Re: [Whole of this NG] Bill McNiven's [NSW] CityRail predictions

["Hubert Lam" <hubert@imap4.com>]

Eric Cartman <ERK_CARTMAN@YAHOO.COM wrote in message



I believe a derailment is planned for the 29/12 and the cleanup will extend onto the
30/12............who knows? I know I don't.

 Eric

 Well, that prediction didn¡¦t seem to come off! The only way to get away with predictions is to
make loads of them, and hope one is correct!

 After 6 months observing CityRail and reading all the facts in aus.rail, I¡¦m as unqualified as
anyone to extrapolate the worst of 1999¡¦s stories into some CityRail (and related) predictions for
the final year of the second millennium.

 Here goes...

 JANUARY

¡P              Train services after New Year's Eve celebrations run successfully. Particularly
pleasing is the patience shown by the 200,000 passengers who queue outside Circular Quay station
from 00:30 to 01:15 while 17 "Ghost Trains" rumble overhead.

¡P              At 11:00 AEDT on 1 January, barrier indicators at Town Hall commence to show
expected departures for March 1932. At about 11:15, there are problems at ticket barriers with
tickets expired on 01/01/1900. Transport Minister unavailable for comment. Premier¡¦s office attacks
media for ¡§Y2K scare-mongering¡¨.

¡P              ¡¥T¡¦ set skids through catch points at ¡§Sydney Electric¡¨ platform 22. Rail Unions
attack SRA over lack of training for crews, call for Royal Commission into Rail Safety (and job
preservation). John Laws says a truck driver wouldn¡¦t have done it. aus.rail debates whether truck
drivers should have catch points.

¡P              SRA spokesman denies reports of Y2K bugs in new Countrylink booking system. Admits
that automatic barriers at stations have some ¡§teething problems¡¨.

¡P              Child wanders onto track at level crossing near Yennora and is, regrettably, killed
by a passing train. SRA immediately announces that CityRail has no faulty fences. Transport Minister
reveals that CityRail has no fences and promises full and wide-ranging enquiry into RAC¡¦s fences.

FEBRUARY

¡P              FreightCorp enjoying a record wheat harvest. Several ex-NSWGR diesels hired back
from museums for three months. Announces that, since customer service is paramount, the business
will expand to include road and possibly shipping operations since its rail services are ¡§flat
 out¡¨.

¡P              Daily Terrorgraph reports that CityRail passengers no longer bother to buy tickets.
SRA spokesman denies this, but admits computer reports of ticket sales have been delayed.

¡P              Transport Minister announces creation of new Rail Fencing Authority, appoints former
MP as chairman. ¡§A new and positive initiative, which is part of our full commitment to Rail
 Safety¡¨. All CityRail sites will be surrounded with razor wire to stop children straying.

¡P              RAC / RSA plan Easter shutdowns to remove redundant crossovers at Strathfield and
re-rail on Cowan Bank. All services to be diverted via Bankstown or replaced by buses. ¡§Removal of
the old crossovers from the steam days will substantially reduce maintenance costs and enhance rail
safety¡¨, a CityRail spokesman added.

¡P              Chaos as all underground stations closed without notice at 11:00 AEDT on Tuesday 29
February. A CityRail spokesman afterwards announces this was an "Olympics Security Exercise".
Minister denies any connection with Y2K. Opposition Leader calls for full and exhaustive enquiry.
Town Hall barrier indicators removed.



MARCH

¡P              Energy Minister re-releases government¡¦s ¡§Green Power¡¨ initiatives (¡§tilting at
windmills¡¨). Daily Terrorgraph runs story based on interviews with drivers ¡§too frightened to give
their names¡¨ about under-utilised 86 class locomotives.  Transport Minister announces full and
wide-ranging enquiry.

¡P              Premier announces that CityRail travel will be free until Easter, because of
unforseen maintenance difficulties with the ticketing system. Opposition Transport spokesman says
this is unfair to people who don¡¦t travel by train. aus.rail contributors debate this equity issue.

¡P              ¡¥K¡¦ set passes signal at danger at Wollstonecraft. No damage. No injuries. TV crew
making low-budget drama to be called ¡¥Day of the Geraniums¡¦ films event and it leads the Channel
10 News? Rail Unions attack SRA over lack of training for crews. Alan Jones calls for Royal
Commission into Rail Safety. aus.rail posters argue about the set number at the rear of the train.

¡P              Sydney - Melbourne XPTs reported booked out from August to October. SRA says ¡§a
good commercial result¡¨. New Opposition Leader says government ¡§denying pensioners access to the
¡¥People¡¦s Olympics¡¦¡¨. Olympics Minister promises ¡§Pensioner Buses¡¨. ORTA begins buying up
ex-Sydney double-deck buses and planning Wagga - Homebush Bay shuttle of pensioner buses.

