Cumberland Line was (Re: NYE Fireworks in Sydney)

["Ken Neate" <kenneate@tig.com.au>]

Bill McNiven wrote in message <4rkb4.1350$FY3.2673@ozemail.com.au>...
>David Johnson wrote in message <386DCE46.96E98BFE@ozemail.com.au>...
>>Bill McNiven wrote:
snip

 Another was the complete absence of 'Cumberland Line' trains.
>(Hey!  Do people really use the 'Cumberland Line'?  If so, why is it
>cancelled every time there's something more 'important'?).
>

Believe it or not there are people who would like to use the Cumberland
line. But Cityrail keep giving them the "go away, we don't want you"
message.

In those few short weeks in 1996 when there was a peak hour service on 15
min headways to/from Campbelltown/Blacktown, the 4 car Tangaras from
Campbelltown had most seats taken by Glenfield. This "problem" was easy
solved. In the "new" timetable, peak hour services were eliminated south of
Glenfield!

The result:-
1. People who wanted to use the Cumberland line have gone back to changing
at Granville, after all you can usually get to Parramatta quicker if you do
that. ("Connections" at Glenfield are as long as 14 mins)

2. People have accepted that Cityrail never really wanted them on the train
and have returned to the other Cumberland line - the line of cars clogging
the Cumberland Highway.

Why waste investment funds on the Y-link if there was no intention to use it
properly? Of course, it is obvious there are insufficent trains and/or crews
to run a proper peak hour service. After all, no one bought trains for this
line (or kept the W sets).

Of course, it may get worse. The remaining Cumberland services could be
canceled so that some cars are available to run the airport link, after all
no one thought to buy any trains for this service, either!

Of course, if one wanted to be cynical, it could be observed that the
Cumberland line does not pass through any electorates which are held by slim
margins.

Ken Neate