Re: Trains stuffed

["Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

>From http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/19990709/A32836-1999Jul8.shtml

      A $27 million computer program system for Melbourne's trains is to
replace the ageing system which last
      night left thousands of commuters stranded.

      However, Hillside Trains spokesman Ray Wilson said it would not be
introduced until 2001.

      He said Hillside Trains hoped there would be no repeat of the computer
glitch that stopped 90 per cent of
      Melbourne's trains for over an hour during last night's peak hour.

      "Trains are running smoothly again this morning," he said.

      "We can't guarantee it won't happen again but we've hopeful it won't."

      There was peak hour chaos as thousands of angry train travellers were
stranded on underground stations
      and there was added confusion over which trains were still running.

      Many commuters tried to scramble on trams to reach Flinders Street
station to catch rediverted trains to
      North Melbourne.

      The computer bug which sparked the chaos, struck the metropolitan
train system's Metrol system at
      5.30pm and was sorted out by 6.20pm but commuters still faced further
delays before the system was fully
      operational again.

      "It took two hours for the system to align back to the normal
timetable because trains were out of position."

      The only lines not affected were Frankston and Dandenong.

      Buses couldn't be used to pick up stranded passengers because at peak
hours they are leased out to
      private companies, Mr Wilson said.

      "Hillside Trains and Bayside Trains apologise for an inconvenience
caused to our customers and we will
      do our utmost to ensure it won't happen again," he said.

      Mr Wilson said the Metrol computer system controls trains for the two
corporatised branches of the former
      state government Met system, the Hillside and Bayside.

      It was installed in the 1980s and while there have been a few
glitches, none had caused serious problems,
      he said.


N.