Articles: Heatwave in Melbourne Victoria

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Premier meets emergency services as state prepares for heatwave

Premier meets emergency services as state prepares for heatwave
Article from: Herald Sun

Megan McNaught with AAP

January 27, 2009 12:31pm

PREMIER John Brumby will hold an urgent briefing with emergency services as we prepare to swelter in the hottest heatwave for a century.

Mr Brumby will meet the chief medical officer and fire, ambulance and power authorities today to discuss contingency plans to cope with the extreme heat.

He said consecutive days of 40-degree plus temperatures would put public transport, power supplies and health authorities to the test.

Temperatures have broken through 30C in Melbourne, with 37.5C recorded already in Mildura, the hottest area of the state.

Melbourne's temperature is expected to peak at 38C today.

"It is going to be a very challenging week for the state and I think it would be wrong to underestimate just the degree of challenge,'' Mr Brumby told reporters.

"We haven't seen conditions like this certainly for 100 years, possibly in our modern history since records began.

"It is going to be quite a challenge for the community, but I'm very confident we can get through that, but I think the more information we can put out there in the community the better.''

Mr Brumby said the heat raised health concerns for babies and frail-aged Victorians and stressed the importance of keeping well-hydrated.

He said the state had enough power to keep up with soaring demand but warned it was not foolproof.

The National Electricity Market Company (NEMMCO) puts supply at about 9000 megawatts plus 2400 megawatts in reserve, he said.

Peak consumption reached about 10,000 megawatts in March last year.

"So there's a significant reserve capacity,'' Mr Brumby said.

"What you tend to get in extreme weather conditions - you do get an increased likelihood of breakdowns."

Mr Brumby said metropolitan rail operator Connex had put in a huge maintenance effort over the long weekend to try to prevent further heat-related cancellations.

The extreme heat starts today with a forecast top of 38C for Melbourne followed by four days of 40C-plus.

The mercury is expected to crash through 40C every day this week in regional centres including Mildura, Shepparton and Bendigo.

Swan Hill is expected to sizzle for five days over 42C.

Weather bureau senior forecaster Terry Ryan said Melbourne had not endured four straight days over 40C since 1908.

"It is the worst heatwave most will have lived through," he said yesterday...

[ozbob]

From Sun Herald click here!

More than 70 trains cancelled as heat cripples rail network

More than 70 trains cancelled as heat cripples rail network
Article from: Herald Sun

Staff reporters

January 28, 2009 03:54pm

UPDATE 6:42pm: CONNEX staffers have faced a torrent of abuse from stranded commuters as searing heat cripples the city's rail network.

Hundreds of peak-hour commuters are facing major delays as searing 43C heat buckled train lines shutting down Melbourne's public transport system.

Passengers packed the platforms at Flinders St station waiting for trains with Connex cancelling  more than 70 services up to 6pm.

The station's information screens also failed with passengers forced to rely on information from loudspeakers.

Trams are also striking trouble in the heat, with a defective tram on St Kilda Rd affecting services heading to the city.

Trams 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 16, 64, 67 and 72 are being diverted via route 55 through the Domain Interchange, Yarra Trams said.

A buckled track near Jolimont station has also forced trains on the Hurstbridge and Epping lines to run through the city loop in an anti-clockwise direction.

Renee Dunne, 37, was among frustrated passengers who bailed up Connex staff.

"I work in the city for the Federal Government. Every day I get two trains an hour - I get the 5.20pm and the 5.40pm and they haven't called the Updfield line in that entire period of time, not a word, nothing," she said.

"We've been here for 45 minutes, old people, young people - everybody is down here it's just no acceptable.

"I don't want to get home at 7.30pm at night because Connex can't offer me a service.
I'm really angry I pay for this s--- service everyday."

Ray Barlin, 69, from Lakes Entrance was also stranded at Flinders St.

"I've seen some trains running around in circles with no people on them. They should be able to run a reliable service regardless of the heat," he said.

Rob Burns, 57, from Berwick said he had been waiting for a Pakenham line train for almost an hour.

"The real issue is by the time they give you the notice and you get to the train it's standing room only

"The customer service guys can't even tell us what's going on."

Connex's website also succumbed to heat stress today as thousands of commuters flooded the site seeking train information, but spokesman John Rees said details of cancelled and delayed trains were still being displayed.

Mr Rees said the situation could get worse despite all the preparations by the network prior to the heatwave.

"It (the network) will be stressed this afternoon, absolutely definitely," he said.

"I think this evening is going to be very very challenging indeed."

The rail dramas began about 1pm as temperatures in Melbourne surged past 40C.

The mercury hit 43.1in Melbourne about 4.30pm, with the extreme heat sparking fires and stopping play at the tennis.

Williamstown student Bill Adamson, 22, was forced to wait more than half an hour to catch a train after services were cancelled.

"I've been waiting for 40 minutes after my train (the 2.05pm to Williamstown) was cancelled and they have the cheek to put up the ticket prices," he said.

"I reckon there are lots more people who have been waiting longer than me and I reckon it's going to get a lot worse by the end of the week when the heat really hits."

- Sarah Wotherspoon and Aaron Langmaid

[ozbob]

If you privatise an essential service this is the result.  Poor track maintenance leads to excessive track failures.  I have weathered many a hot day in Melbourne in my youth.  Track never buckled to this degree, the basic reason was that the track was kept in a high standard of maintenance.  Since the collapse and privatisation of VR, it has degenerated into a shambles ...

The extensive sleeper replacement program around the QR Citytrain network  (concrete for wood) and well held rail minimises significantly the risk of buckling.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Commuters left railing as 150 Connex trains cancelled

Commuters left railing as 150 Connex trains cancelled
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

January 29, 2009 12:00am

MELBOURNE'S train system buckled under the strain of Wednesday's heat, forcing maintenance workers to cool the rails with water.

But commuters were left boiling mad after enduring more than 150 cancelled services in one of the system's worst days in recent memory.

Today could be even worse. Connex is struggling to keep up with a maintenance backlog and temperatures are expected to hit 43C again.

At least four trains from Geelong will be replaced by buses.

Premier John Brumby has advised people to carry water.

Commuters are in revolt: as many as 1000 went online on Facebook to protest about the poor service.

They pledged not to pay fares on Friday, February 13.

Connex spokesman John Rees said this morning's peak would not be as bad as last night's. "But it will be a stressed and strained service yet again," he said.

Connex advised commuters to check its website for updates; but this was so overwhelmed yesterday it crashed.

