07 November 2011

A dinner table discussion

We were out at dinner over the weekend.  It was at Sageleaf Bistro in Hawthorn East.  I think this restaurant is fairly new, but we liked the food and had a good night.    The discussion ranged far and wide over many topics.   I can't even remember some of them, perhaps because of the red wine.   But one thing matter that did come up was the subject of train timetables.   I generally travel at off-peak times, and some months ago the timings on our line were altered from one train every 15 minutes to one train every 10 minutes.  The "catch" is that when I travel the trains no longer travel through the loop, only to (and from) Flinders Street.  Since it's much more convenient for me to travel to one of the loop stations, I need to change at either Richmond (in the mornings) or Flinders St (if it's after lunch time).  Question - does the improved frequency compensate for the hassle of needing to change?   However, not everyone at the table took the issue as seriously as it deserved (EDIT - how quickly the memories of the tribulations of commuter travel fade once you retire!), and the matter remains unresolved!
Just for the record, the discussion didn't get as far as commenting on the lack of information at Flinders St as to how to find the next loop train (which can be a challenge!) or the complexities involved when travelling home from the city (quite easy when you know how, but not immediately obvious to the casual traveller, especially as it varies depending on the time of day).

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