Re: Melbourne Double deckers

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

> the proposed guff about new train-sets is no consideration  given to
> double deckers..Sydney has long proved the viability of the
> concept

etc etc

I'll present the PTUA position here which is more or less consistent
with my personal view as well.

Melbourne does not need double decker trains and will not need them for
the foreseeable future.

At the moment there is plenty of room to slot in additional peak hour
trains as required, and the off peak frequency should be improved
anyway. Melbourne is so far from a capacity crisis its not funny.

Double Deckers in the melbourne context, besides not being necessary,
are a godalmighty hassle because they can't run on any line except
Ringwood at full speed. Some lines (like Eltham) they can't run at all
because the bridges and tunnels are too low and to fix them would be
ridiculously expensive.

Melbourne has more lines than other cities like Perth and Sydney and
the population growth and density is never going to reach a level where
the existing lines can't handle the traffic. The Paris Metro runs its
trains at frequencies of more than one a minute and doesn't seem to
bring down western civilisation in the process.

The prototype double decker was a terrible waste of money on both the
train itself and fiddling all the bridges on the ringwood line to fit
it under - for the same money they could have done much more worthwhile
things like build the third track beyond box hill.

It just isn't worth the bother and cost to adjust all the bridges when
there's no shortage of capacity.

And double deckers ARE slower to board, not only because they have
fewer doors but because the stairs slow down boarding.

I think theres also an issue with DOO on double deckers - there was a
long thread on that a while ago but I don't feel qualified to comment.

Apart from the furtherence of train buffery and the sexual
gratification of all you train lovers, double decker trains would serve
no useful purpose and may even cause more problems. I can think of
better things to spend the money on.

regards
Vaughan Williams
PTUA Secretary


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