Passengers hurled abuse at Connex staff yesterday as delayed trains and searing temperatures frayed nerves.

Renee Dunne, 37, was among those who bailed up staff.

"We've been here for 45 minutes. Old people, young people, everybody is down here," she said. "It's just not acceptable.

"I don't want to get home at 7.30 at night because Connex can't offer me a service.

"I'm really angry."

Rob Burns, 57, from Berwick, said he had been waiting for a Pakenham line train for almost an hour.

"The real issue is, by the time they give you the notice and you get to the train, it's standing room only," Mr Burns said.

"The customer service guys can't even tell us what's going on."

But there were some passengers able to grin and bear it. Louisa Mickheal, 43, of Mickleham, said there was no point playing the blame game.

"It's not like Connex can order the weather," she said.

As of 6.30pm, 93 services had been cancelled, Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said.

Oppressive heat saw the tracks to the east of Flinders St station buckle about 3.30pm, creating delays on top of the cancellations.

Passengers on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines faced delays of up to 25 minutes, and their trains were forced to go through the City Loop.

Rails on the Glen Waverley line at Holmesglen station also buckled in the heat.

Trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne were suspended after an overhead equipment failure.

Outside Melbourne, V/Line replaced 19 services with buses yesterday.

As a result of yesterday's disruption, at least four services out of Geelong this morning will be replaced by buses, V/Line spokesman Daniel Moloney said.

An emergency fleet of 30 buses was on standby at Southern Cross station yesterday to deal with cancelled country services

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!


http://images.theage.com.au/2009/01/28/362968/svTRAIN-420x0.jpg
This train stopped at Jolimont after tracks buckled. Photo: Joe Armao

Tracks buckle and so does rail system

    * Clay Lucas and Marika Dobbin
    * January 29, 2009 - 6:00AM

Melbourne's crumbling rail system has failed again as tracks buckle and a record number of trains break down amid baking temperatures in the city for the second consecutive day.

- Heatwave: rail system fails
- 200-plus services cancelled yesterday
- More cancellations hit by 7.30am today

Already this morning Connex has cancelled 32 trains, following the failure of about 200 services yesterday as the temperature soared past 40 degrees celsius in the city.

More than 100,00 homes in Melbourne and Geelong also endured power blackouts as heat wreaked havoc across the state.

Melbourne recorded a blistering 43.4 degrees at 6.15pm, its highest maximum temperature since January 20, 2003.

In country Victoria, the mercury topped 45 at Hopetoun and Nhill, while Adelaide fell just short of its all-time record, reaching 45.7 at 3.30pm.

Melburnians have been warned of more 43-degree heat today and tomorrow ? raising the prospect of a record three consecutive days over 43.

As rail commuters suffered yet another day of delays and cancellations yesterday, embattled Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky urged people to allow more time for their journeys.

This came after Connex yesterday cancelled about 10 per cent of the day's trains. There was chaos at city stations as thousands of commuters faced long delays and packed trains.

Scores of trains were cancelled due to faulty air-conditioning and other heat-related faults. Passengers on the Hurstbridge and Epping lines faced extra delays after tracks between Jolimont and Flinders Street buckled.

Connex repair teams, armed with hoses, sledgehammers and crowbars, worked for more than an hour to bash the rails back into shape.

Rails on the Glen Waverley line, at Holmesglen, also buckled in the heat.

Connex again handed out free water to passengers battling to get on trains at chaotic Flinders Street, where passengers were directed to rarely used platforms and the train operator struggled with the cancellations.

The tram system also struggled, with a broken-down tram on St Kilda Road delaying travellers on a dozen routes.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu ? who has yet to release any policies on how the Liberal Party would fix public transport ? said the Government had failed to spend money on the rail system. "There has been a failure to invest, and there has been a failure to focus on the needs of those who use the transport system," Mr Baillieu said.

On Tuesday Ms Kosky conceded that decades of underinvestment in the system had left it vulnerable to failure. She has been responsible for the public transport system since December 2006.

Mr Baillieu would not answer questions about whether the previous Kennett government had been instrumental in downgrading the transport system, instead blaming Premier John Brumby. "(He) has attempted to shift the blame to anyone he can point the finger at," Mr Baillieu said.

[ozbob]

From Herald Sun click here!

Connex horror continues as more than 30 services cancelled

Connex horror continues as more than 30 services cancelled
Article from: Herald Sun

Staff writers with AAP

January 29, 2009 06:30am

UPDATE 10:14am: CONNEX chief Jonathan Metcalfe has thrown blame for 80 per cent of delays in recent days at the train drivers' union.

Mr Metcalfe said trains were being cancelled for seemingly trivial reasons, like ripped driver seats, scratched driver windows and air conditioning breakdowns, sometimes confined to only one carriage.

"It does mean that a very high proportion of the cancellations that we have seen over the recent days and weeks could have otherwise been avoided," Mr Metcalfe said.

More than 30 trains were cancelled in peak time this morning as the heatwave continues to cause chaos.

Ten services have been cancelled since 9am and there are major delays on the Frankston line in both directions.

A car hit a train on the Frankston line at McKinnon at 7.45am, causing part of the train to catch fire and all passengers to be evacuated. Nobody was seriously injured in the crash.

There has also been an equipment fault at Cheltenham.

Connex spokesperson Lanie Harris said this morning's cancellations weren't unexpected.

She said, with more than 200 cancellations yesterday, a lot of trains weren't available first thing this morning.

"Our maintenance staff were working around the clock on infrastructure and train issues - but it was a hot night," Ms Harris said.

She wouldn't speculate how many trains were expected to be cancelled today.

Yesterday afternoon, commuters were left boiling mad after enduring about 200 cancelled services in one of the system's worst days in recent memory.

Commuters are in revolt; as many as 1000 went online on Facebook to protest about the poor service.

They pledged not to pay fares on Friday, February 13.

"Fare evasion is illegal," Ms Harris said.

"It's a difficult time and we understand why people are frustrated but not paying for your fare is not going to help the situation - there are other ways to protest."

Connex advised commuters to check its website for updates; but this was so overwhelmed yesterday it crashed.

Passengers hurled abuse at Connex staff yesterday as delayed trains and searing temperatures frayed nerves.

Renee Dunne, 37, was among those who bailed up staff.

"We've been here for 45 minutes. Old people, young people, everybody is down here," she said. "It's just not acceptable.

