Melbourne Trains

[ozbob]

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Metro Trains ‏@metrotrains 3 minutes ago

Stony Point line: Train services have now resumed between Stony Point & Frankston. Thanks for your patience while we completed the works.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Metro Man ‏@The_Rail_Life 2h2 hours ago

After 3 months with no passenger trains, the Stony Point line is back and running today! https://flic.kr/p/uqA6DU

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Passengers left out of the Loop as Metro cuts corners to run trains on time

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> No more green information buttons at railway stations - now it's four-metre totems

[hU0N]

Melbourne Age --> Passengers left out of the Loop as Metro cuts corners to run trains on time

According to the spokesperson in the article, it seems the city loop is skipped as a pre-emptive strategy to avoid on-time trains encountering CBD rail congestion and becoming late trains.  I'm not a melburnian, so I can't really comment on whether or not this is true, but it does raise an interesting issue.

Why is the loop a loop at all?

I mean, Melbourne is in the enviable position of having 5 NW - SE train paths through the CBD and another 5 SE - NW train paths through the CBD, but because of  the frankly stupid circular routing of all but the Werribee - Frankston line, each train uses two of these paths in order to travel through the CBD, effectively halving the capacity (unless I'm missing something).

Surely, sending half the trains via the northern (ie underground) leg and the other half via the southern (ie viaduct) leg is a no brainer.  With such a good (and now free) inner city tram network, what possible need is there for every train to call at every CBD station?

[#Metro]

I don't understand this totem pole suggestion. It's going to be super expensive because of all the armouring.

And it's not necessary. People have smartphones. People have google maps.

The same thing could be achieved by making changes to the PTV website.

[ozbob]

Re Melbourne loop.

This is a useful aid to understand how it works:

>> http://www.ptua.org.au/tips/loop/ 

[ozbob]

I don't understand this totem pole suggestion. It's going to be super expensive because of all the armouring.

And it's not necessary. People have smartphones. People have google maps.

The same thing could be achieved by making changes to the PTV website.

I don't think they will survive for long ... crikey,  is it madness? 

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Train delays as Andrews government bungles the biggest Metro timetable boost in years

[ozbob]

ABC News --> New Melbourne train timetable with extra peak services scrapped due to 'lack of consultation'

The Victorian Government has refused to enact planned train timetable changes which would have removed Frankston line trains from the city loop and added capacity to nine railway lines during peak hour.

The changes were planned under the former Liberal government, but Victorian Minister for Transport Jacinta Allen said it would not be fair to sign up to a plan that commuters had not been consulted on.

"Any secret timetable change that the Liberal government had in place did not involve community consultation, did not involve a consideration of how it would disadvantage commuters across the system and that was simply unacceptable," she said.

Ms Allen said the Government was investigating whether there were other options to improve the timetable which would not disadvantage some commuters.

"Given that it would significantly disadvantage thousands of commuters on the Frankston, Glen Waverley and Craigieburn lines, the Andrews Labor Government felt that that was unacceptable and refused to sign up to that secret scheme without investigating other options," she said.

Daniel Bowen from the Public Transport Users Association said the new timetable would have relieved "terrible overcrowding".

"We've got 15 metropolitan rail lines, and only four tracks through the city loop, so because those city loop tunnels are just about full, to run more services we need to divert some trains out of the loop," he told 774 ABC Melbourne.

"I think most passengers would see that there's a pay-off there, yes, some trains would run directly into Flinders Street, but you'd see more trains overall.

"That's absolutely what we need to relieve the overcrowding right across the network."

Ms Allen would not say whether the decision was influenced by the fact the Frankston line runs through four marginal seats

[hU0N]

I don't understand the fascination with the City Loop.

There are 15 suburban lines feeding onto 10 CBD tracks (five in each direction) in two corridors.  The interlocking is comprehensive enough that the majority of the lines can be run either via Melbourne Central (northern corridor) or via Flinders St (southern corridor).  After the Melbourne Metro is built, there will be 15 suburban lines feeding onto 12 CBD tracks (six in each direction) in three corridors.

Yet Metro have a stupid, stupid service pattern that prioritises running every train down every CBD corridor meaning that their entire CBD setup has THE EXACT SAME CAPACITY AS BRISBANE (which only has four tracks)!!

Surely the time for this service pattern has come and gone.  The Melbourne CBD has excellent FREE pubic transport that makes it unnecessary for every train to call at every CBD station.  And even if it didn't, the whole place is not so large as to rule out walking to and from any station in the grid.

[ozbob]

Yes, it is all a bit crazy down there hU0N.

Attempts to sort it again thwarted by polyticks.    I am sure sanity will eventually prevail but it is taking a while.

Personally I prefer direct FSS in the main.  Sure is quicker getting to FSS as a rule. 

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Metro audit reveals detail of Melbourne's failing rail system

I grew up in Melbourne when VR was a very good system.

I left Melbourne late 1960s and have been going back to Melbourne ever since regularly to visit etc.

I have observed the gradual decline of the once great system.  The state of the track and signalling system is very very sad, and is very obvious to the interested observer.

Queensland Rail do an excellent job with  rail maintenance. 

