Re: NSW Train Orders

[David & Julie Donald <dsjmd@hermes.net.au>]

Whilst not doubting the comments made on this topic, judging by some personal
observations recently I would have thought that Train Order working has been in
operation, at least in part, for more than a month.  Surely, our NSW employee
posters would have seen the applicable information in the Weekly Notices.

I was in Parkes nearly six weeks ago, and it was quite noticeable that one of
the ETS machines (and I suspect that it was the Parkes - Bogan Gate machine) was
covered over, usually a sign that it is out of use.
Secondly, one of the Perth Superfreighters was there at the time, and left from
Goobang for points west, without actually stopping to pick up a staff at the
western end of Goobang Yard.  I don't remember seeing any other evidence that
they had received the staff through other means.  However, I did not hear the
Order being given, but that could well be because the radio system had gone to
satellite mode, and naturally that is difficult to pick up on a scanner.
Thirdly, WL2 and WL4 seem to be more consistent in their running times, and more
importantly their on-time running in the last few weeks, than in the past five
months or so.  You only need to look at the Glenbrook incident.  From my
watching and listening, it was quite noticeable that, following the release of
the new Western WTT at the end of last July, these two trains, in particular,
were regularly running between thirty and forty minutes late around here.  I can
only attribute this to the fact that there was a need to do staff exchanges west
of Parkes.


--

Regards

David Donald
Springwood, NSW

dsjmd@hermes.net.au