Re: NSW State Rail...a nightmare that is getting worse (original thread author replies)

["Pete" <Klendathu98@yahoo.com.au>]

I'll leave my comments with ***, as seems the trend :)

Pete

"DTS" <julia@idx.com.au> wrote in message
8coa2n$k5e$1@the-fly.zip.com.au">news:8coa2n$k5e$1@the-fly.zip.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!
>*** The extra distance to Campbelltown must make the trains more
unreliable.

> > -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.
>*** It is City Rails fault if the trains are filthy first thing in the
morning. If it was middle, or late of the day..that would be more
understandable, and blamable on the general public. But first thing in the
morning, means a lack of maintanence.

> > - 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.
>*** Track work is necessary, I understand this. We all want a good level of
safety. But...Bus services that replace trains are VERY bad on the weekends,
erratic timetables, staff that are clueless to what bus is going where...it
is a nightmare. Especially when some of us have to catch a train to work on
the weekends.

> > - 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)"
>*** Sadly our society is every increasing with hoodlums and other cretins,
so I cant fully blame State Rail for the ever increasing danger, they cant
be expected to make a 100% safety zone in a city where even the police are
not safe from gang attacks.

> > -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.
> *** Yeah we all love the Tangaras=sealed coffins :)
> > -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.
>
*** Yep people still catch trains, as they have a captive audience in many
of us. Driving to the city every work day would be non-practical. Therefore
whatever State Rail charges, I must pay. Doesnt mean its fair.
> > -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.
> *** Ticket evasion is a problem, and there is no doubt State Rail has a
right to catch those trying to avoid. But I was in the process of paying at
my destination when I was pulled up. I was quite reasonable in my
explanation, the ticketing office was just not interested. Others in this
thread have similar stories of injustice.

> > 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
>
*** Thanks for the many interesting messages, some of us might have
different points of view..but we're all in this together :)

Pete