how do you get cab passes?

mjja · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 1:23 pm

Thanks Maikha, I forgot that second way. If you look like a nice sort of person, and the driver's in a good mood, he might let you. I got one once like that. Hint: if you have a younger sibling (under school age) it makes you look less like an irresponsible teenager who might make trouble.

Happy Gunzelling and remember, "Go by rail!"

Michael Angelico
President, Smart Passengers Inc
(My opinions are my own unless specifically stated.)

alco963 · Beginner Joined: Sep 11, 2003 Last Visited: Sep 13, 2003

Greetings Gentlemen,

I think that you will find all companies have banned letting anyone riding in the cab except for Drivers that are on duty at the time. We have the Hines Hill accident to thank for that when that happened over 5 years ago in WA. I also believe that if a Drivers run is cancelled they are not allowed to ride in any rear cabs to get home any quicker, they have to wait for alternative transport to arrive. It all boils down to safety these days. This is the info I received from PacNat when I was in Adelaide on holidays earlier this year.

Alcofan

Rocket · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 7:03 pm

I have had cab rides in the UK , on the continent and in other states. I got lots of rides when I was growing up in Melbourne. Almost all of my rides were had by approaching the driver. My hit rate was at least 80%. Cab rides can be had officially but it certainly is getting harder. The PacNat horseradish is exactly that. If you look half decent, don't dribble when you ask and are of an acceptable age your chances are fair of getting an unofficial ride. Just don't expect one out of or in to a major terminal. V/Line currently have an embargo on the issue of passes as a result of alleged improper conduct by one of it's drivers. Just ask the drivers guys he can only say no or at worse call you a twisted moron and tell you to piss off. You will get rides !

ROCKET
http://rodsrailpage.fotopic.net/

mjja · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 10:25 am

insideinfoman · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:05 pm

You get a cab pass (actually called Train Pass) from Manager Train Crewing.
You can get one if you have a good reason to ride with the driver. I have had several because I was participating in equipment testing and needed to be in the drivers compartment. You can use the same one on suburban and InterCity trains. Some drivers let members of the public travel with them (either the driver's fan club of train nuts or their girlfriends) however they warn their illegal travellers to keep away from the windows in case they are spotted by inspectors.

ParkesHub · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:32 pm

albert3801 · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 12:54 am

Maikha · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 6:16 am

TTran · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:18 pm

It really depends sometimes on wheteher you are "in the know" or not...If you have a mate or something who drives trains then simply ask them...No thanks to this Waterfall inquiry that is not apparently so as of now...But I assume that just like the Glenbrook Inquiry,a few months after it's finished and over and done with everything will go back to as it was before (In terms of security of cabs)...

I've been naughty.

Tom66 · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 11:29 pm

When i travelled by train to Cootamundra from Melbourne i used to ask the driver at spencer street if it was possible if i could get a ride up front once we were out of melbourne (usually Albury) and he would either say yes or no but only once no. or on the return journey i would knock on the door and ask if he minded me joining him to albury and if he didn't mind me being thier then i would ask if it was alright if i stayed on with him to Melbourne. like i said ive only been knocked back 3 or 4 times (by the same driver!) who doesn't seem to like rail buffs at all, (i assumed after having the cab door slammed in my face)
all up ive done around 50 to 60 hours in an XPT but this was before all of the major accidents in the last two years i havent tried much since i got a car. i also managed a ride in C505 one saturday afternoon after the driver asked me if i would like to join him for a few hours!

TTran · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 12:33 pm

Hmm it does seem that at the moment it still is quite a risky subject which I think should not be tried by anyone whatsoever,until such a time that the Waterfall Inquiry has been and forgotten (well for NSW anyway)...But at least we still have the ability to gunzel... 8)As per some statements made before this and another message of mine were edited,I DO NOT MEAN TO HAVE BREACHED ANY CONFIDENTIALLITY TERMS ETC...

I've been naughty.

starwars · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 4:42 pm

Just to inform everyone out there offically car rides are not allowed under any circumstances unless the person is a Driver travelling pass or an Operations Inspector or a DOT personal unless you are issued with a cab pass. Now as a Driver myself I will not allow anyone up in my cab because at the moment management is enforcing the "unauthorised persons in the cab" policy thanks to Waterfall and also a incident involving a 14 year old kid who was bragging about been given cab rides and even allowed to drive trains which resulted in his father and the school principal ringing the railways to put a offical complaint in resulting in myself and 12 other drivers having to do statements and been threatened by management if we are caught again our jobs will be on the line. So because of idiots like this in the rail fan community most drivers on the Intercity side will no longer allow anyone up in the cab with them. So please don't feel insulted if a driver says NO to you, its just that times have changed for the worse with all this silly legal litigation etc & we want to keep our jobs and not get ourselves into trouble!!!

Maikha · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2003 2:37 pm

TTran · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2003 6:39 pm

Jesus(Excuse my blasfomy),this kid sounds even worse than I was told he was...He seems like an even worse public liability threat than another certain person who shall remain nameless that is well known by all...One day he may end up doing something which endangers a whole trainload of passengers(and its crew)and if he does he will be going down big time for it...This kid needs to be stopped,and we need to do it now before he does endanger people...

I've been naughty.

ParkesHub · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 7:09 am

On a lighter note, I had to knock back the offer of a cab ride Adelaide to Broken Hill from the driver of a CLP loco. Crying or Very sad

I was in Adelaide taking photos for my employer of the first ASR service Dry Creek to Parkes to Sydney. We did all the in cab shots etc. My friendly ASR driver asked if I might go to Broken Hill with them. I had to decline the offer and return to FCL Adelaide to actually do some real work!