[snip]
> > > I will wait with anticipation to hear how today's (Monday) peak went, with
> > all Burnley loop trains running in the other direction to normal. If they
> > thought Sunday was bad, I imagine today will be hell.
This morning (24/11) was interesting, well at least at Glenferrie. I
noticed that the digital PIDS (public information display system),
located in the subway was not ready for the temporary timetable. Can
you imagine it shows:
7.44 Flinders St Stopping all stations 1
7.47 (BLANK) (BLANK) 2
7.45 Belgrave Stopping all stations 3
7.52 (BLANK) (BLANK) 3
While the PIDS for platform 2 (centre line) was turned off.
Just in case any of you are interested, the blanks should read:
7.47 Flinders St Limited Express 1 (Limited Express actually
should read Express To Burnley, Richmond - Not wide enough to display
thus use "Limited Express" for commuters to guess the stopping
condition)
7.52 Ringwood Limited Express 3 (Actually, express
Glenferrie - Camberwell - Box Hill. Again limited message space!!
Unfortunately, these message does not scroll like those on the
platform!!).
However, may I say well done to those staff at Camberwell who had to
"punch" in those information individually (for PIDS at Camberwell and
Glenferrie). Full credit to them, as the PIDS were ready for the PM
peak!!
> According to the temporary timetable, there are NO services FROM
> Lilydale/Belgrave during the morning that go INTO the city loop from
> either end. ALL city bound services go direct to Flinders St. To travel
> to a loop station, you have to change at Richmond (this is NOT mentioned
> in the timetable, however the more regular travellers will figure this
> out anyway!).
Actually, the P.T.C. would prefer Belgrave/Lilydale line commuters
wishing to use Loop stations to change at Flinders Street. This is due
to expected congestion at Richmond as Caulfield loop trains would take
loop passengers from Sandringham, and Burnley group lines!! Perhaps
those who travelled through Richmond during AM peak can let us know the
extent of congestion at Richmond.
> There are Outbound trains departing FS which do go via the loop, but
> according to the timetable, they don't start until after 7am, and they
> don't come from the Lilydale/Belgrave lines.
Majority come from the Norhthern Group line (except Williamstown).
> During the evening peak, all
> trains go direct from F/S, and none are via the loop. Although all inbound
> train FROM Lilydale/Belgrave go DIRECT into the loop during the
> afternoons, none of them go back out to Lilydale/Belgrave according to the
> timetable, so anyone getting on at a loop station will have to change at
> Flinders St. anyway.
Majority of inbound (UP) Lilydale/Belgrave trains during the afternoon
form Northern Group trains at FSS.
> The 'information stands' on plat. 2 & 3 were useless - on both Thu & Fri
> evening (while there were still plenty of passengers around) they were
> unattended & there was no other info in sight, and no staff who could
> answer enquiries. Also, even though weekends are affected, how come no
> weekend timetables are available. I asked at my local station, and was
> told "normal services on weekends, and no w/e timetables available". Well,
> I got on the the WEB sight, and sure enough, they ARE running special
> timetables, and NO loop service at all! (There was a major error for the
> Sunday timetable, but after an email to the feedback line, it was fixed
> very quickly!)
There are no weekend "temporary" timetable available for Burnley Group
because the running time remain unchanged for stations between
Alamain/Belgrave/Lilydale and Richmond. The major change to these
timetables is no down (outbound) trains run via the City Loop, thus
leave FSS eight minutes than the previous timetable, but pick up the
normal running time from Richmond onwards. Oh for those railfans, there
are some routing alterations, too.
> What I'd also like to know is why all the changes to the loop service in
> the first place? If they are only running the temporary timetable because
> of platform reconstruction at F/S & Federation Square works, why can't the
> loop service run as normal (or with relatively minor alterations)? After
> all, the track works performed at Flinders St several months ago was
> supposedly to allow trains from any line to be switched to any platform,
> so it shouldn't be a switching problem.
Sorry, can't help you here, but I suspect platform availability and
safeworking are part of this. The temporary timetable actually make
majority of the Burnley Group trains to run through to Northern Group
and vice versa - another word, "through running"!!
> Why have ALL of the longer distance city TO Lilydale & Belgrave trains
> been changed to stopping all stations in the morning peak, while most
> shorter distance Ringwood trains now go express? For the next two weeks
> it is going to take me an additional 15 mins to get home after a night
> shift, assuming that trains still run anywhere near on time (which that
> time of the day they rarely do....). More missed bus connections?
I suppose those longer distance trains are compensating
* Cancelled Alamain trains between Flinders and Camberwell
* Cancelled Blackburn trains
Those Ringwood trains (especially those in the AM peak) are for train
stabling (or transposal) purposes. At least the P.T.C. has assigned
those Ringwood trains for revenue service rather than running "empty".
Yes, there is an "empty" train running to Ringwood after the AM peak.
[snip]
why DON'T stations sell
> scratchies????), the list could go on....
Well most stations are now getting ready for the new MetCard (both
magnetic and smart cards). I suspect there are not "stock pile" of
scratchies available now, as the P.T.C. would no longer printing those
tickets (?).
I.C.
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