Re: Express v. Stopping All Stations

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

I agree with your point that this system works well.  I assume that by
cross platform interchange you mean that passengers are able to
disembark on on side of a platform and then move straight across to the
other side of the platform for the waiting stopping all stations train. 
This happens in Adelaide on the Gawler central line, where trains run
express from Dry Creek to the city, however passengers wanting
intermediate stations (not that I have ever actually seen one), can walk
5 metres across the platfrom to the waiting train.

However, you make the point that virtually all of the stations on the
network are designed so that this can not easily be faciliated.  The net
result of this is that to enable this to happen would actually require a
significant amount of infrastructure development.

The notion of bus rail connections, in the way I envisage them, is a
somwhat different proposition, and would in the ideal situation function
ancillary to the situation you suggest.  Without at doubt Melbourne has
the potential to have one of the finest public transport systems in the
entire world.  Its suburban rail network is enormous, outstipping those
in many cities with are frequently held up as totems of good public
transport.

However, what to me is a idellible blight on the performace of the
system as a whole is the complete in ability to manage transfers,
particularly intermodal tranfers, despite having a fully transferable,
albeit very complex ticketing system.  When buses do actually stop at
rail stations there is no attempt to align timtables or match
frequencies to those of the trains.  The result of this, an I say it at
risk of gettin flamed, given this is a rail based newsgroup, is that
each mode of the public transport system is seen as an isolated facet. 
Frequently this results in different modes attempting to compete with
each other, rather than automobile transport.

As such, my assertion in my other email was not so much that 3/4 of the
stations on the Frankston line should be closed, but there is a fairly
desperate need for an improvment in overall journey times to areas at
the southern end of the line and their surrouding disticts.  This should
certainly not be at the expense of those living withing walking distance
of railway stations, however those who live beyond walking distance from
the line, but close enough that their trips would be best served with a
bus rail journey, rather than forcing them to take a archaic bus route a
long distance, should also be considered.


Michael Richardson
Honours Candidate - Bachelor of Urban & Regional Planning
University of South Australia
slagel@senet.com.au
UIN - 1311417

Roderick Smith wrote:
> 
> 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