Re: New railway stations in Melbourne

["Michael Walker" <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

>Yes, an additional track between Box Hill and Ringwood, but I am not
>sure whether an additional line is required between Burnley and Box Hill
>considering the current 3 tracks (with a bidirectional centre line works
>quite well) are not yet reach their full usage capacity or are they?
>
In the peak flow direction, there is certainly some capacity at least for
more local trains or expresses using the 'local' tracks and probably some
expresses especially if they get rid of the practice of running peak hour
trains from Blackburn and just run them from Box Hill. However counter peak
tracks are pretty much full. Sitting at Canterbury waiting for a train in
the afternoon peak, there is usually a train every few minutes counter peak
on the one track being used. Whilst I am sure that techniques could be used
to increase the capacity (eg running all trains stopping every station or
allowing expresses to run slower so they can bunch up the trains more),
extra tracks would be required before any significant increases could occur.
Especially given that trains will be stabled in the suburbs now during the
day instead of coming from next to their originating station ie. Flinders
Street. in the evening peak or being stabled there at the end of the morning
peak.