Re: CityRail...

[Robert Prentice <c9605190@alinga.newcastle.edu.au>]

On Tue, 9 Jun 1998, Albert Alcoceba wrote:
> 
> Why do you have to show the attendants at Hamilton the ticket at all?
> Can't you just change trains without having to show the ticket until
> you get to Warrabrook?
> 

Hamilton Station is just on the Newcastle end of the main junction between
the Sydney, Northern, and Newcastle lines. So when you get off a train
heading inward to Newcastle (to change lines), you are on platform 2, and
have to walk over to platform 1 for the outbound Maitland services (oh how
we love those old motorails!) This line change at Hamilton has been the
case since time begun, so the station attendants collect/check tickets 
before you leave one platform for the other.

The same thing happens going the other way, when dozens of people pile off
Hunter Line trains and over the footbridge for Central Coast/Sydney
trains.

And its in CityRails best interest to check tickets here I suppose,
because Warrabrook is unattended as well!

Luckily there's a proper ATVM at Warrabrook where I can actually get
change going back..there's no looking for the right change as is the case
with the Authority to Travel machines. I've seen many people (myself
included) trying in vain to get the Authority machines to accept coins
while trains are pulling up at the platform!

I just can't help thinking that Newcastle misses out on CityRail funding
for stations and services.