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

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

DTS wrote in message <8coa2n$k5e$1@the-fly.zip.com.au>...

>> - 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.

I think that most commuters are understanding of the fact that trackwork is
necessary, but question the way that it is organised. Those commuters who
are also enthusiasts, and who have also travelled extensively, have seen
other systems maintain a double track, high-speed railway exclusively at
night. Some people question the necessity for closing six tracks at a time,
when any work requiring the possession of all tracks (placing new OHLE
gantries in position) could easily be performed at night when fewer services
run.


>> -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.

Some of them are complete morons anyway. I don't know if you are familiar
with the layout of Penrith station, but there is a vast car park on the
northern side of the station, and the ticket office is on the southern side
of the station. One morning, I parked in the car park and then proceeded via
the footbridge to platform 3 and then out to the ticket office. I just
happened to time this with the arrival of a train from the City. The RPO's
were waiting and, needless to say, did not believe my story that I had only
just parked in the car park.

They issued the infringement notice and then I realised that I had my
receipt from McDonalds on me (McDonalds breakfast - yummmm!) It was dated
and timed for 15 minutes earlier at Panthers (5 minute drive from the
station).

They refused to revoke the infringement notice and it was only after I
called the Sector Managers office (and soon thereafter one of them was
called into the SM's office for a phone call) that they revoked the notice.

Surely common sense would dictate that they have someone on the bridge  - to
firstly get anyone coming off trains and going to the car park (main reason)
and also to verify that people do in fact come from the car park.

But I suppose "common sense" and "revenue protection officers" are mutually
exclusive terms.

Dave