"I don't want to get home at 7.30 at night because Connex can't offer me a service.

"I'm really angry."

Rob Burns, 57, from Berwick, said he had been waiting for a Pakenham line train for almost an hour.

"The real issue is, by the time they give you the notice and you get to the train, it's standing room only," Mr Burns said.

"The customer service guys can't even tell us what's going on."

But there were some passengers able to grin and bear it. Louisa Mickheal, 43, of Mickleham, said there was no point playing the blame game.

"It's not like Connex can order the weather," she said.

As of 6.30pm, 93 services had been cancelled, Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said.

Oppressive heat saw the tracks to the east of Flinders St station buckle about 3.30pm, creating delays on top of the cancellations.

Passengers on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines faced delays of up to 25 minutes, and their trains were forced to go through the City Loop.

Rails on the Glen Waverley line at Holmesglen station also buckled in the heat.

Trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne were suspended after an overhead equipment failure.

Outside Melbourne, V/Line replaced 19 services with buses yesterday.

As a result of yesterday's disruption, at least four services out of Geelong this morning will be replaced by buses, V/Line spokesman Daniel Moloney said.

An emergency fleet of 30 buses was on standby at Southern Cross station yesterday to deal with cancelled country services.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Woman struck by mirror of train at North Melbourne station

Woman struck by mirror of train at North Melbourne station
Article from: Herald Sun

Sarah Wotherspoon

January 29, 2009 05:32pm

A WOMAN has been struck by a train at North Melbourne station, with Connex warning of major delays on three lines.

The woman, believed to be around 50 years old, was hit around 5.25pm.

Connex spokesman John Rees said the woman was struck by the mirror of the Werribee bound train as it pulled into platform four at the station.

It is believed the woman then hit her head on the platform.  She was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.

Mr Rees said the accident would cause major delays on the Werribee and Williamstown lines as well as to V/Line services to Geelong.

The accident is the latest in a string of dramas to beset Connex today, with the extreme heat causing the cancelleation of hundreds of train services.

As a goodwill gesture to commuters travel will be free for all metropoloitan rail, tram and bus passengers as well as V/Line passengers.

It is not the first time a tragedy has occured at North Melbourne station.

A cyclist died at the same station in November last year after he fell into the path of a V/Line train.

The Keilor Downs man, 47, died in hospital after the incident at the station about 5.15pm on November 18.

Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris said at the time it appeared he lost control of his bicycle after being knocked by a commuter who was rushing to change trains.

Regulations ban the riding of bicycles on train platforms for safety reasons.

The platforms were less crowded than usual at the time of the accident, Ms Harris said.

And a week ago a woman narrowly escaped being hit by a train after falling onto the tracks at Jordanville station on the Glen Waverley line.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Free travel offered tomorrow as heat shuts down train lines

Free travel offered tomorrow as heat shuts down train lines
Article from: Herald Sun

Staff writers with AAP

January 29, 2009 06:30am

UPDATE 4:39pm: TRAINS, trams and buses across Melbourne and V/Line services will be free all day tomorrow as a "gesture" to commuters.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky made the announcement today, saying it was an effort to "thank commuters for their patience".

The announcement comes after Connex suspended services on three train lines as searing 44C heat plunges the rail network into chaos.

Buses have replaced trains on the Williamstown line between Newport and Williamstown and on the Alamein line between Camberwell and Alamein stations because of faulty trains.

Buses have replaced trains on the Craigieburn line between Craigieburn and Broadmeadows after an equipment fault with Connex warning of major delays.

?Victorians have sweltered through a once in a century heat wave this week,? Ms Kosky said.

"It has placed incredible strain on the public transport network and on commuters themselves."

Ms Kosky said the heat has impacted the rail network with tracks buckling and slower and cancelled trains.

?The Brumby Government and the state?s key transport groups know many commuters have been severely frustrated,? she said.

Today's dramas are another in a series of problems being faced by Connex, with at least one train being cancelled every five minutes.

Cancellations for this afternoon's peak hour travel have begun appearing on the Connex website.

More than 80 trains have been cancelled so far today with major peak-hour delays expected for the second day in a row as the heat buckles train tracks.

Temperatures soared to 44.2C in Melbourne shortly before 3.30pm, while Avalon recorded a high of 45.5C.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union of Victoria has still not responded to comments made by Connex chief Jonathan Metcalfe that the union is to blame for 80 per cent of cancellations.

Mr Metcalfe said trains were being cancelled for seemingly trivial reasons, like ripped driver seats, scratched driver windows and air conditioning breakdowns, sometimes confined to only one carriage.

"It does mean that a very high proportion of the cancellations that we have seen over the recent days and weeks could have otherwise been avoided," Mr Metcalfe said.

More than 30 trains were cancelled in peak time this morning as the heatwave continues to cause chaos.

There were also major delays on the Frankston line in both directions.

A car hit a train on the Frankston line at McKinnon at 7.45am, causing part of the train to catch fire and all passengers to be evacuated. Nobody was seriously injured in the crash.

There was also been an equipment fault at Cheltenham.

Connex spokesperson Lanie Harris said this morning's cancellations weren't unexpected.

She said, with more than 200 cancellations yesterday, a lot of trains weren't available first thing this morning.

"Our maintenance staff were working around the clock on infrastructure and train issues - but it was a hot night," Ms Harris said.

Yesterday afternoon, commuters were left boiling mad after enduring about 200 cancelled services in one of the system's worst days in recent memory.

Commuters are in revolt; as many as 1000 went online on Facebook to protest about the poor service.

They pledged not to pay fares on Friday, February 13.

"Fare evasion is illegal," Ms Harris said.

"It's a difficult time and we understand why people are frustrated but not paying for your fare is not going to help the situation - there are other ways to protest."

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train blame heats up as patrons wilt


http://images.theage.com.au/2009/01/29/364340/svTOON-200x0.jpg

Train blame heats up as patrons wilt

    * Clay Lucas
    * January 30, 2009

THE crisis on Melbourne's rail system has degenerated into a row over who is to blame for the meltdown, which yesterday caused another 300 cancellations.

- Finger-pointing begins
- Network's massive failures
- Union's fault: Connex chief

The train drivers' union responded furiously to a claim by rail operator Connex that the cancellations were due to an aggressive "fault finding" campaign by the union.

As the row erupted, commuters were warned to expect more cancellations today as Melbourne braced for a record third successive day of temperatures over 43 degrees.

