Blue Mts services

["Stephen Fogarty" <foggys@spambait.dingoblue.net.au>]

Operating as a Katoomba cabbie that sometimes picks up fares from Springwood
rail @ 3.05AM, I have often wondered why CitySnail - ooooppss - CityRail
does not run that service all the way thru to Katoomba at least, or more
logically Mt Victoria.

Mind you I quite like the idea of a $67.00 fare at 3.00AM, especially on
quiet week nights, but I was wondering exactly how much it would cost to run
that Service all the way thru. In my way of thinking actual wage costs would
have to be fairly similar given that CityRail Guards & Drivers would be paid
for a minimum of 8 hours work,  irrespective of how many hours they actually
do work, assuming that they would work less than this on that run. Reality
says that apart from that run, there would not be all that much they could
do given that drivers are restricted to certain areas of operation.

Should this service continue to Mt Vic.it could then allow the 3.50AM
Springwood Train to run from Mt Victoria as well, providing a better service
to people of the upper Mts. I say this knowing that it would cost me some $$
as we do carry a lot of east bound fares after a "good night out" in
Katoomba pubs 'n'  clubs!!! I feel that there would be virtually no impact
on rolling stock, as afterall, this train terminating at Mt Victoria would
replace the train that forms the extension to the existing Springwood
Service.

What exactly are the real costs of running such a service as opposed to the
"paper" costs? Is this viable or not?

As a newbie poster to this newsgroup, I'd appreciate any comments.

Regards,

Stephen