Controversial railway opinions (without a firm foundation in logic..)

[FtoE]

ScotRail’s marketing of the WHL, NHL etc as “Scotland’s Scenic Railways” reduces them to mere tourist novelties.

 

[jfowkes]

If the railway wants to maintain its environmental credentials in the face of electric cars it needs to stop talking about carbon and start talking about all the other ways in which cars are terrible. "Stop using your thing which kills ~1500 people per year and eats valuable land for parking spaces." That sort of thing but snappier. Really make people feel bad about using one of the worst forms of transport we've ever invented.

 

[yorksrob]

If the railway wants to maintain its environmental credentials in the face of electric cars it needs to stop talking about carbon and start talking about all the other ways in which cars are terrible. "Stop using your thing which kills ~1500 people per year and eats valuable land for parking spaces." That sort of thing but snappier. Really make people feel bad about using one of the worst forms of transport we've ever invented.

I fear we're straying away from the "without a firm foundation in logic' element of the thread !

 

[Kilopylae]

I have thought of another one: ALL trains (except for the London Underground) should have a toilet, including Thameslink, no exceptions. And every train station, this time including the London Underground, should have toilets.

 

[PGAT]

If the railway wants to maintain its environmental credentials in the face of electric cars it needs to stop talking about carbon and start talking about all the other ways in which cars are terrible. "Stop using your thing which kills ~1500 people per year and eats valuable land for parking spaces." That sort of thing but snappier. Really make people feel bad about using one of the worst forms of transport we've ever invented.

Problem is that's almost impossible. Pollution is the big, obvious and indisputable issue with modern cars, but the other issues aren't intuitive to Joe Public, so they're going to be driving around in the electric cars insistent they are doing the right thing

 

[yorksrob]

Problem is that's almost impossible. Pollution is the big, obvious and indisputable issue with modern cars, but the other issues aren't intuitive to Joe Public, so they're going to be driving around in the electric cars insistent they are doing the right thing

Drink driving wasn't an intuitive issue to the public until it was pointed out as such.

 

[dub]

Scrap the annual gold card and expand contactless across the gold card area. Then implement an "air miles" type system to gain benefits and discounts similar to those provided through the gold card scheme. Including regular contact through an app or sending out vouchers to remind people about their benefits for them and others traveling with them.

 

[eldomtom2]

If the railway wants to maintain its environmental credentials in the face of electric cars it needs to stop talking about carbon and start talking about all the other ways in which cars are terrible. "Stop using your thing which kills ~1500 people per year and eats valuable land for parking spaces." That sort of thing but snappier. Really make people feel bad about using one of the worst forms of transport we've ever invented.

The problem with that idea is that carbon is the environmental issue.

 

[jfowkes]

The problem with that idea is that carbon is the environmental issue.

You can still push the carbon thing as well. Electric cars still burn fossil fuels in power stations. It'll be ages before the grid is fully decarbonised.

 

[PGAT]

You can still push the carbon thing as well. Electric cars still burn fossil fuels in power stations. It'll be ages before the grid is fully decarbonised.

But once again, people will ignore or dispute this, and drive their electric cars like everything is hunky dory

 

[jfowkes]

But once again, people will ignore or dispute this, and drive their electric cars like everything is hunky dory

Well yes. But the thread title explicitly eschews logic.

 

[Bartsimho]

Lots of attitudes in the railways are totally outdated and clash with reality.

All trains should have DOO with camera's and screens at the end of platforms with all trains stopping at the far end of the platform except where a platform can be used for multiple services.

All ticket offices should be closed and replaced with station advisory staff who can sell direct tickets but also advise passengers on many other things around the station and they should have basic training to dispatch units should issues arise with there being special dispatches where platforms are used by multiple services at a time.

Gatelines should be installed at every station with over 20,000 passengers even if it prevents platform interchange without a ticket.

Every path should be up for grabs to form competition which is good for the passengers as it promotes better service and/or cheaper fares.

