Does anyone know about any new developements regarding the Newcastle line closure.Ive tried a few Google searches but nothing recent has come up.Is the line still under threat?

If anyone could shed some light on this it would me much apprciated.

Your best bet for info here would be to head over to Railpage (http://www.railpage.com.au) and do a search on the NSW forums.

The lines closure at present is in hiatus.

The primary reason that they dont want to keep the line open is that they have some rather expensive repairs to happen (essentially a shutdown with the track and i think overhead replaced).

Also i think that the level crossings are another factor in the desire to close it.

I'm divided on this honestly, the Newcastle lines is pretty cool, with some nice old stations along the line, but the fact is that it isn't the main hub anymore, The Newcastle lines can function out of Broadmeadow just as well as it can from
Newcastle, if the line was taken down it could lead up to a revitalisation of the Newcastle CBD, Newcastle has some pretty wide streets and a pedestrian mall ideal for light-rail, perhaps that could be a good alternative to rail in the area?

huh ? there are plans to close the rail line to newcastle ?

It would a disgrace to close down the train lines to Newcastle, I haven't heard anything about this, surely it couldn't happen. There should be more rail, not less.

Just the section through suburban Newcastle, not the line to Newcastle.

Essentially the primary idea is that the line between Broadmeadow junction? and newcastle is to be closed.
Wickham, Civic, Newcastle and Hamilton stations would close as part of it, and the land sold off for redevelopment. (correct me if i am wrong)

The idea is that the interchange now occurs at Broadmeadow rather than at Newcastle. Platform 2/3 then becomes the diesel platforms, with 1/2 the electric platforms.

This could have one advantage of getting to Telarah electrified, but it is exceedingly doubtful that this would occur.

I heard from railcorp it wasn't going to happen.

To shut it down was the worst decision I have ever heard - the residents are very unimpressed at the thought of loosing their link from broadmeadow to the city. The whole plan was stupidty especially with the densification and building in the city and at Honeysuckle. I mean what were they thinking?

Property interests who want to "link the city to the river" bla bla bla...

but then if the land is sold up and redevelped then wont that just increase the need to transport that was sold off for the development ?

How about taking the rail underground from Broadmeadow? It would cost a fuckload but it would suit Newcastle really well, It wouldn't be too hard to do it because there is only 2 railway lines leading into Newy and it would certainly add a touch of class to Newcastle, mayby even encouraging more growth within the inner-city and suburbs not seen since the steel works days.

Going subway is a cool idea but it's rather close to the water through Civic and Newcastle and the expense would be horrendous.

They scarcely build underground rail links in Sydney. The NSW Gov. neglects regional centres even moreso. The suggestion is pure fantasy.

seems as insane as shutting the line down

Just the section through suburban Newcastle, not the line to Newcastle.

But this section is vital.It goes right into the CBD.

seems as insane as shutting the line down

It is indeed.According to sources on the Railpage(thanks for the link sirhc8) the mayor Mr Tate and the property developers are in on a land grab.

There are other forces at work here and its not in the interests of the residents of the Newcastle

There is still plenty of land in and around the foreshore anyway - the developers should conncentrate on this first.