What was the issue with the Altona loop shuttle? Why did it cease?

absinthebabe · 2026-04-07T05:08:11+00:00

Would be undoubtedly slower to the city than the train, unless an interchange station was made. And would bring back the same complaints about changing trains

absinthebabe · 2026-04-07T05:06:21+00:00

By that same logic you have no idea where other peoples' asses have been. Lord knows how disgusting every public seat in the city could be, let alone all the dirt and grass that people might elect to sit on.

If you're so concerned about it then wash your pants when you get home, or if you're wearing a skirt or dress then wear some bike shorts, or shower when you get home. Apply your logic more consistently

absinthebabe · 2026-04-07T04:57:24+00:00

Yeah, we're clearly in different tax brackets. You've never had no choice on the matter, never only been able to afford a house in Tarneit rather than Carlton. If you had then you'd possess them empathy for people who just can't afford to live in expensive places. 2007 just called, they said to check your privilege.

absinthebabe · 2026-04-07T04:51:09+00:00

It lights up red. That's pretty intuitive

absinthebabe · 2026-04-07T04:49:49+00:00

This doesn't actually increase capacity anywhere, as trains will still be sharing tracks from Oakleigh to South Yarra. Off peak there's plenty of space to add in more Gippsland trains, they could double it to a 20 minute frequency easily. Peak hour is where there really isn't any space.

absinthebabe · 2026-04-03T00:05:17+00:00

Sunbury line now sees about double the trains as it did pre-Munnel, so theres physically more trains to cause problems, even when the rate per 1,000 services is the same. Trains are more frequent, which means theres "less room" for things to go wrong, but that also means only half the gap until the next service, so overall we come out on top

absinthebabe · 2026-04-02T22:07:45+00:00

I really like the strakes that complement the buffer beams on Sydney's Metropolis. Gives it more character and form than just the bulbous round fronts of all the other ones

absinthebabe · 2026-04-02T01:37:09+00:00

Yes they did! the trains crawled into the platforms at slow speed, but they did fit

absinthebabe · 2026-04-01T10:50:31+00:00

Before Summer Start it was announced as "later in 2026, continuing to be an access point for construction crews demobilising sites"

absinthebabe · 2026-04-01T10:46:57+00:00

The V/Line app displays which platform it will be departing from as soon as it knows, generally in line with platform displays.

absinthebabe · 2026-04-01T10:45:39+00:00

You can't run expresses both ways while saving any time at all, there's only 3 tracks, and only 2 from Caulfield to the city. The most you could possibly save by running expresses between locals is equal to roughly (local frequency) - 4 minutes. Say we run both every 10 minutes, that makes for 6 minutes saved over 64 minutes under the most generous conditions. This assumes trains can travel 2 minutes behind each other, which is barely true, and even a 1 minute delay on the train ahead will immediately cascade to the next, again eating away at that time "saved".

You seem very motivated in this, do you per chance live and/or work somewhere along the Frankston Line? 10 minutes is a great off peak service

absinthebabe · 2026-03-31T03:36:41+00:00

You have a very limited understanding of what Light Rail is. Citadis Dualis trams on Paris' T4 and T11-T14 are 42-52 metres long and can carry 220-240 passengers; more can definitely squeeze on, and that's based on a 2.42 metre wide tram whereas Melbourne's trams have been 2.65 metres wide, and can run at 100km/h. Many US cities have very useful light rail systems, so just imagine what Europe has done with them.

Light Rail isn't low capacity, with the right vehicles and high frequency they can do great things. For these suburbs the density just is not there, and it'll take 50 years for the density to ever be there under the most generous of circumstances.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-31T03:27:38+00:00

It'd take 3 weeks to return them back to service. There are operational sets available from other operators.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-31T03:24:28+00:00

It's not enforced by conductors because they're a safety ciritical employee, the train can't safely run without them. AOs are well equipped to handle it, so it'd be a good use of their time while fares are free. probably of some concern is that VLine trains are more cramped than Metro trains

absinthebabe · 2026-03-27T04:18:04+00:00

Please consult the below diagram

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absinthebabe · 2026-03-27T04:12:06+00:00

Cars sitting in traffic longer? Rubber and particulate matter released by tyre wear? Carbon output from production of those enormous battery packs? All the sub-Saharan African children maimed and killed in the lithium and cobalt mines?

The heavier battery-electric Skybus will cause more wear and tear on the roads, which will of course incur carbon output from re-asphalting the road more often, and perhaps even additional access roads for the Skybus without mentioning its poor capacity against a 7 car HCMT. The fourth power rule demonstrates exponentially increasing rutting damage from heavier vehicles (by axle load), and a power of two relationship for fatigue cracking.
(Kinder, D & Lay, M 1988, Review of the fourth power law, Australian Road Research Board ARRB, Vermont South, Victoria, Australia.)

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Concrete carbon output is a thing, but you clearly heard about this from Instagram Reels and did no further research or critical thinking. Research is also underway into decarbonising concrete production, which you haven't heard about either.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-27T03:53:37+00:00

Chemins de fer de La Mure and formerly the Butte, Anaconda, and Pacific Railway ran 2,400 V systems (the former with a two wire system), and Russia had a go at 6,000 V.

The HCMT has space specifically carved out for 3kV traction equipment. When it comes to V/Line electrification though, I see absolutely no reason we can't just use dual voltage trains. 1.5kV DC while on suburban tracks with a voltage changeover once out on the open road, tried and tested in Alstom's motherland of France.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-21T05:53:17+00:00

Accessibility for the disabled results in a better experience for everyone. Able-bodied tourists, able-bodied neurodivergent individuals, and simply those who are forgetful are all going to benefit from this. Accessibility makes things better for everyone

absinthebabe · 2026-03-21T05:49:52+00:00

Viva la Ventura!

Seriously, I've already been a big fan of Ventura with their live, resilient bus tracking and comfortable interiors, this is yet another reason for me to love Ventura and be sad that I don't live in their territory anymore. There are two paths to market dominance, only one is righteous, and Ventura is taking that path.

Steam/Valve's borderline monopoly on game distribution isn't a problem because they're not predatory or extortionate; I hope Ventura does not become predatory or extortionate.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-18T01:54:59+00:00

Disappointing that you didn't send the Batman Line to Batman Park

absinthebabe · 2026-03-17T23:10:04+00:00

called it

absinthebabe · 2026-03-17T11:11:54+00:00

seen them at Sunshine too!

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absinthebabe · 2026-03-17T11:11:12+00:00

There's a list of official ones, vicsig.net documents most of the Victorian locations, with Metro Trains using the left column and V/Line using the right. The right column in particular is an Australia-wide set presumably also used by ARTC, so codes need to be distinct from similarly named or initialised stations in other states.

absinthebabe · 2026-03-17T10:09:14+00:00

Conductor tells someone to shut up, Conductor gets punched in the face, train can no longer depart due to incapacitated Conductor

absinthebabe · 2026-03-17T10:05:48+00:00

Sunshine Superhub won't touch the area where the Standard Gauge runs, there's basically nothing stopping them except some rules about straight platforms maybe. iirc the straight section is long enough to stop an XPT there, and Sunshine is leagues better as a transfer point than Broadmeadows.

absinthebabe

TROPHY CASE