Re: What's with cityrail?

["Richard Norton" <rj.jr.norton@clear.net.nz>]

A comment from the other side of the ditch.

Couldn't agree more with the comments about landmarks, that was the way I
was taught to drive when I was a Loco Assistant learning the craft. Road
knowledge is another important aspect of been a successful Locomotive
Engineer.
My worry is now with single manning, when ever the training programme ever
gets underway, where will the new breed learn the tricks of the trade. My
career as an Loco Assistant was 6 years (and much of that time was spent
cleaning windows, floors and making the driver endless cups of tea, but if
you were with a regular mate and you did your job they soon let you loose at
the controls so you could learn first hand), they're talking abouth 6 months
for some one new, scary stuff!

Richard Norton
LE Palmerston North NZ



|> Alot of drivers have different methods as to when they should start
|> braking for certain stations. Alot of us find a landmark, such as a
|> bridge or a sign, or even a service station on the highway etc, we know
|> that once we past that point, we usually can judge how much braking we
|> need for that particular station. I find Pymble coming down from
|> Hornsby hard to stop at. Because its geographical location is hard to
|> judge (it is situated after a rather lengthy left hand bend and is
|> downhill), I usually coast down the hill at 80kph down the straight from
|> Turramurra and once I go under the last overhead road bridge on that
|> straight before the left hand curve, I usually apply 4 notches of brakes
|> and keep it there, and youll usually find that it brings you into Pymble
|> station nice and easy for a smooth stop. Now I was taught that
|> particular technique by my driver trainer, and being based at Penrith
|> depot, I was up and down the North Shore like a brides nightie.