Been speaking on the phone to 8888 and he tells me Set 95 is ready to leave EDI Maryborough for Acacia Ride for the Bogie Exchange then hauled over to Perth on seperate trains.

Supposed to be leaving today. Mary Valley Heritage Railway is moving the set from EDI to Maryborough West, PN is moving it from Maryborough West to Acacia Ridge for bogie exchange and then leaving Brisbane on a Whyalla steel train.

"The PDS is poorly designed and has only been set up to prevent "ALL" doors from opening if even just one door is "half" off a platform surface area - and sometimes it doesnt work even with all the doors on a platform."

Are you sure, I saw PDS in action at Maddington about 18 months ago after the A set I was on lost traction and slid past part of the platform. I was in car one towards the back near the gangway doors and saw that the 1st set of doors remained closed while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sets opened fine. Is there perhaps some sort of over-ride?

Well I hope the order is in for the next 15 set.s after this. We need them.

Are you sure, I saw PDS in action at Maddington about 18 months ago after the A set I was on lost traction and slid past part of the platform. I was in car one towards the back near the gangway doors and saw that the 1st set of doors remained closed while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sets opened fine. Is there perhaps some sort of over-ride?

There is a bypass procedure enabling doors to be opened if absolutely necessary, however not for general use.

Re the door "off" not opening - quite likely nobody had pushed the button at the door you saw to open it.

Door release, releases all doors to "open" if door is activated at the passenger level .
In working order PDS prevents all doors from opening if one is off the platform - Bypass releases all doors for the selected side including the one off the platform.

PDS - Poorly Designed System!
You could run 6 car sets into places like Subiaco which can only accommodate 4 cars, if the PDS allowed the platformed doors to open.

You could run 6 car sets into places like Subiaco which can only accommodate 4 cars, if the PDS allowed the platformed doors to open.

You would need loud repetitive announcements and/or bright LED notice boards above doors for this to be practical, in addition to a widespread campaign to educate the general public. Many passengers currently still don't know which side to get off, despite it being shown on the current LED notice boards. Would also be very hard to alight if the train was fully packed during rush hour. I guess the end carriages could be designated 'express' carriages to get around this. But would it ultimately cheaper than extending platforms?

You would need loud repetitive announcements and/or bright LED notice boards above doors for this to be practical, in addition to a widespread campaign to educate the general public. Many passengers currently still don't know which side to get off, despite it being shown on the current LED notice boards. Would also be very hard to alight if the train was fully packed during rush hour. I guess the end carriages could be designated 'express' carriages to get around this. But would it ultimately cheaper than extending platforms?

Over the years, many railways have tried to find ways around dealing with short platforms and longer trains. Quite simply, it isn't worth the confusion and risks. On the portions of the network that run 4 car trains, there isn't yet enough rolling stock to operate all trains at 4 cars and there is signalling capacity to add more trains. So...

• build more trains (preferably as 4 car sets)
• upgrade power supply network
• recruit more drivers
• probably improve some of the stations for access (only being able to enter and leave stations like Burswood via a single level crossing is very restrictive)
• and when we have finally reached saturation with the existing signalling, THEN start looking at extending the platforms (a big cost)

Over the years, many railways have tried to find ways around dealing with short platforms and longer trains. Quite simply, it isn't worth the confusion and risks. On the portions of the network that run 4 car trains, there isn't yet enough rolling stock to operate all trains at 4 cars and there is signalling capacity to add more trains. So...

• build more trains (preferably as 4 car sets)
• upgrade power supply network
• recruit more drivers
• probably improve some of the stations for access (only being able to enter and leave stations like Burswood via a single level crossing is very restrictive)
• and when we have finally reached saturation with the existing signalling, THEN start looking at extending the platforms (a big cost)

Well said!

Not my photos but I thought some of you may be interested in photos of the bogie swaps on your new EMUs at Acacia Ridge:

http://benfrancis.phanfare.com/6180371

I heard in the budget this morning that Barnett's solution to overcrowding on trains was to make us pay for parking at the stations, to reduce patronage instead of doing something ridiculous like actually buying new trains...

I heard in the budget this morning that Barnett's solution to overcrowding on trains was to make us pay for parking at the stations, to reduce patronage instead of doing something ridiculous like actually buying new trains...

Think of it this way: Which is the more immediate solution to the congestion crisis: Wait for trains to be delivered or apply a small levy to parking?

Think of it this way: Which is the more immediate solution to the congestion crisis: Wait for trains to be delivered or apply a small levy to parking?

How is a levy a "solution" to anything?! People still need to get to work. A $2 parking fee is cheaper than parking in the city or catching the bus to the station. You need a viable alternative before you implement something like this; like a more comprehensive and higher frequency feeder bus system.

