Thanks Connex

vaudegiant said:

Terrible train story <snip>

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

Bean Long said:

vaudegiant said:

Terrible train story <snip>

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Or sensors on each of the doors to make sure they're closed properly?

This could have been so much worse and is worth an investigation by
a rail safety authority (if there is one).

--
e-mail: d.farrow@your finger.murdoch.edu.au
To reply, you'll have to remove your finger.

Bean Long said:

vaudegiant said:

Terrible train story <snip>

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

I thought they weren't supposed to leave until the station staff
indicate that the platform is clear?

Of course cutbacks probably mean there wasn't platform staff present *sigh*

Speaking as a bus driver... and how small things look only 13 metres
back look; I suspect that mirrors on a train would be almost useless
more than 1 carriage back.

What would be better would be cameras at the doors that the driver can
see in the cabin, preferably with sensors on the doors like newer city
buses now have with stop the vehicle taking off when the door isn't
properly closed.

G-S

Bean Long said:

vaudegiant said:

Terrible train story <snip>

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Dreadful that it happened at all, and lucky the outcome was not worse.
Thanks to the OP for posting this - I'm paranoid about train doors when
travelling with bikes, and this validates my caution. Glad you're ok, please
inform as to the outcome with Connex.

--
beerwolf

G-S said:

Bean Long wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Yes, truly terrible story, and an event that never should have happened! It
worries me every time I have a large group on the train waiting to get off
at a minor station. Keep us informed about the outcome of your letter, as
this is a serious issue.

Quoted message said:

I thought they weren't supposed to leave until the station staff indicate
that the platform is clear?

You are showing how infrequently you use the trains! That quaint procedure
went out of use about 15 or 20 years ago. Why on earth do we need station
staff? And if there are any, you'll never see them on the platform. That
place is *dangerous*!

Quoted message said:

Of course cutbacks probably mean there wasn't platform staff present
*sigh*

Speaking as a bus driver... and how small things look only 13 metres back
look; I suspect that mirrors on a train would be almost useless more than
1 carriage back.

What would be better would be cameras at the doors that the driver can see
in the cabin, preferably with sensors on the doors like newer city buses
now have with stop the vehicle taking off when the door isn't properly
closed.

Cameras!! Oh I don't know.... that's all such new technology! (tic)

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

DeF said:

Or sensors on each of the doors to make sure they're closed properly?

I can only speak of sydney, because that's the only place I've had
experience on trains, but, as far as sensors go, some are not representative
of reality.
(In other words, they're stuffed).

Heard of stories where doors burst open mid-flight, on a crowed train.
Officials on train only find out by the hysterical screaming at the next stop.

Other trains where the doors are open. Just plain ol' open. The official
fix is, at the next service interval (however often that happens) to jam the
doors shut and use "out of order" stickers till it gets to the next service
interval.

Quoted message said:

This could have been so much worse and is worth an investigation by
a rail safety authority (if there is one).

Again, I can't speak for Melbourne, but in Sydney, let's just say: Cough.

--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:59:38 +1100, vaudegiant
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Expect a canned reply to your letter denying all responsibilty.

Call John Fayne on ABC 774 and report the incident.
He may take it up being anything on Connex screws up usually rates as
news worthy.

Quoted message said:

Had an interesting bike (train) trip on Melbourne Cup week-end. My wife
and I decided that the kids were old enough for a biking adventure and
so it was that we arranged to spend the weekend riding the Murray to
Mountains rail trail from Wangaratta, staying in Beechworth for 2 nights
and then back to [censored]. We wanted this to be a car free holiday so we
planned to ride to nearest station (Blackburn) catch train to Southern
Cross, hop on V-Line train to [censored] and then the reverse on the way home.
We did ultimately manage to complete the trip as planned, and our kids
(12, 10, 7 and 4) can boast, especially the 7 year old, of completing
100 km's by bike for the trip.
The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems
we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we
occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and
heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we
were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had
to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike
onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away
from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10
year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed,
they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train,
and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors
open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to
the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as
the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of
the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday
morning. The bike was stuffed, and after much stuffing around in [censored],
finally bought a K-Mart bike (do not try truing the wheels of these junk
bikes!). Bike wise, the rest of the trip went off without too many
hitches (the 4 year old managed 12 k's on his 16" bike for the w/e- 6
k's out of [censored], and 6 on the return). Despite the return train being
cancelled, us having to squeeze 6 bikes + smashed bike and trailer onto
replacement bus, then 4 year old vomiting everywhere over, him, me bus
seats, floor) things worked out pretty well. Connex now in possession
of very angry letter asking how a train can leave the platform in this
state, with someone trapped onboard and bikes stuck in 2 doors. Very
much looking forward to their response.

