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Re: Changes in Melbourne



On Tue, 20 Jan 1998, Michael Walker wrote:

 * MUCH * detail cut out to save space  :-)

> > >
> > > My understanding of Metrail procedure regarding splitting trains (or in
> > > railwayspeak DAP - Divide At Platform), passengers are not allowed on
> > > trains whilst they are being split for safety reasons. Even Met Trains
> > > wouldn't be game to kick all the passengers off a six car set to split
> > > it at Ringwood.
> > 
> > The spliting is a good idea but....
> > On Sunday and Weeknights you have a shuttle service from Ringwood to the other
> > line.  ie.  A belgrave train from the city and a few minutes after leaving
> > ringwood a Lylidale trains comes in and goes to Lylidale.
> > 
> > Why not do this on Saturday so you get the following service
> > Weeknights, 30 minutes all stations served
> > Saturdays, 20 minutes all stations served (formally alt. lines after ringwood)
> > Sundays, 30 all stations served
> > 
> > Chris Gordom
> > cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au
> > http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~cmgord
> 
> Actually, the trains to/from the city alternate Belgrave, Lilydale,
> Belgrave, Lilydale, etc with the other line served by a connecting
> train. Just out of interest, does anyone know why the PTC do this (and
> have done for years) instead of having just direct trains to one
> destination and a connecting train for the other?

Actually, on  Sundays ALL trains from the city go to Lilydale, with a
shuttle service to Belgrave.  The shuttle then forms a direct Belgrave to
city service. The train which went to Lilydale returns to Ringwood, then
forms the next Belgrave shuttle.  Up until a year ago, it used to be the
other way around - city trains went to Belgrave, returned to Ringwood,
shuttle to Lilydale, then returned to city.

Also note that trains generally only take about 16 mins to get from
Lilydale to Ringwood, whereas they take about 23 mins to get from Belgrave
to Lilydale. This difference complicates timetabling, as a good look at a
timetable will show - trains to the city after about 8:30pm leave at
uneven intervals - usually 26 mins apart then 34 mins apart (Lilydale
line), repeating this pattern. A similar pattern applies on the Belgrave
line....  This uneven running happens every night except Sundays (when
trains are 40 mins apart). Trains FROM the city run at regular intervals,
it is just the inbound ones that don't! 

Mick.

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