Yesterday was Melbourne's third hottest day on record, with the mercury hitting a scorching 44.3 degrees at 4.40pm. The last time the city endured three successive days over 40 was 1959.

The extreme heat fuelled another rash of power blackouts affecting tens of thousands of homes, along with dozens of minor bush and grass fire outbreaks across the state.

But it was the chaos on Melbourne's rail system that caused the most consternation, with thousands of commuters delayed and stranded in stifling heat again by cancellations.

In a bid to take some political heat out of the issue, the Government announced free travel across Victoria today on trains, trams and buses.

But Jonathan Metcalfe, executive chairman of Connex, added heat to the situation when he said four out of five trains cancelled in recent days could have run safely. They had been cancelled, he claimed, because of an industrial campaign by drivers.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union divisional secretary Terry Sheedy reacted angrily. "It's absolute rubbish," he said. "If you're failing to do a job yourself, you've got to try and blame someone else."

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky would not answer questions on whether Connex's claim was true, saying only she was hopeful for a resolution to the dispute.

By 5pm yesterday, 311 train services had been cancelled, with trains malfunctioning in record numbers. The Williamstown and Alamein lines were closed mid-afternoon, due to a shortage of trains. They are expected to return to service this morning. And at least 30 V/Line services were cancelled.

Connex gave The Age a list of what it said showed scores of trains cancelled by drivers that could have run, but were deemed unsafe by drivers.

But The Age also has documents sourced from train repair logs that show, over the past four days, at least 79 trains legitimately could not run, due to failed air-conditioning or other serious faults.

Mr Metcalfe insisted that drivers seeking better working conditions under an enterprise bargaining agreement had found faults as small as ripped fabric on drivers' seats and small scratches on windows and then cancelled trains.

He described the high cancellation rate as "the pressure tactics of a minority faction of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union".

Additionally, some serviceable trains were sitting in maintenance yards not being used, Mr Metcalfe said.

But the union said Mr Metcalfe's "wild assertions" were untrue and that Connex's motives were questionable.

French-owned Connex, which earned revenue of $589 million from running the metropolitan rail system in 2007, is bidding against two other companies for the 15-year contract to run the city's trains. The new contract will commence on December 1.

The Government ? which still has the option of bringing trains back into public control on December 1 ? last week admitted it was "no cheaper" to retain a private operator such as Connex to run the system. But Ms Kosky said the Government wanted the "innovation and international experience" of a privatised network.

Transport academic Paul Mees, who has called for the end of the "franchise" arrangement with Connex, said: "Even in Adelaide, where the temperature was 46 degrees on Tuesday, they were not cancelling trains."

The Opposition said ultimately the Government must bear responsibility for the mess.

Either Ms Kosky knew the unions were to blame for excessive cancellations, transport spokesman Terry Mulder said, or she did not know the truth about what was happening to the trains. "Either way, she should be sacked," he said.

[Matt]

"The govt wanted  the "innovation and international experience" of a privatised rail network.
Well, they certainly got the experience, I sincerely hope the QLD Govt is watching and doesn't go down this idiotic route of privatisation.
I was wondering why the rails were buckling in Victoria at 43 deg, yet in Adelaide it was nearly 46 deg and no problems or very few, what's the difference.
I was wondering if the Victorian broad gauge of 5' 3' was to blame.

[ozbob]

The Adelaide suburban system is presently 5' 3" gauge Matt.  There was a buckle there yesterday too, but nothing on the scale as in Melbourne (Adelaide is not a big network though).  The fundamental problem in Melbourne is the lack of proper maintenance extending over decades.

Some useful links --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railways_in_Adelaide  and http://www.freewebs.com/adelaiderailpics/broadgauge.htm

Cheers
Bob

From  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=78.msg8601#msg8601

Submitted to all editors


30th January 2009

Dear Editor,

The problems in Melbourne with the suburban railway system are fundamentally the result of poor maintenance over a long period of time.  When essential community services like public transport are privatised there is little incentive to maintain the track infrastructure; which includes the electrical and signalling systems, and properly ensure the operational readiness of rolling stock.

On Tuesday Ms Kosky, Minister for Transport in Victoria conceded that decades of underinvestment in the system had left it vulnerable to failure. She has been responsible for the public transport system since December 2006.  I grew up in Melbourne and when the railways was the great Victorian Railways (VR) track buckles were a very rare event, principally because VR maintained the public transport asset to a very high standard.  Heat waves in Melbourne and Victoria are not new.  The outright neglect is now hitting home hard.  Free ice creams, free bottles of water and free travel is poor compensation for Government failures.

Queensland Rail does maintain it's asset.  Any notion of privatisation must be sent south!

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Union bans train with stickers, says Connex

Union bans train with stickers, says Connex
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

January 30, 2009 12:00pm

UNIONS have banned a train from service because of stickers plastered to the vehicle's interior, Connex has claimed.

As many as 12 three-car train sets across Melbourne are out of service because of union action, the company says.

As of 11.53 this morning, 81 trains had been cancelled, with many more expected this afternoon as the temperature soars.

Connex has today intensified its public relations battle with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union by inviting media to inspect a train at the Newport depot.

But the RTBU says the train is not in operation after failing three brake tests.

The train in question has been modified by the removal of seats to provide extra standing room for passengers.

Connex spokesman John Rees said the train has been ready for operation since last November.

?This train could be out providing a service in this afternoon?s peak,? Mr Rees said.

The train has been attacked by vandals, with one window damaged after apparently having an object thrown at it.

Mr Rees said the window could be replaced within 10 minutes.

Drivers have refused to allow the train into service because it is plastered with stickers identifying the train number on the carriage interior, Mr Rees said.

The stickers, which were placed in response to customer feedback, allow easy identification of the train number in an emergency,

Similar stickers already exist on the tram system.

The Herald Sun has seen a copy of the train?s fault report.

It says, under ?fault detail?: ?Wall paneling (interior), motor number stickers need to be removed?.

The report then goes on to say: ?Stickers are a TRIAL by Connex and are NOT TO BE REMOVED?.

RTBU locomotive division secretary Brian Hill said the train was not running for safety reasons.

Tests have been performed on the train and it has failed the brake test three times, he said.

Mr Hill scoffed at Connex?s tactic of blaming the union.

?It?s not a bad tactic. They?ve got to blame someone,? Mr Hill said.

?They?ve blamed everyone but themselves.?

In addition to today?s free public transport, Connex will compensate customers with weekly, monthly and yearly tickets for service disruptions during January.

