Re: guard/driver training (was: "Olympic Sprint Platform - Lidcombe")

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

In <19990512042815.22658.00001052@ng-cc1.aol.com> markbau1@aol.comQQQQyuk (MarkBau1) writes:

><< > 5 weeks, I could have a newbie 90% of the way to being a good spark driver
>in
>> that time.

>I presume this is on the electric trainset in your lounge room.  Its
>certainly not on the CityRail system >>

>What makes Sydney different to anywhere else? Are the trains more complicated
>to drive?

No, but they are longer, bigger, carry more passengers, and the platforms
are not all straight, and the passengers are not all law-abiding,
well-behaved people.

> 3 months I could turn you out a good spark driver,

Depends on previous experience, etc. For an off-the-street person, you'd be
doing well to take someone with *no* railway experience or knowledge and
make them into a good, *experienced*, driver.

Remembers that the Sydney system is bigger and more diverse than all the
other systems in Australia. This naturally means there is more to *learn* by
experience, not more to be taught.

> perhaps another 6 to learn all the tracks around Sydney.

Learning roads is not difficult, but like I said, nothing operates like the
textbooks say it does... You *cannot* bypass experience as a factor.

>It's not rocket science and perhaps
>unlike you, I have been there, done that, (been a spark driver that is)

>If you are a spark driver I will say its good to be proud and defensive of your
>job but reality rears its ugly head sooner or later.

I'm not defensive of my job because I don't believe it's everyone's right to
have a job - you have to prove you deserve a job, even on the railway.
Otherwise a certain driver who made the front-page of the Sydney newspapers
would still be a driver. 8-)

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
 Send email to craigd@lios.apana.org.au |  Visit my Australian rail transport
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