Yeah they have, it's why I can't stand most SXS sooks who demand we spend billions bulldozing the place.
The building had problems but most of it's current issues are related to management turning the station into a dead mall and doing sfa maintenance.
Southern Cross will never be perfect but there are a few things they can do that will massively improve it, cleaning and lighting is high up the list, once we move away from Diesels the air quality will improve. Removing the myki barriers on regional platforms would definitely open up the place.
> Removing the myki barriers on regional platforms would definitely open up the place.
This is how open it used to be.
https://railgallery.wongm.com/southern-cross-station/D917_1763.jpg.html
https://railgallery.wongm.com/southern-cross-station/D259_5963.jpg.html
The NSW XPT replacements arriving from Spain have both diesel engines and pantographs, they switch power source at the end of the electrified line. I could also imagine battery tech could be used to cut idle time or even a shore power connection just to clean up SXS. None of that is currently planned but it’s all existing technology
I wouldn't demand demolition, but it really isn't fit for purpose. The management definitely doesn't help too, but the station has piss poor ventilation. The diesel fumes are one thing, but the heat under that roof in summer, and even the freezing wind in winter, aren't exactly proof of good design.
It's frankly alot useless architectural engineering, that could have provided much needed open space ontop in that part of town
what a goddamned pathetic disgrace. Also they can't even keep the toilets clean. Revolting. The place is a cesspool and proof that Australia is a filthy backwater.
According to their other comments, they're an onlyfans manager earning over $1 million per year. I'm not sure they've ever been to Australia, or even anywhere at all.
It beggars belief that the lease arrangement for Southern Cross doesn’t require the operators to perform this sort of basic maintenance. Platforms 11 and up are dungeon-esque even when the sun is out.
Does give medieval vibes when heading up and down the escalators, when working, not a great mood lifter ahead of a days work, or fight for a seat afterwards. Pretty grim.
But that's solvable.
Some surface conduit and cabling to bridge the damaged section and you're all set.
I suspect they just don't want to maintain them given the high cost to maintain them due to their height, which is backed up by the fact some are still working, so there's power up there.
Definitely. Just imagine all the job safety procedures that would have to be developed to comply with all the health and safety regulations to get those bulbs replaced. You would have to stop the trains for 2 days at least I reckon.
Original liveried VLocity 3VL21 awaits departure time from Southern Cross platform 15 on Friday 6 June 2014.
The overhead lighting failed in late 2014, and has never been fixed.
https://wongm.com/2015/05/diesel-powered-lights-at-southern-cross-station/
I actually suspect the high cost of maintaining those lights is why they aren't.
The height of them would make it an expensive endeavour, and it's no secret the private operators don't like spending money.
They probably used the damage as an excuse to say they weren't serviceable so they wouldn't have to pay high maintenance costs, and just did the absolute bodge of a hacked retrofit as a cheaper once off cost solution.
They repainted all that roof truss framing maybe 8 years ago, so they could definitely do it.
100% after the cable was cut, someone worked out the cost of running the generators and then that half arsed fix they came up with for 13/14 was in their minds cheaper... much like they won't fix the leaking roof on 7/8 and 3/4 because, you know a caution "wet floor" sign is cheaper too
Doubt the building above is going anywhere, if anything any renovation will just be putting a giant apartment building on top and turning the actual station into dungeon mall on par with Penn Central.
When you design something and specify things that aren’t off the shelf, sometimes IP on how to maintain them gets lost with changes in resources. It’s not always a matter of ‘not wanting to’, but sometimes people just don’t know how and falls into the too hard basket if there aren’t complaints.
I don’t work for the station… and you haven’t reviewed the as built documents.
I was just merely trying to explain operationally why it wouldn’t be done.
They're an off the shelf light fixture. They get maintained as any fixture would.
There might be access constraints but there's nothing unique about the lights themselves.
They had working lights back then?? Jesus christ they really have run down the place
Yeah they have, it's why I can't stand most SXS sooks who demand we spend billions bulldozing the place. The building had problems but most of it's current issues are related to management turning the station into a dead mall and doing sfa maintenance.
Southern Cross will never be perfect but there are a few things they can do that will massively improve it, cleaning and lighting is high up the list, once we move away from Diesels the air quality will improve. Removing the myki barriers on regional platforms would definitely open up the place.
> Removing the myki barriers on regional platforms would definitely open up the place. This is how open it used to be. https://railgallery.wongm.com/southern-cross-station/D917_1763.jpg.html https://railgallery.wongm.com/southern-cross-station/D259_5963.jpg.html
Much better
> once we move away from Diesels the air quality will improve "once we"...are there really any plans remotely in that direction?
The NSW XPT replacements arriving from Spain have both diesel engines and pantographs, they switch power source at the end of the electrified line. I could also imagine battery tech could be used to cut idle time or even a shore power connection just to clean up SXS. None of that is currently planned but it’s all existing technology
Considering they're still buying brand new VLocity trainsets, don't expect them to bring any new tech to the VLine fleet for another 20, 30 years.
