Croatian failways: just when you thought it's as bad as it can get...
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So, new train schedule is in effect from today. It's changed yearly so this shit is here to stay for another 12 months, yay! This is a small sample of that I discovered today, just on the route I'm taking. I expect there's a lot more, but I didn't have the time to study it.
First, an image so you can refer back to it:
A is where I work
A, B and C are major stations where train lines usually end. There are some exceptions, but in general, these are the only stations in the graph where there's actual storage for the trains and such so the line can end there.
D is where I live.
E is a small-ish station that will be relevant laterSo, first of all, I messed up this morning, unaware that the new schedule is in effect. The train I usually take got moved from 06:11 to 06:08. I arrived at pretty much 06:08 sharp and missed my train.
So, there used to be a train from C to A that used to arrive to D at 06:27. It would then just continue up to A from there and it was the train I used to take in case that I was late or something. Now? The train only travels from C to D, arriving at 06:33, then turns around and goes back the way it came. Then, everyone going to A have to get off and wait for a train from B to A that leaves at 06:42. Which is great in this weather, too!
Now, the kicker about this? The train from B to A has the same number of cars that it used to have before! Meaning most of the people making this new connection can't find a seat. As a bonus, today one of the cars was without power and heating! I'm not sure what the actual temperature was this morning, but it was damned near freezing point in any case.
Now you're saying, oh Onyx, it's just one inconvenient connection, you're blowing it out of proportion. Hold on, I just got to work, how do I get back home?
Well, there used to be two trains: I usually took one at 16:50 from A to B, and another one at 17:27 from A to C. Since they both went through D where I live, it was all fine and dandy. Now? Both GONE.
But fear ye not! There is now a train from E to B, which makes no god damned sense, at 17:57. But, I have to get to E first. There's multiple trains at earlier times that can do that, but lets take a look at the two closest ones to that time: one leaves A at 17:05 and arrives at E at 17:28, meaning you have to wait for half an hour extra. The next one leaves A at 17:42 and arrives at E at... 17:58, making you miss the connection by a minute! YAY!
And I have it easy. Lines to C were crappy before, I imagine it's even worse now. So those people are fucked.
So yeah, probably the best thing I can do it pay extra for an express train at 16:40. Meanwhile, my friend that works until 17:00 instead of 16:00 as I do is pretty much fucked. In fact his first IRC message this morning was linking this video with the comment "this is how they made the new schedule":
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Ok, it's cars then? Those terms never made sense to me in English, I mix them up all the damned time.
But technology is at about that level, yes.
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Alternatively a "carriage" in UK English. Probably doesn't help with your confusion ;).
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Cars or carriages.
edit:
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There, fixed, I think, unless I missed any.
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I just thought Croatian trains might have been a bit old fashioned.
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Some of the trains still have bathrooms you shouldn't use at stations because pushing the pedal next to the bowl just opens a flap that allows the stuff to fall out to the ground.
Old fashioned enough?
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Old fashioned enough?
Yes but I'm not convinced some of the trains here aren't still like that.
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It sounds very much like the Dutch railways...
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Pretty sure that still happens in the UK... In fact, it took me a moment to work out this thread isn't about the UK Railways :(
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Pretty sure that still happens in the UK... In fact, it took me a moment to work out this thread isn't about the UK Railways :(
I thought that too - having checked, it seems it is indeed still the case.
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carriages
Filed under: Somehow I think the image for "cart" was closer to reality, English, how does it work?
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Weeeel...
Yeah, they were kinda similar, no?
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E_SPELLAR_NOT_FOUND
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Nowhere near as bad as this, but while I was going through a particularly stressful period of contracting, we also had a few years of snow.
In the UK, if it snows, the trains stop. It will snow for maybe 1-2 days and be fully melted in a week. You may as well call in sick on the first day. This is probably what I should have done, rather than walk (no buses) to the train station and wait on an increasingly crowded train for 4 hours to be taken short of my destination and have to find an alternative route.
Either that or I'm getting confused with one of the bi-monthly copper signalling wire thefts.
I don't live out that far anymore so it's fine I guess, but then it doesn't snow lately either.
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According to the train I'm on now, the official term is coaches.
Don't think I've ever heard anyone actually call them coaches outside of the train company though.
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I like croutons.
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Update: under the pressure of customers and the media, one of the trains has been reinstated. It means I'll probably stay at work until 5PM instead of 4 (it's a nicer place to wait, anyway), but at least it's something...
I'm honestly surprised that the pressure worked. They are a monopoly after all. But hey, I won't complain... as much.
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@Shoreline said:
a particularly stressful period of contracting
How many weeks pregnant?
I'm using that.