[ozbob]

Editorial Herald Sun 30th January 2009 click here!

Off the rails

Off the rails
Article from: Herald Sun

Editorial

January 30, 2009 12:00am

WHAT the Victorian Government fails to realise, as yet more trains are cancelled, is that people are sick and tired and they won't take it any more.
They are angry, not only because more than 1000 trains have been taken out of service in the first 29 days of the year, but because Transport Minister Lynne Kosky is incapable of doing anything about it.

The Government might think that giving people a free ticket to ride on this ramshackle system is going to save Minister Kosky's job.

But it does nothing to fix the problem and by the time Victoria goes to the elections next year it could be the Government that finds itself out on its ear.

Poll popup --> http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/poll/1,,661-5037970,00.html

Will free public transport be enough to save Lynne Kosky's job?

Yes

    5% (140 votes)

No

    94% (2246 votes)

Total votes

    Total of 2386 votes

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Train tracks near Gardiner station on the Glen Waverley line buckle

Train tracks near Gardiner station on the Glen Waverley line buckle
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

January 30, 2009 03:51pm

DISASTER has struck the train system, with major rail buckling causing the suspension of an entire line and leaving two trains stranded.

Tracks near Gardiner station, on the Glen Waverley line, buckled shortly after 3pm.

Two trains are stuck on the track.

Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris said the problem should be resolved soon

[ozbob]

http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/travel.html
Service change/s Friday 30 JAN, 04:16:55pm

Line
Service/s
Change

Alamein
leaving the city from Alamein
Line Suspended- Alamein Line: between Camberwell and Alamein. Due to extreme weather conditions buses will replace trains until further notice.

Belgrave
03:17pm city bound from Belgrave
has been cancelled

Belgrave-Lilydale
03:52pm city bound from Blackburn
has been cancelled

Belgrave-Lilydale
04:07pm city bound from Blackburn
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
03:43pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
03:47pm city bound from Craigieburn
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
03:47pm city bound from Craigieburn
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
03:49pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
04:09pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
04:29pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
05:36pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Craigieburn
06:46pm city bound from Craigieburn
has been cancelled

Cranbourne
03:54pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne
04:21pm city bound from Cranbourne
has been cancelled

Cranbourne
05:16pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne
05:49pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne
06:59pm city bound from Cranbourne
has been cancelled

Cranbourne-Pakenham
04:04pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne-Pakenham
05:06pm city bound from Dandenong
has been cancelled

Cranbourne-Pakenham
05:13pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne-Pakenham
06:03pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Cranbourne-Pakenham
06:03pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
03:10pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
03:10pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
03:34pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
03:48pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:24pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:24pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:24pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:24pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:37pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
04:52pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:24pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:41pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:41pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:56pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:56pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
05:56pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
06:00pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Frankston
06:50pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Frankston
07:10pm city bound from Frankston
has been cancelled

Glen Waverley
03:41pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Glen Waverley
03:41pm city bound from Glen Waverley
has been cancelled

Glen Waverley
04:11pm city bound from Glen Waverley
has been cancelled

Glen Waverley
04:26pm city bound from Glen Waverley
has been cancelled

Glen Waverley
04:41pm city bound from Glen Waverley
has been cancelled

Hurstbridge
03:43pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Hurstbridge
04:01pm city bound from Hurstbridge
has been cancelled

Hurstbridge
04:01pm city bound from Hurstbridge
will now run

Hurstbridge
04:38pm city bound from Greensborough
has been cancelled

Hurstbridge
04:38pm city bound from Greensborough
has been cancelled

Lilydale
03:36pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Lilydale
04:39pm city bound from Lilydale
has been cancelled

Pakenham
03:44pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Pakenham
04:19pm city bound from Pakenham
has been cancelled

Pakenham
04:19pm city bound from Pakenham
has been cancelled

Pakenham
05:32pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Pakenham
05:56pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Sandringham
04:00pm city bound from Sandringham
has been cancelled

Sydenham
03:39pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Sydenham
04:29pm city bound from Watergardens
has been cancelled

Sydenham
08:16pm leaving the city from Southern Cross
has been cancelled

Upfield
03:46pm city bound from Upfield
has been cancelled

Upfield
03:46pm city bound from Upfield
has been cancelled

Werribee
03:26pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Werribee
03:26pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Werribee
05:28pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Werribee
06:05pm leaving the city from Flinders Street
has been cancelled

Werribee
06:23pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Werribee
06:23pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Werribee
06:23pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Werribee
07:03pm city bound from Werribee
has been cancelled

Williamstown
leaving the city from Williamstown Beach
Line Suspended- Williamstown Line: between Newport and Williamstown. Due to extreme weather conditions buses will replace trains until further notice.


--

[stephenk]

I'm glad I'm not a Melbourne commuter today 

I would assume that given Melbourne's extreme temperature range, that the track joints are of the kind that can handle expansion (i.e rails slide past each other) ? Or maybe not?

[ozbob]

Big big problems ...

From the Herald Sun click here!

Huge power outage hits Victoria; Thousands without electricity

Huge power outage hits Victoria; Thousands without electricity
Article from: Herald Sun

Staff writers

January 30, 2009 06:53pm

UPDATE 8.01pm: A MASSIVE power outage has struck Victoria, leaving hundreds of thousands in the dark and plunging trains into chaos.

Paul Bird, of the National Electricity Market Management Company (Nemmco), said the mass blackout was caused by the failure of a transmission cable running between South Morang and Sydenham.

He said about 7pm the SP Ausnet-owned cable failed and power went off to the western suburbs of Melbourne and Geelong.

?There is still one transmission line in place but that can only carry a certain amount of power, so we have had to load shed 1000MW to ensure the working line is not overloaded,? Mr Bird said.

The state?s peak electricity demand has been around 10,500MW in recent days.

Mr Bird said it was difficult to gauge how long it would take to fix the problem.

?It?s our understanding that it will take a period of time to respond," he said.

"We?re estimating several hours until power is restored, at this stage.?

Mr Bird said the outage was mainly affecting customers of Powercor - which covers the western suburbs of Melbourne and Victoria's west.

It is believed up to 235,000 people have been affected.

In addition to lines closed earlier today, Connex has now suspended services on the Upfield line.

Power failures between Flinders St and Richmond, and between Southern Cross and North Melbourne, have caused massive delays.

Connex is unable to confirm reports of a power failure in the City Loop, but Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said there had been a power outage on that line.