Pat

PeteSig said:

Quoted message said:

I thought they weren't supposed to leave until the station staff indicate
that the platform is clear?

You are showing how infrequently you use the trains! That quaint procedure
went out of use about 15 or 20 years ago. Why on earth do we need station
staff? And if there are any, you'll never see them on the platform. That
place is *dangerous*!

Actually I use the train to go to Melbourne about 5 times a month on
average from here.

Actually we have station staff and they do stand on the platform
performing various functions and they definitely "aren't out of use" here.

But this is a country V/Line station about an hour 15 out of the CBD and
not a city station.

You have my sympathy if your station isn't so endowed 🙂

G-S

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:31:16 GMT, "beerwolf"
<[email hidden]> wrote in aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Dreadful that it happened at all, and lucky the outcome was not worse.
Thanks to the OP for posting this - I'm paranoid about train doors when
travelling with bikes, and this validates my caution. Glad you're ok, please
inform as to the outcome with Connex.

Never had any trouble with the doors on the old red rattlers.

Regards
Harold

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum - Lucretius

On 2007-11-15, vaudegiant (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems
we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we
occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and
heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we
were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had
to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike
onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away
from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10
year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed,
they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train,
and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors
open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to
the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as
the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of
the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday
morning.

[censored] mate.

The Age might be interested in a story too...

My bus driver doesn't even take off without peering behind him to
verify that the door has closed. Might just be that he doesn't trust
his bus 🙂

--
TimC
Disclaimer: This post owned by the owner

On 2007-11-16, TimC (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

On 2007-11-15, vaudegiant (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems
we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we
occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and
heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we
were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had
to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike
onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away
from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10
year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed,
they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train,
and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors
open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to
the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as
the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of
the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday
morning.

[censored] mate.

The Age might be interested in a story too...

My bus driver doesn't even take off without peering behind him to
verify that the door has closed. Might just be that he doesn't trust
his bus 🙂

P.S.

They (and the ombudsman, if we are quaint enough not to have gotten
rid of him in a cost cutting excercise) would be interested in the
date, time, train and platform number too. Then they can trace it
back to the driver who ought to be out on his [censored] by tomorrow.

--
TimC
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore."
-- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race

On Nov 16, 3:31 pm, TimC <[email hidden]-

astro.swin.edu.au said:

On 2007-11-16, TimC (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

On 2007-11-15, vaudegiant (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

The trip almost finished before it started due to some train problems
we had at Southern Cross. As the train pulled into the station, we
occupied the last 2 doorways. I was in one doorway with my bike and
heavily-laden trailer. My wife and the kids were at the other. As we
were getting off, the doors closed on the wheel of my trailer and I had
to drop my bike, force the doors open and then heave the trailer/bike
onto the platform. As I was doing this, the train started to pull away
from the platform. I then look up to see the train departing with my 10
year old daughter's bike stuck in the rear doors. When the doors closed,
they had closed on my daughters bike, with her trapped inside the train,
and the rest of us on the platform. My wife managed to get the doors
open enough for her to get out, but not the bike. My daughter fell to
the ground hurting her knee in the process, and we then all watched as
the train departed, smashing her bike against the fence at the end of
the platform. Trip barely started, 1 bike down and its early Sunday
morning.

Quoted message said:

[censored] mate.

Quoted message said:

The Age might be interested in a story too...

Quoted message said:

My bus driver doesn't even take off without peering behind him to
verify that the door has closed. Might just be that he doesn't trust
his bus 🙂

P.S.

