CityRail Problems 13/12

["Robert Parnell" <rparnell@netspace.net.au>]

CityRail don't have much luck when sheduled track work is in place. This
morning an overhead wiring problem at Seven Hills caused total chaos at
Blacktown, combined with the close down of both down tracks and the
Richmond line. Up trains are running via the up suburban (normal), and down
trains via the up main between Granville and Blacktown! (very rare, first
time?)  
(track layout looking towards Sydney for those unfamiliar: 
Up Main, Up Sub., Down Sub., Down Main)
A city service became temporarily "trapped" at Blacktown Plat #4 (Up Sub)
as it was unable to proceed, due to the trouble at Seven Hills. Buses were
ordered, and this train was to return to Penrith. The only problem was that
the signalling arrangement does not allow trains from this platform to
travel beyond the platform in the down direction (fixed signal at stop). It
could have normally shunted forward and crossed to the up main (plat 3) to
travel back to Penrith (which signalling is in place to do so), but the
track work prevented this. To overcome the problem (about 40 mins later)
the train was flagged past the signal, and back to the down sub. to
Penrith. 

It is understandable that passengers get upset, but they expect buses to be
provided instantly there is a problem with the trains. After the first few
buses took off, the problem at Seven Hills was corrected, and the first up
train arrived (crowded). A stampede of hundreds of passengers from the bus
stop to the platform took place, then things slowly began to run again. At
least they are running all 8 car sets. I'm glad I'm not a station
attendant, who has to cop abuse from dozens of irate passengers who don't
realise that things sometimes go wrong and substitute services take time to
be put in place. 
-- 
Robert Parnell
SRA-Railcom Technician, Electronics Enthusiast,
Lachlan Valley Railway member,  NSW HO scale modeller
e-mail:<rparnell@netspace.net.au>