Thanks everyone for your responses. I think there's some misunderstanding so I just wanted to clarify:
- I am a regular commuter from Gosford to Wynyard, and normally catch the peak hour Central Coast services via the North Shore that are express to Chatswood then all stations to Central. These direct train services between Wynyard and Gosford are not running at all during the current trackwork period (well they are but not stopping ).
- I am aware how long the trip takes as a regular commuter, and it takes even longer during this trackwork period!
- Adding stops at Wynyard and Town Hall can't really make the trip any longer, because all of the Newcastle & Coast trains that have been diverted via the North Shore Line are timetabled to take exactly the same amount of time between Hornsby and Central as the all stops suburban trains take between Hornsby and Central!!! Yes check it out on tripview or any of the timetable apps, they are actually timetabled to crawl behind the suburban all stops trains (and frequently stop between stations instead of at them on purpose!?). And I have noticed that we also wait at Chatswood for the suburban trains from the Epping tunnel to come in on the adjacent platform and then leave for Sydney infront of our interurbans! (I now change at Chatswood on to that suburban train once I realised what was happening!)
- I'm not trying to "use these interurban trains as a suburban train" as you suggest. Direct services from Wynyard to the Coast are in the normal timetable and this is not exactly a suburban trip! If other people use them to travel between Wynyard and Central, does that really matter anyway? If you're going from Wynyard to Central it makes no difference to you where the train came from originally?
- All of the trains I have caught are the Oscar trains not the V-Set trains, we don't get many V-Sets on the Central Coast line anymore, they are all being replaced by the Oscars
- The Coast trains aren't actually terminating at Central, they arrive on the suburban platform 18 and then continue to Redfern and terminate there to turn around and go back to platform 16 at Central to go back to the Coast. Not sure if people can get on at Redfern but they let people off there as the advertised final stop.

But to summarise from my experience, I find that there seems to be very little purpose in running the trains non-stop through Wynyard and Town Hall if the journey time to/from Hornsby is exactly the same as a suburban train that stops at every station along the way! I only got annoyed because while I was waiting at Wynyard for a train to Central to change, a Coast train rolled through on the northbound platform without stopping, which I could have got on if it stopped (instead I had to goto Central and wait there for ~20 minutes to pass back through Wynyard on my way home). But now I am changing at Chatswood to/from the Coast train to the suburban trains because they don't take any longer anyway.

So my complaint is that they might as well make it stop at the stations people want to travel to/from if they can't make the journey time any quicker on a non-stop train compared to an all stops one!! I will make a complaint to 131500 as someone suggested, but it's not really too important because it only happens for one or two weeks a year and things should go back to normal next week when the trackwork is finished

Yesterday evening, a train with mechanical issues at Flemington caused the cancellation of a service and delays to half a dozen others.

Today, in NSW TrainLink territory:

Southern Highlands Line

Buses are replacing the 12.04pm Campbelltown to Moss Vale train on the Southern Highlands Line due to a train requiring mechanical repairs. Passengers should listen to station announcements and allow additional travel time.

- Adding stops at Wynyard and Town Hall can't really make the trip any longer, because all of the Newcastle & Coast trains that have been diverted via the North Shore Line are timetabled to take exactly the same amount of time between Hornsby and Central as the all stops suburban trains take between Hornsby and Central!

I'm not trying to "use these interurban trains as a suburban train" as you suggest.

AndyV, you don't seem to realise that if you stop the interurbans at Wynyard & Town Hall, the time will be considerably lengthened over an already lengthened trip via the North Shore. The reason is as I stated before, you will have a lot of the suburban passengers trying to get on, and passengers trying to get off. The amount of these passengers at both Wynyard & Town Hall will cause delays if they stopped there.

I did not say you were trying use interurbans as suburban trains, but other passengers would.

I know this is not a "should be" thread, but it's about time money was spent on opening platforms 26 & 27 at Central Station, and building the second pair of tracks via the North Shore. Not all places, but I believe the formation for the trackbed is still there in places.

Oh, please tell me they haven't taken built on the trackbed, or taken it away?

Central Coast & Newcastle Line  - Delays


Passengers catching the 7.15am Central to Newcastle train are advised to allow additional travel time due to a train with mechanical problems at Newtown. Passengers should listen to station announcements and check indicator boards.

Partial closure of the North Shore between Gordon and Hornsby in that direction only, reports of a person falling on the tracks at Turramaurra.

Current at 11.35PM, 10 January 2014

Blue Mountains Line Partial Closure


The Blue Mountains line has been partially closed between Penrith and Springwood in both directions due to a freight train striking a motor vehicle near Glenbrook. Major delays can be expected. Buses have commenced operating between Penrith and Springwood in both directions.

