Automatic Fare Collection

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

The AFC in use by CityRail has some strange things as well as Melbourne.
At Blacktown (junction of main Western line and Richmond line) the Richmond
line platforms have been slightly isolated from the main station, when
rebuilt in 1995. To change trains to/from platform 1/2 (Rich. line) to plat
3/4/5/6, you have to leave the "paid area" (the area that you are required
to be in posession of a valid ticket), hike to the main concourse (about
100m along the bridge) then re-enter the paid area. This involves using the
automatic gates twice. At times when trains are cancelled or other reason
to change platform, there is a good change that the gates will capture the
ticket without the user even catching a train!
 I've had an experience where I had to pass through the barrier 5 times to
catch 1 train. I was required to change platforms due to altered running, 
After passing through the first barrier (1st time) to platforms 1/2, an
announcement was made that the train would be now departing from platform 3
in one minute. So back out past the barrier (2nd time) and through the next
one to the main concourse.(3rd time) As I can't walk about a total of 150m
in lightning speed, I just missed the departing train. So back up, out
through the barrier (4th time) to the destination indicators to determine
the next fastest train to the city. It was plat. 4, so back through the
barriers for the 5th time! Lucky I didn't use the automatic barriers at all
(used the staffed manual gate) - I would have been stopped after a couple
of times (its happened before while working at stations). If a paying
passenger had used the auto gates, they would have lost their ticket for
sure!
I bet the consultants who designed this station have never caught a train. 
Is this why the auto gates at Sydney Terminal are often left in the
emergency open position? Why do people with lots of luguage always stand
blocking the manual gate asking questions with train loads of people trying
to get through such a small number of gates?
Robert Parnell
SRA-Railcom Technician, Electronics Enthusiast,
Lachlan Valley Railway member,  NSW HO scale modeller
E-mail:<rparnell@netspace.net.au>