¡P              ORTA announces that 300 buses will be on standby at Olympic Park in case there is a
derailment during the Easter Show.

APRIL

¡P              New Airport rail line has final tests. Introduction of service delayed until after
the Easter Show.

¡P              FreightCorp issues press release highlighting modern ready power fleet and
describing 86 class electrics as ¡§antiquated¡¨, pointing out that they had been running ¡§since the
old red rattlers were in service¡¨. Press kit includes a photo of an 85 and a garratt on a tour.

¡P              The only two passengers on the Good Friday overnight Explorer to Moree find that
their seat is double-booked. As they are both aus.rail contributors they conduct their argument
through this newsgroup rather than in person.

¡P              Strathfield shutdown is modified to allow Easter Show trains to run on Main Line.
CityRail has difficulties with disobedient City - Strathfield - Lidcombe passengers sneaking onto
Show trains instead of meekly catching their buses. Several customers are arrested and interrogated
after failing to alight from trains at Olympic Park. They were able to explain that the train had
been indicated at Sydney ¡§Steam Platforms¡¨ as ¡§Blacktown¡¨.

¡P              The Main North shutdown carries Newcastle passengers by train to Ashfield, by bus to
Rhodes, by train to Berowra, by bus to Woy Woy, by train to Newcastle (and by boat to Wondabyne).
Direct Sydney - Woy Woy bus service not possible due to ORTA Easter Show hiring of every possible
bus. Opposition Leader claims this is ¡§torture inflicted on the voters by an uncaring and
out-of-touch government¡¨. SRA states that maintenance is essential to rail safety. Olympics
Minister and Transport Minister begin public feud over bus priorities.

¡P              Easter Show train delayed 90 minutes at Olympic Park due to PMT. Relief driver moves
train, but is placed on leave and counselled for his lack of commitment to EEO principles. Standby
buses continue to wait for a derailment. aus.rail contributors exchange many notes on what the
relief driver said, or might have said, or should have said.

MAY

¡P              New Airport rail line ready. Introduction of service delayed due to timetable
printing problems. New Opposition Transport spokesman calls for outsourcing of printing.

¡P              Train hauled by 3801 misrouted at Turrella. Due to approach locking, sent through
via Airport as first passenger train on the line. aus.rail posting brings a reply from Victoria
claiming that this is totally uninteresting, and another 73 saying ¡§me too!¡¨.   All replies
include the full text of the original message.

¡P              ¡¥V¡¦ set with defective power car stalls in heavy morning rain on Cowan Bank
(coincidentally on the 10th anniversary of another Cowan Bank event). Guard protects rear of train.
No damage. No injuries. No sand on the track. Just gradient altered to 1 in 25 during the shutdown.
Rail Unions call for Royal Commission into Rail Safety (and job preservation). ¡§A Current Affair¡¨
runs lots of 3801 footage, describing the train shown as ¡§an old red rattler¡¨. Daily Terrorgraph
reports that a passenger must have applied a handbrake.

¡P              As part of ¡§equal employment opportunity¡¨, CityRail opens child-care centre at
Central Sydney for the children of female train drivers. After lengthy discussion of
post-discrimination issues, the centre is available only for female children and children of
alternative genders.

¡P              FreightCorp loses Sydney / Blayney / Manildra freight to LVR / Westrail consortium.
Motive power shortage eased. Road freight to Wagga and Albury commences. aus.rail posters speculate
on the likely use of 5917 and 3050 and the possible return of 6042 to LVR hands.

¡P              More details released of Olympics train services. Due to track capacity limits,
trains from Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong will terminate at North Sydney, Fairfield
and Hurstville (and possibly at Rydalmere).

¡P              Transport Minister announces formation of new Rail Electricity Corporation, which
will take over the 86 class locomotives and seek ¡§hook and haul¡¨ contracts. Reported that
¡§hundreds of jobs will be created in the Hunter¡¨ by maintaining the locos at Cardiff. Green Power
will be used.

JUNE

¡P              New Airport rail line ready. Introduction of service delayed due to lack of
qualified drivers. Rail Unions attack SRA over lack of training for crews, call for Royal Commission
into Rail Safety (and job preservation).

¡P              FreightCorp loses Sydney / Grafton freight to QR / NRR consortium. Starts road
express service to Tamworth. Spokeswoman declines to comment on suggestion that surplus locos could
be sold to new operators.

¡P              SOCOG, enjoying budgetary difficulties, queries why it should pay SRA for train
travel (included in Olympics tickets) if all train travel is still free.  Premier settles feud
between ministers, and announces new initiatives being considered to collect fares ¡§after the
Olympics¡¨.

