Re: BlueBirds

["Roderick Smith" <rodsmith@werple.net.au>]

A reader has sent me a tif of a cutting from 11.3.99 Baw Baw Shire and West
Gippsland Trader, which I have put through my ocr:

Diesel trains will not operate until service is guaranteed

Diesel trains will not be allowed to be reintroduced to train
services on the Warragul line until all problems are
rectified.  Member for Narracan Florian Andrighetto said
Transport Minister Robin Cooper had made it "absolutely clear
(to VLine) that the diesel trains are not permitted to start
until he gets a written agreement that all problems have been
rectified and they are not allowed to start until then".  Mr
Andrighetto said the service was still running to schedule
with the operation of Sprinter trains that replaced the
refurbished Bluebird diesel train when it broke down on its
first day of service on December 6 [Mon.7.12].  At the time of
the timetable and service changes a furore erupted among daily
commuters particularly from the Bunyip, Garfield and Tynong
areas.  Mr Andrighetto mid he had not been contacted with any
complaints since then.  "I assume had they not been happy I
would have received extra calls. The only comments (that have
been made are that the extra services in the middle of day
have provided flexibility to and from Melbourne", he said.  Mr
Andrighetto said he knew VLine had been working as hard as it
could to ensure the best possible service was delivered to
commuters.  "I know VLine obviously are very embarrassed.  But
the minister was more than embarrassed, he was downright
angry.  We hope the new refurbished trains will be back in
service as soon as possible", Mr Andrighetto said.  Two months
ago VLine ruled out the possibility of Sprinter trains
replacing the inoperable diesel rail cars on the
Warragul/Pakenham line on a permanent basis.  But three months
after the 1950s refurbished diesel rail cars were scheduled to
replace electric trains on the line, test are continuing
before the diesel trains will be reintroduced.  VLine business
development manager Greig Wilson said today that unfortunately
testing was continuing and no results had indicated when the
diesel trains would return to the tracks.  "We are putting
them through very vigorous testing which is taking longer than
envisaged", he said.  Mr Wilson said until all results proved
there were no problems, VLine would continue with the tests
and the service would remain as is until the problem was
resolved.  Mr Wilson said it was too hard to say at this stage
if the diesel trains would ever return to the railway line. 
The first diesel rail car broke down on its first day of
operation, throwing the new service into temporary chaos as
commuters, many of whom had complained of the changeover, were
left stranded waiting for an alternative service.  Tests found
a defective transmission in the diesel railcars, and this had
been replaced.

-- 
Regards
Roderick Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor