Re: Newcastle realignment (with a Mountains flavour)

["Anita Lukaszyk" <neety@ozemail.com.au>]

> As much as I like the V-sets they don't really suit Mountains running.
> Other strategies could be applied here.
* If a V set shouldn't be used for the mountains, what do you suggest then?
I dont think Tangaras are allowed to go past Springwood because of not being
able to fit through the tunnels or something like that.

> Four car trains only for the Mountains.  This should require no extra
> crew when passenger loadings are considered.  This requires a strategy to
> deal with Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith and Emu Plains passengers who use
> Mountains (fast) trains.  Also allows drivers a little more latitude in
> stopping allowing quicker and more confident station approaches and there
is
> less train to check for detraining/boarding passengers.
* I know this is only what you think should happen...  But 4 cars? You dont
mean in peak hour do you? Somedays, its bad enough on an 8 car set...

> Swap the peak hour all trains are all stations policy for a two tier
> service.  All stations Penrith to Springwood and Express Penrith to
> Springwood then all to ....  This definitely needs "customer testing" as
> trips would be faster for upper Mountains commuters but frequency would be
> adversly affected (or do you split 8 car trains at Penrith???)
* Trains dont split at Penrith.

>Educate passengers about the benefits of spreading throughout the train
> regardless of where the exit will be at their station.  Again this should
be
> easier to achieve with 4 car trains.  If platform dwell times could be
> reduced to 20 seconds on average that's several minutes saved on every
down
> peak hour train.
*I understand exactly what you mean, but if you move into the carriage and
another 30 or so ppl get on at the next station, it makes it very difficult
to get out of the train no matter where you are.