Here is a revised version of a fantasy map I put out a couple months ago. The naming scheme is mostly arbitrary, but A Lines go through Metro Tunnels, B Lines are Cross-city, C lines are City Loop and D Lines are Diesel.

All the lines are separate enough so that 10 minutes to everywhere is possible, and done all day. In peak hours, all lines run at 5-7 minutes, with closer stations at a 2.5 - 3.5 minute frequency. CBTC allows for 2.5, normal signaling would be upgraded to allow for 3.5 minutes.

All A lines would use HCMTs, other lines would use X'Trap 2.0s, and the remains of older generations.

Here's the breakdown, clockwise around the bay.

B1 Line:

The Williamstown line runs direct to Sandringham via Flinders Street. Williamstown and Sandringham stations would be rebuilt with two platforms, possible with a third or fourth track in the middle for stabling.

A2 Line:

The Werribee line runs via a second Tunnel. The Altona Loop would be separated, and extended down to Point Cook, running elevated down the middle of Central Ave, and Pt Cook Rd. A stabling facility would be built south of Pt Cook Homestead Rd.

MM2 would remove Rushall Station, and rebuild Merri Station in trench style, allowing for LXRP of Clark St. A track connection at each end of the Tunnel would be kept for operational flexibility and services running while MM2 is under construction. A new station would be built at Black Forest Rd for interchanges with Geelong and A3 line services.

The Mernda line is extended to Whittlesea, and a branch is constructed to Wollert. Epping station is renamed East Epping station. Lalor is rebuilt with three platforms, and a flyover is built that leads into the elevated section over High St.

A3 Line:

The Melton and Wyndham Vale lines would be electrified, feeding into a new pair of platforms at Sunshine, and along to West Footscray. New stations would be built along the corridor to service new growth. Due to space constraints, the line would enter a tunnel after West Footscray, with new platforms underground at Footscray, creating a paid underground concourse.

The line would then run to a new station at Docklands, East Melbourne, near Fitzroy Gardens, and North Burnley, somewhere on Burnley St. New underground platforms at Burney Station, and a massive rebuild, and the Tunnel would end with a rebuilt Heyington Station.

The Glen Waverley line would be extended to Ferntree Gully, with underground sections just past Glen Waverley and Knox City. Ferntree Gully Station would be rebuilt as an elevated, 4 platform station, with the centre two platforms for terminating trains from Ringwood. The line would be duplicated to Upper Ferntree Gully, where some peak hour trains would terminate.

A1 Line:

The current Metro Tunnel line. The Sunbury line would be extended to Gisborne, and the Airport line would link in with a flyover near Albion. The Cranbourne line would be extended with a new elevated station at Cranbourne, and three new stations beyond, and a new stabling facility near Clyde. The Pakenham-Cranbourne junction would be rebuilt as a flyover, with 4 tracks into a rebuilt Dandenong Station, with 5 platforms, providing cross platform interchanges.

M1 Line:

A mostly underground Metro line, with interchanges at various stations. The line would run above ground, roughly following the Maribyrnong River and Steele Creek, beyond Flemington. The line would terminate with a Depot near Templestowe.

B2 Line:

A product of the City Loop Reconfiguration. The Frankston line would be electrified and duplicated to Baxter. A new station, technically closer to Roxburgh Park, but named Somerton, on Patullos Ln, elevated allowing the Lane to pass underneath.

Craigieburn station would be rebuilt with four platforms and a new concourse. The westernmost two platforms would serve the B2 Line, allowing for easy and direct stabling into the Craigieburn Depot.

B3 Line:

The Upfield line would be extended and duplicated to Wallan, with all former Vline stations being rebuilt to comply with LXRP. A fourth track is built between Burnley and Camberwell, and B3 trains run express along the outer two tracks of the section. Camberwell is rebuilt with four platforms. Burnley Junction is rationalised, but A3 trains can still connect to the B3 line if needed.

The Alamein line is extended underground to several new stations. The line is at ground level at Oakleigh, using the two former platforms, and then runs to SRL Monash, before surfacing at Mulgrave, just west of the Monash Freeway. The line then runs elevated to the north of Wellington Rd, crossing over and terminating near Napoleon Rd, with a stabling yard for terminating trains.

