Re: NSW State Rail...a nightmare that is getting worse

["DTS" <julia@idx.com.au>]

Pete <Klendathu98@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
38ef6ffd$0$6516@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:38ef6ffd$0$6516@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> Im new to this group, and my train expertise only goes as far as being a
> victim..I mean customer of State Rail in NSW. Things are reaching a
breaking
> point in State Rail's network.
>
> Im a regular traveller from the Campbelltown area to the city circle, and
> things cant get much worse.
>
> -Late trains are becoming the norm. Cancellations during peak hour seem
the
> latest increasing trends.

**The East Hills trains (I'm catching) is mostly on or close to
time...around 5 mins late max (I'm not complaining if the East Hills trains
are very late or cancelled) as most people who worked in CityRail are humans
as us!

> -Filthy trains in the morning. Once had stagnant water swishing around on
> the floor. The smell of vomit is sometimes present as well.

**Not CityRail's fault if their trains becomes dirty. I caught a Tangara on
Friday and yesterday to Central and they are clean (no litter appearing)
especially in off peak periods.

> - Forget catching a train on the weekends, if a bus service isnt bad
> enough....the cancellations will surely break the spirit of even the most
> optimistic of travellers.

**Why not catch a train on weekends? I found catching trains on weekends are
quicker and less crowded and in some cases more fun because of the unusual
trains (ie. steam trains) appearing. Commuters complained about trackwork on
weekends but remember - in the longer term everyone benefits on reliablility
as well as safer rail system.

> - The security guards are keystone cops, and the criminals that travel the
> system know it. Violent hoodlums rule the system at night, especially on
> gloomily lit stations that are not attended. Even during the daylight
hours
> standing on a Western Suburbs platorm can be a semi-dangerous experience.

**Security guards are just a model of Carl Silly's theory of "2 security
guards on every train after 7pm (or now from 2pm to stop students
vandalising trains)"

> -Summer, air conditioner on Non-Tangara trains doesnt usually work. Come
> Winter, its on full blast freeze mode.

**Well as a Tangara Fan, I have to agree on air conditioning problems.

> -Ticket prices are an outrage, and just keep going up. 35 bucks for a
weekly
> into the city and rising.

**People still catch trains even the fares gone up last time.

> -ticketing police that have delusions of power. I once honestly lost my
> ticket on a journey, only to be rudely slapped with a 100 dollar
fine..even
> though I had first walked to the ticket office at my destination and
offered
> payment. I explained that for years I had been a honest paying traveller,
> and here I was with a  lost ticket offering to pay...not good enough.

**Well I have to agree on rudeness from the ticket inspectors...If I missed
a stop I would still be fined anyway. But don't forget fare evasion cost
CityRail thousands of dollars in lost ticket sales and therefore have to
increase the ticket price to cover the cost. Are you aware that (I think -
15-25%) of your fare paid goes to cover fare evasion costs. Sounds like
"honesty" is no longer an excuse for travelling without a valid ticket.

> When will this fiasco end? When will the prices stop rising and the
service
> stop plummeting? And they wonder why people avoid public transport as much
> as possible and hit the roads?

**I hope the fiasco ends soon too. Just remember - I'm a commuter too (as
you) and never worked in State Rail or CityRail.
**Try and fill the shoes of the train driver, guard, station assistant,
station manager etc. - they are trying to do their best in their jobs or
roles (in some cases they are doing a good or excellent job) but these
complaints above won't help much with their morale or pride in working in
CityRail.

Cheers.
---------------------------------------
Danny Mok
dan@flex.com.au
FordGhia's Railway & Transport Page
http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~phil05