There can be fewer worse humiliations than to lose control of bodily functions when deprived of the availability of a toilet - and yet that is a chance commuters take daily when they commute from Wollongong to Sydney by rail.
Years ago we were served by the infamous " red rattlers ", but at least these had crude toilets !
The shambles that masquerades as a railway in this state has had some incredible planning bungles but we were assured that better times were just around the corner. The first of the new OSCAR carriages began to appear - and to our blessing - they contained both toilets and the provision of drinking water.
It was simply too much to think that nirvana had finally arrived - and of course it was too much. The OSCARS have become as scarce as hen's teeth - and we are again served by those suburban Tangara carriages that were designed for short journeys - and lack toilets. As a result, we are back to the dark ages with " toilet stops " at Helensburgh - for those that can hold on until that station is reached !
Why is this so ? Because of another bungle ! This time it is the newly completed, twelve kilometre Epping to Chatswood link.
It seems that the planners got it wrong and the grade on this section is too steep for other than OSCAR units with their more powerful engines. As a result, the OSCARS have been " pulled " from the south coast line - and replaced with those aged, toiletless Tangara carriages.
And just to make life more interesting for travellers on the Epping to Chatswood section, the safety lighting in the tunnel was also botched. It produces a " strobe light effect " on drivers and passengers, and may induce epileptic fits on those prone to that medical condition.
To counter this, the gods who govern our railway suggest drivers pull down their window shades when on this section of track. It will no doubt cause surprise to some people to know that their train is running " blind " with nobody watching the track ahead !
Once again we are assured that the return of the Tangara carriages is only " temporary ".
More OSCARS are on order - and one day - somewhere in the golden future - there will be enough of them that passengers on the south coast rail line will be treated as human beings and not transported in what some refer to as " cattle trucks ".
Until that happens, just hope and pray you are spared the ultimate humiliation - on a train that lacks toilets !
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