View Single Post
  #12   Report Post  
Old February 12th 08, 10:19 AM posted to uk.transport.london
Sir Benjamin Nunn Sir Benjamin Nunn is offline
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Jul 2004
Posts: 99
Default WHy is the central line so much faster?


"Offramp" wrote in message
...
On Feb 11, 7:17 pm, Boltar wrote:
Had to go to a meeting at Hangar lane today. After white city the
train just took off, we must've been doing 40-50 mph. How come the
other tube lines are so slow in comparison? The piccadilly plods its
way to acton town and the northern line between east finchley and
finchley central seemed to barely get above 25mph the few times I did
it last year. Why is the central line different?

B2003


Yeah! I normally use the Northern or District, but I was on the
Central the other day and it went like a rocket. However, I've heard
that London Bridge-Southwark (Jubilee) is the fastest piece of track.



In the case of both Northern and District, I suspect station spacing will
have a lot to do with it. Travelling on the Northern line often feels so
painfully slow because it's constantly stopping. Stations on the Vic are
further apart, so trains spend less time stopping, and are able to get a
slightly greater speed up during the long stretches.

The Central line benefits from rising/falling gradients on the approaches to
its stations in town, which means that trains will accelerate quickly when
leaving a station.

BTN