It fits here just as well as elsewhere I suppose
From 1st November Prospector services will now stop at Toodyay on every trip, but only serving passengers travelling to Northam and beyond on the days when the Avonlink also runs.
New timetable
Goodbye avonlink
Moderators: perthbus, Mr OC Benz
Re: Goodbye avonlink
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-1 ... fmredir=sm
The AvonLink service is likely to be canned upon completion of the trial, the planned future use of the railcars is yet to be determined
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The AvonLink service is likely to be canned upon completion of the trial, the planned future use of the railcars is yet to be determined
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Merc1107
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Re: Goodbye avonlink
I have mixed feelings on this.
With the discussion over the high-speed rail between Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, suggestions have been made that more people need to be pushed out to regional centres rather than expanding our cities. The AvonLink & Prospector (as well as the Australind) form the basis for this to be a viable possibility here out west.
The services are also important for encouraging tourism - as with the Australind, someone actually needs to make using the train for a day-trip viable (tourist information centre near the train station, hire car facilities, packaged tours etc). Current timetables for the AvonLink do not suit day-trips, and you are better off taking a road-coach to Northam, and the AvonLink back to Midland if you only want to go to Northam itself for a meal at the pub.
Lastly, the speed of the service could do with improvement... They've had rail services in England capable of 160km/h since at least 1961. The 'InterCity 125' (still in service today) made 201km/h operation a reality in the 1970s. And yet here we are in Perth with regional links that run just 80-110km/h. Is it any wonder rail services to regional areas are underused when a car gives equivalent speed (and more convenience)?*
As regards usability of the service; it could be beneficial having the service run on to East Perth rather than forcing a connection at Midland.
On the other hand, I'm not necessarily one for running services that are simply wasting tax-payer money that could be better-spent elsewhere... Yet I look at the service standard and timetabling and *immediately* it becomes apparent why the service isn't particularly well-used.
Although; residents who scream 'bloody murder' when the service faces review have something to answer for when they don't even use the service they were advocating!
* Look, before anyone jumps down my throat about costs of fuel, servicing, parking, risk of breakdown etc., I'm sure there are plenty of people who would not consider the savings (opportunity cost) made on the train to be worth the hassle as it currently stands.
With the discussion over the high-speed rail between Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, suggestions have been made that more people need to be pushed out to regional centres rather than expanding our cities. The AvonLink & Prospector (as well as the Australind) form the basis for this to be a viable possibility here out west.
The services are also important for encouraging tourism - as with the Australind, someone actually needs to make using the train for a day-trip viable (tourist information centre near the train station, hire car facilities, packaged tours etc). Current timetables for the AvonLink do not suit day-trips, and you are better off taking a road-coach to Northam, and the AvonLink back to Midland if you only want to go to Northam itself for a meal at the pub.
Lastly, the speed of the service could do with improvement... They've had rail services in England capable of 160km/h since at least 1961. The 'InterCity 125' (still in service today) made 201km/h operation a reality in the 1970s. And yet here we are in Perth with regional links that run just 80-110km/h. Is it any wonder rail services to regional areas are underused when a car gives equivalent speed (and more convenience)?*
As regards usability of the service; it could be beneficial having the service run on to East Perth rather than forcing a connection at Midland.
On the other hand, I'm not necessarily one for running services that are simply wasting tax-payer money that could be better-spent elsewhere... Yet I look at the service standard and timetabling and *immediately* it becomes apparent why the service isn't particularly well-used.
Although; residents who scream 'bloody murder' when the service faces review have something to answer for when they don't even use the service they were advocating!
* Look, before anyone jumps down my throat about costs of fuel, servicing, parking, risk of breakdown etc., I'm sure there are plenty of people who would not consider the savings (opportunity cost) made on the train to be worth the hassle as it currently stands.