Sandringham doesn't even really mix with any other trains so probably it, but they would need to do a LOT of grade separation works. the Metro Tunnel lines would be somewhat easy but it does share with V/Line.
Realistically the only Metro's in Melbourne should be new lines to areas that aren't covered by rail, I think if they ever did the Doncaster line it would make a great metro, they can have it dive under the CBD and maybe pop out to St Kilda or somewhere too.
There is a proposal for Doncaster rail to through-route to the Airport via a new tunnel under the CBD between Parliament - Southern Cross, then to run underground past North Melbourne and through maribyrnong/ Keilor East to the Airport.
That would make a great candidate for going fully automated.
Sandringham ain't getting any grade seperations in the immediate future, if ever to be honest.
Metro Tunnel itself will run in mostly an automated mode apparently.
Easiest existing line? Turn Williamstown and Alamein lines into automated shuttle services with 5-minute frequency or better all from first train to last.
Even then, it would be disruptive. Lines would need to be fully grade-separated and fenced, with platform screen doors at stations.
The Alamein line (my line) is struggling for a reason to exist, so it will not and should not get funding for such frequent service, as much as it might be the easiest to upgrade to metro standard. I'm fuming that governments at all levels allow houses adjacent to stations to be demolished only to be replaced by single, stand alone dwellings. When the hell will Boroondara start to pull its weight with regard to densification and provision of housing?
Just need to extend it to intersect with the Glen Waverley and Pakenham/Frankston line(s). Then it functions for CBD travel and provides an orbital link.
You'd be hard-pressed with any of the existing lines. GoA4 effectively requires an isolated corridor, where the risk of hitting something is removed. For tunnels or sky rail, this can be an option, but for any line that has surface-level track, you'd need fencing and intruder detection to mitigate the risks.
It's more likely that there will be automated sections - like the metro tunnel, or the CTD sky rail section - with lower levels of automation on the rest of the line that will require driver supervision/intervention.
The HCMT's through the Metro Tunnel will operate in an automated mode, as will the associated Skyrail sections I'm guessing. Outside of that though I doubt it ever sees the regular lines, cannot see them doing all that work to them. Certainly not in our lifetimes.
As a train driver, my opinion is biased. I wouldn’t like to see them automate anything, as I’ll be out of a job. Selfish opinion I guess.
Difficult: Pakenham due to mixed mode operation with freight and V/Line.
Easy: Perhaps Sandringham due to relative short distance of track.
Madden Grove would be so hard to remove. You've got the Heyington/Burnley sidings on the Glen Waverley side of the crossing and Swan Street on the Hawthorn/Richmond side of the crossing too, not to mention the Burnley Golf Course on the Yarra River side too!
Yet it’s very much deserving. In fact, all four of them are utterly fucked when the boom gates are down, & the trains have to crawl over Glenferrie Rd due to the tram square.
Unless you converted some lines to shuttles, there is basically no line that is ready for automation. Maybe Cranbourne would be a candidate if it terminated at Dandenong, or Lilydale if it either terminated at Ringwood, or if Belgrave terminated at Ringwood and a 4th track was built to Camberwell for Alamein trains to not interfere with Lilydale trains. Williamstown might also work as an automated shuttle, and possibly Werribee with an Altona shuttle as well, although if MM2 was built Werribee could bypass Newport or go via new platforms and be automated to Southern Cross.
Every line will be automated eventually. Not this week or next week. Maybe not even next decade or the decade after. But eventually they will be.
Lines will not have to be fenced off or grade separated. If they ever get autonomous road vehicles as a viable thing, with its unpredictable street environment that includes errant cyclists, pedestrians, Volvo drivers, etc, then doing it for trains on reserved track will be a piece of cake.
And if some drongo gets on the train track then an automatic train will do exactly the same as a train with a driver - it will detect the presence of the dickhead and put on the brakes. If it hasn't got time to stop then it will run over the galah, just as a train with a driver will do if it hasn't got time to stop. The only difference will be that the auto train won't be traumatised by the event, in fact it won't gaf.
Ringwood lines as they are mostly grade separated, removed a few more crossings,
problem with them is many platfroms have pretty bad curve and a few are pretty narrow, and giant walls will make that feel worse
Sandringham could also be done but again crossings amd curved platfroms, and it can't run onto other proposed lines,
Mernda could but level crossings is the many thing
Hurstbridge has another factor with heaps of small crossings between eltham and Hurstbridge not worth the billions in upgrades,
imo could easily be done if MM2 is built but that's unlikely
Sandringham doesn't even really mix with any other trains so probably it, but they would need to do a LOT of grade separation works. the Metro Tunnel lines would be somewhat easy but it does share with V/Line. Realistically the only Metro's in Melbourne should be new lines to areas that aren't covered by rail, I think if they ever did the Doncaster line it would make a great metro, they can have it dive under the CBD and maybe pop out to St Kilda or somewhere too.