Any type of marketing should be allowed by railway companies if they are paying for it (they are of course already covered by other bodies)

 

[43096]

Handy perhaps, but then we wouldn't have the cathedral that is Paddington !

Cathedral? Hardly. It's nothing like the scale of, or as impressive as, say, Leipzig Hbf.

 

[eldomtom2]

You can still push the carbon thing as well. Electric cars still burn fossil fuels in power stations. It'll be ages before the grid is fully decarbonised.

I don't know of any direct comparisons between electric cars and diesel trains. Remember that part of the reason electrification reduces emissions is that it's more efficient to burn fossil fuels in a power plant than in a portable generator.

 

[Sonic1234]

Gatelines should be installed at every station with over 20,000 passengers even if it prevents platform interchange without a ticket.

Gatelines should be correctly programmed to accept all types of ticket and ideally for things like break of journey. At a minimum, staff should be familiar with the concept of break of journey and restriction codes (i.e. that some off peak tickets are valid before 0930), and staff should actually be available.

Poor experiences with gateline staff and frustrations with valid tickets being rejected make me think what an amazing thing ungated stations are.

The best gateline assistants are those that trust you know the rules and what you are doing and will wave you through with any bit of orange paper. I have no desire to evade fares, but I do use break of journey a lot.

 

[Facing Back]

I have thought of another one: ALL trains (except for the London Underground) should have a toilet, including Thameslink, no exceptions. And every train station, this time including the London Underground, should have toilets.

Agreed. But don't the Thameslink trains have toilets?

 

[PGAT]

Agreed. But don't the Thameslink trains have toilets?

They exist...but they're also the headquarters for every gang in Peckham

 

[yorksrob]

Moquette designs favoured by modern train companies are dull and boring.

Train companies should switch to Trojan, bournemouth Blue or Donkey Stripe to improve the passenger experience.

 

[Facing Back]

They exist...but they're also the headquarters for every gang in Peckham

Ah OK. I used them once in a 700 around St Albans mid morning and nobody tried to see me anything. Other than than I can't comment

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2023 ==

Moquette designs favoured by modern train companies are dull and boring.

Train companies should switch to Trojan, bournemouth Blue or Donkey Stripe to improve the passenger experience.

I have no idea what a Moquette design is, but Trojan and Donkey Stripe have my vote - whatever they are.

 

[yorksrob]

Ah OK. I used them once in a 700 around St Albans mid morning and nobody tried to see me anything. Other than than I can't comment

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2023 ==


I have no idea what a Moquette design is, but Trojan and Donkey Stripe have my vote - whatever they are.

They're beautiful if you get to see them !

 

[Facing Back]

They're beautiful if you get to see them !

I shall look them up! Then look out for them.

 

[yorksrob]

I shall look them up! Then look out for them.

You'll see them on the heritage lines

 

[Kingston Dan]

All railway staff should be armed to prevent fare evasion...

 

[HarryF]

All railway staff should be armed to deal with people who think that the entire carriage want to listen to what’s on their phone/tablet (Other electrical devices are available in the interests of impartiality)

 

[PGAT]

All railway staff should be armed to prevent fare evasion...

You win. This is the most bonkers

 

[Facing Back]

You'll see them on the heritage lines

Excellent - an excuse to have some fun!

 

[jfowkes]

Ah yes, the quiet coach should be enforced by some means. Possibly decibel meters for each seat and some kind of James-Bond-like spike pit or laser based punishment for going over the limit.

 

[Kingston Dan]

Ah yes, the quiet coach should be enforced by some means. Possibly decibel meters for each seat and some kind of James-Bond-like spike pit or laser based punishment for going over the limit.

Nice!

 

[PGAT]

Ah yes, the quiet coach should be enforced by some means. Possibly decibel meters for each seat and some kind of James-Bond-like spike pit or laser based punishment for going over the limit.

I would unironically support this

 

[Mzzzs]

Another I have is that we don't punish people regularly fare evasion enough.

We should have child/child-free carriages on the intercity trains.