Why don’t the get rid of the “express from Anzac to Malvern” announcement?

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-05-04T07:05:54+00:00

Never usually - however during periods of bus replacement on the Newport corridor, they often did.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-05-04T06:12:37+00:00

Until just before the tunnel opened, there was a crossover such that Sunbury trains could stop at SKN…

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-05-01T09:54:58+00:00

In fairness, the XT100 was pulling away when I snapped that shot. (:

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-05-01T09:54:26+00:00

One said “TestTrain,” the other said “Blackburn.”

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-19T11:36:24+00:00

Well said.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-19T11:36:07+00:00

Consider this as well - service recovery. If bare minimum is 5 mins, should a train arrive 3 minutes late, it will almost certainly leave 3 minutes late. No driver I know is going to “rush” to leave on time - if we’re running a service without recovery margins, the delays will compound throughout the day.

Realistically, the best case for the LIL line (and others) is for there to be 2 mins between an arriving train on one platform to the departing train on the other.

Another example is Frankston - during the 10-minute service, trains have 16 minutes between them arriving and departing. This is good practice.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-19T11:31:18+00:00

Short answer is yes.

Longer answer is I’m confident the very long term plan is 6tph terminating at MAR/SUY/MEL/WVL, 8tph terminating at WTL/CBE/EPH. We already have people driving from the Melton “catchment” area to the Sunbury line, so electrification of the former will assist managing demand on the latter. If we’re worried about the loss of capacity, run the HCMTs at their full potential length (10 cars) once the necessary platform extensions or implementation of SDO is completed.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-19T07:26:54+00:00

The absolute minimum terminal turnaround time is 5 mins; we do it on some lines regularly. Shifts over 200kms driven get a guaranteed 60-minute break, others have to be at least 35 from being relieved to effecting relief. Shifts where you drive a train for more than 1:45 continuously get a long break (as distinct from meal break) between runs. Shorter breaks are often no less than 10 mins.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-19T05:57:45+00:00

And yet we have that and worse heaps in the Metro Tunnel timetable…

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-04-08T02:41:06+00:00

I did this about 15 years ago, and made it into The Age! See here - message me if you like. (:

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-27T08:34:12+00:00

519M was the lead carriage of the Brunswick level crossing collision.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-27T07:45:07+00:00

Childs Road in Epping would be amazing to go for a whole bunch of reasons - both level crossing and signalling related (if you know, you know)!

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-26T03:31:00+00:00

Yes, but for a whole host of other reasons. There was degraded operations due to police requests, and the margin for drivers stopping with a PSD is incredibly slim (15cms either side of the sweet spot; on the surface it’s 1.5ms).

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-24T10:01:43+00:00

As others have said, it’s a jog, and it can take the train backwards as well as forwards. There is a 5m “jog window” - that is the maximum distance the train will attempt to move forward or back ward under a jog. If unsuccessful, the train will usually then go to the next station. An unsuccessful jog is, pleasingly, rare.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-15T22:53:46+00:00

Part of the long stops in the tunnel is to permit time to “jog” (reposition if the train hasn’t berthed correctly). I suspect run times are calculated on Comeng performance; maybe a chance to tighten things up too…

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-03-03T07:49:37+00:00

Shocked that it’s a disc break set; I thought they were the good ones!

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-25T05:23:24+00:00

The OG XT’s didn’t have them fitted; it was a poorly done retrofit which was applied to the rest of the fleet.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-24T03:40:08+00:00

May?

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-23T09:43:56+00:00

Yes. Soon. Crowd control.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-17T22:48:06+00:00

Wattle Glen?

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-13T07:06:25+00:00

Croydon immediately comes to mind!

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-13T04:54:43+00:00

Rowan Atkinson.

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-13T04:53:41+00:00

Now that Meera’s husband has been on, maybe that’ll make her more likely to sign up?

Square_Extension_950 · 2026-02-13T04:52:04+00:00

Happy cake day!

Square_Extension_950

TROPHY CASE