Babe Ruth and Trains

Tonight the 5.33 to Carterton was delayed. This meant that the 5.33 passengers and the 6.18 passengers had to merge into the one train that departed Wellington Railway Station circa 6.40 pm. Timing is important to me.

All trains at the Railway Station were delayed - at least on the Upper Hutt line.

Once the train was on its journey a Tranzmetro man came through and announced he was sorry for the delay but the reasosn was one of the Train Managers (This is a flash term for a guard) on the incoming train had collapsed at Carterton railway station and had to be taken to Masterton Hospital. Train logic is dependent on outgoing trains being those that have previously been incoming trains.

So that is what was said by the Tranzmetro man with the yellow gerkin . Amazingly none of the passengers (and I am sorry to say this included me but at least inside I gave a shit) asked how the collapsed guard was or what is condition was. And then amazingly people started making conversations from their cellphones: and I quote one convo representative of the flavour:

"I'll be home late becasuse one of the guards has had a heart attack, so this means all the trains in NZ have stopped - and there's people standing on the train" (there was 1 person standing in my carriage)

Ah no, trains on the Upper Hutt route had been delayed due to the neccessity to follow health and safety procedures and because someones life may have been at risk.

People started complaining they would be late home. That NZ train didn't compare with those in Aus and Germany and Holland etc. They dont - but thats why they are NZ trains eh?

Then the best bit came. Ruth one of the "clippies" - that is not a train manager but lay person who earns a few extra bucks on her way to work by clipping tickets started her normal routine of "tickets please" . The Dutchman said "I'm not paying". The German woman said "neither am I" So Ruth (a classic Masterton mature woman) said "Well buggar you then" and walked off and noone had their tickets clicked. Hence a free $14.00 ride and some extra reading time.

So yeah I was an hour late home, but no big deal I missed the first few minutes of DWTS. But what about the guy in hospital?

Dare I say it, but a lot of the guards are proabaly heart attack material...but thats a seperate issue.

Yay for Ruth. She deserves a Tui.