Victorian Government pledges Rail Link to MEL

[seanpodge]

Won't believe it until I see it. Trains to MEL, along with a few other places in Melbourne, have been talked about for decades. If they do decide to actually build it, I think it needs to be a regular fare station unlike the airport stations at SYD and BNE. Not only will it help avoid the train being a white elephant, but it would also put pressure on MEL to bring its parking charges back to the land of reality. Stops at Footscray, North Melbourne and Sunshine (for Napthine's proposed route) would also be good so passengers from the west (both Metro and V/Line) don't have to backtrack. It would also be a bit more useful if it went around the loop, especially for tourists.

 

[Himeno]

Article say the line will be... What happened to the existing basement that is ready for a rail link?

Basement now used for something else? Too expensive to put tracks in underground to access the basement station space?

 

[moa999]

From a 2010 post on a transport forum

I've heard something slightly different in regards to the airport station, The story I heard is that the station was supposed to be built under the terminal's central core (Basically, International Arrivals) with exits similar to Parliament's design, Escalating up in a V formation to access what is now Virgin Blue and Qantas domestic and also International, almost directly above, however in 1991 or 1992, When Melbourne Airport went through it's first major renovation since being built, The FAC (Federal Airports Corp.) who I think owned it at the time, changed the airports basement area and as such, The provisions for the basement station were lost.

That said there are plenty of rumours about the airport basement. Have even heard some claiming there are pre-built ghost platforms/

 

[JessicaTam]

Article say the line will be... What happened to the existing basement that is ready for a rail link?

That has been discounted as an urban myth from quite a few different sources.

 

[sjd]

That has been discounted as an urban myth from quite a few different sources.

But it's one of my favourite urban myths, oh well.

 

[Isochronous]

So it's not like North Sydney and St James Stations in Sydney which actually do have unused platforms and tunnels below existing ones that were part of the uncompleted Bradfield design for the Sydney railways.

If this is just a standard train line it will be pointless. It has to be a dedicated airport train with bespoke rolling stock for storing luggage like the HK Airport Express offering a quick journey to the Melb CBD.

 

[nlagalle]

That has been discounted as an urban myth from quite a few different sources.

Here is one particular discussion:

"Secret" Tullamarine Railway station / Victoria / Forums / Railpage

and another rumour:

State of train station under Westfield Doncaster / Melbourne suburban / Forums / Railpage

 

[dajop]

If this is just a standard train line it will be pointless. It has to be a dedicated airport train with bespoke rolling stock for storing luggage like the HK Airport Express offering a quick journey to the Melb CBD.

I disagree, it has to be either a standard train line with integrated (read: no airport surcharge) into myki standard ticketing (like SIN, LHR underground) - ideally with dedicated rolling stock, or dedicated express airport train with a premium fee (like HKG or Heathrow Express). The benefits of a standard public transport extend beyond just passengers, importantly they make it more economical for the growing airport workforce to commute. Unfortunately it will probably be the SYD/BNE option, standard public transport with a hefty surcharge!