Eastern Line Plunged in Chaos

First of all I understand new equipment can run into teething issues both in tests and when in full operations for the first time. But the same teething issues one year after the first electric train started plying the Onehunga Line?

This morning the continued failures on the Auckland Rail Network continued with an Electric 6 car set on the Eastern Line. The EMU-car sets carry 750 passengers so more than the big diesel SA6-car sets by 100 and thus work well on the Eastern Line in the peak-of-peaks between 7am-8:30am.

The fault which disabled the EMU-6-car set at Middlemore (to heading to Britomart) was again a door fault, something that has been plaguing the 6-car sets for a while now (and causing a lot of cancellations as a result). From what I heard it took 30 minutes to move the disabled unit out-of-the-way (so in effect it was blocking the Southern Line as well although I have heard no majors come from that line so far) and get the Eastern Line running again.

Problem? 30 minute delay and the rest of your Eastern Line services covered by the EMU 3 car sets (375 capacity) and we start getting crush issues:

While a 6 car set is just starting to come through now to mop up the stranded passengers for over an hour Meadowbank and Oraeki Stations were simply skipped as overloaded trains from Glen Innes went “express” to Britomart (under speed restrictions as well). So for a friend of mine caught in the drama what was meant to be a 40 minute journey turned into about two hours. What a way to start your day?

So Auckland Transport we have yet another situation. Why was the following not done?

1. No EMU 6 car sets running in revenue service until that door fault is cleared. It is causing too many cancellations as is and you should be penalising CAF (the train builder) everything this fault happens until it is fixed
2. Were announcements made regularly in clear plain simple English illustrating the situation (from what I have heard from passengers the answer was ‘that was not happening’)
3. Why do you not use Twitter and Facebook like NZTA does to alert people to the issues
4. Why were people especially at Glen Innes not directed to the City bound buses
5. Why was a diesel (even if having to bring the old ADK DMU units back on-line and recertified) not sent around the Eastern Line to do a mop up operation in the interim

These continued failures I will blog daily as they occur until Auckland Transport and Auckland Council begin a full independent investigation into all issues plaguing the rail network. Will patronage growth as is we do not need set backs due to failures.

I am aware the Board of Auckland Transport has been notified of the issues so I hope the Chair Dr Levy starts a full investigation at today’s Board Meeting!