C2 Line:

The former Hurstbridge line is largely untouched. Macleod station is rebuilt to allow for better terminating peak hour trains. Clifton Hill Junction is not frequently used, and is rebuilt to allow for higher speed running, whilst still retaining the capability to service A2 line trains. Duplication is continuous to Eltham, with a second trestle bridge constructed over Diamond Creek.

C1 Line:

The Lilydale line is completely duplicated, with a new station between Mooroolbark and Lilydale, at Hull Rd. The former Belgrave line terminates at Ferntree Gully, connection with the A3 line. The line is triplicated from Camberwell to Blackburn.

SRL:

SRL is extended from Southland to Sandringham, connecting to a rebuilt Sandringham Station. The line is mostly according to current proposals.

D1 Lines:

Trains run from Baxter along a restored Mornington line, and along the Stony Point line. Several passing loops are built to allow for improved frequencies, and Vlocitiys are used, to improve maintenance simplicity.

  • A fantasy map that actually includes new lines and stations in the west?! Incredible!

    Yes! This is the first map I've seen posted on here that even acknowledges the entire northwest quarter of the city! And it does an awesome job of addressing the massive gaps in rail infrastructure there.

    And enough separation that Wyndham vale would get 5 minute frequencies in peak hour. If you're at West Werribee, you'd get 2.5 minute frequencies towards the city.

  • North Burnley is sending me

    The other option was Northwest Richmond. And I could rename Flinders Street to West west Richmond.

    If it went close enough, it could be Victoria Gardens

    Or if the line follows Victoria St, could get away with Abbotsford. I think Victoria Gardens is better though. And "Northwest" Richmond, OP? North Richmond is already in NW Richmond!

  • Point Cook is possible if it wraps around from Westonia. I want this done.

    Exactly! It can follow the curved suburbia right after Westona station, then head down to and along Central Avenue.

    Then we stone can be separated from lavo.

  • north melbourne renamed to west melbourne killed me for no reason at all whatsoever

    It really should have been done! It's not even in North Melbourne

    If you do that you really should rename Arden to North Melbourne too.

  • I love this idea. I very much want to wave my cartographic wand over this.

    I would have loved to put it on a geographic map, as I have a pretty good idea of where it would all go, but I haven't the faintest clue how to do so, and can't be bothered with adobe and whatnot. I could put together an immensely detailed description, but it would take ages and no one would read it. I doubt anyone read the description of this one.

  • finally west side getting some love (manor lakes / werrribee)

  • The best part about this is that it's East Ringwood rather than Ringwood East

    I'm honestly pretty proud of the station between Mooroolbark and Lilydale being Lilybark. It sounds better than something like Hull Rd Station.

    Realistically it'll be called Kinley station (at least if recall correctly) but Lilybark is pretty cute. Reminds me of Croydondale

  • Hopefully Montague station has enough clearance

    I've actually heard one proposal for MM2 which uses some of the light rail alignment, which could be a good opportunity to fix the bridge, or keep it and give more trucks free haircuts.

  • Probably better using Upper Ferntree Gully rather than Ferntree Gully as your changeover station as trains can then run straight towards Knox above Burwood highway rather than requiring a massive curved tunnel in to FTG

    True! Burwood Highway does seem to have a decent median strip, and space on either side, so rebuilding it with an elevated railway down the middle would probably work. It could also allow for a new station that better serves the shops in Ferntree Gully. Lower Ferntree Gully Station?

    FTG station was called Lower FTG for a period.

  • Sandringham people do not want more train lines because i quote, "they will bring more poor people"

    Under the hypothetical situation where SRL was to be extended to the Sandringham line, and they actually cared about appeasing the local snobs, could it work to connect SRL to Hampton? Or is it much of the Sandringham line that is filled with NIMBYs?

  • You have no idea how badly the Wollert extension is needed, exploding lower socio economic region

    The only question I have is whether there should be a North Wollert station. I've put Wollert station as north of  Craigieburn Rd, so another station could be further north, near the next new developments.

    No Clue, im not a designer, I just know its desperately needed. Only options we have is 8-15 min drive to either craigieburn station or epping station, both of which the car parks are absolutely chockers every day. Theres a huge number of houses coming online in the next 12-36 months and the roads are not keeping up as is, peak hour is chaos getting into wollert now, the koukora road is finally being built but this wont solve all the issues of edgards road.

