walaj

As someone who has spent several years relying on the London tube network to get to work (not any more and would not return) is the train system in Sydney really that bad? Or do Sydneysiders have a higher expectation than Londoners?

I had read a bit ago re the shortage of drivers -obviously not yet solved, so is it yet on the MODL?

free transport for the day

Grayling

I started a thread on this earlier.

It is heresy to say things like this you know

G

ABCDiamond

Sydney trains are worse than Brisbane trains, but I can't compare to the UK ones, it's been too long since I ventured onto a UK train.

PommieLeague

They are double decker trains for a start and I coulnt fault them when I spent 6 weeks in Sydney last year! They are far better and cleaner than the London Tube.

Jimbo9

I'd say the services are about the same - both could be improved a lot. !!

bondipom

Try and get that one past the unions. Cityrail has gone the way of Britishrail. There have been quite a few days now where 0% of trains have run on time.

I used to get the train 2 years ago however I now drive. Mrs BP gets the bus and 2 trains to North Sydney every day. Over the last year matters have been getting worse and worse. I now estimate she is at least 20 minutes late twice a week and 30 mins or more 1 a week.

Since weekend schedules were cut to provide more drivers for the week cases of Mondayitus have shot up. Monday mornings can be bad on the railways.

I have also noticed the standard of cleanliness of the trains plummet and now prefer the bus.

Bob Carr is crapping himself he will lose the election on this issue.

chels

I find them better than London Underground and my local train operator in Kent, but apparently the Bondi Junction line is better than others and that's what I base this opinion on!

bondipom

Wife uses the Bondi Junction line. I lived in Woking which was well served by trains. I was rarely late to work and probably home late once a week. Many others were not so fortunate. I used the waterloo and city and northern lines as a commuter and the crowds were bad but the tubes were frequent. Heard some nightmares from friends who were using it last year. The green line in Sydney serving Campbelltown and Liverpool has recenly been slated as one of the worst.

Even worse a mate of mine was late to the pub the other day. I got a whole schooner in before he arrived.

Quinkana

Are you a qualified train driver?

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A base rate of $802.70 per week plus Industry Allowance and superannuation will be paid while in training. Upon completion of training a base salary of $806.80 per week plus Industry Allowance, superannuation, shift and other allowances will be paid.

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Applicants must complete a specific application form which can be obtained by calling (02) 9379 2050 and quoting reference no. CRU 04/42.

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RailCorp is an equal employment opportunity employer.
Women are encouraged to apply for this position.

$A 41,953.36 per year base salary + super + shift + overtime. 15 months to train new recruits.

Was not able to find RailCorp's budget but:

Rail chiefs ask for $355m extra

Senior managers have asked for $355 million more than they have been allocated in their budgets to run the state's troubled rail network.

Details of the massive variance, which are outlined in documents leaked to The Sun-Herald, have sparked concerns that further station closures and service cuts are imminent and passenger safety may be jeopardised.

However, RailCorp chief executive Vince Graham has dismissed the Rail Entities 2004/05 Budget Review as nothing more than an internal working paper.

The highly sensitive document reveals that more than 1100 staff have been added to RailCorp without managers accounting for salary costs.

Revenues are an estimated $45 million down on predictions made just several months ago, the document says. And about $80 million that the Government had hoped to save by integrating the state's existing rail bodies was in danger of not being realised.

The $355 million is believed to represent about 15 per cent of the rail budget.

Rail has been losing money for 120 years.

bondipom

Rail drivers are getting up to $75,000 with the overtime. Rail will make a loss and will always make a loss. Shame car drivers do not have to pay for the congestion railway removes off the roads and the pollution they produce.

bondipom

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/...182157209.html
Costa's time warp: fewer, slower services

By Alexandra Smith, Transport Reporter
December 6, 2004

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Parramatta will lose at least 14 per cent of its daily services to the CBD and trains will stop at more stations, significantly increasing trip times, when the new CityRail timetable is introduced.

An analysis of the draft timetable, due to be implemented next September, showed a big drop in services on the western and North Shore lines, said a timetable expert, Geoff Lambert.

Mr Lambert - who is the editor of The Times, the journal of the Australian Association of Time Table Collectors - said daily services from Parramatta would be reduced from 160 to 140, with several terminating at Central's country platform rather than continuing to the City Circle.

Off-peak services in the middle of the day would also be reduced, from seven an hour to five, while between 8am and 9am there would be 11 trains an hour instead of 14 now, he said.

anya4oz

For what it's worth...

The London Tube drivers' union has just signed a deal that gives them 52 days per annum paid holiday and allows them to earn in excess of 50,000 GBP pa (and it has to be said that the latter salary would barely be enough to get a mortgage on a typical London property).

Hopefully these new conditions should assist with the improvement of what is currently a lamentable service, with some major safety issues (in 2003, the entire Central Line was completely closed for a number of months due to safety problems).

Anya.

Ansy

Sydney's cityrail is getting worse. When I first arrived in December 2003, it was acceptable. I lived in the innerwest and a train stopped at my station every 15 to 20 minutes. I usually got to the central station in about 15 minutes.

Then, after the changes, strikes and chaos, it turned into a train every 25 to 30 min and once every 70 min on weekends. The train ride that took me 15min to the central station, started taking 23min. Finally, I got fed up and moved closer to wrk. Now, I just get up and walk to work without worrying about public transport. What's fascinating is that my rent (i.m roughly 2km from the city) is similar to the rent I paid in a suburb 7km from the city, the apt in the city is better

wombatboy

well i dont give a cr*p what anyone says...i was going to epping from artarmon last monday night and i waited for 2.5 f**king hours and when a train (that was goin gto Wyong and stopping in Epping) finally came it drove past us and the voice over said....

"...eerm, sorry ladies and gentlemen...that train was meant to stop here...."

I sh*t you not.
Oh and the point of my story is the trains in Sydney are cr*p at the moment.

bondipom

This one is living in la la land. Pepperoni for me please.