Thursday, July 05, 2007

An Ill Wind Blows Trains Off Course


NSW Train, originally uploaded by ddbsweasel.

It doesn't take much to stop a Sydney Train.

Today, high winds on Sydney Harbour Bridge took out some powerlines and entangled one of Sydney's finest. The result was commuter chaos as passengers were evacuated and other trains cancelled.

The NSW Government is only four months into a four year term of office and this debacle is a continuation of the poor service the government provided in the twelve years prior. But the government has held fast to their election promise not to wear swimsuits.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

From News.com
PASSENGERS have been evacuated from a train on the Sydney Harbour Bridge after strong winds knocked down wires, throwing the city into commuter chaos.

The eight-car, northbound train was stranded near the bridge's southern pylon, a CityRail spokesman said.

“Winds have caused the problem ... electricity wires are down,” the spokesman told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

“It's in a difficult area and that's why we had to stop trains running through the area so we can get people off the train and then away from the track.”

No trains were expected to run on the city's northern or inner-west lines for some time, the spokesman said.

The passengers were evacuated shortly after 3pm.

Services between Gordon, on Sydney's North Shore, and Wynyard Station in the city are currently cancelled.

“It's hard to predict how long it will be until services resume but there will be major delays which will flow onto the northern line and inner-west line,” the spokesman said.

A Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) spokesman said two traffic lanes on the bridge were also closed at the request of CityRail due to the fallen wires.

Anonymous said...

CityRail commuters butt of sick joke
from news.com.au
AT Asquith we stopped for a second time and the guard announced over the PA system that a tree had fallen on the overhead lines on the Harbour Bridge.

Everyone started laughing and someone pointed out: "There's no trees on the Harbour Bridge and that's a crock."

It is a reflection on CityRail, it's pretty obvious there are no trees on the Harbour Bridge.

This was after we were told we were stopping for an indefinite time at Point Clare but we never actually stopped, we only slowed down to 20km/h. Then we just kept going slowly - and there were no more announcements. I had been going to catch the train to Strathfield but I didn't know how much more they were going to bugger around so I hopped off at Epping.

Premier Morris Iemma must not catch trains on a daily basis because he doesn't know what is happening.

He is not in touch with what we're all putting up with. The service is not worth paying money for.

Because I go to tech I get a half-price ticket, it's $25.

Even at half price it's not worth it.

What's the alternative if you want to commute to Sydney.

They have bottlecked the F3 because they are fixing it because there is a bloody federal election this year.

Your only viable alternative is the Pacific Highway and, well, there is a bloody 10m hole there. How are you supposed to get to Sydney?

If making us pay more would actually fix it I am okay with that, but they charge more and it doesn't fix it.

Politicians have a driver and government cars so what do they care if it takes me an extra half hour?

I am not a brain surgeon so it doesn't matter if I am half an hour late but it is half an hour I don't get to spend with my missus. I work for a power company so I know what it's like to have lines down, but the main problem was the lack of information.

I understand there was a problem but it just feels as though they just use it as the excuse.

At least once a week my train is late. I've had trains that just don't come. It's rubbish.

I was just resigned to the fact I was at least half an hour late because you get stuffed around so much.

It is Morris Iemma reneging on his word. They say anything when an issue is hot.

On the ground it doesn't result in any difference.

Central Coast electrician Phil Callachor travels regularly to Sydney and is sick of being caught in transport chaos