Powercor spokesman Ryan Auger said it was "probably the most significant load-shedding the state has ever seen".

The National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) told customers earlier today that power had been restored after some load shedding at 3.30pm.

It did not, however, anticipate a fault with one of SP AusNet?s transmission cables, which is believed to have caused the mass outage.

It is reported that  parts of Melbourne's CBD as well as Essendon, Pascoe Vale and St Albans have been hit by the blackouts.

Crown casino has been evacuated.

A train passenger told Herald Sun Online about 7pm that announcements had been made at Parliament Station that power would be out for at least two hours.

Commuters were told there was no power between Flinders Street and Kensington.

Melbourne?s roads have joined the rails in chaos for the evening commute.

The massive blackout stripped city streets, and intersections of power and motorists were being forced to drive home without traffic lights in some areas.

As many as 200 sets of lights are out across the state, causing wide spread traffic problems from city streets to suburban areas.

?There are about 200 lights out, but that really fluctuates with power crews out all the time trying to fix them,? says Mary Fall, a VicRoads spokesperson.

?Major arterials are running smoothly, but we are having issues with boom gates.?

She advises people to take care on the roads and remain patient where lights aren?t working.

The outage comes just hours after Premier John Brumby said the state's power supplies will cope with the heatwave.

[ozbob]

Complete failure to adequately put in place appropriate infrastructure.  Who is next?  Sydney? Brisbane??

Out sourcing, privatisation, economic rationalist mantra .... complete failure.

The fall out from all of this will be very interesting  ...   

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Rail network meltdown: city loop closed, lines suspended

Rail network meltdown: city loop closed, lines suspended

    * Mex Cooper
    * January 30, 2009 - 7:49PM

Melbourne's rail system has collapsed once again with all services cancelled on eight lines and the closure of the city loop.

Connex commuters are being left stranded at city stations with services suspended on the Alamein, Williamstown, Epping, Upfield, Werribee, Sydenham, Craigieburn and Lilydale lines.

Extreme weather has been blamed for buses replacing trains between Camberwell and Alamein stations, Clifton Hill and Epping stations, Ringwood and Lilydale stations, and Newport and Williamstown.

Upfield passengers have been told to catch the route 19 tram to Coburg where buses will continue to
Upfield.

A Connex spokesman said power outages had affected services between Richmond and Flinders Street but it was hoped
the problem would not take long to fix.

Hundreds of trains have been cancelled throughout the city's record third day of 43-degree-plus heat.

Regional commuters also face delays, with V/Line replacing 22 train services with buses due to heat speed restrictions. 13 trains have been partially replaced by buses.

A spokeswoman for rail operator Connex, Lanie Harris, described the Alamein and Williamstown line suspensions as "strategic cancellations''.

"We do that so we can have more trains to use elsewhere on the network,'' Ms Harris said.

Ms Harris said 100 of yesterday's 400 cancellations were "strategic" cancellations on specific lines such as Williamstown or Alamein.

"This then frees up trains to use elsewhere on the network on longer trips," she said.

Earlier today, Connex said it was battling the knock-on effects of previous days' heat-related delays.

In a bid to assuage fed-up commuters, the State Government yesterday announced free travel across Victoria today on trains, trams and buses.

In addition, Connex this morning said it will offer compensation via free daily tickets to customers with a valid weekly, monthly, six-monthly or yearly ticket for January.

It's been another horror week for Connex, with almost 200 trains cancelled on Wednesday and over 300 services scrapped yesterday.

As a result of repeated cancellations, the operator has failed to meet its agreed target of 98 per cent of scheduled services running for the month.

Normally, only passengers with monthly, six monthly or yearly tickets are eligible for compensation.

However, Connex has extended the offer to weekly ticket holders in recognition of the "severe impact" of this week's cancellations, executive chairman Jonathan Metcalfe said.

The Connex chief said he recognised the compensation offer was "inadequate", but the operator was focused on resolving its issues with the Locomotive Division of the RTBU.

Mr Metcalfe yesterday blamed a large proportion of cancelled services on an industrial campaign by a section of the train drivers' union.

Connex spokeswoman Paola Ghirelli said cancellations this morning were due to heat-related issues and flow-on effects from yesterday's cancellations.

"Yesterday we had a car crash and power shedding in addition to the issues we've had with the heat," Ms Ghirelli said.

In recent days, the company has been offering commuters free icy-poles and bottles of water to help them cope with the heat as they sweltered on packed platforms

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Victorian blackout causes commuter chaos

Victorian blackout causes commuter chaos
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

January 31, 2009 12:00am

THE city's train network descended into chaos last night as a blackout crashed the system.

It capped one of Victoria's worst days for public transport with more than 500 trains cancelled.

Blackouts threw signals out of order on the city fringe near North Melbourne and Richmond stations.

Passengers were stranded at Flinders St for hours.

Services through the City Loop were suspended and passengers were advised to take the tram where available.

Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris said there had been no power failure in the loop.

These caused major disruptions on the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Sydenham, Werribee and Craigieburn lines.

Yarra Trams spokesman Colin Tyrus said disruptions to the trams were confined to routes 57 and 59 in the North Melbourne area.

He said there had been a massive surge of passengers seeking alternatives to the train.

Earlier, Connex suspended services on the Alamein, Williamstown, Epping, Lilydale and Upfield lines as the system struggled to cope with the heat.

The track buckled near Gardiner station about 3pm, leaving two trains stranded.

Yesterday topped one of the worst weeks for Connex since it began running Melbourne trains 10 years ago.

On Thursday, 474 services were cancelled.

The company faces a $5 million bill for this week's unprecedented wave of train cancellations and has been losing about $100,000 an hour in fines for not meeting performance standards.

The company yesterday said some customers would be compensated with a free daily ticket.

That follows yesterday's fare-free day, which will cost taxpayers up to $2 million in forgone revenue.

Passengers on the Sandringham, Lilydale and Frankston lines have been worst hit this month.

While commuters were left stranded, the squabble between Connex and the rail union continued.

Connex said a train at the Newport depot had been banned because of stickers placed in its interior.

The train has been modified by removing some seats to provide extra standing room.

But a train fault report identified this as the reason for it being out of service.

Connex spokesman John Rees said the train has been ready for operation since last November.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union locomotive division secretary Brian Hill said the train had failed three brake tests.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train system completely off the rails

Train system completely off the rails

    * Clay Lucas
    * January 31, 2009

CHAOS descended on the rail network last night, capping one of the most disastrous weeks on Melbourne's trains in decades.

