Express v. Stopping all Stations

[MiCRiC <slagel@senet.com.au>]

> Trains stopping all stations are a GREAT deterrent to most passengers
> for long journeys - a fact which Melbourne and Brisbane rail systems
> seem only now to be learning. All stations to Frankston, Belgrave or
> Caboolture may be just fractionally worse than all stations to  > > Noarlunga Centre, but they are all tarred with the same brush.

I'm not sure that this is the only way to look at this situation..  I
agree that long train rides stopiing all stations can be very
frustrating.  I spent a week in Melbourne catching the train the whole
way to Koonanook and can appriiate the situation.

However, the need for express trains should be balenced against the fact
that not all passengers are necessarily catching the train from the CBD
to a hub station which express trains would be likely to stop at.

A public transport system should provide the greatest number of
passengers with the greatest opportunity to access the greatest number
of locations, not just provide passengers with access to the CBD.  It
should be remembered that only a small percentage of the population work
in the CBD.

Some of the worlds more sucessful urban train systems such as Torontos
Subways (Not GO Transit Trains) and Vancourvers SkyTrain as have
narrowly spaced stations without express trains.

In the case of the Frankston line specifically, the service is very much
as sburuban service an would probably be better served in a similar way
to Perths Joondlup line with widely spaced stations and connecting buses
to service local areas.  Unfortunatley this would seem to call for far
more coordination between modes than any Victorian government seems
capable of.

My 2cents

micric