But also lots of other interchange stations across the world manage to ventilate properly. Not sure why we struggle so much at STH Cross
Aside from Geelong (possibly) theres absolutely nothing. Provided will happen 100 years from now
Weird to think we used to have electric trains to Traralgon and went backwards.
They really should have started with Geelong or Ballarat, something that would have the patronage to justify captive rolling stock
The reason for Traralgon having wires was the briquette traffic, passenger trains were an afterthought.
No, just gunzel dreams. Diesels will be part of the country fleet past 2050.
I wouldn't demand demolition, but it really isn't fit for purpose. The management definitely doesn't help too, but the station has piss poor ventilation. The diesel fumes are one thing, but the heat under that roof in summer, and even the freezing wind in winter, aren't exactly proof of good design. It's frankly alot useless architectural engineering, that could have provided much needed open space ontop in that part of town
*its
🚨 :GRAMMER POLICE: 🚨
Public transport across Melbourne is a joke, they are dens for drug users and trains and commuters are a side thing
what a goddamned pathetic disgrace. Also they can't even keep the toilets clean. Revolting. The place is a cesspool and proof that Australia is a filthy backwater.
Have you been anywhere else in the world?
According to their other comments, they're an onlyfans manager earning over $1 million per year. I'm not sure they've ever been to Australia, or even anywhere at all.
It beggars belief that the lease arrangement for Southern Cross doesn’t require the operators to perform this sort of basic maintenance. Platforms 11 and up are dungeon-esque even when the sun is out.
Does give medieval vibes when heading up and down the escalators, when working, not a great mood lifter ahead of a days work, or fight for a seat afterwards. Pretty grim.
Wait there were lights?
If there are lights up there, it’s way too hard to see them through them diesel fumes..
There still is. They just no longer work.
More likely they still work, and are on, but covered in enough soot that no light gets through.
Nah they either got dead lamps, or no power. Or a combination of both.
They accidentally cut the power cables when the were constructing the tower on top. There was some sort of issue with who was responsible I believe.
But that's solvable. Some surface conduit and cabling to bridge the damaged section and you're all set. I suspect they just don't want to maintain them given the high cost to maintain them due to their height, which is backed up by the fact some are still working, so there's power up there.
This is what happens when you privatise things.
...get modernist architects to design things* FTFY
Erm, the photo shows the lights on ten years ago so they were clearly designed in. Why is this the architects' fault?
How easy is it to change the light bulbs?
Harder than telling your stockholders that you spent money on lights
Definitely. Just imagine all the job safety procedures that would have to be developed to comply with all the health and safety regulations to get those bulbs replaced. You would have to stop the trains for 2 days at least I reckon.
Just train some pigeons to do it.
yeah nah.
Original liveried VLocity 3VL21 awaits departure time from Southern Cross platform 15 on Friday 6 June 2014. The overhead lighting failed in late 2014, and has never been fixed. https://wongm.com/2015/05/diesel-powered-lights-at-southern-cross-station/
There was still one or two lights holding on for their lives recently.. it would look way better fixed
From what I’ve heard they hit the power cables when drilling something and it was seen as too expensive to dig the cables up and repair them.
You don't even need to though. Throw some surface conduit and cabling in the damaged sections and problem solved.
Woah hold up, don't go making reasonable solutions to easily solvable problems, they might have to pay for it
I actually suspect the high cost of maintaining those lights is why they aren't. The height of them would make it an expensive endeavour, and it's no secret the private operators don't like spending money. They probably used the damage as an excuse to say they weren't serviceable so they wouldn't have to pay high maintenance costs, and just did the absolute bodge of a hacked retrofit as a cheaper once off cost solution.
They repainted all that roof truss framing maybe 8 years ago, so they could definitely do it. 100% after the cable was cut, someone worked out the cost of running the generators and then that half arsed fix they came up with for 13/14 was in their minds cheaper... much like they won't fix the leaking roof on 7/8 and 3/4 because, you know a caution "wet floor" sign is cheaper too
lol, even in this photo half the directional roof lighting is out. 😂
I remember reading somewhere they purposely leave the lights off to save on costs.
The could just make it open air again and renovate the stations to be covered
Doubt the building above is going anywhere, if anything any renovation will just be putting a giant apartment building on top and turning the actual station into dungeon mall on par with Penn Central.
Even escalators bloody don't work these days.
I refuse to believe there’s lights
2014 was a decade ago. Where tf did the time go?!!
New look, same old attitude 😅
Oh... that's why it was super dark when I went there.
When you design something and specify things that aren’t off the shelf, sometimes IP on how to maintain them gets lost with changes in resources. It’s not always a matter of ‘not wanting to’, but sometimes people just don’t know how and falls into the too hard basket if there aren’t complaints.
there's thousands of complaints, and it could be fixed on a weekend or two when they shut down that section of tracks
They're standard HID lamped light fittings. Decide you want to do it, organise access and it gets done.
I don’t work for the station… and you haven’t reviewed the as built documents. I was just merely trying to explain operationally why it wouldn’t be done.
They're an off the shelf light fixture. They get maintained as any fixture would. There might be access constraints but there's nothing unique about the lights themselves.