  • What if they reopen general motor station or add a station in between lynbrook and Dandenong

    Honestly, the demand there would be pretty low overall. It would be a small number of the workers in nearby factories, and no one else. If the bus network ran at an amazing pace, then it could work, but train commuting to industrial areas is not very popular nowadays.

  • I would probably go Highpoint -> Avondale Heights -> Keilor East -> Airport West -> Tullamarine -> Airport

    Whilst it’s amazing to selfishly see Aberfeldie/Essendon on the map it’s not as bad a PT dead spot as the others.

    I chose that as it could follow the maribyrnong river. My original map has what you suggested, but it would require a lot more tunneling, which would be extremely expensive, especially when a decent alternative is a few kilometres to the east. 

    I don't know the area that well, which is why I'm open to feedback.

    I have not considered the tunnelling requirements!

    Aberfeldie and Essendon West would have too low patronage imo as it is very low density, especially along the river. Bus services to Essendon/Moonee Ponds stations are also pretty good currently (although I hate buses) therefore I wouldn’t expect this to result in much mode shifting at these locations.

    Niddrie, Airport West plus the others I named are a pain in the ass to catch PT from currently.

    I do really like looking at a map that has some benefits to the NW! Thanks!

  • You've got a problem with trains going from Fitzroy to Clifton Hill to Merri. The big curve between Merri and Rushall was part of a "triangle", where North Fitzroy was on the third "point". What you've got in your map is trains from Fitzroy heading into Clifton Hill, and then having to reverse to travel up through Merri etc.

    If your proposal is to have trains under the middle of Fitzroy, make sure you've got a way for them to reach Clifton Hill without approaching it from a right angle!

    While the station is called Fitzroy, it would actually be under Alexandra Parade, or maybe slightly further south. That route is roughly according to the Metro Tunnel 2 proposal, which has a good amount of documentation about possible routes. Train stations are almost never in the middle of their namesake suburb, so I just picked the nearest suburb.

    Ah right, now that makes more sense. Different from the Fitzroy proposed for the Doncaster railway, which connected to Victoria Park. Your idea also scuppers East-West Link for good!

  • fantasy and yet Puffing Billy is still only for tourists 😔

    I think it would be very difficult to reinstate the line to Gembrook as a commuter service, for a number of reasons. At the very least, it would kill Puffing Billy. It would be more likely to introduce a bus service parallel, or commuter tickets to the tourist railway 

    this is why I describe it as a fantasy ☺️

  • that's really cool! what about altona north/paisley?

    I meant to, but forgot. I'll put it in the one I'm working on now, with regional lines as well. Keep the name Paisley, or rename it to North Altona Station?

    yaaaay!! I really like paisley :)

  • If you're building the metro to Melton, you might as well go to Bacchus Marsh, it's like 12km more.

    Yeah imo that would make more sense than connecting to Gisborne

    Even Beveridge/Wallan makes less sense considering how many people there are living in Bacchus Marsh.

    The population of Bacchus Marsh/Darley is about 25k, Mickleham, Kallkallo, Donnybrook, Beverige and Wallan combined would be north of 40k and growing faster. Also the extension would definitly help the case for more trains on the upfield line. Both make sence imo but extension to Wallan and new stations in the north is very much required.

    I did consider that. I sorta tossed a coin. Don't know much about that area.

    It's a growth area, and considering the Westward expansion of Melbourne Bacchus is becoming more and more of a commuter suburb.

  • Could you please add paragraphs

    Edit: Also higher res picture pls

    Are you using mobile? On PC, the paragraphs aren't too big, and if you select the image it had high res.

    I don't think there's much more I can do.

    Oh I am yeah allg

    Oh it looks better now with the paras ty

  • nice, I'd run all the way to Lang Lang on the former Cranbourne line. and further than Mornington like maybe all the way to Geelong.

    I've gotta do a regional map at some point. This is just suburban. I would have a South Gippsland line to Leongatha, and electrified Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo lines, but they would still be Regional, not stopping at Suburban stations.

    Probably dual voltage trains with DC for in Melbourne and AC for regional track.

  • Just needs Melton > WG > to Highpoint

  • Would love to see a line from Melton to Watergardens to Keilor East to Highpoint.