>
> Is there anyone at the Met (Melb) who can come up with a reasonable
> explanation for any of the following? I've tried calling the Customer
> service number on several occassions without success.....
>
Although I don't work for the P.T.C., but from my past experience with
the Customer Service (1800 800 120), I found them quite satisfactory.
Of course, at a few occasions, I was put on hold, but this is fairly
common, not just with the P.T.C. Many other organisations also have
such practice, such as Telstra, Bank of Melbourne, just to name a
couple.
Again, I cannot more accurate answers for problems you have raised
below, however, I do know some trains are regularly concelled on the
Belgrave/Lilydale lines during afternoon peak (and those you have
mentioned are just some of them). At the meantime, I bring out my copy
of the current Metropolitan Working Timetable (it is used by railway
staff and a number of enthusiasts) and see arrangement for those trains:
> Wed 7-May:
> 4:53pm Mooroolbark (this one seems to get cancelled on a regular
> basis),
Formed by: On (From the Jolimont yard)
> 5:07pm Upper F-T Gully (also cancelled on a regular basis), and
Formed by: On (From the Jolimont yard).
> 5:17pm Mooroolbark
Formed by: 16.40 From Glen Waverley (Flinders Street Arr. 17.15).
Interestly, there is also a 5.17pm Alamain train. Both 5.17pm
Mooroolbark and Alamain trains run direct to Richmond from Flinders
Street. I wonder whether that 16.40 Glen Waverley has been allocated to
the Alamain instead of the Mooroolbark. I guess the logic behind such
arrangement (if it is true) is that the previous Alamain train is 5.02pm
(15 minutes earlier) and the next one will be at 5.34pm. It would be
unacceptable for Alamain passengers to wait over 30 minutes, if the
5.17pm Alamain is cancelled. Furthermore, if 5.17pm Mooroolbark is
cancelled, those passengers could take the 5.17pm Alamain train to
Richmond and change to the 5.13pm Lilydale (A Loop train) there.
> - all cancelled 'defective trains'
>
> Why so many cancellations on the Lilydale/Belgrave lines, when as
> far as I can tell, no other lines had any?
>
I am certain that other lines would have their share of cancellations.
> 5:04 Lilydale - running nearly 10 mins late (this happens nearly every
> time I catch it). Due to cancellation of the other trains,
> this one was hopelessly overcrowded. Even thought it was a cold
> & wet afternoon, it was excessively hot & stuffy inside. Also
> lost another 5 minutes at Richmond station (problem with doors????).
> Even though the train was stopped halfway out of the platform,
> idiots were still trying to get in!
>
Form by a train from Glen Waverley (Flinders Street Arr. 5.01pm) - Not
much turnaround time I might add, especially when that train from Glen
Waverley is running late! As far as those "idiots", the P.T.C. cannot
help that. It is a common scene during peak hours.
> Thu 8-May:
> 7:34pm Lilydale train (announced as 7:35pm by station staff - they
> can't even read their own timetables!)
> arrived Flinders St stn 7:47pm, departed 7:50pm (16 mins late)
> arrived East Ringwood 8:56pm (30 mins late - what a crappy service!)
>
Mike, it is actually 7.35pm Lilydale (not 7.34pm) according to the Met.
Working Timetable. If running according to the M.W.T., it is formed by
a train from Cranbourne (Flinders Street Arr. 7.32pm)!
> For that matter, why is it that 9 out of 10 trains that I catch
> FROM Melb are running AT LEAST 5 mins late, and yet most trains
> heading TO Melb depart my end on time, and usually arrive within
> 2-3 minutes of the correct time??
>
The on-time running of morning peak trains are always better than the
afternoon ones, even the P.T.C. acknowledge that in their staff
newsletter "Turning Point".
> It seems to me that although the Met claims that they are improving
> services, they don't have the rolling stock & necessary maintenance to
> actually provide a decent service. The actual timetables do not allow for
> any delays, and even when trains are at the platform at FS station on
> time, it is normal for them to leave a few mins late.
>
Spare a thought for those who commute on the CityRail train in Sydney.
In recent months, CityRails only achieved 36% (or there about) on-time
running! Consequently, they have appointed David Hill (From A.B.C.) to
fix up this problem!
> The MET claims passenger numbers are increasing (which from my own
> observation, at least on the Lilydale & Belgrave lines is correct), but
> without enough trains to actually provide the service, they will only
> start losing passengers as cancellations become more frequent (and running
> 3-car trains when there are enough passengers to justify a 6-car train
> doesn't help).
>
Perhaps you should let the State Government know about this problem.
Just look at the Government funding to roads and public transport.
Roads always get a much larger slice than public transport - For
example, City Link project, Western Ring Roads, South-Eastern Arterial,
Eastern Freeway extension, and the list can just go on and on.
I.C.