Re: Broken Hill/Griffirh pass. cancelled.

[Greg Rudd <grudd@mail.usyd.edu.au>]

"James C." wrote:

> In article <38f3133d.42788956@news.ocean.com.au>,
>   pcc@ocean.com.au (Brown Family) wrote:
> > On Tue, 11 Apr 2000 11:30:02 GMT, bevanwall@ozemail.com.au (Bevan
> > Wall) wrote:
> >
> > >I'm afraid I've got some disturbing news:
> > >I've just been informed by a very reliable source that the weekly
> > >Countrylink loco hauled passenger services to Broken Hill and
> Griffith
> > >have been cancelled indefinately, with little or no chance of them
> > >resuming as a loco hauled train. (The Griffith service did not run
> > >last Saturday, and the Broken Hill service was cancelled today) As to
> > >what will replace them, nobody is saying. I wonder what will now
> > >happen to 42203 & 42220?
> Ends up in Sim metal yard ....as with most of the aging locos. I'm not
> surprised. A frequency like once weekly is next to
> nothing....inconvinent to user in the country...and people from the
> city who wish to stay in the country towns for a weekend visit, plus
> the slow schedule and inconvinent timing(expecially Broken Hill service)
>

> These 2 service are another "suicide attempt" by Countrylink, similar
> to couple of years back when there was a Canberra service arrives
> Canberra at 3 am.
>

They did not want to run the services anyway.  They were forced to by the
pollies.

>
> > And what will happen to the construction of new passenger cars ordered
> > for these services?
> probaily just add into current fleet of very busy XPT working diagram.
> It wouldn't work if they went into service anyway, new XPT carriages
> would still be haul by slow locos...no dramatic changes to running
> time. What people want is a train running daily . competitive fare and
> running time that is just as fast or faster then driving and convinent
> timing(best daylight running time) with good service.
>
> > Strange for Countrylink to suddenly stop a service without a public
> > announcement isn't it?
> It's countrylink we talking about...I'm not surprised...the same
> organisation who reckons that loco haul comofortable sleepers with
> lounges/dining car wouldn't attract passengers and welling to swap with
> XPT.
>

No, they would prefer that you did not use their service.  Countrylink would
prefer that you would either fly, drive or catch a private bus service than
to use their trains.  Remember there an aggressive, customer focused
passenger transport business that is only concerned about costs. Not
passengers and definitely not growing the business.

>
> > Les Brown
> > Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to loose.
> >
>
> --
> Cheers
>
> James
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.