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

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

Now that you've chosen to put things on adult interactive level, I
wholeheartedly agree that there are many differences between the two systems
and nothing as far as transit is concerned can be lifted out of one area and
directly placed into another.

Secondly I am not an economic rationalist and believe very strongly that not
everything in our society should be looked at in dollar terms.  In Perth
when I was on the rail electrification project as a senior manager, the
Labour Government issued an ultimatum.  We were required in the first
instance to develop a rail electrification plan whereby the operating costs
had to match those of a busway.  We did that but we also astutely costed
options.  No different to buying a car.  You want extras we'll give you
extras but you pay.  From our bare bones plan we progressively built up the
standard of trains, stations and facilities that are the equal of anywhere
in the country and 8 years down the track we still have rail industry people
arriving to check the system out.

I'm delighted as our traffic grows to say that we have increased staff year
after year in areas such as customer service, security and drivers.  Former
train guards now move on and off trains providing services for people with
disabilities, the elderly and so on.  To a tee they say they would never
want to go back to being a fixture on a train like they were before.  There
was resisted because in the past no train could run without a guard and that
in their eyes meant job security.

In 8 years with more customer service people than there ever were guards
they have got closer to their customers than they ever did in the past.
That's no advert it is just fact.  In regard to congestion on platforms we
have situations even in Perth where their can be several thousand people on
platforms especially on the northern suburbs line.  Visibility does not seem
to be impaired to the driver, because his view is carefully limited to an
area along the length of his train and not some sort of landscape view.  As
doors are about to close there is both a warning gone as well as an audio
announcement that are interlinked to  the operation of the doors.

Even with very high percentages of casual travellers compared to Sydney
where there is a very high level of regular customers, people quickly learn
to use the system and understand the door operating system.  One last note.
The delegations of people from City Rail were here for days studying our
system not minutes.  In regard to my knowledge of the Sydney network, it
might surprise you to know that I know it quite well. I was asked at one
stage to spend time riding the network and provide feedback on a range of
operational, design, and customer service aspects.

--
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.
>
>