¡P              Sydney - Melbourne XPTs found to be double-booked for August through October as
computer had sold all seats for 1900 as well as 2000. Opposition Olympics spokeswoman demands public
ballot for seats. SRA promises full and wide-ranging enquiry. Premier announces that all bookings
will be honoured. aus.rail posters compose dozens of alternative XPT schedules, many using imported
Virgin HSTs as well as Bluebird cars.

¡P              Central West XPT now regularly runs with one XP, assisted by an 86 between Sydney
and Lithgow. ¡§A positive expression of the Government's commitment to Green Energy initiatives",
the Premier said. aus.rail posting notes that the new ¡§REC¡¨ logo on the front has been changed to
¡§wRECk¡¨.

JULY

¡P              Enquiry / Inquest into Glenwood collision completes hearings. Transport Minister
declines to speculate on findings. ¡§Sixty Minutes¡¨ digs out archive film of 1969 Violet Town
collision and interviews survivors' grandchildren. Daily Terrorgraph calls for ¡§Red Light Cameras¡¨
at railway signals.

¡P              More details released of reduced Olympics train services. Olympics Minister attacks
Rail Unions over obstinate attitude to 20-hour shifts, threatens Royal Commission into Rail Safety
and job feather-bedding.

¡P              Premier and Transport Minister announce loco-hauled InterCapital Daylight and Sprit
of Progress services for August. Cars hired include some from museums, from WCR and Steamrail (BKs),
GSR and Hillside. Praises assistance from Vic. Labor Govt. Postings to aus.rail claiming SteamRail
¡¥E¡¦ and ¡¥W¡¦ cars should be used. After 86 class events, FreightCorp not expected to provide
motive power.

¡P              RAC, NR and other operators finalise plans for Olympics freight service. Melbourne -
Brisbane trains via Narromine / Binnaway. Sydney ¡V Brisbane traffic will be one NR/QR train, up to
4 Km long, leaving Enfield for Broadmeadow at 3 am daily.

¡P              New Airport rail line ready. Introduction of service delayed by lack of rolling
stock. Transport Minister attacks predecessor for lack of ¡§Millennium Trains¡¨. Later revises this
to previous Liberal Minister.

AUGUST

¡P              Rugby League Grand Final is final ¡§Olympics Transport Test¡¨. Following the total
loss of power for signals and traction at Petersham, it takes four hours to carry the city-bound
crowd via Enfield and Canterbury. Trains trapped between Flemington and Ashfield sent to the city
via Hornsby. Passengers on trains trapped between Newtown and Ashfield suffer severe lacerations
from razor wire. Opposition Leader calls for ¡§urgent action to remedy this latest Olympics
 blunder¡¨ and replacement of Olympics Minister. Premier announces next day that overhead wires have
been transferred from RAC to Rail Electricity Corporation, apologises to St. George supporters for
sending them non-stop through Sydenham to the city.

¡P              Hillside 4D set enters service in Sydney, based at Waterfall to minimise crew
training costs.

¡P              Inaugural SS4A ¡§Spirit of Progress¡¨ arrives ¡§Central Sydney Terminal¡¨ with
R766+GM27 leading SteamRail BK¡¦s and ARHS FS¡¦s. Return working as L65 hauled by 4201+4833.

¡P              New Airport rail line ready. National Party leader says ¡§another case of money
being wasted in Sydney on the Olympics when it should have been spent in the bush¡¨ and calls for an
Airport Rail Link at Wilcannia. aus.rail contributors debate preferred route from Nyngan and
advisability of lift-span bridge at Wilcannia. misc.transport.urban-transit contributors debate
light rail and equity issues for indigenous people until they learn that Wilcannia is neither urban
nor in the USA.



THE OLYMPIC MONTH

¡P              New Airport rail line opened by Premier in time for Olympics. As with the East
Hills - Glenfield line 14 years earlier, initial service is three trains per day worked by ¡§W¡¨
sets.

¡P              Down Penrith train (2DDL+6DDC) catches fire in Platform 8 at Strathfield due to
removal of crossovers at Sydney end, following trains on the Down Local are delayed for four hours
so as not to inconvenience Olympics passengers.

¡P              Clyde Engineering is awarded a contract to repaint all the REC 86 class locomotives
green.

¡P              Melbourne 4D set sent to Olympic Park with a Waterfall crew. Delayed 2 hours at
Flemington waiting for relief qualified crew. New crew decline to work train fitted for DOO working.
Train sent forward empty to MainTrain. Rail Unions attack SRA over lack of training for crews, call
for Royal Commission into Rail Safety (and job preservation).

