Re: [NSW, Ci-tyra-il]Odd observations, Sat. 27 May

[David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au>]

Gnome 412 wrote:

> The Up and Down Illawarra lines were closed between Hurstville and Sydenham,
> so the Wolli Creek Interchange was out of action after six days' use.  A
> home-made poster at Kogarah suggested changing at Central for the Airport
> (eminently sensible!).  The official poster at Redfern advised of a bus
> service between Sydenham and Wolli Creek.  I suspect that passengers from
> Redfern, Sydenham and Tempe for the airport could have been transported to
> Turrella by East Hills and Macarthur trains much more simply.  I suspect
> that a bus over the short distance from Wolli Creek to ARNCLIFFE would have
> been welcomed by any unsuspecting airport to Illawarra travellers.  This
> shutdown was not mentioned at http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/upgrading or in
> the printed track maintenance posters.
>

Perhaps they forgot that Wolli Creek was done on the cheap and there were no
platforms on the Illawarra Locals?

>
> The Up and Down Main lines were closed between Illawarra Junction and Wells
> Street to allow reinstallation of the junction with the Up Eveleigh Engine
> Dive (or is it now properly the Bi-Di Eveleigh empty train dive?).

Not Bi-Di.   It is still the Eveleigh Engine Dive.  It is worked under yard
working conditions with two-way running.

> Finally, a small delay which illustrates all the problems of communication
> within the CityRail operation and the various reactions of customers.  The
> nominal 4.40 pm from Bondi Junction to Waterfall was about 10 minutes late
> from Central.  The front car was closed off due to graffiti covering lower
> deck windows.  The train stopped at Rockdale for 15 minutes while the driver
> investigated a minor defect and conferred with "Defects".  The guard made
> appropriate announcements.  Some passengers alighted and left the station.
> Some passengers complained to the guard that he should have a better idea of
> how long the train would be delayed.  After 12 minutes at Rockdale the ASM
> (or whatever they're called now) arrived on the platform to get the run
> number for his report.  The train left Rockdale 27 minutes late.

The cause:  Someone broke into the rear crew compartment and pulled the
emergency tap.  The driver didn't realise this was the cause until an off duty
guard going home noticed it.

> BTW, what's the correct pronunciation of Wolli Creek?  I've always heard it
> as "wool eye".  The DVA machines seem to think it's "woll (as in knoll)
> eye".  Some of the human announcers make it "woll ee (as in lolly)".  TIA.

Woll-eye



--
David Johnson
trainman@ozemail.com.au
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~trainman/
------------------------------------
These comments are made in a private
capacity and do not represent the
official view of State Rail.
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