Article: Behind-the-scenes at RailCorp's Rail Management Centre

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Behind-the-scenes at RailCorp's Rail Management Centre

Rhys Haynes Transport Reporter
    From: The Daily Telegraph
    July 21, 2011 11:13PM



IT'S pouring in Sydney and half a million people are about to board their morning train, expecting to get to work without a hitch.

There is a buzz at the RailCorp's Rail Management Centre at Central as a team of 30 staff are about to endure the exhausting and hectic morning peak.

Dwarfed by a 20m-long screen projecting the entire metropolitan rail network, the staff will watch every train live as it runs into town.

The 36 LCD rear projection screens, which are displaying the Train Location System, also show every train's progress, with a red font appearing if it is late-running.

RailCorp's acting operating officer Tony Eid is watching as staff monitor 258 computer screens on their desks.

"It is going to be difficult with this weather," says Mr Eid, preparing for the worst.

"Wet weather conditions mean our drivers will drive to the conditions and passengers will be slow to board and alight. We've got no problems with that, we just want everyone to get to work."

The peak period kicks off about 7.30am. At 7.34am trains are forced to slow down after reports of a dog near the rail line between Blacktown and Seven Hills.

Then the key moment of the morning takes place. A driver at Arncliffe reports his train has compressor problems and won't be able to cope with the steep track near Como.

RMC Manager Warwick Taylor, who has been at RailCorp for more than 40 years, raises his voice to a colleague on the phone: "Pull it out, get it out."

The train is taken to nearby Mortdale and pulled out of service. Trains behind it are being diverted to avoid delays, but there are already red fonts appearing on the screen.

At 7.52am Mr Eid is quietly confident. He explains: "We either put 1000 passengers out of whack now, or 20,000 later if more trains are delayed, so it's an easy decision. Right now it is not about on-time running, it is about keeping the trains running."

Just after 8am a guard calls in from Wynyard with bad water leaks on the train. The team at the RMC wait, each holding a phone and watching the train pull in to Central live on CCTV.

"Come on, come on, get it out of there, don't let him dwell," says Mr Eid.

There are more minor delays through the eastern suburbs line, with six trains all running late as a result of the earlier compressor issue.

At 8.47am trains at Central, Town Hall and Wynyard are unloading up to 1600 passengers every three minutes.

In the end, the morning peak results in 93.4 per cent on-time running - below the state government's target of 95 per cent.

"Across the network it has been a great morning for passengers," Mr Eid says.

"The trains didn't stop and they wouldn't have noticed the delays."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/behind-the-scenes-at-railcorps-rail-management-centre/story-e6freuy9-1226099357355