[NSW]CityRail guessing games, 21 November

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

The approach of CityRail to
* providing clear advice to customers
* scheduling track shutdowns so that a maximum amount of work is done with a
minimum number of shutdowns
* providing adequate replacement for train services
is, IMHO, progressing from a Guessing Game to a total farce.

That universal font of information, issued both as
http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/upgrading/SUM991115-991121.htm and in printed
posters at suburban stations, told us a whole lot of stuff which is appended
below.
Visiting Sydney Central Sunday morning, I read a collection of posters which
ADDED the information
* EAST HILLS LINE COMPLETELY CLOSED - bus from Sydenham to East Hills, bus
from Belmore to East Hills, travel via Granville (earlier deparures?) for
Southern Highlands connections.  No information displayed at Central on how
one would get from East Hills to Glenfield (maybe by train?).
As I worked out later, This was a real trap!  The info is at
http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/upgrading/eh991120-991122.htm but there's no
link from the weekly summary page!
Possibly whoever does the printed posters only looks at the weekly summary!
* WOLLONGONG / DAPTO TRAINS DEPARTING PLATFORM 25 - OK, this is a minor
diversion but it's previously rated a mention in the public information
* BLUE MOUNTAINS TRAINS DEPARTING PLATFORM 18 - OK, this is a minor
diversion.  The 0902h train actually departed Platform 2.

Intercity services were running from Sydney Central ("Intercity Platforms")
to Epping.  But the main indicator directed Newcastle passengers to a bus
service departing Wynyard for Newcastle!

PROVIDING CLEAR ADVICE TO CUSTOMERS isn't working very well.  The idea of a
'weekly summary' that isn't suggests that the posters and internet pages are
pretty window dressing.

I'm a little suspicious about the need to close 145Km of track from Epping
to Newcastle at once.  Other posters have provided details of work at
Normanhurst, Cardiff and Islington.  Epping / Cowan / Gordon has was shut
down for two weekends in October for Hornsby resignalling.  It would seem
more sensible to do civil work such as Normanhurst platform demolition
during one of the signalling shutdowns!

Another thread discusses the Blacktown resignalling, which apparently
requires not only two weekends (same as Hornsby) but also five week days of
reduced train services.  As I recall it, the Sydney resignalling in 1978
required four weekend shutdowns - basically one each for Station East Box,
Station West Box, Illawarra Jct (Main Lines), Illawarra Jct (Illawarra
Lines).  Have advances in technology over 20 years made resignalling
projects more complex?  Or has separating the rail maintenance business
(RSA) from train operations (SRA) made the planners of engineering projects
less conscious of operational customer needs?

So, I'm not convinced that CityRail / RSA are SCHEDULING TRACK SHUTDOWNS SO
THAT A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WORK IS DONE WITH A MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHUTDOWNS.

Rgds

Bill

Rail Upgrading Summary
Monday 15 November until Sunday 21 November 1999
<snip>
NEWCASTLE & CENTRAL COAST LINE  11.00PM FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER UNTIL 2.00AM
MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER
Buses will replace trains in both directions between Newcastle and Gordon/
Strathfield. Buses will replace Citybound trains between Berowra and
Eastwood. Trains from the City will be replaced by buses between Epping and
Berowra.
Please listen for announcements and check station indicator boards.
Please allow for an additional journey time of 30 minutes.
<snip>
NORTH SHORE LINE  11.00PM FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER UNTIL 2.00AM MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER
Buses will replace trains in both directions between Berowra and Gordon. A
rail service will operate between Gordon and the City.
Please listen for announcements and check station indicator boards.
Please allow for an additional journey time of 30 minutes.
<snip>
NORTH LINE  11.00PM FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER UNTIL 2.00AM MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER
Trains from the City will run to Epping. Buses will replace trains between
Epping and Berowra. Buses will replace Citybound trains between Berowra and
Eastwood. Trains to the City will commence from Eastwood.
Please listen for announcements and check station indicator boards.
Please allow for an additional journey time of 30 minutes.