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

[Railway Rasputin <bob@fastlink.com.au>]

C. Dewick wrote:

> 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.

Pay that one.
If you are reffering to BUFF.
He has changed his name and tried getting back on as a Guard but was caught when someone
reconised him at Petersham.

rgds