Re: What has become of the 4D?

[David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au>]

Chris Gordon wrote:
> I suppose you could say "it failed to fail" on Friday.

MELBOURNE, Feb 18 AAP - Melbourne private transport operator Bayside
Trains has confirmed that its only double deck train was operating
today.

A spokeman for Bayside Trains, Mr Ordinary Minion, said that despite a
lack of maintenance and an increase in staff apathy, the train was still
running.

"We are disappointed in the successful operation of the train," Mr
Minion said. "We have a high standard of frequent failure, and the this
week's uneventful operation is of great concern to management."

The $12 million train, ordered at great expense by the Kirner
government, had a long history of failure. Bayside Trains assured
passengers that it would maintain the public's high expectation of
failure.

The company had planned to operate the train after a weekend AFL match
in the hope that it would fail at a more inconvenient time for
passengers.

A spokeperson for Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said that Bayside
Trains had given an assurance that the train would not operate properly
again.

Opposition Leader Denis Napthine criticised the government for allow the
situation to happen. "This is typical of the Bracks government", Mr
Napthine said. "If they had not subsidised the purchase of genuine spare
parts from the manufacturer, the train would fail more often."

"It is a serious misuse of public funds," Mr Napthine said.

Mr Minion said that the company had ordered a new supply of imitation
spare parts and hoped the train would be failing normally by early next
week.

AAP dab/ymmv/ihtfp/poq