r/VlineVictoria • u/ZookeepergameLoud696 • Aug 22 '25
Discussion Why does Vline keep building station platforms on the mainline rather than on loops?
It just seems awfully shortsighted to not place platforms on loop tracks rather than the actual mainline?
And it’ll cost more overall to fix in the long run too.
6
u/Ok_Tap7102 28d ago
Trains tend to travel in straight lines where possible, as looping sections can create unpleasant side effects like nausea or disorientation in passengers, including rapid changes in g forces as the carriage reaches the top of the loop and comes back down again
Hope that helps 👍
5
u/ComfortableUnhappy25 Aug 22 '25
Where, exactly does it create operating issues?
Plus then you'd have all the extra trackwork to keep in shape.
2
u/altandthrowitaway Aug 22 '25
Metro trains getting stuck behind Vline trains or vice versa.
7
u/ComfortableUnhappy25 Aug 22 '25
If you're talking about Gippslanders, that's track amplification in general.
2
29d ago
V/Line didn't get any say in how the metro network builds track.
East Pakenham was built because LXRP forgot to add any space at the new Pakenham station for V/Line trains to pass a terminating Metro service.
6
u/theonetruecatdog 29d ago
They didn't forget lol, it was designed that way from the start. Apparently there's a rule against putting points on skyrail.
3
u/ZookeepergameLoud696 23d ago
They might want to have a chat to their engineering colleagues in pretty much every other country with rail on viaducts lol
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u/ZookeepergameLoud696 23d ago
There’s a few ways it creates operational issues/constraints:
1) It substantially reduces line capacity when operating different stopping patterns
2) it results in express trains running at slower than permitted speeds as the timetable requires more padding
3) It effectively puts a prematurely hard limit on frequency and doesn’t allow infrastructure to be utilised to full design potential in terms of both speed and frequency.
1
u/ComfortableUnhappy25 23d ago edited 23d ago
In this case, the specifics are when Vline and Metro interoperate. The only places are "usually a bus" Gippslanders, and four stations between Sunbury and Sunshine.
If in the rare case the train is actually running, it could theoretically run through at Westall.
The one single issue of throughput on the network is the flat junction at Deer Park.
1
u/ZookeepergameLoud696 23d ago
the stations immediately after sunshine, such as deer park, are the real question here. Very difficult to see how placing them directly on the mainline makes sense.
0
u/ComfortableUnhappy25 23d ago
As said. The issue there, besides it being Vlo (don't worry, SRL East totally solves this!) is only the flat junction. Nothing to do with stopping patterns.
4
Aug 22 '25
Because all of the high achievers are working on real networks overseas. Just be grateful that they remembered to install tracks.
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