Railway_Digest__February_2018

Victoria
News
Yarra Trams offers free advertising to community organisations
Not-for-profit community organisations located within the Yarra Trams
network that make a significant contribution to diversity and inclusion
in Melbourne, have been offered the chance to share in $1 million
of free advertising, under the transport operator’s new Community
Partnerships Program.
Applications for 2018 funding round opened on Monday 11 December
2017 and closed on Sunday 4 February 2018 with successful partners
will be selected by an independent panel of influential Melburnians in the
coming months.
Yarra Trams CEO, Nicolas Gindt said: “Yarra Trams believes strongly
in contributing to Melbourne’s liveability by extending our support
beyond the rails to the communities we represent. I am proud to launch
the Yarra Trams Community Partnerships Program today and encourage
Melbourne-based community organisations to submit applications
for a share in $1 million worth of advertising across our network”.
“Melbourne’s tram network is at the heart of our community, no matter
where you come from or what you do. We bring people together by
providing a service where everyone is welcome”.
Applications for the Yarra Trams Community Partnerships Program
will be assessed annually, allowing organisations the opportunity
to access this unique advertising offer. For more information on the
program visit: yarratrams.com.au/community-partnerships
Sunday 19 November 2017 found most of V/Line’s fleet of P class units stored around the broad-gauge turntable at South Dynon. Absent were
P 11 (location believed to be Newport Workshops), P 12 (on short-term hire to Steamrail Victoria for heritage purposes), and standard-gauge
unit P 13, which was started and driven to Southern Cross for shunting moves soon after this photo was taken. David Campbell
Improved connectivity for Victorian regional passengers
Passengers on Victoria’s five busiest regional rail lines are set to
see major improvements in mobile phone coverage following the
successful testing of mobile signal repeaters, which will be used in
Australia for the first time.
The successful pilot clears the way for the rollout of the $18 million
Regional Rail Connectivity Project, which will boost mobile coverage
for passengers along the Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon and
Seymour rail lines.
The Victorian government is partnering with the three major
mobile carriers – Telstra, Vodafone and Optus – to construct up to
35 new mobile towers as part of the project. These towers will be
combined with in-train technology to significantly improve coverage
for passengers. Trains will begin to be fitted with the technology from
early 2018 and the entire VLocity fleet will have a booster on board by
the end of the year.
The first mobile towers have already been built, and once boosters
are installed passengers should notice a significant improvement in
their mobile signal. Mobile coverage will improve as the technology is
rolled out throughout 2018.
Victorian Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy Philip
Dalidakis said; “In today’s world, digital connectivity is crucial for
people’s lifestyles and for doing business. This program is making
it fair for regional Victorian passengers by giving them faster, more
reliable mobile coverage”.
FEBRUARY 2018
23