Re: [NSW]Wondabyne Olympic Services

["Chris Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

Again last Tuesday night was an interesting night for another reason.  On
the issue of no trains to certain stations during the Olympics Macdonaldtown
(& Homebush) are both located adjacent to very busy crossovers.

The City (via City Circle Outer) to Penrith train I caught on Tuesday
evening left platform 6 at Redfern and travelled the down local to the last
signal prior to the Illawarra Junction crossovers.  We were held for about
90 seconds.  We then started and crossed to the down suburban and continued
on our merry way.  The sole reason for our delay appears to have been that
we were held clear of the junction whilst an all stations train on the up
local was allowed to enter Macdonaldtown station.  It was then held at the
platform while we crossed local to suburban.  Not ideal but probably the
best compromise in the circumstances.

The alternative to this scenario is that the up local must be held at the up
local signal immediately prior to Macdonaldtown.  Once we had completed our
crossover manoeuvre it would then have been clear to proceed but would have
to stop after 200m for Macdonaldtown before then negotiating Illawarra Jct -
a time consuming process.

It would be better if up local trains could enter Macdonaldtown and stop
while conflicting movements occur ahead.  This would require a series of
intermediate train stops adjacent to Macdownaldtown's up platform and
perhaps two low speed indications on approach rather than just the usual
one.  Or is there an absolute limit on overlap that Macdonaldtown breaches?

As for Wondabyne, locals will have to walk the Great North Walk from
wherever.

Chris

David Bennetts <davibenn@pcug.org.au> wrote in message
news:3980d3ee@newshost.pcug.org.au...
> I really wonder at CityRail when the residents of the vast metropolis of
> Wondabyne are deprived of their train service for the Olympics, possibly
> saving a minute's journey time from the north.  Interesting to note how
much
> CityRail will pay for replacement boat services.  Maybe they'll
overestimate
> the demand and charter a Manly ferry!
>
> Similarly the few services which normally stop at MacDonaldtown - what's
the
> bet that a lot of those trains will shoot through and pull up at the next
> red between stations?
>
> This is the sort of nonsense the old British Rail were good at.  There was
a
> little station at Marazion just before Penzance, quite popular with the
> locals, particularly at weekends.  You couldn't buy a cheap day return
> ticket to there, you had to buy tickets to Penzance.  So the accounting
lads
> saw no-one was buying tickets to there, and had it closed down.
>
> Regards
>
> David Bennetts
> Canberra
>
>