Re: Guards to Drive During Olympics ?

["Shane Polle" <shanep@amc.aust.com>]

>> There is no way that I want to be working a 9.5 hour shift, with a 20 minute> mealbreak (that's all we get now, plus some walking time which makes the> minimum mealbreak time 32 minutes), and spending up to 4 hours driving one> train without a break (that does not include changing ends at a terminating> station BTW) at the start of the shift, and doing the same thing after my> meal break...sheesh typical aussie griping .. nzr drivers have done those hours for years.....

On the EBR line now under Tas rail, the DO train drives the train to Rosebery, 3 + bit hrs, load, shunt the loco's then back to Burnie, all up about 8hrs. 
Or to Melbia abit further on 4hrs, shunt the empties into place, grab the fulls and head back Burnie. Usually only one other train on the line, so limited traffic, three or four road crossings and rain forest to keep you company. All this at an average 40km/hr. 

At Roseberry I didn't even see the driver stop  the train to eat, so they must eat on the go. 4 hrs on sydney suburban. You would stop every 5 mins. Come on Cityrail, have a go, under privatisation 9.5 hrs could be considered a short shift.