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Re: XPT failed again




Bob wrote in message <34C0B1BF.954103A1@fastlink.com.au>...

>  I hear an XPT was assisted up Cowan bank the other day by the XPT shunter
7301.
>By the top of the bank the 73 was boiling its head off. What sort of a
service
>have we been downgraded to when a 600hp shunting engine is sent out to
assist an
>express passenger train. It would appear that XPT failures are now a daily
>occurance. Bring back the loco hauled sets!
>                                                    Bob
You only have it half right. Yeah the poor old 73 did end up overheating on
the bank, but the working XP assisted it up the hill and home. Where you
question the  "service" you are just plain wrong. This was no service. It
was an MT car movement from Gosfod to Meeks Road. The service was terminated
at Gosford, by the driver because the 1 XP running was considered weak and
would not have made the River bank. The passengers were detrained and and
forwarded to Sydney by City Rail without an excessive delay. The use of the
73 seems very sensible to me as it cost Countrylink nothing except for fuel.
There was no need for extra crew to be hired as the shed men did the job.
There was no hurry for the faulty engine to be returned because a spare was
on hand ready to go onto to the set when it arrived at Meeks Road. XPT
failures are regular of late, maybe you should direct your criticism towards
the government of this state for constantly cutting budgets to SRA who then
disproportionately cut Countrlink's budget, whilst introducing more City
Rail Services.

Cheers
Rex


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