#1
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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 |
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#2
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Thanks Connex
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 |
#3
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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. |
#4
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Thanks Connex
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 |
#5
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Thanks Connex
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 |
#6
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Thanks Connex
"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 ~~~ ~ _@ ~~ ~ _- \, ~~ (*)/ (*) |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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 |
#9
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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 |
#10
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Thanks Connex
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 |
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