First high-speed rail, now sky trains! Well, sort of. Expanded plans for Sydney’s $8 billion rail link from Epping to the North West now include a 4km elevated section at Bella Vista. Pylons will run alongside Windsor Road to Rouse Hill, and though they won’t go over homes, the track will reportedly be close to some back yards.
The newly proposed stations at Bella Vista and Cudgegong Road take the number of stations to eight. Rouse Hill, Kellyville, Norwest, Hills Centre, Castle Hill and Cherrybrook were already on the plan.
In addition, the government says the 23km North West link includes 15km of tunnels – the longest rail tunnel ever constructed in Sydney. [Transport NSW via Daily Telegraph]
Neil
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:08 PMDelivered fifteen years after it should have been. Why would residents switch to PT now after being conditioned to car usage for so long?
Ash
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:23 AMI live in that area and am hating the fact that we’re going to have a train line there. It will bring all the scum of the world to those areas that are left largely untouched by douchebags, triads, and habibs who cant afford a fully sick car yet.
Adz
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:35 AMAsh, you are a wanker mate. Youve got no idea!!
Abe
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 3:21 PMLOL!! well he has a point, i’m a “Habib” but thank god i live in Melbourne. Toooo many Lebos in Sydney. Especially in Auburn. Very trashy.
Turd
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:13 PMWonder how much over budget this will go pass….
Mark
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:14 PMdue to open in 2020 huh?
TSH
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:18 PMThere will be a train in the sky in the Hills when there are pigs in the sky in the Hills. A rail line out there has been proposed, promised and considered for 30+ years:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_railways_in_Sydney#Sydney_Area_Transportation_Study.2C_1974
Moar buses, routes, bus lanes and bigger parking stations.
Kendal
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:20 PMUmm… at ground level, how loud is a train…and then how much louder and how much farther will the sound carry if it’s propped up in the air. Congrats on getting a virtual flightpath approach over your homes Bella Vista.
Kendal
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:25 PMLooking at the film again, this is going RIGHT THROUGH THE GUTS of Kellyville!! Say goodbye to your home value. Sure, you’ll be close to transport, just like the Kerrigan’s in the Castle.
Jono
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:49 AMIt will actually increase the value of homes in the area.
bazuden
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:25 AMHow so? I would think that the shade that it cast over someone’s place would devalue it. Also, It might look nice and modern and new when it first goes up, but eventually it will look as ugly as the rest of the train tracks around Sydney.
Then there’s the noise. The newest trains may be quiet but what about the old sardine cans that are still abundant. Also, the noise of the construction.
I really can’t see how this would add value.
MotorMouth
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 5:27 PMModern trains on modern lines are no noisier than a truck or a bus, I wouldn’t think. That is certainly the case on the Airport Link line, the Millennium Trains are whisper-quiet as they haul into and out of the stations.
steve
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:20 PMMonorail. Monorail. Monorail.
Rad
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 5:01 PMMono… D’oh!
MD
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 8:17 PMIt is a monorail, doubled…
Turd
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:27 PMDELAYS DELAYS DELAYS! You heard it here first.
City rail advises that the SkyTrain is currently delayed due to mechnical fault at Kellyville
Antonia
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:28 PMA line on a map, some ordinary 3D animation and we’re expected to believe that this Metro, errr, Skytrain will be built be a cash strapped state government this century.
Kendal
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:51 PMThe distance between Bella vista and Rouse hill is over 6km, more like 7km. Where’d they get the 4km number from? Also, it’ll end up being a PPP (Public, Private Partnership) like the M2, you know, where you paid tax to get the road build, then pay every time you use it, even though it’s faster to walk most mornings and afternoons. If you want real info on the project… you have to TRAVEL to the Information Centre, whose details are buried deep in the norwestrail.com.au archives.
”
You can visit the North West Rail Link Community Information Centre at 299 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill, at the corner of Crane Road (Opposite Castle Towers and Arthur Whitling Park).
The Centre is open during the following hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10am to 6pm
Thursday: 10am to 7pm
Saturday: 10am to 2pm
Sundays and Public Holidays: Closed.
Active input from the community and stakeholders is welcomed to help us develop and deliver the best possible project.
You do not have to wait for a formal exhibition period to speak with the Project Team or to advance suggestions and ideas. Your suggestions are welcome and you can contact the Project Team at any time.
You can visit the North West Rail Link Community Information Centre has been established at 299 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill, at the corner of Crane Road (Opposite Castle Towers and Arthur Whitling Park).
You can also:
Join the forums on this site
Email us on info@northwestrail.com.au
“
Matttm
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 6:45 PMThe 4km number they state would be the length of the elevated section, not distance between the stations.
Simon
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:48 AM2020? We should get the Chinese to build it. They built the 1300km high speed link between Beijing and Shanghai in less than 3 years. I guess it helps when you can call on 130,000 workers. That many people could finish the North West rail link in a few weeks :)
light487
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:53 AMIndeed…. if this were China it would have been completed and running by now. However we have unions and holidays and weekends and less than 2% of the total population of China.. etc etc..
cecilia
Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 1:35 PMThe station they proposed is bella vista – rouse hill we dont need a skytrain for that, the skytrain look straight down to my house, is eyesore, the bridge will generate more graffiti everywhere, will make the whole area look dirty, why not just building the north west rail up to bella vista only and provide shuttle via T way from rouse hill to bella vista station. The train only run twice per hr, and its wont jam the t way by putting two extras buses on it. not much resident can walk to the rouse hill town centre anyway. providing shuttle actually helps, so resident can also park at riley car park, and kellyville ridge resident can catch shuttle from merrville t way rather parking at rouse hill town centre. Since the NSW government is on tight budget, this way they save heaps too.