Glen Mills Glen Waverley 12 June 2009 The Secretary Select Committee on Train Services Parliament House Spring Street Melbourne Vic 3002 Dear Sir, Thank you for the opportunity to present this submission to the Inquiry into Train Services and to express views on any aspects of the factors leading to and causes of failures in the provision of metropolitan and V/Line train services. Further comments by the author about public transport in Melbourne have been published by the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee Inquiry into the Investment of Commonwealth and State Funds in Public Passenger Transport Infrastructure and Services which may be found at http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/rrat_ctte/public_transport/submissions/sublist.htm. Click on Submission No.168 to view the documents. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. GENERAL 2. INFRASTRUCTURE 2.1 Ballast 2.2 Concrete Sleepers 2.3 CWR 2.4 Double Track 2.5 Flat Junctions 2.6 Modal Interchanges 2.7 Signalling 2.8 Speed Restrictions 2.9 Stations 2.10 Substations 2.11 Third Track 3. ROLLING STOCK 3.1 Air-conditioning 3.2 Cab Ends 3.3 Standback 3.4 Train Length 4. TIMETABLES 4.1 Express Trains 4.2 Frequency 4.3 Off Peak 4.4 Stopping Patterns 4.5 Underground Loop 5. BUSES AND TRAMS 6. CONCLUSION ___________________________________________________________________ 1. GENERAL There are many little items when added together may contribute significantly to create a catastrophe. Operating the train system with as many independent lines as possible will minimise the cascading effects if a problem develops anywhere on the system. 2. INFRASTRUCTURE 2.1 Ballast When I went to school we were taught about Roman roads with the largest rocks on the bottom then progressively smaller until the surface is reached. Similarly, the bible tells us of the houses built on sand are not as good as those built on rocks. In other words, the permanent way must have a good foundation for the ballast. Many years ago the ballast cleaner visited the Glen Waverley line at the end of our street. The 150 millimetres (?) cut under the sleepers exposed red dirt – no ballast. It seems that the track laid in 1930’s was laid on the ground with minimum ballast. Also, the Glen Waverley line had its maintenance cycle last year and within weeks the track was as rough as before. Drawing No.F598 is titled Standard Drawing for Track Formation & Ballast for New Track Construction (see Appendix “A”). It is advisable to have all track constructed before the issuing of this drawing upgraded to this standard to minimise disruptions due to inferior track infrastructure. To eliminate track buckles the specification for shoulder ballast on track with continuous welded rail is 405 millimetres wide. Also, if the quality of the ballast is inferior, buckling may still occur. 2.2 Concrete Sleepers In the 1920’s USA steam operated at 100 mph on passenger trains and in the 1930’s steam operated at 70 mph on freight trains. This was on timber sleepers. However, concrete sleepers reduce maintenance as they have a longer life of 75+ years verses 25- years for timber and also improve the ride as they are more stable (heavier) than timber. 2.3 CWR Continuous welded rail gives a smoother ride and has lower maintenance costs as rail joints are virtually eliminated. In Victoria the standard rail size for electrified areas is 53 kg/m rail. It is advantageous if all rail is re- laid in 53 kg/m or, especially if required for freight trains, in a heavier section. 2.4 Double Track With single track, a late train cascades its lateness onto following trains. (a) If V/Line is to operate an hourly service (see 4.2 Frequency) double track is required as single track cannot reliably operate with delays even if one train is late. Except for short single track sections, all V/Line provincial intercity lines have/had double track except Ballarat and in the 1960’s and 1970’S, this line was consistently late running whereas the others were reasonably reliable. On time running with V/Line services to/from the provincial cities requires double track all the way from Southern Cross to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour and Traralgon. As the dedicated track through the suburban area allows trains to run at express speeds without station stops, this line may also be used for express suburban trains. Bendigo was double track all the way and the recent single tracking beyond Kyneton was a backward step as far as reliability is concerned. (b) As a matter of urgency to improve train running, duplicate single line sections in the suburban area to double track, e.g., at Upper Ferntree Gully, some up trains in the pm peak wait for up to six minutes extra due to single track. In USA, new construction places the tracks at 7.62 metres centres as it is cheaper to construct and maintain track at this separation distance as safe-working is not required on the adjacent track. 