Re: [NSW] RSA takes two weeks to repair broken points on CityRail line

["Sam Eades" <seades@bigpond.net.au>]

David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
3A68D478.D6094822@ozemail.com.au">news:3A68D478.D6094822@ozemail.com.au...

> > Come-on RSA/SRA (or whatever the recombined-devolved relevant authority
> > is now called), you can do better than that!!!
>
> Unfortunately, they can't go and buy a set of Peco points over the
counter.
> Every set of points is different, and new parts have to be manufactured
> individually.

At Greensborough station, we have had 2 instances recently where points have
been completly destroyed:
1. A Hi-Rail ran through a set of mechanical points in the middle of the
night, completly destroying both blades, several sleepers and most of the
rodding. This was fixed within 6 hours.
2. A train derailed on a set of double ended, electro-hydraulic points,
ripping out a blade and running over one of the point motors. It also
smashed several sleepers and damaged another rail. This was on a Sunday
afternoon and trains were running again the next morning.

Now I doubt that Alstom are using any special magical techniques on their
repair work, but it is a bit quicker than 2 weeks! I think that there is no
real incentive for RSA/SRA to get the points fixed as the Carlingford line
seems to be the joke of the Cityrail system (well from a Mexican's POV
anyway). Perhaps if Cityrail were fined for poor service/no service (like
the wonderful Victorian method) we would se some improvements!! I am now
donning my flame proof suit before I say: Perhaps what Cityrail needs, is a
good dose of privitisation!

Sam