XPT timetable feedback

["Roderick Smith" <rodsmith@werple.net.au>]

I found Glenn's objection (bypassing Sydney Central) on aus.rail archives
at Railpage; it hasn't reached my isp yet.

I could foresee this objection when I planned the timetable, but regarded
the significant benefits of through running as outweighing this drawback.

Sydney Central is hardly central to Sydney: Parramatta is.

Right now there is considerable boarding at Strathfield and Hornsby.

In the case of Melbourne - Sydney, I have one train per day which is not
to/from Brisbane, and which does serve Sydney Central.

We have other Australian precendents for bypassing the city:
Perth (out of town)
Port Pirie
Adelaide (out of town)
Orange (IP)
Gympie
Maryborough
Mackay

The technique of bypassing the central station is quite common in Europe.

What I really want is faster trains between Sydney and Brisbane - an
off-the-shelf tilting design would pull out 2 hours, and allow independent
operation of the Brisbane and Melbourne services, with cross-platform
interchange at Sydney Central.

My scheme was designed for what is available right now, using the existing
running times.  When XPT started on Riverina, it was 20 min faster than
today.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor