Article: Fare-free day call after trains disrupted for a second day

[ozbob]

From the Sydney Morning Herald click here!

Fare-free day call after trains disrupted for a second day

Fare-free day call after trains disrupted for a second day
March 1, 2013 - 3:00PM
Jacob Saulwick

Trains crossing the Harbour Bridge were halted for the second time in two days after a fire in an electrical box at Wynyard Station caused the temporary evacuation of a platform.

The fire has been extinguished and commuters have been allowed back on the platform. The trains were out between Wynyard and Town Hall on the North Shore Line as Fire and Rescue NSW officers investigated.

The incident follows the three-hour closure of the Harbour Bridge to trains on Thursday night, which disrupted the journeys of tens of thousands of commuters.

The Thursday outage prompted the state opposition to call for a fare-free day for commuters inconvenienced by recent RailCorp delays.

But the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, rejected the idea, saying money was needed to help fix Sydney's rail system.

The fire in the electrical box at Wynyard started about 1.50pm. It was quickly extinguished, but not before commuters reported the smoke and smell.

Commuters were moved off platforms three and four at Wynyard, but have since been allowed back on.

Earlier, Ms Berejiklian apologised for the inconvenience on Thursday night, which was caused by plates of sheet metal above the Harbour Bridge rail line blowing loose.

"I know it inconvenienced a lot of people, but the safety of our customers has to always be the first and foremost priority and I respect the decision that was taken," the minister said.

Calling for a fare-free day, Labor's transport spokeswoman, Penny Sharpe, noted the multiple rail failures during February. Two weeks ago, most of the train system was knocked out for an hour in the afternoon peak.

Ms Berejiklian said: "The opposition neglected to do anything for 16 years and that is why the rail network is in the state it now is."

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

No excuse for train delays: opposition

No excuse for train delays: opposition

    From: AAP
    March 12, 2013 11:53AM

TRANSPORT Minister Gladys Berejiklian must explain why the Sydney network has been hit with seven major train delays in six weeks, the NSW opposition says.

City-bound trains were suspended on the Northern Line between Hornsby and Epping on Tuesday morning, and delayed from the city centre to Epping because of urgent overhead wiring repairs at Epping.

"Minister Berejiklian needs to explain herself to commuters," NSW opposition leader John Robertson told reporters in Sydney.

"A minister who promised she would fix the trains has (instead) overseen absolute chaos across our network."

Labor also repeated its call for a fare-free day, saying the move would show the NSW government was listening to complaints.

"At the very least they can apologise, and the best way to apologise to the commuters is give them a fare-free day," Mr Robertson said.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Penny Sharpe said the problems with overhead wiring identified as the cause of the delays were a direct result of budget cuts.

"I point to 450 maintenance staff being cut across Railcorp," she said.

"Seven events in six weeks is too many and too frequent for commuters."

Tuesday's disruptions follow what Ms Sharpe described as a "horror month" of delays in February.

They also come after the NSW government's announcement it would replace RailCorp with two new agencies, Sydney Trains and NSW Trains, from July 1.

London Underground chief Howard Collins has been selected to lead the new Sydney Trains.

Mr Collins has a 35-year career in London public transport, during which he was responsible for the restoration of the Underground after the July 2005 terror blasts.

[ozbob]

From the Sydney Morning Herald click here!

RailCorp can't say how train wire broke

RailCorp can't say how train wire broke
March 13, 2013 Saffron Howden

RailCorp is at a loss to explain how 300 metres of electrical wiring that helps power its trains fell on top of a Tangara train just before morning peak hour, delaying and inconveniencing thousands of passengers.

More than eight hours after the train stopped just short of Epping station en route to Strathfield at about 5.45am on Tuesday morning, the northern line reopened in time for the afternoon peak.

RailCorp operations director Tony Eid said an investigation had been launched into how the wiring came down, but an immediate explanation was unclear.

''Normally, wiring is one of the most reliable pieces of infrastructure,'' he said. ''It very rarely fails. It's an unusual situation.''

The train was carrying no passengers at that early hour and contained only the driver and a guard, Mr Eid said. ''The driver reported that he lost power.''

The wires, which supply electricity to power the train, fell and became entangled.

While 300 metres dropped, only 2.5 metres had to be replaced altogether, Mr Eid said. The remainder was re-tensioned.

Services were suspended on the line until 2.20pm, causing delays of up to one hour for morning commuters. Buses replaced trains on the northern line between Hornsby and Epping while other passengers were redirected onto the North Shore line.

State Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian apologised to the people affected. ''The safety of train customers is always a priority,'' she said.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union said it was ''alarming'' that the state government was going to cut 450 maintenance positions at RailCorp over the next few years as part of its rail shake-up.

''Incidents like these have become an all too common headache for NSW commuters,'' the union's national secretary, Bob Nanva, said. ''We deserve a safe and reliable rail network, but the current system is suffering from years of underinvestment in maintenance by governments of all political persuasion.''

Ms Berejiklian rejected renewed calls for a fare-free day following seven separate problems identified by the state opposition as causing major delays on the network since early February.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/railcorp-cant-say-how-train-wire-broke-20130312-2fyga.html