Thursday 28 July 2016

Pictures & Videos

Testing picture & video page.

AT THE MOMENT, this is just a test page

Red Rattler Set F1 tours
Sydney Model Rail Exhibition Express: Liverpool - Central

Shore to Shire: North Sydney - Cronulla

Broadmeadow Shuttle: Going to get ready for the "Great Train Race"

4 way Great Train Race: With background music


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Video quality under test.

Thursday 30 June 2016

Newcastle Tram-Train Map

This is an idea for three tram-train lines for Newcastle.


NOTE this will highly likely need the Fassifern to Hexham freight line to be built. Train mode for the tram-trains means it will stop at the tram-train provided stations.

City Tram-Train (CTY)
Tram-Trains & trams
Nobbys Beach - New Wickham/Wickham.
On the side in Foreshore Park to Newcastle Station, on then what SHOULD be the rail line to New Wickham, and Wickham for the Nelson Bay turn-off.

Toronto Tram-Train (TNO)
Tram-trains on the City Line
Tram-train & trains to Fassifern
Tram-trains on the Toronto Branch
Newcastle - Toronto Shops East
Tram mode on the CTY line to “New Wickham”, Train mode to Fassifern. Tram mode to Toronto Station / Toronto Shops East
Tram-train on the Toronto Branch. Re-extends the Toronto Line to the park.

The Booragul big “U” rail curve would be used for tram-trains only. Tram-trains not stopping at Booragul could use the “re-added” & straighter train line between Teralba & Fassifern.

Option for a tram-train only line as shown via Fennell Bay.

Trains will operate most “express trips”.
Cardiff would be “converted” for tram-trains only. All trains that now stop at Cardiff would use a proposed Glendale station – if it ever gets built that is!

All express trains would not stop between Broadmeadow & Fassifern.
A number of added “faster” express trains would not stop at Fassifern.

2. Raymond Terrace Tram-Train (RAY)
Tram-trains on the City Line
Tram-trains & trains to Hexham.
Tram-trains Hexham to Raymond Terrace, Williamtown, Salt Ash
Tram mode on City Line. Train mode to Hexham. Tram mode to Raymond Terrace or Williamtown, Salt Ash.

Raymond Terrace to Williamtown or Salt Ash would be about “half the service.”

Option for trains to also go to Raymond Terrace stopping at Motto Farm & Heatherbrae only

3. Nelson Bay Tram-Train (NBY)
Tram-trains & trains to Salt Ash.
Trains only Salt Ash - Nelson Bay
Tram mode on the City line to Wickham (on the Nelson Bay line)
Train mode Wickham to Salt Ash.
Trains only to Nelson Bay

Loop for tram-trains & trains via Williamtown Airport

Option to extend rail line to either Shoal or Fingal Bays

STOPS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS = track layout suitable for turnback.

Key to other descriptions in the maps.

Monday 6 June 2016

New-Canberra-Line-Idea

Canberra via Collector Rail Line idea
Here is a idea for a new Canberra Rail Line idea via Collector that could cut down the travel time of a Sydney Central to Canberra train service.

Click on: http://tinyurl.com/hb76ypw

Stations would be at or near Collector & Sutton, with an option to make the Eagle Hawk timing point a station.

The distances from Goulburn Station in km would be about:-
   Collector Station = 34 km
   Sutton Station = 67.
   The NSW / ACT border = 73

Using a "faster rail" allowing a top speed of 200 kmh on most areas, but with current Xplorer trains going a maximum of 140, the times could be from Goulburn:-
   Collector:                              0h 16m - 0h17m
   Sutton:                                   0h 32m - 0h 33m
   (Eagle Hawk approx:            0h 37m - 0h 38m)
   CANBERRA CENTRE:     0h 46m

Using these times and a straighter route would allow the Xplorers to be used to their full potential for more of the trip between Sydney Central & Canberra.

The current time for the Down (to Canberra Kingston station) is 1hr 35 minutes from Goulburn. These times on a straighter and a faster rail would save 49 minutes.

The current trip from Sydney Central to Canberra Kingston for the Canberra Xplorer services is 4hr 10 to 4hr 18 minutes.

Using the idea of an alignment via Collector allowing for higher speeds may bring the times down to 3hrs 35 mins to 3hrs 53 mins.

While some of the Main South Line needs to be straightened out, these times would allow the Xplorer to more effectively compete with road & coach times. 

PS: The reason why one of them takes 8 minutes longer is that on the weekends the Griffith Xplorer is attached & detached at Goulburn.

Friday 3 June 2016

Newcastle-tram-lines-idea

This is an idea for modern tram lines in Newcastle.

Click on: http://tinyurl.com/hs2xeca

City Loop (CTY)
Wickham - Newcastle Station on what SHOULD be the rail line - Newcastle Station, through Hunter St Mall.
Stops shown as numbers, no letter prefix.

1. Belmont via Redhead (BEL)
Option 1 via former Redhead station, OR
Option 2 via Redhead streets instead.
Belmont - Swansea "possible" extension shown as part of the Belmont Line.
Stops shown starting with B

2. Reserved for another possible tram line, possible Charlestown via Adamstown
Shown on map as “Adamstown Line” (ADM)
Stops shown starting with A

3. Wallsend Line (WAL)
Wallsend via Jesmond
Stops shown starting with W

4. Mayfield Line (MAY)
Wallsend via Mayfield
Stops shown starting with M

5. Georgetown Line (GEO, or GER)
Waratah Village via Georgetown
Stops shown starting with G

STOPS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS = track layout suitable for turnback.

