On 10 Aug 2006 07:41:53 -0700, "Mizter T" wrote:

Dave Arquati wrote:

This time it's Maryland - CLRL held discussions with LB Newham earlier
in the year, and have now decided that Crossrail trains can serve
Maryland with selective door opening (I imagine that this means the
front 8 carriages only).


Great, that'll make it easy to get to Chesapeake Bay...

Naff jokes aside, that's good news. Plus, given that the plan was for
some extra non-Crossrail local trains which were going to stop at
Maryland whilst sharing the Great Eastern slow line with Crossrail (and
terminate or start from Liverpool Street proper), there was the
potential operational issue of Crossrail trains getting backed up
behind these extra trains whilst they stopped at Maryland. That won't
be an issue now.

So - the 20 billion pound sterling question Mr Arquati - do you think
this railway line will ever get built, and if so when? I know the
Crossrail Bill is making progress, but someone needs to get their
wallet out and agree to pay for it.

My name is not Arquati but I have severe doubts about the scheme. If we
can get round to financing and constructing the rest of Thameslink 3500
then I might feel a bit more confident that there might be a commitment
in government to finance Crossrail. However I'm not sure that Network
Rail could take on the debt to finance Thameslink 3500 or that
government is particularly interested in it. The fact Ken supports both
schemes seems not to carry too much weight but then these are big, long
term schemes which the government will not earn any kudos for while
ELLX, DLR and CTRL trains from Kent might just earn them a fanfare.

I remain unconvinced that Crossrail is correctly structured, serves the
right places or has an attractive service pattern given the imbalance
between west and east and the branch via Docklands. Still we've done
that to death on this newsgroup.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!