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Exclusive: the six problems ruining Melbourne's rail network

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Build multi-deck station car parks to encourage train travel, Metro says

[#Metro]

The four-storey car park, its design "inspired by 1950s and 1960s Op art and Kinetic art", cost $10.8 million to build but will add just 250 new spaces. Commuters will not be charged to park there.

Wow, did I just read that? NUTS! If you can put carparks up, you can put up housing there!
$43200 per car park. It fills one quarter of one trains.

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow  2h

Build multi-deck station car parks to encourage train travel, Metro says
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/build-multideck-car-parks-at-stations-to-encourage-train-travel-metro-says-20150727-giiw5w.html ... via @theage #springst <facepalm>  O_O

[ozbob]

Twitter

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow  2h

Build multi-deck station car parks to encourage train travel, Metro says
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/build-multideck-car-parks-at-stations-to-encourage-train-travel-metro-says-20150727-giiw5w.html ... via @theage #springst <facepalm>  O_O

^

Twitter

Alan Davies ‏@MelbUrbanist 4m

Do multi-storey car parks at railway stations make sense? The Urbanist http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2015/07/29/do-railway-stations-need-multi-storey-carparks/ ...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne will have five train networks, not one

[hU0N]

The need for Melbourne Metro is far from clear

[ozbob]

PTV has completed a detailed examination of how Melbourne's train system needs to evolve to meet the needs of the city and of train passengers in the short, medium and long term. For more information, see http://ptv.vic.gov.au/about-ptv/ptv-data-and-reports/network-development-plan-metropolitan-rail/

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tagged trains to be whipped out of service in new graffiti crackdown by Metro

[ozbob]

https://ptv.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/news/x-trapolis-train-internal-refurbishment-program/

X'Trapolis train internal refurbishment program

Added: 3 August 2015

The X'Trapolis train fleet will undergo a major internal refurbishment and graffiti removal program to help deliver a cleaner and more reliable service for customers.

The interior of the 80 X'Trapolis trains will be refurbished to remove all remnants of graffiti. From 14 August 2015, one refurbished train will be delivered to the network each day.

The refurbishment of each X'Trapolis train will take one full day to complete and includes:

a buff and polish of all internal wall panels (to remove graffiti shadowing);
application of a new anti-graffiti coating to wall panels;
replacement of window protective films; and
an upgrade of internal lighting (brighter lighting).
To keep the trains clean after they've been refurbished, there will be more regular checks and monitoring of CCTV to remove any new graffiti as quickly as possible.

Vandalism is an ongoing problem across the network, affecting all customers, causing delays to services and making services appear untidy.

Help keep our network clean, report any vandalism by calling 1800 800 007 (6am - midnight) or lodging feedback online: Feedback and complaints

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Twitter

PTV ‏@ptv_official  13m

@metrotrains are removing all graffiti on X'Trapolis trains and adding anti-graffiti coating! http://ow.ly/Qpd85 

[SurfRail]

Lesson for QR.  The next time they replace the window film will be the first...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> $30m cost blowout in 24-hour weekend public transport trial to begin in January

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Strikes loom for Melbourne's train network as Metro staff vote for 48-hour action

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Victorian government brokers last-minute talks to avert train strike

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Metro Trains asks industrial umpire to stop train strike in Melbourne, as negotiations fail

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Public transport strikes: Four-hour train strike called off but tram stoppage still looms

[ozbob]

Twitter

Andrew Lund ‏@andrew_lund  22 minutes ago

Breaking: Friday's RTBU industrial action called off. Trains and trams to run as normal @9NewsMelb

[ozbob]

The Leader --> Altona Loop Group meeting on October 14

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Train strikes threaten to disrupt commuters as negotiations drag on

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> And now it's the train commuters' turn to feel strike pain

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Train strike: Metro taking industrial dispute to Fair Work

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Labor's all-night trains promise at risk as Metro and union fight over pay deal

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Almost 700 trains to be put off the rails in Friday Metro trains strike

[ozbob]

Metro Trains --> Important Information About Industrial Action

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne train strike: Rail chaos to spread to roads, schools and businesses

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Train strike: what's really at stake for Metro in Melbourne

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Passengers to be squeezed out of the loop as rail overcrowding crisis looms for Melbourne

... The projections pose a serious challenge for the Andrews government, which is banking on Melbourne Metro as the answer to the city's public transport growing pains, but has fewer plans to meet short-term demand.

Transport expert Chris Hale said the problem could be tackled by moving quickly to replace Melbourne's outmoded signalling system with newer technology that allows trains to run more frequently.

"The only way to address the capacity gap would be to get really serious about bringing in new signalling right now," Dr Hale said.

He said the former Napthine government had wasted valuable years pursuing a doomed plan to reroute the Melbourne Metro tunnel through Fishermans Bend. But he questioned why Labor was spending $360 million on a conventional signalling upgrade for the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, when a completely new system was needed.

Public Transport Victoria spokesman Adrian Darwent said the government was progressively addressing rail network constraints and preparing a trial of high-capacity signalling on the Sandringham line.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/commuters-to-be-squeezed-out-of-the-loop-as-rail-overcrowding-crisis-looms-20150922-gjsank.html