4 ms·

It would be interesting to see what will happen if the times of the trains are moved to random other times within the hour. In might well be that short transfer

It would be interesting to see what will happen if the times of the trains are moved to random other times within the hour. In might well be that short transfer times is just statistical consequence of having many scheduled trains. There are probably some trains that are intentionally synchronized, but I don't think there's too many of them, because synchronizing all trains is simply impossible. For instance if you have a timetable where it's convenient to transfer from train A to train B, then in the same timetable it will be inconvenient to transfer from B to A since you will have to wait almost 30 minutes (or an hour for hourly trains). Also a nitpick: "Gemeinde (administrative limit of a city)". Gemeinde means "municipality". All small villages belong to some municipalities.

jokteur 4y ago
Author here: it would be a good point of comparison, to generate a random network and look at the same statistics. I will do this maybe in a future article.
- eterevsky 4y ago
  I'll be sure to read it. :) Just to clarify, not another network, just shift all trains by a random number of minutes.
denni9th 4y ago
It is possible for train A and train B to arrive at the same time, and depart at the same time, allowing convenient transfers in both directions. From my brief experience on Swiss railways, I found this arrangement to be quite common.
- eterevsky 4y ago
  A train usually stops at the station for only around a minute, so there is no time to change to another platform unless another train arrives later. There are some trains that stop at the big train station for a longer period of time, so it might theoretically be possible. I live in Switzerland and I don't remember ever changing trains like that (though maybe I just didn't notice).
  - lolc 4y ago
    Intercity trains in Switzerland do stop for longer periods. This is a basic feature of the network to facilitate transfers.
lolc 4y ago
Oh but the hubs stations in Switzerland do feature synchronized arrivals and departures on a 30 min schedule. It works so well you don't generally have to look up connections. Just be there at the sync time to board wherever. This is a plan that shows the hubs and their sync time: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Knotensystem_Schweiz_mit_Bahn2000_2004.png/1280px-Knotensystem_Schweiz_mit_Bahn2000_2004.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Kn... You'll notice the ebb and flow of passengers if you sit at a hub for half an hour. Most people won't see the ebb because they're on their connecting train.

jokteur 4y ago

Author here: it would be a good point of comparison, to generate a random network and look at the same statistics. I will do this maybe in a future article.

eterevsky 4y ago
I'll be sure to read it. :) Just to clarify, not another network, just shift all trains by a random number of minutes.

denni9th 4y ago

It is possible for train A and train B to arrive at the same time, and depart at the same time, allowing convenient transfers in both directions. From my brief experience on Swiss railways, I found this arrangement to be quite common.

eterevsky 4y ago
A train usually stops at the station for only around a minute, so there is no time to change to another platform unless another train arrives later. There are some trains that stop at the big train station for a longer period of time, so it might theoretically be possible. I live in Switzerland and I don't remember ever changing trains like that (though maybe I just didn't notice).
- lolc 4y ago
  Intercity trains in Switzerland do stop for longer periods. This is a basic feature of the network to facilitate transfers.

lolc 4y ago

Oh but the hubs stations in Switzerland do feature synchronized arrivals and departures on a 30 min schedule. It works so well you don't generally have to look up connections. Just be there at the sync time to board wherever. This is a plan that shows the hubs and their sync time: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Knotensystem_Schweiz_mit_Bahn2000_2004.png/1280px-Knotensystem_Schweiz_mit_Bahn2000_2004.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Kn... You'll notice the ebb and flow of passengers if you sit at a hub for half an hour. Most people won't see the ebb because they're on their connecting train.