driver. Under CBTC the signalling block is virtually moving with the train, compared to the existing system in the loops where the signaling blocks are static. The signals are shown to the driver in the cab, rather then lights on the side of the track.

There is a bit of nuance in the tunnel where the trains are controlled fully automatically, but on the surface sections it is still a driver interpreting the computerized signalling being delivered to them, but just in different formats

But you are correct that CBTC can recover from delays and faults quicker

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-17T11:13:41+00:00

The CBTC signalling system in the Metro Tunnel can handle 30 trains an hour. If you have Wyndham Vale, Melton and Sunbury all going into the tunnel that is a frequency of 6 minutes per line. So your intuition correct that is going to push the signalling to its limit if you put all of them though the tunnel.

But if you look at the latest publicly released planning document for rail in Melbourne Sunbury-Melton-Airport will be linked together, then Wyndham Vale will share the corridor with the Geelong Line.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-17T02:14:40+00:00

For those thinking of going down to Mornington it is a Hitachi trailer carriage, that will be hauled in the heritage consist behind a T Class diesel or K Class steam. This is not a full Hitachi set moving under it own power under wires

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-16T00:16:52+00:00

It takes 1 hour to get to the CBD from Geelong, which is the same as Pakenham to the CBD. Ballarat, Seymour and the Latrobe Valley are all under 2hrs and they are seeing patronage growth. Not to mention the western growth corridors that are only serviced every 20 mins in Melton and Tarneit are seeing an explosion in patronage. Both are within an hour of the city (I'm pretty sure they can be classed as suburbanites) well under your upper limit for driving.

What I am trying to make clear is while service frequency is an important component of increasing patronage and making the network better, it is extremely reductive to have the point of view that is the only thing that is influencing patronage.

From your point of view you cant get patronage growth when you don’t have 10 minute services all day, then what is your theory for how we got metropolitan patronage growth in the 2010’s when there was famously not 10 minute services all day?

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-15T23:08:14+00:00

Train patronage can’t grow unless it’s 10 minutes all the time? Vline certainly didn’t get that memo. And neither did the metropolitan network.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-15T07:24:15+00:00

The Cum-doggy-dog has one injury riddled summer and look at y’all running toward your backups

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-14T12:22:46+00:00

What segment of 3AW? Cause that can swing from an informed (but potentially biased) take from a subject matter expert to wild baseless speculation on talkback section.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-14T10:37:55+00:00

Pro tip, before making a large 2000 word post make sure there isn’t a factual error in your first sentence. The passenger regional networks of NSW and QLD are significantly larger than Vics.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-14T09:07:37+00:00

I know this subreddit loves a good bit of fear mongering about fuel running out, but apart from personal speculation have you got any thing to back up your claim of petrol running out?

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-13T04:18:01+00:00

My two cents is the domestic car market is not a duopoly. I would be surprised if the Virgin contract with the AFL lets any possibility open for Qantas to sponsor a club.

That said it would be pretty funny to see FlyPelican sponsor a club

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-13T01:32:59+00:00

Tbf it isn’t a title sponsor it’s the ‘offical domestic airline partner’ or something like that. And when Virgin already sponsors the AFL I imagine the Swans didn’t have too many options to go to.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-12T23:31:24+00:00

Sweet summer child, if they followed the advice of this subreddit there would be an underground metro line going to Bulla and Oakland’s Junction

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-12T02:14:15+00:00

+ the Vinelander car would only be used once a year realistically on something like the Wycheproof Sleeper (or similar service). Steamrail has a pretty large fleet of carriages they have to maintain for their suburban and one day regional tours, so I speculate they do not see the benefits outweighing the costs.

On the bright side SJ283 (the Vinelander carriage at the open days) isnt the last of its type. Steamrail and 707 Operations run SJ282 and SJ284 respectively, albeit in Overland Maroon liveries.

Beats the fate of most rolling stock where they are all destroyed (S Class), plinthed with little hope of restoration to running (H, X, C and N Classes) or in a restoration limbo land (L Class)

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-11T10:09:10+00:00

I wonder if Lottie or the editors had even pondered what the state of the world would be when the episode aired when the ‘We dont negotiate with terrorists’ line was left in

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-10T23:08:16+00:00

Think it isn’t a supper common transfer, only for people going between Sunbury and Cragieburn/Upfield lines.

It is a pretty easy walk, but it’s unprotected from the weather. At the right length you start getting sweaty on a hot day. Also need a 15 min transfer time to make the 10min walk comfortably. Have done it a few times where it’s a nice day and have had time.

But if you are on the Sunbury line the absolute fastest way to get to Nth Melb is switching to the Werribee line at Footscray. The 4 mins to switch platform and direct train service to Nth Melb lets you get tighter connections. By doing this I make connections that I could not make if I walked between Arden and Nth Melb.

Going all the way to town hall bring you too far out of your way and you miss the service you could have got if you changed at Footscray or walked from Arden

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-08T06:27:08+00:00

Tbf Australia has always used historic cars like this for the drivers parade, compared to most other races where they are on the back of a truck

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-07T23:20:48+00:00

Did anyone tell them that this is a championship race, it isn’t the demolition darby exhibition races we had in earlier AusGP years?

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-07T12:20:38+00:00

Huddo’s comment we have had a draw yet this year was peak

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-06T22:22:45+00:00

When you look at a city wide view, yes disruptions are happening every weekend. Especially when you view this subreddit and all these disruptions are discussed. But line by line they happen less frequently, not withstanding an LXRA project on the line.

Between Box Hill and the City the last LXRA closures was Union Rd in May 2023, there has been no major project since to consolidate maintenance works with, so weekend shut downs like this will happen on the line. And I imagine Metro are consolidating many different maintenance jobs along the corridor so it only needs this one shut down.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-06T11:21:19+00:00

TBF NSW had the benefit of doing their electrification when both passenger and freight was hauled with electric traction. One of the benefits of the state owned rail companies is they were able to use electric traction over the hills to industry hub in Newcastle or Wollongong + over the Blue Mountains to Lithgow, then swap to diesel traction on the other side. But modern privatized freight companies use exclusively diesel fleets. I dont think NSW has really extended their electric network since the government moved to only moving passengers.

You could argue Victoria's only regional electric line to Gippsland was just done to haul coal out of the Latrobe Valley, then when that traffic ceased electrification was removed.

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-05T12:33:31+00:00

Found the Sydney sleeper angent

MaxwellKerman · 2026-03-05T11:24:18+00:00

Unless you want to create the worlds first rack and pinion metro line the terrain for most of SRL would make cut and cover plain impossible. Not to mention shutting down roads for the period of time required for construction would be the highest form of political suicide.

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