Re: Melbourne Double deckers

[Richard <richard_snook@primus.com.au>]

Graeme

Intersting stuff. I agrre that the fundamnetal cornerstone of revitalising the
sytem (and in this case I'LL refer to Melb) is to start afresh...totally rethink
what the service is need ed for and how it is to do it....you can  modify an
existing system only so much before it cracks.  Im sure that the gurus
designing  these systems never use them, you sir seem to be the exception.
Im sure for example that there could be arguements for ruuning certain trains as
ultra expresses...say for example on the Frankston line run totally express
from Cheltenham...right up til it hits the loop..there may be cause for two of
these....radical eh...those wishing a train to facilitate a change at Sth Yarra
of Richmond would baord a conventional express...by my calc thats 8-9 mins off
thetrip...providing correct "windows". Of course the whole system could be
looked upon in ths view. I appreciate the bottlenecks that exist...but Im sure a
canny "engineering-analyst " group could find the answer..
To me the eseential error that most of these "systems" make is to say that  for
arguement sake a train is on time if within 3 mins...to me a train is on time if
its on time..otherwise it is late..I accept reality but if we accept 3 mins
thenwe are 3 mins behind the 8 ball.. ibelieve the germans, french , italians
and japanese, probably many others wotk to the idea that a train is only on time
if its on time. that swhere we should start.. You cant cut headways down if
forever allowing for the reality of 3 mins for starters and then the inevitable
lateness of situations.
It has to be as you incurred out West a complete mindset and culture change.
This may well be where the new franchisees get their "ptential " improvements
from.
Did you take the standoint that you are running a service for passengers as
opposed to running trains for the system??

Cheers >:~)) Richard

Graeme wrote:

> Re Melbourne System
> Increased frequency and keeping current sized consists is the way to go.  In
> 1990 in the lead up to rail electrification customer surveys of users but
> most importantly non users of the system put frequency and reliability ahead
> of everything else.  Speed but consistent on time performance was also a
> factor and here we designed the "skip" stopping pattern where in the peak
> period every train becomes a limited stop train with major stations having
> every train stop and "minor" stations every alternate train.
>
> Frequencies are two trains per 15" for the Armadale, Fremantle and Midland
> lines.  Minor stations get a train every 15".  Skip stopping plus rail
> electrification reduced travelling times by up to 30%!!!  Customers through
> away their timetables as frequencies increased and in the off-peak services
> run every 15" on regular clock face timetables!!!  On the Currambine Line
> opened in 1993 peak hour frequencies are every 3 minutes and every alternate
> train is an express!!!  Off peak trains run every 7.5 minutes.
>
> Melbourne could easily go this same path improving utilisation of equipment
> and boosting frequency and capacity.  The change in operating culture is
> enormous.  We threw everything out and started again!!!  Maintenance of
> equipment both rollingstock, signalling and infrastructure has to be
> meticulous.  Each day we run 765 timetabled services of which 98% must run
> within 3 minutes of schedule.  New customers flooded the system proving that
> what the customer was asking for would give us the result!!!
>
> How do I know???  I was the General Manager equivalent at the time and I
> used to ride the system frequently!!!!