Full Time 3 Car Services

[skippy]

Everyone agrees the Perth train frequencies and consistent stopping patterns leave SEQ for dead. Another thing they do is operate a number of shorter trains, which saves on rollingstock, electricity consumption, track and OHW maintenance etc and therefore operating costs per pax. There are security benefits off peak with more people per carriage a deterent to anti-social behaviour, although QR locks half the carriages at night to achieve this.

I have always thought in Brisbane it would be better to run 3 car trains at twice the frequncy if line pairings could be achieved without the need to rejoin the trains sets for the peak. Clearly Ipswich / Cabooture patronage is too high although there may be others that could work e.g. Shorncliffe line changed to 15 minute, 3 car all day frequency instead of the 6 car, 30 min frequency, 20 min peak. Is this feasible? If so, there might be a cost neutral (except crew costs) way of doubling the frequency on some of the lighter patronage lines.

[somebody]

This idea gets trotted out every now and then.  The problem is that crew costs are the major variable cost.  Electricity costs are only a minor factor, and if you are doing multiple daily divides/joins then the labour cost would likely exceed the electricity saving.  As for your saving in rollingstock, that would only apply if it saves rolling stock in peak.  And running around 3 car trains in peak wastes CBD paths.  I can go along with the idea for Richlands-Shorncliffe services on weekends.  There are excess CBD paths in peak for the Ippy, so in theory you could have 3 car trains in peak from Richlands, if the frequency was adequate.

[#Metro]

This idea gets trotted out every now and then.  The problem is that crew costs are the major variable cost.  Electricity costs are only a minor factor, and if you are doing multiple daily divides/joins then the labour cost would likely exceed the electricity saving.  As for your saving in rollingstock, that would only apply if it saves rolling stock in peak.  And running around 3 car trains in peak wastes CBD paths.  I can go along with the idea for Richlands-Shorncliffe services on weekends.  There are excess CBD paths in peak for the Ippy, so in theory you could have 3 car trains in peak from Richlands, if the frequency was adequate.

In the past I have also raised the idea. Previously I have been told that "it would be too much shunting work".
Although:

And running around 3 car trains in peak wastes CBD paths.

It depends on what your definition of what "waste is". The core section is congested, but could be unblocked with sectorisation
and other works such as Cross River rail or upgraded signalling. Once this was carried out It would increase the frequency.

This means that you could (?) have trains on the Ipswich line ~ 4 minutes on average in peak hour- effectively a metro service.

Moving and improving the network towards being capable of giving a metro style service is a desirable thing IMHO.

Yes it would be expensive, but I can't really see how these expenses are going to be avoidable under any scenario. It's either spend money on the existing system and get it upgraded to allow metro-style services, or build a separate metro system which is going to cost even more and give less service and less coverage overall and take longer to deliver.

Electricity costs are only a minor factor, and if you are doing multiple daily divides/joins then the labour cost would likely exceed the electricity saving

Yes, this is true, but we must remember that the goal of the PT system isn't only to minimise costs. It is there to provide a quality and frequent service- something that is NOT happening right now with the current timetable.

Maybe there are other ways to get more frequent trains without having to buy more new ones or break them up into 3 car services. Aren't there enough trains already to run trains every 15 minutes to most inner city suburban destinations without having to buy new trains or break them up?

[somebody]

Sectorisation is more to improve reliability than capacity.  Works like CRR1 are very expensive, and isn't the 3 car train idea to reduce costs?

We are already nearly there for a train every 4 minutes in the AM from the Ippy.

Of course there are enough trains for a more frequent off peak service.  How do you think they deal with peak hour?

[somebody]

One further comment: the rollingstock issue is one of the main reasons why it is criminal to have a mostly all stations service in peak hour.

[STB]

Keep in mind that EMUs 60-79 are six car operation only.

[Emmie]

I can go along with the idea for Richlands-Shorncliffe services on weekends.

The Shorncliffe line is already a 3-car at weekends.