Re: Out of Gauge Suburban EMU's in Sydney (Was DOO In Sydney)

["Graeme" <gvrail@thatsent.com.au>]

Contrary  to what you might think I am not an economic rationalist, but most
importantly a railway man through and through who loves railways with a
passion.  We almost lost our entire network in Perth from 1979 with the
closure of the Fremantle Line.  I stuck my neck on the line when I joined
the march in that year to protest the line's closure.  I happened to be
Private Secretary to the Commissioner of Railways at the time and could have
easily jeopardised my career.

In 1986 after being involved on the project team that re-opened the
Fremantle Line in 1983, we were told that the system would only be saved if
we could develop a system that had operating costs similar to those of a
busway.  We developed a plan that was absolutely bare bones.  The Govt
bought it but like buying a new car they asked if we could option it up and
from that point we progressively changed the system into what it is today.
Don't for one moment think that I do not have an appreciation of the size
and complexity of the Sydney system.  I was invited in 1994 to ride it
extensively and to give advice on what I thought could be done to upgrade
the network to suit customers first as well as trying to pull down some high
cost areas.

In Perth I'm very pleased to say that staff numbers in areas of drivers,
customer service officers (formerly guards) and security have grown year by
year as patronage has grown and as additional stations and services have
been added.

Driver only services are just but one way to lower costs, and I would be
first in the queue regards campaigning against measures that reduce service
to passengers.  The former guards we have in the system to day wouldn't
trade their jobs to return back to being solely on trains.  They meet bad
greet customers all over the network not only on platforms and trains but
even in carparks as part of the service to the disabled and elderly.

Yes their will be technical difficulties in regard to DOO, and indeed some
lines or stations may not be suited, but many will.

It came about by being customer driven and I have to say --
Graeme Vellacott
PO Box 322
CANNINGTON 6987
AUSTRALIA
Email:   gvrail@thatsent.com.au
Ph/Fax: +61 8 9451 5630
John <johnst@aics.net.au> wrote in message 382757ef@pink.one.net.au">news:382757ef@pink.one.net.au...
>
> Graeme <gvrail@thatsent.com.au> wrote in message
> 3826ca80$0$5359@motown.iinet.net.au">news:3826ca80$0$5359@motown.iinet.net.au...
> > Very sad that sort of response.  Had we not done the things we did in
> Perth
> > such as driver only operation then we would have had a busway network by
> > now.  It's not about economic rationalism, it's about survival and
> > delivering quality transport services cost effectively.  Driver only
> > operation has worked successfully all over the world and why there
should
> be
> > resistance to establishing it in Sydney is beyond me unless you live in
> the
> > dinosaur age and think that the taxpayer should just go on incurring the
> > horrific debts that inefficiently run public utilities can amass that at
> the
> > end of the day simply end up being axed anyway!!!
> >
> > --
>
>
> Yep, your an economical rationalist and I'm sure John Howard and Peter
Reith
> would be proud of you!
> By the sounds of it you have no idea how complex the rail system is in
> Sydney. Sure, there would be ways of instigating DDO here but at this time
> we are seeing the unnecessary axing of so many station staff jobs so the
> only staff member a passenger sees when on a platform now is the guard.
This
> applies on junction stations and other major stations where every train
> arriving has a different stopping pattern and destination. Not only this
but
> the helping of little old ladies, blind people etc etc etc on and off
trains
> at under staffed stations. The majority of guards in Sydney provide a
> terrific service to the travelling public ( of course there are those who
> don't unfortunately, who need to be weeded out for the sake of efficiency
> and service). Train crewing in Sydney is quite efficient and there
> negotiations under way to make it even more so.
> I don't want to sound abrupt to you but I'm one of those people who are
> saddened by the reduction of "people" contact in our everyday lives due to
> new technology. Call me strange if you like but I even prefer to override
> the computerised voice prompts when I ring a lot of companies because I
> would much prefer to conduct business with a fellow human being than a
> computer!
>
> Regards
> John.
>
>