Re: Let's Go Adventuring with CityRail

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

David & Julie Donald wrote in message <384F84FF.95670B20@hermes.net.au>...
>WHAT A MISTAKE !!
There's a not-entirely accurate story at
http://www.smh.com.au/news/9912/10/national/national10.html

"A lightning strike on a signal box brought peak-hour chaos to CityRail's
two busiest lines yesterday, stranding or delaying 260,000 commuters for up
to 3 hours."

"All trains operating in both directions between Granville and Penrith on
the Western line were halted for 90 minutes. From 4.30pm to 6.30pm, the
Western line carried half its normal traffic - 12 trains an hour instead of
24 - in both directions. They were controlled by ''flagmen'' using radios.

"All trains operating in both directions between Granville and Cabramatta on
the South-Western line were halted until 6.30pm when the lightning strike
also cut electricity to the overhead lines which power the trains. CityRail
ran buses between the stations.

"Full services were restored on both lines at 6.30pm, but with tens of
thousands of passengers banked up, CityRail said it would be midnight before
trains were running on schedule."

My observations came from planning a brief rail trip from Toongabbie to
Doonside and return so as to see what's involved in "A whole lot of flag
waving going on....." (separate post).

Driving from the city, I encountered a severe thunderstorm at Ashfield at 3
pm, and wondered whether I should have taken a train.

Toongabbie 4.10 pm: Trains were running regularly on the Up Suburban.  Since
there was an announcement that 'the next train has just left
Wentworthville', I should have realised that there was a delay.

Blacktown 4 pm to 5 pm: Down trains at 4.25 (T set on the Suburban, all to
Penrith), 4.48 (C set on the Main, all to St Marys), 5.15, 5.28.  None of
these was unusually crowded, perhaps indicating that they had left the city
much earlier.

Up trains at 4.30, 4.45, then 5.15 (the return of the 4.25 down).

Driving from Toongabbie to Granville: At least two down trains passed near
Westmead.  The train that left Blacktown at 5.15 was blocked at
Wentworthville.

Granville 6.05 pm to 6.30.

Flagpersons at signals.  About four very full down Penrith trains in this
period (two on the main and two on the suburban).  WL-1 Indian Pacific
crawled through at 6.07 (170' late?).  The train that left Blacktown at 5.15
was outside Granville box at 6.02 and at the station 6.17/6.25.  The
following up West train was a 'G' set on the Main at 6.17.

Buses were moving passengers for stations Merrylands to Canley Vale quite
effectively.  Different buses (Rover Motors, Cessnock!) for the West Line
shutdown from 7.30 pm were having difficulty finding parking space.  The
number of cars in the car park suggested that a lot of commuters were still
to come.

Lidcombe 6.45 to 7.0.

South line trains running regularly via Regents Park.  A few up West trains.
No down West train at all (which meant no transport to Granville for
Merrylands passengers).  Around 7.0 pm, it was announced with great apology
that there might be a Penrith train in around 15 minutes.  A few confused
passengers waiting outside for the bus to Merrylands.

>From all this, my impression is that from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, the Western line
carried half its normal traffic - *6* trains an hour instead of *12*,
constrained by cautious flag signalling at failed signals at Granville.
It's a slight exaggeration to say that full services were restored on both
lines at 6.30pm.

I wonder whether the West shutdown started on time at 7.30, or whether
Penrith passengers who left Wynyard after 5 pm eventually got home?

Rgds

Bill