One Saturday in Melbourne

[jdennis@acslink.net.au]

Hi all,

I took my kids to the football today, catching a train from Mitcham.
Fortunately the station attendant was able to change my $20 note, because that
was all I had and the ticket machines won't give change of more than $10.

Crossing the platform 2 due to the trackworks at Ringwood I was immdeiately
impressed by the ease of platform access.  The train had just
arrived,coinciding with a bus form further east, and watching those trying to
get off the platform meet those trying to get onto the platform through the
bi-directional gates was entertaining.

>From Box Hill onwards we are on three track territory, and I was astounded to
see the quantity of greenery growing between the rails on the northern-most
track.  Not just grass, but quite thick weeds, and sometimes twice as high as
the rails.   I was always under the impression that weeds don't do the ballast
too much good, as the roots disturb the ballast.

At Richmond getting out of the station was interesting too.  One of the
attendants was actually blocking a gateway whilst checking tickets in an
adjacent, open gate.  The time it took him to read our tickets probably was
slower than using the machines themselves.

After the game naturally the gates were open, and the ticket inspection barely
cursory.

Considering these automatic barriers are (to ther best of my knowledge) only
used during sporting event, but when a sporting event is on they leave them
open presumably because they can't cope with the crowds, you must wonder why
have them there at all?

Incidentally, with fares of $14 and carparking at the MCG of $5, and trains
which wait for ten minutes at Richmod before departing, with carriages having
every seat slashed, I now remember why last time I went by train I said "never
again".

JD

John Dennis
Home of the Dutton Bay Tramway
http://www.acslink.net.au/~jdennis/dbt.html

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