Re: Melbourne Double deckers

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

> If this is the PTUA position, we are better off without a PTUA.

Its been the subject of extensive debate actually - but if you are the
fount of all wisdom with regard to public transport planning, why don't
you join up and bring us all out of the dark ages.

> If Melbourne had double-deck trains on the Burnley group, all trains
could
> go around the loop, instead of the peculiar some-each-way pattern
which
> evolved for political reasons.

Whats wrong with some loop, some direct to Flinders?
It provides convenience to passengers - since more passengers are going
to Flinders than anywhere else, why should they all have an extra 10
minutes added to the trip just so that the service pattern looks neater?

> A two-car dd set is roughly equivalent to a three-car single deck one.

Not quite....
A six-car comeng can comfortably carry about 800 passengers, ergo a
three car can carry 400. A 4-car DD can carry about 600 comfortably

> We already have the clearances to run them on the Ringwood lines - no
extra
> expense necessary.

Having one line running DD's and the others on SD's removes
flexibility. Apart from that, what is the point of buying all these new
DD whizbang trains when they are really just shiny engineers toys?

> While dd has the reputation of being slower to unload, Netherlands
research
> showed that this was soluble: the stairways must be wide enough for
> bidirectional travel.  Any train will be slowed if people stay at
their
> seats until the train has stopped, rather than move to a doorway in
> anticipation.
> The latest RER double-deck trains use a three doorway solution.

They are still slower to load and unload.

> The sooner Melbourne starts implementing a dd solution the better.

What benefit would be gained? Apart from, of course, using it as an
excuse to reduce frequencies.

There is simply no need for DD's in Melbourne, whether or not they
cause further problems.

There is no line in Melbourne where extra trains cannot be scheduled to
handle demand, even allowing for a radical mode shift. If you think you
can demonstrate a need, then please try - with patronage figures and
such.

Vaughan


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