¡P              FreightCorp loses most Sydney / Albury freight to SteamRail / ASR consortium.
Welcomes opportunity to retire obsolete locomotives.  Commences road haulage of coal from Pelton
¡§due to track condition¡¨. Meanwhile, Westrail and QR both commence Hunter Valley coal contracts.

¡P              4Km-long Brisbane - Enfield freight misrouted at Flemington Goods Junctions to run
to Olympic Park at 3 am. Returning to Flemington, the train is blocked by its own tail. Train
removed in sections and line re-opened to passengers by noon.

¡P              aus.rail thread alleging duplicate car number C3050 seen on Carlingford line.

¡P              Transport Minister announces vast boost to post-Olympic employment through new
vacancies for 500 booking clerks and 500 barrier attendants. New Opposition Leader attacks this as
¡§blatant pork-barrelling for your union mates¡¨. Some aus.rail contributors are very upset to see
the pay rates for booking clerks posted in this newsgroup.

OCTOBER

¡P              Regular through Campbelltown - Wolli Creek - Airport ¡V ¡§Sydney ¡V Eddy Ave.¡¨
services finally commence. Trains terminate at platforms 21/23 to allow use of a dedicated fleet of
modified 'R' sets with additional luggage space in their Tulloch trailers.

¡P              Report of Inquiry / Inquest into Glenwood collision handed to Premier.

¡P              Sydney Middleclass Herald runs a piece on the noise made by freights between Epping
and Beecroft. ¡§While the Olympics were on the goods trains were cancelled, and we actually got a
good night¡¦s sleep¡¨ said one resident. John Laws reads this out with a comment about
¡§silver-tailed whingers led by Alan Jones¡¨. Next day, the Energy Minister re-releases government's
¡§Green Power¡¨ initiatives, announcing a virtual ban on diesel locomotives hauling loads between
West Ryde and Hornsby. Rail Electricity Corporation said to have locomotives available.

¡P              Paralympics conclude successfully on 29 October. Transport minister announces that
as ¡§customer service must come first¡¨, train guards will be abolished from 4 December with
redeployment to booking clerk / SA positions an alternative to redundancy. ¡§A guard on every
platform will enhance rail safety¡¨, he added. New Opposition leader claims ¡§reintroduction of
train fares is an unconscionable grab in the taxpayer¡¦s pocket from a bankrupt government¡¨.

¡P              Initial response from Rail Unions is a claim that redundancy payments for female
guards should be based on at least ten years¡¦ service as shorter actual service period was due to
previous entrenched discrimination.

NOVEMBER

¡P              Opposition Leader demands release of Glenwood report. Premier claims matters
disclosed could become sub judice. Channel 10 delays release of ¡§Day of the Geraniums¡¨. Daily
Terrorgraph speculates that the InterCity driver may have been kidnapped by aliens. aus.rail
postings speculate that the entire train may have been kidnapped by aliens.

¡P              Rail Unions question future of non-union Chubb security guards on trains if there
are no train guards. Minister reviews position. Announces Judo classes for female train guards.
State Rail obtains exemption under the Anti-Discrimination Act for this distinction.

¡P              Public timetables finally issued for Campbelltown - Airport - "Sydney Rail
 Terminal¡¨; mistakenly show ¡§Redfern¡¨ instead of ¡§Green Square¡¨.

DECEMBER

¡P              ex-Melbourne 4D still at MainTrain. Hillside declines offer to send it back.

¡P              LVR reported to be overhauling 6042 for non-diesel service to Hornsby. R700+R761
noted departing Hornsby on southbound freight.

¡P              Official last FreightCorp train runs from Drayton Colliery to Port Waratah with
consecutively numbered 48154 to 48165. ¡§Ready Power¡¨ units returned to Clyde; other locomotives
will be cut up by FreightCorp to prevent scrap dealers re-selling them to competitors.

¡P              Unemployed ex-Chubb Security Guards successfully picket Wynyard station for a day.
New Opposition Leader says ¡§government must do something about law and order on our railways¡¨ and
calls for CityRail staff to be armed. Minister announces pistol-shooting courses for female train
guards.

¡P              NSW Rail Transport Museum December Newsletter includes entire text of Luke Ch. 1 as
1999¡¦s contribution about ¡§our Saviour Jesus Christ who came and gave his life to take away the
inherited and committed sins of the world¡¨ had not resulted in 3526¡¦s return to service.

¡P              New Transport Minister announces that CityRail Sectors 1, 2 and 3 will henceforth be
known as ¡§Seaside Trains¡¨, ¡§Riverside Trains¡¨ and ¡§Mountainside Trains¡¨. Citing success of
this structure under Vic. Labor government, announces auction for 1 April 2001.



Happy New Year!



Bill :-)