Re: Newcastle realignment (with a Mountains flavour)

["Christopher Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

In essence the Mountains require a different type of rolling stock, ideally
something that tilts, but this may not be feasible until the V-sets are life
expired (or 20 years there after probably).

In the interim, I think Mountains commuters would be better served by a
revised operating strategy.  Freights rarely mix with the peak flow in the
Mountains so CityRail has carte blanche on timetabling.

I don't suggest for a second that available seats be reduced to below
available passengers.  However, The Chips as an 8 car V-set may just cut a
50% load beyond Emu Plains.  That's an extra 4 cars travelling almost 70km
for what, an effluent decant.  And this is a train that doesn't stop at
Penrith to pick up Mountains bound commuters!  It strikes me that excess
load problems on all (the vast majority?) of Mountains trains occurs east of
Lapstone.

Regarding dividing trains at Penrith.  I know V-sets don't do it now but
there is no reason they couldn't do if quickly and efficiently while
standing in the platform if multi-functional couplers were provided V-sets.

I must be spending too much time daydreaming on the trip between Hazelbrook
and Penrith - nevertheless, working through the possibilities is always
entertaining.

Chris

Anita Lukaszyk <neety@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
yVSd4.3245$oF2.10221@ozemail.com.au">news:yVSd4.3245$oF2.10221@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.
>
>