Maybe these questions has been posted into IRI earlier, if so, please point me to the blog, so that I can educate myself. Thanks in advance
1. Can IR go for a makeover and introduce and hub and spoke model of it's services (copying the Airline model)? Premium services and other legendary services apart, can IR cancel and move rakes to existing connections?
2. The aim of such a move would be to improve utilisation as well reduce overall travel time, but it also means loss of convenience of a "direct" connection in...
more... many cases
3. Could this be "trialed" first in two contiguous zones?
4. Would IR staff support such an initiative? Or would protecting their turf be more important? :)
The reason behind these questions is a news item of a new bi-weekly service being introduced between Mysore and Varanasi. A service that is touted to be an "Express" and takes 52 hours 30 mins, 16229 Mysore-Varanasi Express, travels 2741 km and an average speed of 52 km/h. It is also a train with 8 reserved compartments, and 6 unreserved! 12295 Sanghamitra "SF" Express (avg speed is 56 kmph!) from SBC, provides daily connectivity to MGS, which is 19 km from BSB. Would IR and passengers alike not be better served by improving the services of Sanghamitra Express for the long distance, and provide increased connectivity between MYS and SBC, BSB and MSG respectively for the shorter distances?