The rail system's operator, Connex, cancelled more than a quarter of all services, with at least 500 of the day's 2000 scheduled services not running.

Many lines ? and, at one point, the City Loop ? were shut down mid-afternoon because of train breakdowns, lines buckling in the blistering heat, or power blackouts.

Buses were not provided in some cases, leaving people without any means of getting home.

The Opposition demanded that Premier John Brumby explain why at least 1300 train services were cancelled this week.

But little explanation was forthcoming from the Government as it pushed much of the blame back on to Connex and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, which are bitterly divided over what is causing the mass cancellations.

Mr Brumby yesterday tried to blame the heatwave and a range of other issues for train cancellations.

But the Premier would not be drawn on whether the Rail, Tram and Bus Union had been involved in an industrial campaign to shut down the network.

"There's a range of factors. And that may be one of the factors," Mr Brumby told ABC radio when questioned about the union's role.

The union is close to the Government. Its secretary Trevor Dobbyn, who has not returned repeated calls from The Age this week, is senior vice-president of the Victorian Labor Party.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu yesterday demanded that Mr Brumby make public the reason for every cancellation this week.

"If I were Premier I would immediately require the reason for every cancelled train to be made public ? immediately," Mr Baillieu said.

The Transport Department did not release information it held on why trains were being cancelled.

"They have the information," Mr Baillieu said. "Make it public so we don't go through this charade of who's to blame and what went wrong with the cancelled trains."

Connex yesterday stepped up its campaign to blame the union for the mass cancellations.

Connex officers took members of the media on a tour of a train at the Newport rail yards, where they said a "faulty" train that has not been in service for weeks had not run because of small stickers on the carriage's interior.

Rail union locomotive division secretary Brian Hill said the train was not running for safety reasons. It had failed three brake tests, he said.

Mr Hill said Connex's tactic of blaming the union was laughable.

"It's not a bad tactic by Connex ? they have to blame someone and they have blamed everyone but themselves."

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky would not respond directly to the claims by Connex.

Her spokesman, Stephen Moynihan, would say only: "Connex and the unions need to come to an agreement because it is unfair on commuters."

Ms Kosky has so far been silent on what she is doing to sort out the increasingly bitter division between Connex and its workers.

The dispute threatens to further disadvantage public transport users next week. It is understood crisis meetings are under way between Connex and the union.

The Victorian Council of Social Service said it was an outrage that buses had not been supplied to some stranded commuters.

It demanded better for public transport users.

"We are in a heatwave, everyone understands that, but nobody should accept that a system should break down to this extent," spokesman David Imber said.

[Matt]

Living down south must be like living in a third world country like Mexico, it's unbearably hot, nothing works as it should, people standing around waiting, services run by foreign companies.
We are so lucky up here,  now if we could only get rid of Blagh.

[ozbob]

From News.com click here!

Thousands still without power in Victoria after devastating blackout

Thousands still without power in Victoria after devastating blackout

By Mariza O'Keefe

AAP

January 31, 2009 06:42pm

THOUSANDS of Victorians were still without power today as the state's unprecedented heatwave dragged on with little relief in sight.

But it was a big improvement on last night's chaos when Melbourne's entire rail network was shut down, with electricity cut off to about half a million homes and businesses in the city's west, some parts of the CBD and western Victoria.

Victorian Premier John Brumby defended the state's power systems, saying the blackout was the result of catastrophic events during a record heatwave, the likes of which only occurred every 100 or 200 years.

?These are unprecedented conditions, it's the hottest week since records began,? Mr Brumby said in the bushfire-affected Latrobe Valley.

The blackout was caused by an explosion at an electrical substation in South Morang yesterday afternoon.

Tens of thousands of commuters were stranded, city buildings evacuated, traffic lights in the CBD stopped working and even the poker machines went dead at Crown Casino.

Victoria's major power companies said they had been able to restore power to most customers by this afternoon.

Also, fewer Connex rail services were disrupted today with only 23 suburban trains cancelled compared to at least 472 on Friday, and five V/Line rural services suspended, compared to 45 the previous day.

United Energy and Jemena/Alinta spokesman John Kingsley-Jones said about 9000 of its customers were still without power.

Crews flown in from Tasmania, the ACT and Queensland were working ?flat out? on repairs under very difficult conditions, he said.

SPAusnet spokeswoman Louisa Graham said 2000 of its customers in eastern Victoria were without power today.

She said its systems were expected to be under less stress because of slightly milder temperatures and the closure of most industry over the weekend.

Citipower spokesman Scott Parker said it was hoped that the 3400 of its customers still without power would have it restored this evening.

Mr Brumby said authorities had carefully managed power supplies during the hottest week in the state's history but catastrophic incidents had thrown the system into chaos.

?As far as power supplies go all week we have carefully managed supplies. The line through South Morang literally exploded in the heat and I don't know if anybody could ever have prevented that from occurring,? he told Sky News.

However, Mr Brumby said he could not guarantee that another ?catastrophic incident? would not occur again.

?We're in uncharted waters, unprecedented conditions, and with the week and hot weather (we have had), some of these systems have never been designed to operate in 44 to 45 degrees heat and barring any catastrophic incidents power supplies today will be fine,? Mr Brumby said.

?But I can never guarantee that there won't be an explosion at the grid or that fires won't get into power lines.?

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said yesterday's breakdown of basic services was a demonstration of government neglect during 10 years in office.

?This Government had $250 billion and 10 years and they have left Victoria's basic services in this situation,? he said.

?It is an extraordinary situation and Victorians have every right to be angry.?

He said with the Australian Open showcasing Melbourne to the world, the state ran the risk of being an international laughing stock.

?We have an important international event in Australia, in Melbourne, at the moment and people can see what's going on here,? he said.

?Not enough water, not enough power, trains out, blackouts.?

VICTORIANS have only narrowly escaped being placed on severe power restrictions after the Government considered enacting emergency powers to respond to the explosion of a major electrical substation last night.

Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor compared the unprecedented heatwave that has hit the state to a natural disaster and said there was nothing the Government could have done to prevent the huge power blackout.

?These events are unprecedented, in some respects they are not unlike a natural disaster, impacting on a community like a flood or tornado,? he said today.

An explosion at an electrical substation in South Morang yesterday afternoon saw Melbourne train services cancelled and power blackouts to 500,000 homes and businesses.

Mr Batchelor said it also almost resulted in the Government invoking its emergency powers.

