Categories
transport

Trying to make sense of the Metro Tunnel “concept of operations” draft document

A couple of months ago PTV released a set of three technical documents related to the Metro rail tunnel. I’ve done some skimming through two of them so far (I hope to read the third soon), and am posting some notes from the first one here that I hope might be of interest to people:  ... [More]

Categories
Perth 2012 transport

Railway lines down freeways: good idea? Only if there’s no viable alternative

Some people will tell you that rail lines down freeways are a great idea, because “the train overtaking cars is a great advertisement for public transport.” Perth has done this, primarily because it’s been the easiest way of extending the train network. So the Clarkson/Joondalup and Mandurah lines both run down the middle of freeways.  ... [More]

Categories
PTUA transport

Public transport: more openness, accountability, and consultation is needed

One of the problems plaguing public transport in Victoria is the secrecy. Historically the Department of Transport has kept its cards very close to its chest. There’s a lack of information, and a lack of consulation. As some people sitting around a table during a parliamentary inquiry into train services a couple of years ago  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Some transport geekery pics

A few pics from recent days. It’s kind of nice that the Tourist “Shuttle” bus gives tourists the thrill of a hook turn Fog at Bentleigh station on Wednesday morning Gleaming rails near Southern Cross Station — on the left you can see the Regional Rail Link under construction Plaques in Melbourne Central (formerly Museum)  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Good news! We now have an airport train. At least, that’s what the sign says.

That’s definitely a train icon on that sign, right? (Southern Cross station, Bourke Street bridge) PS. Reminds me a bit of Metro’s “emergency” gate.

Categories
Perth 2012 transport

Perth’s CAT buses: lessons for Melbourne?

Another in a series of posts about Perth PT and how it relates back to Melbourne. Perth’s city centre (and town centres of Fremantle and Joondalup) have CAT buses — Central Area Transit — free services running (reasonably) frequently in loops that people can hop on, hop off to get around. They are very popular;  ... [More]

Categories
Perth 2012 transport

Perth’s SmartRider vs Melbourne’s Myki

So I thought I’d compare Perth’s SmartRider against Melbourne’s Myki card. Short term ticket options This issue is critical for tourists and other occasional users of the system, who may have no wish to buy a reusable card. Judging from the initial response to Myki’s withdrawal of short term ticket options, I suspect there’s something  ... [More]

Categories
Net

A photo of mine reused by the Myki Customer Experience Panel (but I don’t mind)

Yesterday I was taking a look at the Myki Customer Experience Panel web site — that’s the set up where they ask a cross-section of Myki users about the system; get them to answer questions about what they’ve seen and how things are working for them. While some may moan about the extra cost, it’s  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Proof that Skybus was intended to be on Myki one day

Got back from Perth last night. Had a great time, which you’ll hear about in due course, but first: something we spotted on the Skybus on the way home: Myki reader mounting points — and just like those that first appeared on trams a few years ago, they’re being used as brochure holders at the  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Is this tram route map the wrong way round?

While I applaud Yarra Trams’ efforts to put more information on-board trams, this map threw me for a moment. I’m used to seeing east (Box Hill) on the right, and west (Port Melbourne) on the left. This had it the other way around. And before you say it: it wasn’t designed to match the actual  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism transport

Spotted at a tram stop in Bourke Street: icicles (fake)

Fake icicles on this tram stop, to advertise Mount Buller. I wonder if anybody except me even noticed.

Categories
transport

My dad and the Brisbane PT campaign, circa 1951

I was interested to see this post complaining about Brisbane bus services to the University of Queensland. In this Courier Mail article it appears that the most overcrowded bus services in Brisbane all serve university precincts. My dad was editor of the UQ student newspaper Semper Floreat in 1951. UQ has recently put many (possibly  ... [More]