smog hollow commuter chaos

[aussiesteve]

G'day,
According to the as per usual Sensational smog hollow private TV channels news last nite, CHAOS reigned supreme in the Metrop.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/...23-p52jyp.html
A roof hatch was discovered raised on one carriage of an eight car squirt at Town Hall underground station during the morning peak.
That apparently hurled most of the smog hollow commuter network into chaos creating massive delays.
These delays continuing through the day to also impact upon the arvo peak.
Substitute omnibus services were arranged, but these became stationary in the usual smog hollow traffic grid lock.
Cattle consternation expressed by all interviewees.
Into the camera lens steps the newbie smog hollow rail Metrop head honcho.
He being an expat Pom and prior London tubular head honcho.
YES, the smog hollow system is antiquated, he extolled.
Aber und but, operational incidents have been reduced, he did muse.
Well, YES, I guess that there would be fewer operational incidents, as fewer trains are now percolating.
The driverless Metro dingus having usurped a chunk of the dinkum commuter rail network.
Consequently, S set (non-aircon) emu sets have been retired and are being scrapped.
He pointed the finger of blame at the obsolete emergency methods for removing the overhead power supply.
OH OH, look out Elec trouble, and the quippies (fixit blokes).
They'll be on the chopping block for privatization.
Town Hall is a major underground station on the city circle, plus the north shore lines.
But, one does wonder why the removal of the overhead supply for the specific line did cause such a drama.
Yes, during the peak, squirts are virtually bumper to bumper around the city circle and elsewhere.
And, it don't take long for the traffic jam to compile and extend around the circle.
Two reasons why smog hollow squirts possess emergency doors at the ends of the sets, the fear of fire and train failure.
Butt em up together, open them doors and walk the cattle through the combined sets to a platform and salvation.
However, I have never heard of this being implemented in smog hollow when the wheels fall off.
The head honcho did express that they might consider compensation for passengers who consequently missed air line connections.
But, the general commuting public would just hafta accept the delays in getting to and from toil.
Refunds for general commuters not being considered.
Ah well, bring on the cancer that be the driverless private Metro.
It has also been copping more flack due to operational problems.
But, with NO driver or guard to cause delays, it will become the champion for the future.
Just be prepared to stand for an hour with the very reduced number of seats available in driverless trains.
And, a roof hatch has a long way to jump up to make contact with the overhead on a driverless single decker.
In fact, we could hope for future images of cattle riding the rooves of driverless trains as they do in India.
I don't reside in smog hollow and have NO desire to do so.
So, just what was I doing yesterday ?
Well, I stupidly went out with the cameras to take pot shots of a stupid hysterical tour.
NO, no soot belching, just a single weasel and four cattle cars zooming westward ho.
It was a sunny, though FRIGID day.
After I had paid me bills and dun me weekly hunter gatherer, I aimed das auto south west.
Yes, Tumulla bank woulda been perfect for sun angle plus the 1 in 40 climb.
But, NO way was I gunna attempt to sneak in there just for some weasel thing.
$400.oo trespass fines now apply if caught on the property.
Up the top of the hill at Wimbledon, I did indeed espy some JHR bods lurking at the level crossing.
I presumed to check the newbie block signals.
I chose Gresham as me spot to loiter.
Another level crossing, but only for property owners residing on the surrounding hill.
The UP distant signal possied at Gresham being now handy to observe train running direction.
As long as it glowed Yellow, then them westboud hystericals had the road.
And, eventually around the bend rattled the special.
I elected to then await the UP Rocket, due to shudder past me in about 30 minutes time.
The only two trains in the region, so a bloke may as well wait with his earlobes turning blue.
Yes, that distant stick changed to green once them hystericals had cleared Newbridge.
Alas, as I waited while the sun began to sink, I realized that the Rocket was LATE.
Would it appear before dusk ?
A vehicle came across the tracks, obviously a resident.
I did think that he might get up me for trespassing on the edge of his property.
But, he just shook his head and continued up the hill to his hovel.
Finally, I heard the bleat of the Rocket hooter for the level crossing at Newbridge.
And seven minutes later, it did come rattling down hill and past me.
As I motored the 35 kms home, that sun sank into a freezing dusk.
Train nutters, we are definitely IDIOTS.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pic...aug%202019.JPG
Steve.

[Beeyar Wunby]

Yo Steve. It certainly doesn't take much to bring services to a stand nowadays. Recently we have the 'tresspassers on line' issue, most often in the school holidays. Usually some retard thinks it's really cool to wander onto the line and walk along it - mainly in the cess, but sometimes actually in the 4ft. This tends to stop all movements for about an hour by which time the herberts have vanished, but if Darwin comes into play and we bowl them over, it stops the service completely until the next day.

