Re: Express v. Stopping All Stations

[Roderick Smith <rodsmith@werple.net.au>]

I can agree with Vaughan's philosophy, but not with anonymour micric's
solution.

The best solution for routes like Melbourne's comes from Japan.
Each long route should have stopping all stations trains, overtaken at the
midpoint by virtually-express trains *with cross platform interchange*.
This maximises travel opportunities, gives the fastest journeys to the
majority, and does it with the least infrastructure.
Unfortunately, *every* Melbourne major station (even those rebuilt within
the last few years) has been designed to prevent this.

The abysmal Hillside (which claims to have new thoughts, but doesn't)
provides worse services from Surrey Hills in the peak period than at offpeak
times.  When I try to travel to Upper Ferntree Gully, I have to wait at Box
Hill (without cross-platform interchange) for 12 min.

Vaughan Williams wrote:

> > A public transport system should provide the greatest number of
> > passengers with the greatest opportunity to access the greatest number
> > of locations...However express trains can be planned so that they do
> offer a
> reasonably convenient trip to along-the-line destinations.
>
> anonymous: 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.

--
Regards
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor