tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1742957298668232461.post882222769407329351..comments2023-04-28T09:03:52.170-07:00Comments on PhilTonks2: Is "Right Time" the Right Way?Phil Tonkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12794123075501054822noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1742957298668232461.post-66634020177502313972012-07-17T11:41:08.941-07:002012-07-17T11:41:08.941-07:00I always used to agree with Phil S that the railwa...I always used to agree with Phil S that the railway is less susceptable to external factors than bus operators, but being a regular commuter now has opened my eyes to how a small delay at one station can have an ongoing knock on effect. <br /><br />At my station I board a southbound train at 0728, before which are southbound departures at 0721 and 0724 plus an empty stock movement. On occasions a freight train also comes into the mix. I travel to another station where I change trains - mine arrives heading east at 0748 following which there are eastbound departures at 0753 and my connection at 0758, plus a westbound departure at 0754 which has to cross the paths of the arriving 0753 and 0758 trains as it leaves the station. Needless to say, if the first train in this chain (the 0721) is late, all of the trains afterwards are also late, and my second train is still late when I get to work an hour (and 31 miles) from where I started. <br /><br />It is obvious as a passenger that some train operators build more slack into their timetables than others - and hence do tend to achieve better punctuality results. The question we as passengers have to answer is do we prefer slightly slower but punctual trains or faster journeys but with a greater risk of delay? Even as a commuter, I don't know for sure what my answer to that question is.Dennis Dashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234474195047982727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1742957298668232461.post-70136199495368668602012-07-16T09:20:08.746-07:002012-07-16T09:20:08.746-07:00Hi Phil, well, yes, you're right in suggesting...Hi Phil, well, yes, you're right in suggesting that it ought to be more predictable - and in a way it is, compared to the roads! But there are a surprising amount of things that go against you on the tracks such as signal failures, poor rail conditions and sadly suicides. <br />The connection comment I agree with, but what is a "comfortable" connection? I'm twitchy about anything below 15 mins, anywhere! <br />I think you're correct about the methodology of recording times at destination stations - maybe this is where it needs more work.Phil Tonkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12794123075501054822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1742957298668232461.post-46224381054253219632012-07-16T09:09:02.827-07:002012-07-16T09:09:02.827-07:00Very thought-provoking.
I'm no railway expert...Very thought-provoking.<br /><br />I'm no railway expert but it seems to me that there should be less scope for minor variations in journey times - the traffic volume is completely predictable, there is unlikely to be a delivery lorry bumped up on the kerb half-blocking one of the lines, or a dustcart crawling along the track!<br /><br />The railways ought therefore to be aiming for and measuring right-time arrivals, even if there are perfectly valid reasons why they may not always be achievable.<br /><br />After all, a 4 minute late arrival may not be an issue for most people, but if its 4 minutes into a 7 minute connection involving a change of platform over a footbridge, for example, it could make life extremely uncomfortable.<br /><br />However, I share your scepticism about whether this data should be in the published. The public are only likely to really bother about the distinction between right time and +5 if the media tells them they should, so why feed the bullets?<br /><br />However, for me there is a far more serious issue. I'm pretty sure punctuality used just to be measured by arrival time at the destination station, meaningless on a long journey with lots of stops. Is this still the case? If so, a much more useful improvement would be to measure arrival times at all stations en route - surely not difficult to do as the raw data must already exist somewhere - as this would give a much more effective measure of train punctuality.Phil Stockleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06317690157738868544noreply@blogger.com