Re: Melbourne Double deckers NEW APPROACH

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

We often hear the ..ohits tto hard or too expensive to do such and such....heyguys theyjust
relocated all the tracks in and around Flinders St...so that didnt cost a couple of dollars!!
Thankyou for the directions to info on melb sparks stuff, very intersting
Some explanations please. Each of the 4D cars is shorter and narrower than the comengs...so why the
trouble with curves and platforms??
Again what areas suffer the problem of insufficinet play for the pantographs??
I dont belive that if the will was there that DD couldnt run.
SO Melb system is nowhere near capacity??  Sorry  ..been on a peak hour train ths deacde?? No
disrespect..but this is a typical repsonse of many .Indeed this is the problem with respect to
fixing this system....people need to open their eyes and SEE, not just look.
The MET is at capacity for some hours each day....the ability to grow this market cannot exist
without a new LOOK at the problem...I agree the middle of the day is no problem...because most cant
be bothered waiting around for the next train be it 15, 20, or indeed 30 mins.
We are still tackling the problem the old way.
Clean sheet of paper!!
At least looka t the propect of say what might 3 car 4D's (not 4 car) be able to do.
These seem perfectly capable of most non peak trips, and they would be even better able if you
increased frequency...then you start getting people back on trains , fast, frequent, flexible and
friendly..I introduce the 4F train!! And its not TOO long for stations.
Run double headers  (6 car) during peak..still as if not more  capable than a Comeng set. Remember
if a system is run to service its customers, it will get some!!
As to the Metcard analogy , and getting people used to getting ready to get off athe intended
stop..people arent totally and completely stupid, if there is a decent vestibule and they no they
can get out, unlike some peak hour trains, then they willsoon settle in to the routine.
They could learn from the debacle of the Metcard introduction to learn how to educate people the
right way.
I have the didtinct impression that most think well...weve had single deckers all this time!! so why
change??
Beacause its not working....geez they even have DD TGV's ..why?? because they're sexy!! come on
because someone figured out that its a very simple way to increase bums on seats for the same number
of drivers and wheels!!
So my idea, get 3 car DD's , run them on 8-15 min headways depending upon time of day, Double them
up and run them on 5 mins during peak.
And dont give me that stuff about . oh we have done studies etc..I can make stats bend further than
spaghetti!!
Remember, in past days the local manufacturers did not have a DD product, so why push the idea...you
can bet if theyhad, thay would have lobbied like mad, the gears of decision making land would have
been oiled and "greased" and we would have more thanone DD train on our tracks now.
Heres food for thought...they spent how much restifyin loading guage problems for just one train on
an IF!!! Your telling me they would spend some money for a whole system.
Its called progress, it uses open thinking

cheers >:~)) Richard