2.5 Flat Junctions Flat junctions cause delays to running due to opposing moves. Examples of very effective flyovers are at Burnley and Camberwell. Locations of (all) flat junctions which are convertible to flyovers are as follows: (a) North Melbourne – expand the current flyover to eliminate the many flat junctions required for normal operation, (b) Newport – down end down Werribee line to pass under, (c) Altona Junction – down Werribee line to pass over, (d) Laverton – down Werribee line to pass over, (e) Sunshine – re-design for proposed V/Line track, (f) Clifton Hill – up end down Hurstbridge line to pass under, (g) Richmond – expand current flyover to become flying junctions, (h) Ringwood – down end down Belgrave line over, (i) Caulfield – timetabled junction to be at Richmond Junction, and (j) Dandenong – down end down Cranbourne line over. 2.6 Modal Interchanges Establish a modal interchange wherever two or more bus, tram and/or train routes cross/meet with features as follows: (a) customer comfort including weather protection between modes, (b) minimised walking distance between modes, and (c) be user friendly with a kiosk and toilets at busier locations. 2.7 Signalling If trains run at the same frequency as the signalling allows and one train is late, then the following trains will never catch up. It is best to have train frequency half that of the signalling. Richmond to North Melbourne is 90 seconds, therefore run the trains at a three minute frequency. This still achieves twenty trains per hour. At stations where all trains stop, have closer signal spacing on both approach and depart sides to allow trains to bunch up as speeds are lower in this area. 2.8 Speed Restrictions Eliminate speed restrictions due to curves and at turnouts when exiting terminal stations or through junctions and diverge movements. Use of curved blade turnouts allows a higher speed through a turnout. Where long distances between stations allow it or there is express running, raise speed limits to improve running times. 2.9 Stations Design of stations to include features as follows: (a) The recently re-constructed Boronia station is in a dip and causes trains to have longer braking time and slower acceleration when departing which means longer travelling times. Locate stations at the top of a hill to conserve energy as more train energy is expended in braking and accelerating with a station in a dip. (b) Each line arriving at a junction station to have its own platform to improve train running as trains may load/unload while the signals are set. 2.10 Substations Has the substation capacity increased with electrical requirement increase as air-conditioned trains were introduced? Have our substations passed their use-by date? 2.11 Third Track Installing a third track is not a good investment as it is only required for about five hours per week- day. If double track cannot handle the number of trains running, then increase to four tracks as what goes up must come down i.e., if trains go in peak direction, where do they go then? They must return then need four tracks. 3. ROLLING STOCK 3.1 Air-conditioning Air-conditioning on trains built for 32? deg C. Melbourne has many days per year over 38 deg C. No wonder the air-conditioning fails. 3.2 Cab Ends Flat ends require more energy to push the trains through the air than stream-lined. Hitachi trains are more energy efficient than Com-Eng trains as they have a sloped front. A stream- lined cab is more energy efficient. 3.3 Standback Current doorways are wide enough for two people to pass through at the same time, but the first two people standing at a doorway block the opening so only one person at a time may pass through. Currently with longitudinal seats either side of doorway probably the third and fourth people will also obstruct the doorway. Setting the partition further back from the doorway, the first two people standing at the doorway will not block the flow. If transverse seats and a glass partition are installed at the doorway, then the third and fourth people also will not block doorways. Without handholds adjacent to doorways and with evenly-spaced doorways along the carriage, a further improvement in passenger flow out of the seated area will be achieved. It is also an advantage to make doorways slightly wider to further improve flow. 3.4 Train Length Table 3.1 COMPARISON OF MELBOURNE SUBURBAN TRAIN TYPES TRAIN M T CARRIAGES TOTAL TOTAL TYPES TRAIN PASSENGERS LENGTH DOORWAYS PASSENGERS LENGTH DOORWAYS PASSENGERS (No.) LENGTH (No.) (METRES) (No.) (METRES) (No.) SEATED STANDING SEATED STANDING (No.) (No.) (No.) (No.) (No.) Tait 18.8 8 84 48 18.1 9 92 54 8 147.6 1112 Harris 19.2 3 59 172 19.2 3 72 198 8 153..6 2004 Hitachi 23.9 3 86 - 23.9 3 96 - 6 143.4 1520 Com-Eng 24 3 86 - 24 3 96 - 6 142.4 1526 Siemens 24.1 2 84 - 23.8 2 96 - 6 143.8 1584 Extrapolis 24.46 3 86 45 22.76 3 92 43 6 143.36 1394 Source: http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=suburban and the author’s private collection.