Warm Nights On A Non Moving Train

Further signs that the Third World lifestyle we all crave is coming our way...

RailCorp must revisit procedures for managing stranded trains after scores of CityRail passengers were trapped on an interurban service between Hazelbrook and Lawson on Wednesday afternoon for over two and a half hours, despite being metres from Hazelbrook station.

The delay, initially caused by a loss of power to the privately operated Indian Pacific, was exacerbated by train controllers needing authorisation paperwork before the stranded interurban service could proceed.

In these situations the health, safety and comfort of the travelling public must be paramount. Every effort must be made to get the passengers off the train as soon as possible. Two and a half hours is a pathetic and unacceptable response, but par for the course for a management whose response to the Glenbrook Disaster is to cover their own backsides while denying resources and authority to frontline operational staff.

Justice McInerney’s inquiry into the Glenbrook disaster and the tragic loss of life made recommendations, especially regarding train operator communications, which are still yet to be acted upon. Blustering arguments from RailCorp management about safety are just hogwash as it was perfectly safe on Wednesday night to transport passengers two hundred metres to the next station (as was acknowledged by operational staff on the spot) from where people could have made alternative arrangements.

Alex Tibbits from SMH Online reported at 6.51pm that delays were due to “a truck that had rolled on to the tracks at Blackheath at about 4.50pm today.” And that “commuters are being transferred to buses at Penrith [to continue their journey]” This wasn’t happening at Lawson nearly an hour after Tibbits’ report appeared online.

Tibbits relied on a CityRail spokesman, who made no mention of the failure of the privately owned Indian Pacific - which managed to travel on to Lithgow on the “closed” line, as did the service I was stranded on after the RailCorp paperwork was completed nearly four hours later.

This is shoddy journalism as not only was his report plain wrong - and I speak as an eyewitness - but would have added to the confusion for not only the travelling public, but caused anxiety for friends and relatives of those on the train trying to find out what was happening.

When newspapers meant something they employed people on the ground called stringers to inform news editors and journalists of stories, and act as a confirmation of official versions of events. This journalism-by-press-release has undermined the credibility of the Herald in the eyes of its many readers from the Blue Mountains.

It couldn’t undermine their view of RailCorp as that simply isn’t possible.

Not For Publication I

From the cleaning out the email inbox department: Despite most journalists disdain for such an amateur hour section, Letters To The Editor are very well read and very popular amongst readers (how unusual for journalists to have disdain for something that interests readers?). There is a perennial Sydney Morning Herald letter writer called Rosemary O'Brien - famous and marked by her caustic wit, narrow mind and malapropisms par excellence. Rose is one of those people that just doesn't get modern society. One of those people, as ubiquitous as fibro, who think they're above the hoi-polloi and have a withering, destructive and somewhat small view of their fellow human beings. In short she's a dumb as dogshit conservative jack-ass! I wrote the Herald in December following her commenting on her fear that myths develop from people not being reminded of peoples true characters. I replied:

-----Original Message----- From: Methuselah Sent: Wednesday, 12 December 2007 12:46 AM To: SMH Letters Mail Subject: Letter to Ed Don't worry Rosemary O'Brien (Letters, December 12), as someone who has been reading your mendacious tosh for years, I'll take great satisfaction in reminding people of it for decades to come - just so any myths don't get out of hand.

And I received this reply

Hi Methuselah

Even though this wins my unofficial Letter of the Week award, I don't
want to encourage a general slanging match between and about
correspondents (especially Rosemary O'Brien) so I'm afraid I won't be
publishing it. But thanks a lot for sending it.

Letters co-editor