This is different from when I started, when the big trainstopper was 'door on the latch'. If platform staff had failed to ensure that all the slam doors had been fully closed before a train left a station, you'd get a radio call cautioning you about this, and you'd have to creep for miles looking for a body lying on the lineside.

In fact I had a variation on this once when a signaller told me I must stop at the next station and secure a 'door on the latch' on my own train that someone had noticed when I'd run through a station. I tried to explain to him that this was impossible as I only drove power-door stock, and it was probably another train that he should be talking to. He didn't seem to understand, so not being one to argue with authority when the conversation was being recorded I did as I was ordered. I ambled slowly up and down the platform checking each door very intently, since the platform CCTV was recording it all. This took 20 minutes with trains stacking up behind me on the Main Line to Victoria. I then reported back that all my Power Doors were still shut, the Traction Interlock light was still on as it always had been, and would he like me continue now? The next day I was pulled off driving to go and see the company's Head of Operations. They listened to the Box voice tape and couldn't fault me on protocol and communications, although Network Rail did moan about my sarcasm

I think I've mentioned before about our obsolescent stock with Emergency End Doors for single bore tunnels, both class 319 on the Midland Main Line into Moorgate upper level (now closed), and class 313 on Hertford Loop into Moorgate lower level. These doors were incredibly heavy and very difficult to close once they were opened. You were advised to never walk between units if you could get down onto the cess, as you needed to be an athlete to get the train closed up again. Glad to see the back of those heaps of c***. Not British Rail Engineering's finest offering, but then who knows how many commitees interfered with the design plans? Anyhoo I'm very glad that I never had to carry out a train evacuation on these, can you imagine having to put out a PA call - "If there's anyone on this train with the strength of an ox, could they please come and help the driver get the door closed before you go".

Interesting about your comments on 'Driverless Trains'. We have the beginnings of this on the core section of the new Thameslink system. They call it ATO - Automatic Train Operation. When I speak to the drivers of these behemoths we often chuckle at the tangles that the onboard computers get themselves into. Although I'm not a betting man, I'll be down to BetFreds on the day that they take drivers out of cabs to place a wager on how long it is before they have to put someone (with a different job title of course) back in.

Cheers, BW

[aussiesteve]

G'day BW,
The world continues to become more complex in design.
Resulting in the reduction of staff being on hand to rectify problems.
This is ok when all goes according to Hoyle.
But, when the wheels fall off, wrangling this technology can become time consuming.
Especially if the person wrangling such is not ofay with the intricacies.
The NSWR up til the late 1970s was the second largest employer in the state.
But capitalism dictates that costs must be cut.
Wages and benefits being one of the largest costs for any sizeable organisation.
YES, driverless trains are cheaper.
The BART network in Yankeeland was and continues driverless.
The sole staffer on board being to ensure that the doors are closed and to make any non-prerecorded announcements.
That person being there as an emergency attendant.
That is what occurred on the STUPID autonomous smog hollow monorail dingus.
The day when it failed in the middle of nowhere hanging in the atmosphere and the cattle panicked, subsequently an emergency attendant was employed to ride the thing.
Thankfully, that blot on the landscape was kyboshed some time ago and removed from smog hollow.
Our red rattlers zoomed around the Metrop with most doors flapping open in the breeze.
Fall out at yer own risk.
Today, that can't be permitted, so all doors must be closed.
I have fond memories of the good ole days in suburban Brissy.
Trains consisting of Evans carriages featuring outward opening individual compartment doors.
Platform attendants would run along slamming shut all of them doors just before the train set sail.
But, the ticket snappers were a sight to see.
Quickly jump onto the foot boards outside the carriage to snap tickets and jump off again prior to departure.
On the old timer toast rack trams percolating around smog hollow, the conductor actually rode the foot boards while them trams were in motion along the streets.
No way to get through inside the individual crossbench compartments.
The nefarious had a technique for holding open Tangarbage plug doors when the sets first appeared in smog hollow.
They would jam an aluminium soft drink can down near the floor as the plug door closed.
This prevented it from locking shut and that door could then be hefted back open during transit.
So, today, YES all our squirts feature door closed lights sprinkled along the car sides.
E GADs.
No doubt that modern day train crew can get embroiled in drama should them doors not be closed.
But, it don't stop the cattle from stupid acts.
I have witnessed cattle sprinting up the subway stairs onto a platform in smog hollow during the peak just as the squirt sets sail.
Them cattle doing a swan dive at them now closed doors.
SNOT.
Them cattle then rolling around on the platform.
We can't solve all potential injury when some people are IDIOTS.
Steve.