Think of it this way: Which is the more immediate solution to the congestion crisis: Wait for trains to be delivered or apply a small levy to parking?

That would be fine IF they included more trains/train drivers in the budget as well.

So theyre not having 3 doors.... When will it be on its way to perth? And where will the bogie exchange take place now the workshops is no more? Kewdale? Forrestfield? Will there be a new set delivered every month? How long till its put into service?

How is a levy a "solution" to anything?! People still need to get to work. A $2 parking fee is cheaper than parking in the city or catching the bus to the station....

Depends where you live - if your bus stop is in the same fare zone as the station it costs nothing. This may be a way of moving a few people out of their cars on to buses that are already operating and generally with space for a few more passengers. The big hazard with bus connections is if you don't know whether or not you will be working late. After about 7pm most of them go into hiding.

One effect of this move is an equalisation of costs between those who start work early and those who start later. At many stations, you can only get a space in the paying section after about 7am. so the later starters are already paying.

What concerns me more is the effect on those who live in the streets around the stations. Will we see these residential streets turn into unofficial car parks, or parking restrictions that make life difficult for genuine visitors?

What I think would be reasonable to expect is that the revenue collected all goes towards the provision of additional station parking. As I haven't inspected the fine print of the budget yet, I don't know how much capital is proposed for station parking improvements.

Not my photos but I thought some of you may be interested in photos of the bogie swaps on your new EMUs at Acacia Ridge:

http://benfrancis.phanfare.com/6180371

i notice there is a gap in between the 4 and 95 and the 5 and 95 where the numbers are, any reason for this?

Depends where you live - if your bus stop is in the same fare zone as the station it costs nothing. This may be a way of moving a few people out of their cars on to buses that are already operating and generally with space for a few more passengers. The big hazard with bus connections is if you don't know whether or not you will be working late. After about 7pm most of them go into hiding.

One effect of this move is an equalisation of costs between those who start work early and those who start later. At many stations, you can only get a space in the paying section after about 7am. so the later starters are already paying.

What concerns me more is the effect on those who live in the streets around the stations. Will we see these residential streets turn into unofficial car parks, or parking restrictions that make life difficult for genuine visitors?

What I think would be reasonable to expect is that the revenue collected all goes towards the provision of additional station parking. As I haven't inspected the fine print of the budget yet, I don't know how much capital is proposed for station parking improvements.

Didn't even need to look in the fine print. On the headline page is....

• $46.5million over the next three years to construct a new multi-storey car park at Edgewater train station.

i notice there is a gap in between the 4 and 95 and the 5 and 95 where the numbers are, any reason for this?

I noticed that too, it looks really shiny, can't wait to see it in service

Why is money only put into the nsr and ssr carparks? Look at Midland line, you cant get a place to park anywhere near midland station after 8am. Then woodbridge, eastguildford, succeshill, ashfield dont even have carparks! Bayswater ppl park 100m from the station down side streets. Meltham and mt lawly have enough for maybe 30 cars each! But no lets build a multi story carpark at a station that already has more car spots then the entire Midland line! (apart from Midland itself)

It went south on 6BW4 and rumour is its most likely going to be dropped off in Newcastle and then put onto 2NP3 to arrive into Perth Thursday night on that train.

It went south on 6BW4 and rumour is its most likely going to be dropped off in Newcastle and then put onto 2NP3 to arrive into Perth Thursday night on that train.

Thursday? That's not far away at all, I wonder what time Thursday

Why is money only put into the nsr and ssr carparks? Look at Midland line, you cant get a place to park anywhere near midland station after 8am. Then woodbridge, eastguildford, succeshill, ashfield dont even have carparks! Bayswater ppl park 100m from the station down side streets. Meltham and mt lawly have enough for maybe 30 cars each! But no lets build a multi story carpark at a station that already has more car spots then the entire Midland line! (apart from Midland itself)

A look at the map gives some indication. The newer lines going north and south were built with long distances between stations to offer journey times that would compete with cars. The older lines have the historic station locations (much more closely spaced) built in the days when most people walked to the station. People living near the Midland, Armadale or Freo lines are more likely to be within walking distance, hence less need for car parking. So the new lines were actually designed around car users. Unfortunately this approach has been a bit too successful.

And by the way, even though it has far more parking spaces, you can't find one at Clarkson after 8am either.

Thursday? That's not far away at all, I wonder what time Thursday

Most likely some time after 9pm

I see on some photos that this set has already been tagged with graffiti.

i notice there is a gap in between the 4 and 95 and the 5 and 95 where the numbers are, any reason for this?

I reckon it's a "0" in anticipation for them going over set 99