Thanks Connex

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 Wang. 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 Wang 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 Wang,
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 Wang, 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


--
vaudegiant

vaudegiant wrote:

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 wrote:
vaudegiant wrote:

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 wrote:
vaudegiant wrote:

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 wrote:
vaudegiant wrote:

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" wrote:
Bean Long wrote:

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.

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*!



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 wrote:

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.

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
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.


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 Wang. 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 Wang 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 Wang,
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 Wang, 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 wrote:

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"
wrote in aus.bicycle:

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