Vic State politics.

[Jerry_Atrick]

20 hours ago, red750 said:

Is Victoria being run by John Setka and the unions?

And when the Libs are in, dp they run the state, or the country? Or who's interests are served?

 

The last Lib federal government ended up where electorally? Lost blue ribbon seats they governed for the people so well..

Edited June 14 by Jerry_Atrick

[facthunter]

Lobsters with the Mobsters and crooked land subdivisions. They had an inside job in the Head Office where the New person (fromTassie) Knocked of 1.43 Million $s Thats when they aren't fighting amongst themselves. They HATE their new Leader John Pesutto..  Nev

[red750]

New rail platform too short for trains in Melbourne’s booming west
The state government splashed $234m on a railway station upgrade in Melbourne’s growing west last year but the platform was built too short for country trains.

[Jerry_Atrick]

We have that here, too.. The passengers that need to get off at shorter platforms eaither eat themselves at, or move to the carriages that abutt the platform. It really isn't a big deal.

 

Jeez, I dunno; they save a bit of dough by not making the platforms longer and people complain. If they spend the money to make the platforms longer, people complain.

 

Depends on how you look at things, I guess.

Edited August 18 by Jerry_Atrick

[onetrack]

It's the same here on the left coast, the State Labor Govt is spending over $12B on expanding the metro train network (it was supposed to be only $4B originally), and they've managed to stuff up the platform size requirement for the new train car sets.

It will take a decade before the station platforms are all lengthened to accommodate the new, longer, train car sets.

 

The State Govt has invested millions into "returning train manufacturing to W.A.". But all they've done is built an assembly plant for major train components that are all made overseas. The train bodies are built in India and the air-conditioning systems are made in Germany. I have little doubt all the electronic and electric components are manufactured in Europe. It's a joke, and a long running joke, because the rail network is a constant loss-maker for multiple decades to come.

 

We don't have the population, or the concentrated population in urban areas, to generate the income and passenger numbers required to ensure a metro train network can at least break even.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-07/metronet-train-manufacturing-claims-tested-amid-cost-blowout/103665584

 

Edited August 19 by onetrack

[facthunter]

Where the station platform is shorter than the train,  passengers are told to use certain Carriages only if they want to get off there. That's been the CASE for YEARS.  Not all trains even stop at these Minor destinations, so why put a long platform for a few passengers who would have to walk further to their car or a bus. Nev

[pmccarthy]

Length isn't everything.

[spacesailor]

How will Queensland public transport break even . With that silly 50c fare .

Should have made it the dollar or two .

My seniors " opal " costs $2.50  , for three station stops .

( get on, miss one station, get off ) .

spacesailor

PS : I used to cycle it , before the hip problem .

 

Edited August 19 by spacesailor
PS added

[Jerry_Atrick]

Why are people consumed about public transport making a profit? It is a public service and the economic, social,  and environmental benefits on reliable and well frequented public transport far outweigh the costs, https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/top-10-benefits-public-transportation/1063096/

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

the rail network is a constant loss-maker

It is well-known in the commercial rail industry overseas that passenger transport is a loss-making activity. The money is in freight. They worked that out in the USA long ago. That's why you will see lots of freight train and the occasional Amtrak passenger service.

 

I know that passenger transport by rail seems to work in European cities, but they have populations in the millions, and people travel short distances compared to our citie. Also, their urban rail systems have been paid for long ago.

[Jerry_Atrick]

3 hours ago, old man emu said:

I know that passenger transport by rail seems to work in European cities,

By what criteria do you mean, "work"? If it is passenger services turning a profit, it is almost exclusively done so with subsidies... in other words, loss making. I guess the question is comparing the relative rate of loss. The odd service is profitable but by and large, without subsidies, they are loss making.

 

Even with advance purchases and split ticketing, a return trip from Taunton to Paddington, arriving before 9:30am on a weekday (1:40 - 2 hrs) is a minimum of £180. Petrol is about £50. I can fly from Exeter to Munich for about £95 return. 

 

Sadly there is no service from Exeter to London City anymore.. it used to be about £125 return and I did use it occasionally

[facthunter]

Those prices are pretty expensive. The main reason for rail is to reduce the road traffic.. It's also usually Electric. Some in Sydney will be driverless.  Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

It is very expensive because rail operators are privatised and have to try and make a profit here... even though they don't. I was using it as an example why they don't work here if profit is the definition of a rail system working.

 

The trains are diesel on this service but are well appointed and comfortable. The first non-peak trains, where the price drops dramatically,  are usually filled sardine cans.

