On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 19:25:49 +0100, Paul wrote:


If people in a "full" train can be persuaded to move down the car a
little to allow more passengers to board, then there is a net benefit to
passengers on that line of holding the train. If you mean literally
full, i.e. crush-loaded with absolutely no room for anyone else and
people waiting on the platform for the next train, then I agree that
ideally the train should depart and be held at the next station if the
crush-loading has eased. But you would need a more flexible signalling
system than currently exists, where AFAIK only certain signals can be
held on red in this way and the rest are automatic. There is still
probably a net benefit in holding the full train, though.
A very good explanation I'd say. Plus at stations further down the
line if passengers see a full train with a long gap behind they are
probably more likely to try and shove on the train with possibly even
more delays as doors have to be shut several times, abusing staff if
they then can't get on etc. And, building on the point above, on most
lines that run through central London (rather than just to it like the
Met) the train is unlikely to be totally packed throughout its trip so
regulation somewhere is sensible (and I'm sure most people would say
that's fine so long as its after "my" stop)

And that is the point, the system is there to provide a service, so what
is wrong with doing what benefits *most people*. Invariably when a
trains travels into London in the AM peak, if fills on the way in, then
it empties, the trains are mostly held when the train has maximum
capacity. The few that will benefit by holding the train is less than
those that benefit by actually moving it along the track (what they are
supposed to do).

Taking full trains out of service and holding full trains does not benefit
most people but makes the lights on the screen more even. Oh and the
trains are possibly not packed like sardines, but then again they may
become less full if we were told a it will take 30 minutes to get from
Camden to Euston and we would be better off walking - I guess that is not
a priority. This makes me seriously doubt LU has every calculated
whether holding trains or early termination of full trains does benefit
most people.