They (and the ombudsman, if we are quaint enough not to have gotten
rid of him in a cost cutting excercise) would be interested in the
date, time, train and platform number too. Then they can trace it
back to the driver who ought to be out on his [censored] by tomorrow.

--
TimC
"I won! I won! I don't have to go to school anymore."
-- Eddy Merckx, after winning his first bike race

I'll think you'll find that connex advise you to travel at the <front>
of
the train if you are doing anything unusual. For example, you have a
pusher with a toddler, or a large object to move. This is so you are
close to the driver and he/she can see what's happening.

AndrewJ said:

I'll think you'll find that connex advise you to travel at the <front>
of
the train if you are doing anything unusual. For example, you have a
pusher with a toddler, or a large object to move. This is so you are
close to the driver and he/she can see what's happening.

I thought that was only for people who need a wheelchair ramp. Regardless, the driver should be able to see the back and the front of the train, well you'd hope anyway...

Jono L said:

AndrewJ said:

I'll think you'll find that connex advise you to travel at the <front>
of
the train if you are doing anything unusual. For example, you have a
pusher with a toddler, or a large object to move. This is so you are
close to the driver and he/she can see what's happening.

I thought that was only for people who need a wheelchair ramp.
Regardless, the driver should be able to see the back and the front of
the train, well you'd hope anyway...

As I pointed out earlier in the thread I strongly doubt that based on my
experience with how useful mirrors are in heavy vehicles.

G-S

I'll think you'll find that connex advise you to travel at the <front>
of
the train if you are doing anything unusual. For example, you have a
pusher with a toddler, or a large object to move. This is so you are
close to the driver and he/she can see what's happening.[/QUOTE]

Normally we probably would have but as we had less than 30 mins to make our connecting train and were told that we needed to have our gear ready to load onto that train "at least" 30 mins prior to departure, we travelled at the rear of the train so that we were close to the lifts that would allow us to get off the platform quickly. Seems that when they redesigned the 1 billion dollar train station, they removed those very handy tunnels that connected platforms. Of course, we shouldn't have to travel at the front, especially at 8am on a Sunday morning. Someone I spoke to says that because of the pressure during weekdays for Connex to stick to their timetables, they use the week-end services to try and boost their percentages of trains on-time, and so they tend to depart stations with haste.

We are waiting to hear what Connex have to say before we take it any further.

Pat

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:31:16 GMT, "beerwolf"
<[email hidden]> wrote in aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Dreadful that it happened at all, and lucky the outcome was not worse.
Thanks to the OP for posting this - I'm paranoid about train doors when
travelling with bikes, and this validates my caution. Glad you're ok, please
inform as to the outcome with Connex.

Never had any trouble with the doors on the old red rattlers.

Regards
Harold

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum - Lucretius

Harry 'Snapper' Organ said:

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:31:16 GMT, "beerwolf"
<[email hidden]> wrote in aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gor blimey! Lucky it was the bike and not a person stuck in the door.
That's freakin' terrible! Don't those guys have mirrors they use to make
sure everything is safe before they take off??

Dreadful that it happened at all, and lucky the outcome was not worse.
Thanks to the OP for posting this - I'm paranoid about train doors when
travelling with bikes, and this validates my caution. Glad you're ok, please
inform as to the outcome with Connex.

Never had any trouble with the doors on the old red rattlers.

Regards
Harold

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum - Lucretius

Did they even have doors?

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:26:18 +1100, heh heh <not@here> wrote in
aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Never had any trouble with the doors on the old red rattlers.

Regards
Harold

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum - Lucretius

Did they even have doors?

Oh yes, but unless it was bloody freezing no one ever attermpted to
shut them.

Regards
Harold

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum - Lucretius

AndrewJ said:

I'll think you'll find that connex advise you to travel at the <front>
of
the train if you are doing anything unusual. For example, you have a
pusher with a toddler, or a large object to move. This is so you are
close to the driver and he/she can see what's happening.

Connex prefers that cyclists get on at the back of the train because the front of the train's better for facilitating wheelchair access.

When someone who's in a wheelchair needs to board a train the driver has to hop out to set up the ramp. Having the front carraige filled with fit and able bodied cyclists makes that a bit difficult.