Speed--Tunnel; Derail Operation

[John Swindler]

Jim Holland wrote:

>But if the trip was needed to carry the people, how is that wasted?
It's the long dead-head time reverse running almost empty that is a waste 
but a necessary evil!
>
>
Certainly agree that reverse dead-head time is a (minor) necessary evil, but 
real problem is the peak to base ratio.  That is the necessary evil of the 
transit industry, particularly for commuter rail operations.  One could 
argue that 1:1 is ideal from a scheduling standpoint, but that signifies no 
need for rush hour trippers, which is an interesting commentary on the 
importance of transit within a local economy, and is actually the rule in 
most medium and small bus systems in Penna.  (York, Altoona, Lancaster, 
Sharon, etc. and maybe also Allentown, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre)  Some, 
such as Harrisburg and Erie in addition to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, 
still schedule peak hour trippers (vehicles rather then manpower).

I also remember being told in Chicago many years ago (circa 1970) that the 
scheduling departments goal was to get at least one rush hour trip out of 
every piece of work (refers to manpower, and not vehicles).  An evening bus 
would start at the p.m. rush; a night bus would have its last trip in a.m. 
rush; swing runs would do two a.m. peak trips and one p.m. peak trip, or 
vice versa.  And some routes, such as Broadway and Clark, had over half the 
peak hour trips scheduled as short-turns. It was a question of trying to be 
productive within the limits of the farebox.

And as for the reverse dead-head time, it may be paid out of "guarantee" 
time anyway for a swing shift. (we have to pay a driver two hour minimum 
anyway for piece of work, so might as well run the trip to end of line if 
can not find a way to return to city for second rush hour trip).  And that's 
why there are short-turns - to try and get a second rush hour trip out of a 
vehicle - or to reduce overtime pay on a long run when it doesn't' work out 
within an 8 hour block of time.


What is your experience with scheduling practices at MUNI, Jim?  And what 
has happened with these scheduling practices with the advent of computers?


>Today, it's 9 min. South Hills Jct. to Gateway Center but 49 min. for 
>Library.
>
>Or in other words - 40 minutes from South Hills Junction to Library for an 
>LRV and 41 minutes from Grant and Liberty over City streets through SHJ to 
>Library for a PCC interurban!!!!!!!
>	Mannnnnnn,  t-h-a-t's  P-r-o-g-r-e-s-s!!!!!!!
>

What can I say, Jim, other then what would you expect for over a half 
billion dollars of your tax money?  Seriously, this goes back to vehicle 
speeds issue raised couple months ago concerning Beechview.  Without digging 
out a couple old schedules to compare with today (which are on PAT's 
internet site if anyone else interested), suspect "lost time" is on Broadway 
and in Dormont.  Overbrook rebuilding will help, if PAT can ever get its act 
together.  Perhaps what PAT needed was an "agile" (as Dr. Hirshfeld referred 
to the PCC) light rail car, and not a "Stadtbahn" light rail car for 
Beechview-Mt. Lebanon.  Just one persons opinion.

John S.

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