Re: Horrible Hillside (Melbourne, Vic.)

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

The hybrid service adds to service unreliability.
There is no loop which can't hold *all* trains on its group (90 second
headways), helped if Melbourne went to a double-deck solution for its
trains.  Despite whatever the experience has been with the present one,
double-deck is the only way to go for commuter rail, and is being adopted
steadily through Europe, north America and Japan.

However, I would reverse the concept:
In the morning peak, trains from all routes should arrive at Flinders St
first, then go round the loop.
In the evening peak, trains from all routes should arrive via the loop,
then depart direct from Flinders St.
The original pattern was the result of the location of the stabling yards,
but these have now gone.

-- 
Regards
Roderick Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au> wrote in article 
> >Sorry but I have to agree that not all train should use the loop,
> >sure in the off peak and weekends all trains should use the loop but
> >in the peak periods there should be a split of 60/40, that is 60%
> >of trains around the loop and 40% direct, and it should be a mix, ie
> >some express trains go direct, some stopping/Alamein trains go around
> >the loop.  Same with Sandringham trains change a few Dandenong and
> >Frankston trains to direct and put a few Sandringham trains around
> >the loop, put a few Williamstown trains around the loop, and a few
> >Werribee/St.Albans/Upfield/Broadmeadows trains out direct.  Put
> >a few Eltham/Epping trains direct and the rest around the loop.
> >Make it so what ever city station you go to you can catch your train,
> >that means adding Sandringham, Alamein, Box Hill, Blackburn,
Williamstown
> >trains to the loop in peak period.
> The only exception might be where there is good interchange but the only
> stations this might apply to would be Richmond and North Melbourne. Good
> interchange would preferably be same or cross platform and no more than a
> few minutes wait.