?We worked through the night and had several telephone hook-ups and had planned to have a meeting at 5am (AEDT) this morning to start the process and establish legal authority to bring on those very severe power restrictions,? Mr Batchelor said.

But he said that was prevented after power authorities were able to give the Government assurances that was not necessary and they could return power to most of the people affected by the blackout by midnight.

Mr Batchelor estimated that the system was expected to be completely restored by the end of today.

He also defended the Government's response to the crisis.

?No government or system can withstand that sort of attack on it without there being some problems,? he said.

?We have thrown everything we have got at it, trying to resolve those problems.?

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said yesterday's breakdown of basic services demonstrated how the Government had neglected the state during its 10 years in power.

?This Government had $250 billion and 10 years and they have left Victoria's basic services in this situation,? he said.

?It is an extraordinary situation and Victorians have every right to be angry.?

He said with the Australian Open showcasing Melbourne to the world, the state ran the risk of being an international laughing stock.

?We have an important international event in Australia, in Melbourne, at the moment and people can see what's going on here,? he said.

?Not enough water, not enough power, trains out, blackouts.?

Last night's power drama saw all Melbourne train services cancelled and about 500,000 homes and businesses in Melbourne's west, some parts of the CBD and western Victoria left without electricity.

Train services continue to be disrupted by the heat wave, with Connex reporting 17 suburban train cancellations today, while V/Line has had five.

Suburban trains affected are on the Craigieburn, Cranbourne, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Sydenham and Werribee lines.


SPAusnet spokeswoman Louisa Graham said 2000 of its customers in eastern Victoria remained without power this morning.

She said less stress was expected on its systems today due to slightly milder temperatures and the closure of most industries over the weekend.

United Energy and Jemena/Alinta spokesman John Kingsley-Jones said about 9000 of its customers were without power.

Crews had been flown in from Tasmania, the ACT and Queensland and they were working "flat out" repairing power assets under very difficult conditions, he said.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Connex may be short of trains as school returns

Connex may be short of trains as school returns

    * Bridie Smith
    * February 2, 2009

TRAIN operator Connex has conceded it may not have enough working trains to cope with the resumption of school today.

While Connex admits to having a list of problem lines, it has refused to reveal which lines will be most vulnerable this week as tens of thousands of students return to class.

Before what is forecast to be a cooler week following last week's historic scorcher, Connex maintenance crews worked through the night to get enough trains ready for service. For Connex to run a full timetable, it must have at least 148 out of a total fleet of 164 six-car trains working.

"We are a few short of that at this point," Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris said last night. "Not having back-up trains means that if the slightest thing goes wrong ? we are susceptible to further cancellations."

She said that with school going back today, it was crucial that the rail network performed without mass cancellations but there were no guarantees.

"We can't guarantee that everything will be running 100 per cent smoothly ? we were severely knocked around last week with our train availability and that will continue to affect things."

Premier John Brumby said there were no guarantees against catastrophic events.

There were 20 instances of rails buckling as a result of last Thursday and Friday's blistering heat, with a further 20 tracks suffering minor misalignment.

Ms Harris said that all buckled tracks had been fixed and despite a drop in forecast temperatures, officers would continue to patrol tracks this week.

Temperatures in Melbourne are not forecast to pass 32 degrees this week.

But the cool change, which arrived on Friday afternoon, clung to the coast, leaving inland Victoria to swelter. Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Peter Blake said Ouyen and Charlton reached 46 degrees on Saturday and 41 degrees yesterday.

Mildura and Yarrawonga recorded the state's top temperature yesterday, with 43 degrees.

"It was really only the coastal fringe that was spared the heat on the weekend," Mr Blake said, adding that the pattern was likely to continue this week.

Storms with possible lightning strikes have also been forecast in the state's north-east until Thursday.

Melbourne recorded its second-lowest rainfall for January, with just 0.8 millimetres. The lowest was recorded in 1932 when only 0.3 millimetres fell; the month's average rainfall is 48 millimetres.

With CLAY LUCAS

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Connex trains may fold under pressure from returning students

Connex trains may fold under pressure from returning students
Article from: Herald Sun

Kate Rose

February 02, 2009 06:44am

UPDATE 8:05am SEVENTEEN peak-hour trains have been cancelled amid concerns the system will collapse as students return.

Connex has confessed its shambolic train system may not be able to cope with increased demand as students return to school today, and it is still recovering from problems last week.

But Connex spokeswoman Lanie Harris is adamant the vast majority of this morning's 430 peak services will run, and the day will not turn out like some last week.

The system was already under pressure several weeks ago, with a series of nightmare peak hours for commuters culminating in last Friday, when the heat and power cuts left more than a quarter of all Connex trains not running.

Ms Harris has warned a backlog of maintenance work is needed to get the train fleet running after last week's horror heatwave.

"The extreme temperature last week did knock out a huge number of our trains," Ms Harris said.

According to Ms Harris, the maintenance issues have affected the number of stand-by trains available if scheduled services encounter problems. She said services would improve over the coming week, however, with maintenance crews doubled to cope with the issues.

"We doubled our maintenance crew who worked right through the weekend, (but) there are still some standby trains not available this morning, so it means we're more susceptible if things go wrong like a new spate of train faults or vandalism.

"On any given day we are susceptible to a range of issues that affect our trains. Trains faults, (...) the heat, extreme weather, police operations...

"Our main priority is to ensure that we minimise disruptions, that we make sure people get where they need to go and that includes today of course, kids going back to school.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Connex drivers refuse to wear uniforms in protest

Connex drivers refuse to wear uniforms in protest
Article from: Herald Sun

Ashley Gardiner

February 02, 2009 04:59pm

TRAIN drivers will refuse to wear their uniforms in protest at Connex for blaming them for the recent spate of cancellations.
A notice issued today by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union?s locomotive division said there had been a sudden increase of abuse directed towards drivers following comments by Connex executive chairman Jonathan Metcalfe.

Mr Metcalfe last week said as many as 80 per cent of cancellations were due to a campaign by some members of the locomotive division.

?Drivers are advised that due to inflammatory comments (there has been) an increase in incidences of members of the public endangering the health, safety and welfare of members,? the notice says.

?Drivers are to wear plain clothes that does not identify them as drivers to members of the public.

?Safety gear is still to be maintained.?

Comment is being sought from Connex.

Train services are performing better today after last week's nightmare, but there were still 36 cancellations as of 4.30pm.
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