Apparently the guy was driving along a railway service track. Genius.
Video of the aftermath here:  http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/20695530/blue-mountains-driver-escapes-unharmed-after-car-falls-10-metres-into-path-of-freight-train/

ABC news tonight was saying he had lapsed into a diabetic coma. That would explain the absence of any mention of police charges. Mighty lucky to survive!

Very slow this morning via easthills. Constant stopping and crawling all the way from Campbelltown through to The airport. So slow that the Sydenham train that leaves about 8min after this one went zipping past on the express tracks before we got to Bardwell Park. Don't know if it is this train having issues  (a21) or something else. We've lost power to the carriage I'm in several times -something I have never experienced before on an A set.

Tangara has derailed on T4 Eastern Suburbs/Illawarra line as a metal pole pierced through the floor of a carriage.

T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line  - Partial Closure
The T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line is partially closed between Martin Place and Bondi Junction in both directions due to a train derailment at Edgecliffe. Replacement buses are being organised but are not yet operating. Passengers are advised to delay their trip or use their train tickets on regular bus services between Central and Bondi. Passengers should also listen to announcements and check indicator boards.

ESR Train derailment

Which begs the where did the metal come from???

Just waiting on passengers screaming, thinking they were going to die reports from No News.

ESR Train derailment

Which begs the where did the metal come from???

Just waiting on passengers screaming, thinking they were going to die reports from No News.

Looking closely at bottom picture looks like the object is a "Star Picket" (steel post) often seen lineside supporting barricade tape or fencing.

Has there been any works in the area recently?

Reminds me of the Germany ICE accident in 1998 where the rim of the wheel came off and pierced the carriage like the picture in the article.

Looking closely at bottom picture looks like the object is a "Star Picket" (steel post) often seen lineside supporting barricade tape or fencing.

If it is, it's a bloody big one. They're usually 6'-7' tall, and from the photos, there's over 6' sticking out of the floor alone!

Looking closely at bottom picture looks like the object is a "Star Picket" (steel post) often seen lineside supporting barricade tape or fencing.

Has there been any works in the area recently?

No but I imagine there will be plenty soon, it appears to be a piece of railhead.

From ABC web site

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-15/train-incident-halts-train-services-in-sydney27s-eastern-subur/5202042

No but I imagine there will be plenty soon, it appears to be a piece of railhead.

Fear not, as the piece of metal isn't a "star picket" or a length of rail but its the length of angle that is used to make a flangeway at the service crossing. It was dislodged when the axle finally broke after the service had "brake" problems before leaving Bondi Junction.

Still delays caused by OHW wiring repairs @ Auburn, given that this first occurred around 2pm or so and still not rectified nearly 8 hours later...

Very slow service on the Down Main (and presumably Up Main) from Sydney Terminal through Eveleigh due to a car that has crashed through the fence onto disused tracks near Carriageworks. Police and fire brigade in attendance. Normal speed resumed from Macdonaldtown.

Nprey, if that is correct, then the Sydney trains website is not mentioning at this stage.

Nprey, if that is correct, then the Sydney trains website is not mentioning at this stage.

It is indeed correct, car is on the up main line near Macdonaldtown.

Central Coast & Newcastle Line  - Delays


Passengers travelling in both directions on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line are advised to allow additional travel time due to urgent track repairs at Wyong. Passengers should listen to station announcements and check indicator boards.

Hunter Line  - Partial Closure


The Hunter Line is partially closed between Thornton and Maitland/Scone/Dungog in both directions due to a fatality at East Maitland. Buses are replacing trains between Thornton and Maitland/Scone/Dungog. Passengers are advised to allow additional travel time.

T2 Inner West & South Line  - Delays


Passengers catching trains towards Campbelltown on the T2 Airport & South Line are advised to allow additional travel time due to urgent equipment repairs at Revesby. Trains from the city will not be stopping at Riverwood or Padstow. Passengers travelling from the city to Riverwood and Padstow are advised to either change at Wolli Creek and catch an all stations service or change at Revesby and catch a citybound service to complete their journey. Passengers should listen to station announcements and check indicator boards

from earlier this evening...

Western Line, Blue Mountains Line


29/01/14 07:18PM Blue Mountains and Western Lines - Partial Closure The T1 Western Line and Blue Mountains Line are partially closed between St Marys and Penrith due to a freight train requiring mechanical repairs at Werrington.

29/01/14 08:15PM Trains have resumed on the T1 Western Line and Blue Mountains Line between St Marys and Penrith following a freight train requiring mechanical repairs at Werrington earlier.