I heard it on radio this morning. The report claimed the rail loop would link with every suburban line which would not be the case. Willamstown and Sandringham lines would be skipped. Still it will be an ambitious rail project and with the North East Link, it will provide a double ring (road and rail) across much of Melbourne.
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Remember that the eventual plan is to link the Sandringham line with the Werribee/Williamstown/Altona corridor, so eventually the loop will connect with that line (just not very practically for people heading to Sandringham)
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Transport Minister Jacinta Allan announced the new rail loop on the rooftop of The Chen Hotel in Box Hill this morning. The project will cost $50 billion! 
Construction will start at 2022 and wonât finish until 2050.
I wouldnât trust promises that are not estimated to begin before the next election is scheduledâŚ
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Theyâre going for the easiest bit (and probably the one which will provide the least amount of benefit) first. If they really wanted to show they were serious, theyâd get cracking on the airport to Doncaster section.
I agree the Doncaster section should be built because people have been crying out for alternatives to buses in the area for so many years (although they still want a direct rail line to the CBD via the Eastern Freeway). However the Doncaster to Melbourne Airport section is too long and very costly and should be split into two: Doncaster to Reservoir and Reservoir to Melbourne Airport.
Great initiative and long term vision
It also needs to
a) be opened in 10 years
b) add a line from Frankston to Cranbourne, Clyde North, Narre Warren, Springvale, Glen Waverley. The City of Casey needs infrastructure to support the ongoing growth, no transport in the Berwick Waters Estate which has been opened for 4 years, I need to walk 32 minutes to a busier 1 hr u mins to train
The City of Casey is 40km south east of Melbourne. It is Victoriaâs largest and fastest-growing municipality and the dominant growth area for south-eastern Melbourne.
Casey is also the third-fastest growing council in Australia behind the Gold Coast and Brisbane City Councils.
I will have Frankston to Narre Warren as above then (maybe) Endeavour Hills, Rowville, Knox City, Wantirna (five way junction), Ringwood, Donvale to join the Doncaster line to the city.
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Including Rowville and Knox is a good fit and could even still go to Glen Waverley and make for a quick trip into the CBD with interchange @ Glen Waverley
I can see an trouble spot for the new rail loop, based on the proposed route announced this morning. It is located at Bulleen where the rail tunnel intersects with the proposed North East Link tunnel. I suppose the rail tunnel will be built under the road tunnel? Thatâs why I suggest the section between Box Hill and Reservoir be built first so they can sought out the issues and excavate to the required depth of both tunnels.
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2050!
Wow, given these types of things are rarely delivered on time, I probably wonât be alive to see the finished product 
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Reminds me of this (which is probably what Sydneyâs system should look like):
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In the Sydney the new metro rail tunnel from Chatswood through the CBD to Sydenham will be up to 40 metres deep as it needs to go under the existing rail and road tunnels. The new NorthConnex road tunnel from the M1 to the M2 will be up to 90 metres deep at Beecroft where it passes under the northwest metro rail tunnel. It will be interesting how deep they have to go in Melbourne.
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If the Rowville line (Huntingdale to Rowville under Wellington Road) is still going ahead, then Monash University station can serve as interchange station for both Rowville line and suburban loop but it will require two levels of platforms. As the new loop intersects with Cranbourne and Pakenham lines at Clayton, this will create a unique railway triangle (Huntingdale - Monash University - Clayton) where passengers can interchange between four different lines.
âŚand wonât happen. Not under either Gladys and Luke.
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A rear ad of a Mercedes-Benz OC500LE in Perth which has something to do with a radio simulcast of Nine News Perth by Sunshine 98.5FM.
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Today the Rail Futures Institute revealed its $100 billion vision for Melbourneâs public transport system: an orbital light rail link, five new rail lines and 21 new train stations.
However, its proposal to extend the Glen Waverley line to Knox is not feasible because it must travel through the Dandenong Creek valley wetlands, whether it will be built as tunnel only or tunnel plus rail viaduct after crossing the Dandenong Creek.
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$100 billion⌠
Sometimes I think these people think money grows on trees.
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The Sunday Herald Sun reports a private consortium called AirRail Melbourne wants to spend $5 billion on the fast rail project to Melbourne Airport and start work in 2020. Under the plan, trains would run every 10 minutes and trips would take just 20 minutes from Southern Cross to the airport. The consortium comprises of fund manager IFM Investors, Melbourne Airport, Metro Trains and Southern Cross station (IFM owns Southern Cross as well as a quarter of Melbourne Airport).
The Victorian Government announced today that the whole Frankston line between Flinders Street and Frankston would shut down on the weekend of October 27/28 with buses replacing trains, as part of the Q4 construction blitz across Melbourne. In my 30 years living in Melbourne I canât remember an entire railway line being closed for works (maintenance, upgrades, level crossing removals etc.), usually itâs done in sections. Closing one of cityâs busiest railway lines will cause maximum disruptions.
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