Rail dramas call on buses

By Shaun Inguanzo
UP TO 1000 peak-hour train passengers were forced to wait for buses at Dandenong railway station on Tuesday morning after police found a body on the line at Sandown Park.
Connex said 133 peak morning services were disrupted as police, the Coroner and its own team investigated the death.
About 1000 commuters had to catch buses from Dandenong to Westall railway station to continue their early morning journeys to work.
The body was found at 5.15am, but a Connex spokesman told Star the investigative process and subsequent clean-up stretched the delay until 8.15am.
“We had 13 buses get in there (to Dandenong railway station), which was a really good effort,” he said.
“Normally a lot of buses are being used to ferry school kids around. They don’t just sit there and wait for Connex.” But as soon as the early morning drama ended, a collision between a train and car at Caulfield about 8.30am ensured that relieved travellers heading inbound again faced frustrating delays.
“The train came around the corner and the driver saw the car and was quick to respond,” the spokesman said.
“He slowed the train right down so the impact was minor.
“I understand the lady driver received only minor injuries. And then we had the issue that the section of line had to be closed as well.
“Again, emergency services and Connex had to come down and investigate, remove the car from the scene and so on.
“We had the same 13 buses ferrying people between Caulfield and Oakleigh.”
The Caulfield incident disrupted 86 services, bringing the morning’s total of services lost to 219.