To understand the Sunshine upgrade as proposed by Labor, it helps to think of the project as a level crossing removal or the transformation of a busy road into a freeway.
The tracks around the station are like a busy traffic intersection where trains are sometimes forced to wait to get into the correct “lane” or reach the platform.
The Sunshine project aims to solve these problems by redesigning the network along a six-kilometre stretch of rail so that regional trains, suburban services and freight are kept on their own separate paths. Doing so will make room for 40 trains an hour.
This includes building a series of rail bridges that will steer trains onto the correct track without having to cut across the path of others. The Level Crossing Removal Project, which has been performing a similar task across 110 different Victorian intersections, is the department delivering the upgrade.
A new pair of tracks will also be built between Sunshine and West Footscray to make this untangling process more simple and add capacity for more trains. Sunshine station will be expanded, with two new platforms accommodating these tracks and receiving most V/Line routes.
By making these changes, V/Line trains will converge more simply onto regional rail tracks towards Southern Cross Station while suburban services from the airport, Sunbury and eventually Melton will funnel onto the same path directly into the Metro Tunnel.
V/Line services that are currently forced to skip Sunshine because of capacity constraints will all be able to stop at the station.
That explanation would have to be the absolute best “explain it in layman’s terms” I’ve seen for this project. Most other reporting just generally touches on “an” upgrade without actually explaining what it entails.
Shows just how critical it will be if Dutton ever managed to cancel it.
The AFL Gather Round is currently on in the Barossa Valley. There’s a fleet of free local connector buses running around the valley and the premier is advising people to leave home early to drive there on time, including in one of his press speeches.
If only there was a rail line right next door to the main oval hosting Gather Round…? 
Oh wait!
Pam Tasker, who has been voicing on-board announcements for Metro Trains Melbourne for the past 10 years, is retiring.
A very big job! But why wouldn’t they use mostly automated recordings and have someone step in if they don’t have a particular message?
You’d be surprised, they still live announce the regular and repeated messages. And somehow still haven’t told the operators to wait a second or two before speaking so that we can actually hear the entirety of their message.
The most clear I’ve ever heard her voice. Funny to hear the report speak about those announcements like they are a good thing despite being incoherent on the train most the time.
50c fares is one half of the equation. The other half is providing a frequent service that makes it a convenient turn up and go option. Waiting 20+ mins for a bus or train, especially if you then need to change services to complete your journey (i.e. more time), just isn’t an attractive option.
I agree - there’s much more that needs to happen, but 50c fares is still a step in the right direction IMO.
Transport planning is no doubt a disaster in this country. And made worse by construction unions being in on the take to pay for their flash Ford Ranger Raptors, RAM trucks, and F-150s…
Evidence?
I agree that these monstrous cars do not belong on our roads, but connecting the unions to some American-style Ute conspiracy is reaching
A Current Affair last night reported on the controversial removal of Progress Street level crossing in Dandenong South in Melbourne’s south-east.