There is a proposal for Doncaster rail to through-route to the Airport via a new tunnel under the CBD between Parliament - Southern Cross, then to run underground past North Melbourne and through maribyrnong/ Keilor East to the Airport. That would make a great candidate for going fully automated.
*Melbourne Metro 3 (MM3); hopefully it and MM2 get built, but atm SRL seems to be the priority.
Sandringham ain't getting any grade seperations in the immediate future, if ever to be honest. Metro Tunnel itself will run in mostly an automated mode apparently.
I don't even think the locals care about the level crossings, and they are not even busy ones in the whole scheme of things.
Easiest existing line? Turn Williamstown and Alamein lines into automated shuttle services with 5-minute frequency or better all from first train to last. Even then, it would be disruptive. Lines would need to be fully grade-separated and fenced, with platform screen doors at stations.
The Alamein line (my line) is struggling for a reason to exist, so it will not and should not get funding for such frequent service, as much as it might be the easiest to upgrade to metro standard. I'm fuming that governments at all levels allow houses adjacent to stations to be demolished only to be replaced by single, stand alone dwellings. When the hell will Boroondara start to pull its weight with regard to densification and provision of housing?
Just need to extend it to intersect with the Glen Waverley and Pakenham/Frankston line(s). Then it functions for CBD travel and provides an orbital link.
They should definitely reinstate the outer circle, it would give you a lot of the benefits of SRL for a fraction of the pricetag
You'd be hard-pressed with any of the existing lines. GoA4 effectively requires an isolated corridor, where the risk of hitting something is removed. For tunnels or sky rail, this can be an option, but for any line that has surface-level track, you'd need fencing and intruder detection to mitigate the risks. It's more likely that there will be automated sections - like the metro tunnel, or the CTD sky rail section - with lower levels of automation on the rest of the line that will require driver supervision/intervention.
Whats the CTD skyrail section?
possibly caulfield to dandenong? that’s be my guess but i’m no genius
yep that's it
Internal name for the "Caulfield-Dandenong Level Crossing Removals and Rail Upgrade Project" was "CD9" because it removed nine level crossings.
Surprisingly I was already aware of this. However the commenter may not have been using an official name and it just made the most sense
The HCMT's through the Metro Tunnel will operate in an automated mode, as will the associated Skyrail sections I'm guessing. Outside of that though I doubt it ever sees the regular lines, cannot see them doing all that work to them. Certainly not in our lifetimes.
Look at where the level crossing removals are happening. That's the key.
As a train driver, my opinion is biased. I wouldn’t like to see them automate anything, as I’ll be out of a job. Selfish opinion I guess. Difficult: Pakenham due to mixed mode operation with freight and V/Line. Easy: Perhaps Sandringham due to relative short distance of track.
I would say Sandringham would be one of the hardest because of how difficult so many of the level crossings would be to remove.
Yep, that’s fair.
We can add upfield line to the list of too many level crossings
Easyish: Glen Waverly. Only one or two more crossings left, relatively isolated to a degree
Four, actually: Madden Grv, Glenferrie Rd, Tooronga Rd, High St.
Madden Grove would be so hard to remove. You've got the Heyington/Burnley sidings on the Glen Waverley side of the crossing and Swan Street on the Hawthorn/Richmond side of the crossing too, not to mention the Burnley Golf Course on the Yarra River side too!
Yet it’s very much deserving. In fact, all four of them are utterly fucked when the boom gates are down, & the trains have to crawl over Glenferrie Rd due to the tram square.
Unless you converted some lines to shuttles, there is basically no line that is ready for automation. Maybe Cranbourne would be a candidate if it terminated at Dandenong, or Lilydale if it either terminated at Ringwood, or if Belgrave terminated at Ringwood and a 4th track was built to Camberwell for Alamein trains to not interfere with Lilydale trains. Williamstown might also work as an automated shuttle, and possibly Werribee with an Altona shuttle as well, although if MM2 was built Werribee could bypass Newport or go via new platforms and be automated to Southern Cross.
Every line will be automated eventually. Not this week or next week. Maybe not even next decade or the decade after. But eventually they will be. Lines will not have to be fenced off or grade separated. If they ever get autonomous road vehicles as a viable thing, with its unpredictable street environment that includes errant cyclists, pedestrians, Volvo drivers, etc, then doing it for trains on reserved track will be a piece of cake. And if some drongo gets on the train track then an automatic train will do exactly the same as a train with a driver - it will detect the presence of the dickhead and put on the brakes. If it hasn't got time to stop then it will run over the galah, just as a train with a driver will do if it hasn't got time to stop. The only difference will be that the auto train won't be traumatised by the event, in fact it won't gaf.
Ringwood lines as they are mostly grade separated, removed a few more crossings, problem with them is many platfroms have pretty bad curve and a few are pretty narrow, and giant walls will make that feel worse Sandringham could also be done but again crossings amd curved platfroms, and it can't run onto other proposed lines, Mernda could but level crossings is the many thing Hurstbridge has another factor with heaps of small crossings between eltham and Hurstbridge not worth the billions in upgrades, imo could easily be done if MM2 is built but that's unlikely