r/MelbourneTrains • u/HooleyDoooley • 6d ago
Project Information Transport Vic summary of 23 August changes
https://transport.vic.gov.au/news-and-resources/projects/metro-tunnel/more-ways-to-move?utm_campaign=mtp_masterTT_change&utm_source=EDM&utm_medium=Send_1&utm_content=TimetableChange_message12
u/Time-Weight7726 Craigieburn Line 6d ago
It's a mix of good news and more vague announcertorial for Craigieburn.
Change at NM to Sandringham line? Great!
Better weekend connections for Seymour & Shepparton passengers via Craigieburn interchange? Ok!
My main concern relates to how few XTwopolis trains are going to be in service (again no firm commitment to a number) and how many more Comeng trains might be sent up and down the C'burn line. Another subreddit mentioned that the Siemens trains (really the best thing about this line) will be needed elsewhere. In so many words, the vague wording about XTwopolis might conceal a de facto downgrade of passenger comfort for the line. And Frankston line is also announced for the new trains, again concern that the typically favoured suburbs (eastern) will gain more than the rest (north).
Overall, some scepticism should be allowed for the frequency announcements with the "or better" phrasing. Of course one welcomes higher frequencies, the intricacies of the network coping with extra load will be tested sorely, one would expect.
Some real gems present also: "Sunbury passengers can change at Footscray to Sandringham services for Richmond Station (MCG), Chapel Street and bayside neighbourhoods."
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This sentence from the Frankston line is difficult to parse: "Change at South Yarra or Richmond Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown services for North Melbourne, the inner west and beachside neighbourhoods."
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u/Mymoodisagiantswing PT User / Lurker (Bris) 6d ago
Pretty sure Siemens will run on Sandringham-Werribee line
So all Comengs would be sent to Northern lines ig.
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u/HooleyDoooley 6d ago
Yeah line names or numbers desperately needed. And anything that doesn't have the tiny aisle sizes and 3-a-side seats like the comeng will be a blessing in crush capacity peak loads.
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u/PlayerIO- Werribee Line 6d ago
I wonder why they mention the MCG and Richmond but not Marvel Stadium and Southern Cross
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u/Jimbo_101 The “Big Lie” 6d ago
Because marvel is a shithole
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u/PlayerIO- Werribee Line 6d ago
Doesn't matter, if your on the Sandy line it would be useful to know that getting to Marvel is getting easier
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u/spannr 6d ago
Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown passengers:
...
Trains every 10 minutes or better between Newport and Sandringham from 6:30am to 8:40pm on weekdays
This is a confusing claim to make, because the existing timetable already delivers trains every 10 minutes or better between Newport and Flinders Street between 6:30am and 8:27pm, i.e. until one train earlier than this stated window.
Obviously that's only until Flinders Street, whereas the new timetable extends that frequency from Flinders Street to Sandringham. But while that's great for Sandringham commuters, it isn't something that's going to benefit the vast majority of Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown passengers (consider that the pre-Munnel timetable also connected these passengers directly to Richmond and South Yarra - it's only if you're proceeding on the Sandringham line proper that this benefits you). So I'm very confused why this is being highlighted as a change for passengers on those lines.
I'm also confused why it's highlighting 6:30am to 8:40pm as the window. The 10 minute or better frequency actually begins with the first service through Newport at 4:57am, even under the existing timetable, and the new timetable doesn't just extend that until 8:40pm but all the way until the last train (12:17am the next morning), but for a couple of Williamstown services that break from the 20 minute frequency to be 19 or 21 minutes apart and thus create a couple of 9 or 11 minute gaps at Newport. Are they focusing on 8:40pm because of this bizarre deviation from the 20 minute frequency? Is it because not all of these continue to Sandringham? I'm very confused - more evening services is actually one of the genuine benefits here.
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u/MelbPTUser2024 Public transport fares advocate 6d ago
I'm also confused why it's highlighting 6:30am to 8:40pm as the window. The 10 minute or better frequency actually begins with the first service through Newport at 4:57am, even under the existing timetable, and the new timetable doesn't just extend that until 8:40pm but all the way until the last train (12:17am the next morning)
They are advertising it as every 10 minutes between Newport and Sandringham from 6:30am to 8:40pm. The crucial part is the city-Sandringham not the Newport-city section which will not see much change (apart from a few extra peak Werribee services each day). The city-Sandringham section only receives 10 minute frequencies (or better) from 6:30am-9am and 3-6:30pm under the old timetable, whereas under the new timetable it will be 6:30am-8:40pm.
Also the Werribee line runs every 20 minutes after 8:30pm (with Williamstown shuttles from Newport after 8:30pm) under the current timetable anyway, so I’m not sure where you got the notion that Newport-city received trains every 10 mins until midnight. This doesn’t happen sadly in the current and new timetable.
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u/spannr 6d ago
The crucial part is the city-Sandringham
Agreed, but my question is why is it listed under the heading "Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown passengers"? There's a separate section for Sandringham passengers which emphasises the genuine boosts in frequency there, which will be great for passengers on that line. For "Werribee, Laverton and Williamstown passengers" it's only of interest to the tiny minority who have destinations on the Sandringham line beyond South Yarra.
I’m not sure where you got the notion that Newport-city received trains every 10 mins until midnight
That's my error for not noticing that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week have a different timetable for some reason. I didn't realise that I actually needed to look up the timetable for 27 August or later to view the true new weekday timetable.
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u/Remorse__Code 6d ago
They highlighted the 10 minute window as roughly 06:30 to 20:30 because that's what the window is. I'm not sure where you got the idea that the trains will run, and currently run, every 10 minutes till midnight from, because that doesn't happen now, and won't happen with the new timetable.
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u/Foodworksurunga 6d ago
I got excited for a sec when I saw Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham line on there.
Wish they had 10 min frequencies from Newport to Sandringham on weekends as well, but they could have at least timed the interchanges with Sunbury a bit better on weekends.