I am not sure how to describe them or I can not remember what part of
Australia they came from, But they are singe story (Unlike the two story
one's they have in Sydney) The main feature is they have a supid "U" bar
that hung down from the roof at each side of the door, If I had my way I
would off set them to one side (just enough) as they look a pain each time
the train conductor walks past them, one day a saw a conductor wack in to it
as the train went over a uneven part of the track. (or were the track join)
They also have at each door a control box mounted at roof high, Each box has
a Key switch, light, press button & a buzzer. after each station visit a
conductor reaches up to put in their key, then press the switch a couple of
times, this must tell the driver the train is ready to go. I myself like the
old train whistle the conductors use to blow. As the hight of the control
box would cause the railways not too employ "dwarf conductors" unless they
were issued with step ladders to carry around.
As a passenger of the railways before these new trains came, I liked the old
locomotive drawn carriages, Why! sometimes the new ones can be real noisy, a
couple of weeks ago I was in one and I most say, I am glad I did not have a
artificial leg the dam thing what of shook apart in minutes, from the
vibration off the floor. The drivers of locomotives have to wear Ear Muffs,
as for these trains I think the conductors should issue (available on
request) cotton wool for the ears of passengers. When the "old train used to
stop, they was less noisy then what you would get in a library.
Any way to bring to the point of this story, last Thursday the 12th. I was
on the 6.15pm train from Auckland to Papakura, about a third of the way
along the trip I noticed the conductors was having problems with that
control box, the buzzer took control and would not shut up. Just after the
train left a station called Homai the train ground to a halt and refused to
move until it was push by a locomotive.
The train got to the end of the trip Papakura, But unfortunately the story
did not end, Passengers were handing the Driver all types of abuse (Just as
if it was his fault he stop the train) I could not help feel sorry for the
driver, So when I got home I rang the Newspaper "New Zealand Herald" as
soon as I told the reporter the train failed he hung up on me, So I rang
back only to be put on a answer machine, OK there is something funny going
on here (and I am not laughing) So I waited a few minutes and rang back with
a different approach, this time I get some one else who listened to me, but
he did not find the story interesting (feeling sorry for the drivers)
I can not help thinking afterwards, if I had of got the second reporter the
first time, I would not have thought any more about my call to the newspaper
or about the train breaking down, But why did the first reporter hung up on
me & why did I get a answer machine the second time I rang back. COULD IT
BE THAT NEW ZEALAND HERALD IS GETTING SICK OF PEOPLE RINGING IN TO SAY "THE
TRAINS HAVE BROKEN DOWN?" or is there even more to it than that ?
>From Eric Richards