[facthunter]

Diesel here for the Longer runs. Vic Rail. Better standard than the Blue Rattlers They don't drop off at all stations so can be quite fast.  Nev

[old man emu]

28 minutes ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

The odd service is profitable but by and large, without subsidies, they are loss making.

I'm wrong, then. I thought that with the large passenger numbers and the fact that the perways had been built long ago, and only needed maintenance, then they would be profitable. Just goes to show you that for all the environmental benefits of public transport, carting humans is a loss making activity.

 

It's roughly 280 kms from Exeter UK to London. The train fare is $AUD250. It's about 400 kms from Dubbo to Sydney CBD.  The full train fare is about $AUD 90 return. Who'd travel by train in England?

[nomadpete]

VicRail ?

 

Back when they renamed Metropolitan Rail.... "Metrail", I wondered what they were going to call the Country Rail system.

[facthunter]

The new gov't is talking about  taking it over., I heard.  Nev

[nomadpete]

I recall the year that Queensland proudly announced they made a profit on the Brisbane rail system. So it is possible.

 

It was later revealed they achieved this by selling off the rolling stock, and leasing it back from the new owners.

[nomadpete]

1 minute ago, facthunter said:

The new gov't is talking about  taking it over., I heard.  Nev

Straight through to the catcher!

[facthunter]

Track maintenance is quite high. NSW has let the standard drop a few times then they have derailments.  Nev

[nomadpete]

1 minute ago, facthunter said:

 NSW has let the standard drop a few times then they have derailments.  Nev

That can cause a bad reputation for punctuality.

[onetrack]

I'm staggered at those rail trip prices in the U.K. I was last there in 1988, so things have obviously changed greatly - but I camped in Reading with the Auntie and regularly caught the train to London.

I can't recall the fares back then, but they were very reasonable, the trains were very fast (160kmh), on time, and never had any problems with scumbags on them, or around the stations.

 

All the passenger rail network here on the Left Coast is State Govt owned, is electrified for the metropolitan region (up to say, around 90kms out from the City), but any country passenger network is diesel.

However, the country passenger rail network is extremely limited, only Perth to Kalgoorlie mainly. They run a train to Bunbury (the Australind), but it will be taken out in November for around 18 months, while they upgrade the metro rail network.

 

The Australind will be replaced by road coaches between Bunbury and Mandurah while the upgrade is going on, pax will transfer to the train at Mandurah to complete their journey to Perth.

Current fare for the Australind is around $23 for concession and $35 full fare - it's 190kms, Perth to Bunbury. Road coaches run by the Govt-owned PTA (Public Transport Authority) run passenger services to most country towns in the South of W.A. The road coaches are very nice, comfortable, 3 axle, high quality long distance coaches, with toilets on board.

If you want to go further North than Kalbarri or Meekatharra, you need to hop on a plane. East to Esperance (700kms), you have the choice of plane or Transwa road coach. Neither is all that cheap, but the road coach is a bit cheaper.

 

Edited August 19 by onetrack

[red750]

I haven't travelled on a suburban train since about 2019, to the last Avalon Airshow I attended, before the pandemic. It was also the last country train (to Lara). Suburban Mitcham to Southern Cross, (Spencer Street), and country  SC to Lara. Apart from Avalon, my last country rail trip was in 1964.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

48 minutes ago, old man emu said:

t's roughly 280 kms from Exeter UK to London.

I forgot to mention, it was literally a fllyer - from Exeter Airport to London City Airport in a Dash 8. Cheaper by air than trian, is bonkers, but that is what privatising the railways did. I recall that ic awarded Connex the metropolitan rail services in Melbgourne after their franchise here was pulled.. I am guessing the rail services went south after that.

Edited August 19 by Jerry_Atrick

[Jerry_Atrick]

48 minutes ago, old man emu said:

The full train fare is about $AUD 90 return. Who'd travel by train in England?

A lot of people do, as off peak, they are reasonable - can be £45 return from Taunton. Same run, same amount costs, etc. They just gouge and the government allows it.

 

One of the thinks I am looking forward to when returning to Aus is that I am not intending to buy a car. Likely be Melbourne, but because the inter-city rail is cheap (something like $10 each way), it opens up a lot of options, too. I saw some YT vids on the trains and while they aren't quite as big or comfy as the ones here (yes, there are a lot fewer people using them in Vic), they are more than adequate and a) my work will be hybrid anyway, and b) as long as I can get wi fi or a signal, I can work on the train - so productive to boot. Can't do that in a car or a metro train.

 

Edited August 19 by Jerry_Atrick