Keys to other descriptions in the maps

Saturday 28 May 2016

Hunter Line Rail Ideas

This shows ideas for added, removed & moved stations for the Hunter Lines.

Note that while the Cessnock Line would be part of the Hunter Lines, for this idea, it's separate.


NSW Trainlink country trains (XPT's & Xplorers) shown as the former name "Countrylink"


See http://tinyurl.com/z5dsbk4 for the ideas on the map.


Main features:

Removed, moved and re-added some stations.
"Brisbane XPT" (overnight)
Renamed "Brisbane Limited XPT" changed to a REAL limited express, and not stop between Maitland & Taree.

"North Coast XPT" (daytime)
Retimed daytime XPT or Xplorer to Roma St-Brisbane) would not stop at Dungog. Gloucester would be a request stop only.

"Grafton XPT" 
Renamed "Jacaranda XPT"
Dungog, Gloucester & Wingham would be request stops only.

NOTES FOR THIS MAP
See my blog at http://tinyurl.com/ztcjb73 for an idea about the Cessnock Line.

Key to symbols & lines at the bottom of this note

NORTH COAST LINE STATIONS IDEA
+ Aberglasslyn: Add (used in place of the demolished "Oakhampton" station)
(+) Possible space reserved for another station
--  Mindaribba: remove, replaced with Tocal below
+ Tocal: new station (replaces Mindaribba)
= Paterson & Martin's Creek: as are
-- Hilldale & Wallarobba: Remove
--> Wirragulla: Move, to nearer Clarence Town Rd & rename it Clarence Town Road
= Dungog: as is, terminus for most Interurban Regional services

MAIN NORTH STATIONS IDEA
(+) Farley: Possibly re-add (most likely not need at the moment, use Rutherford)
+ Rutherford: Re-add & slightly moved to be closer to Rutherford Industries & shops
= Lochinvar, Greta & Branxton: as is
(+) Darlington: Possible space for a new station (most likely not needed at the moment, use Singleton Heights instead)
(+) Singleton Airport: Renamed & moved former Whittingham station (most likely not need at the moment)
= Singleton: as is
+ Singleton Heights: new station
= Muswellbrook, Aberdeen & Scone: as is

STATIONS ON INTERURBAN & REGIONAL EXTENSIONS
NORTH COAST Extension
+ Stroud Road, Ward's River, Stratford: Re-add
= Glocester: as is
+ Mount George: re-add
= Wingham & Taree: as is, re-added to nterurban regional extension.

MAIN NORTH Extension
+ Parkville & Wingen: Re-added & moved
= Murrurundi: as is, add to interurban regional extension

NOTE: Aberglasslyn, Tocal, Clarence Town Rd, Farley, Lochinvar, Singleton Heights, Aberdeen, Parkville & Wingen would be or become request stops (a) only.

KEY
NOTE: NSW Trainlink country trains (XPT's & Xplorers) shown as the former name "Countrylink".
Interurban & regional NSW Trainlink shown as the "Interurban & Regional" trains. (Hunter & Endeavour train sets)

STATION PICTURES
SQUARE TRAINS: "Interurban & Regional trains" stops


STEAM TRAINS: Countrylink stops
(The overnight Brisbane XPT would be a REAL express with limited stops and not stop between Maitland & Taree)
North Coast XPT (that I would make a daylight XPT and extend it from Casino to Roma Street-Brisbane)
The Grafton XPT (Jacaranda XPT) would be request stops ONLY at Dungog, Gloucester & Wingham.

a: Only stops if required, notify guard if getting off.

LINE COLOURS
PURPLE LINES = "Interurban & Regional trains" (Countrylink lines not shown in this area)

CRIMSON LINES = Extensions of "Interurban & Regional trains" (Countrylink lines not shown in this area)

BLUE LINES = Countrylink lines

Thursday 26 May 2016

Cessnock Rail Line idea

This is an idea for the Cessnock Rail Line.

POINTS TO NOTE:
The extensions from Cessnock to Ellalong & Pokolbin are just "fantasy".
Between Maitland & Cessnock would be a feasible idea.

KEY
Green Line = Mainly on ground
Darker Green = Possible on embankment
Blue Line = Bridges and/or viaducts, including start of any grade if needed.
Purple Line = Tunnels if needed.
Red Line = Main railway level crossings, and/or along street.

Station keys as described on the map

PlatformONE's Poll Page

My first post is about polls.

This is my Blogger page to my PlatformONE's Poll Page.
It contains various polls, most polls are about transport.

To vote in any of my polls, please click on 
PlatformONE's Poll Page

One of my polls I ask you to vote in, is a poll about the Newcastle Rail Line, NSW, Australia.

POLL: One of my polls I ask you to vote in, is a poll about the Newcastle Rail Line, NSW, Australia.

Since the NSW Coalition has closed the Newcastle Rail Line, what route do you want Newcastle's light rail to take?
Vote at http://wp.me/P5xGOF-32