MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Massive and emotive ceremony to remember victims of Buenos Aires worst train accident
On the first anniversary of Buenos Aires city worst train accident that left 51 people dead at the downtown Once station, families and friends of the victims held a ceremony to remember those who lost their lives and called for justice as they targeted Government officials from the administration of President Cristina Fernandez. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesThe cost of bad government and and corruption is to high.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 09:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0How many times in the last year has TMBoA been mouthing off about the Falklands?
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 10:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0How many times has she spoken to the people about the Once train wreck??
What do the people of BsAs care most about ???
What a fucked up regime.
She is keeping quiet because she knows her government is culpable. Her government was responsible for poor maintenance and no investment in the railways. One of the main witnesses to the crash has been dispatched and I suspect others will be intimidated or bribed into silence. No wonder at all that she is keeping her mouth shut.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 10:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0These sort of incidents are going to become more frequent as the corrupt administration lining their own pockets starves the transport industry and utilities of the maintenence money and investment that is so desperately needed.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 10:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0A witness to a major incident murdered in suspicious circumstances, allegations of corruption and what is her response? Silence.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 10:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0There was me thinking the behaviour displayed in the age of the junta, was consigned to their nasty dark past.
Apparently not. Yet another fine example to demonstrate why British Falkland Islanders should not be handed over to the mercy of this state.
Meanwhile Plummet Air reduce capacity on Sydney service by 33%
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 10:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/184503/aerolineas-argentinas-reduces-sydney-service-april-a-june-2013/?
Is the because
a/ they can't afford the fuel,
b/ despite being far cheaper than the competition nobody wants to fly with them
c/ nobody wants to visit Dogshit Central?
d/ all of the above
Meanwhile Lan and Qantas increase capacity on the Syd/Stiago route.
I think its time for CFK to pack up her botox and just leave.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0Must be our fault, believe we built the railway(in 1880 or thereabouts).
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0She will be overthrow before the year is over, then Argentina will selft remove themseflt from mercosur so they can keep a consistant policy for with what they did to Paraguay ha,ha.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:11 am - Link - Report abuse 0Well, the Chin are going to provide new carriages, eventually.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0I wonder what, if anything, will be done about the parlous state of the track?
10% of the carriages will be replaced and 10% of the tracks will be replaced, I guess. The other 90%. Paint...
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 12:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@3 the government is shifting all the blame to former Transport Ministers Jaime and Schiavi, and the Cirigliano brothers who were in charge of the trains, as well as some trade unions involved. The little fish will end up in jail, hopefully, but the big sharks will keep ruling the country.
A lovely post about Crissy
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0ARGENTINA
Cristina Kirchner / Official
•Even before she was elected president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner carried the haze of corruption. In the most famous case, an emissary from Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, was discovered at the Buenos Aires airport carrying a briefcase stuffed with $800,000 in cash, destined, he later told the FBI, to support Kirchner’s presidential bid. Kirchner denied the allegation. Within Argentina, many question the huge fortune Kirchner and her late husband Nestor amassed since taking public office. Her declared personal wealth stands at $13.8 million, up from $500,000 when the couple first entered national politics. Kirchner cites income from real estate and hotels the couple had purchased to explain the 2,600 percent return on the couple’s investment purse. Corruption watchers complain that her government has neutered government oversight, giving auditing posts to cronies compromised by conflicts of interest. The result: corruption cases take an average of 14 years to work through the system, according to the non-profit Center for the Study and Prevention of Economic Crimes, and only 15 in 750 cases have led to convictions.
Fastest growing Argentine industry, politics.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 01:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Minimum investment, huge profits.
Can any Argentine poster tell me why even a year after this tragic accident no official report of the causes of the wreck has been issued
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 01:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 013
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 01:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You have deep insight sir, please keep posting
Why is this event still referred to as an “accident”? I thought it was murder. Doesn't argieland have a record of fatal rail crashes? The Benavidez incident in 1970 (142 dead, 368 injured), Estrella del Norte in 1978 (55 dead, unknown number injured), the Flores crash in September 2011 (11 dead, 228 injured) and this one (51 dead, 703 injured). If, as stated, the brakes didn't work, isn't that murder?
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 02:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@14 corruption, obviously
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 02:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@16 i´m betting even Clarin and La Nacion don´t like using strong words against the goverment. remember that 80% of the media has been bought or threathened by the government
Conks I think you are right.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 03:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The driver reported the defective brakes apparently and was told to carry on regardless by control so at least its culpable homicide.
Sure, the driver inaccordance with any standard railway practice anywhere in the world should have refused to proceed and would have been fully within his rights and duty of care to his passengers to bring the train to a stand.
But really those guilty of this criminal negligence and sloppy practices are those on duty at control and should be put on trial at least for manslaughter
@16 I wonder if anyone remembers the event in which the bank employees were gunned down during a pseudo hostage rescue somewhere in the surrounding metro area. During the years of Charlie the mutton chop man..
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 03:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If these deaths didn't lead directly to CFK someone would already be in jail.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 03:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What floors me is that apathy of the Argentinians. Over and Over again the chant for Justice but then condone the Gov't. It has been going on for 75 yrs! What is wrong with these people?
Robbing them blind, status quo
Killing then, status quo
Pols getting fabulously wealthy, status quo
Impunity for pols and cronies, status quo
There is really something inherently wrong with the majority of Argentinians that they allow this to repeat itself for 4 generations.
Agreed...! It goes back even further ... The stories about the first governor general ..
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 03:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A very strange place... When all is well “We are the GREATEST” When something goes wrong.. “It's NOT MY FAULT, I had nothing to do with it..”
If you want to read some hilarious comment on rail travel in Argentina and Uruguay you should read the story of the international train “Tren de los Pueblos Libres” launched with great pomp and speachifying by Mujica and CFK on 29.9 2011. It an from some suburban station out side BA (Vilar I think) or nowhere in particular to a small country town in the middle of Uruguay -one could say nowhere at all!
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 04:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Of course the two presidents didnt actually make even a symbolic ride on the train. Track was far too dangerous for them to risk thier lives on. Actually it only arrived once at Paso de los Toros in its short life, on its inaugural journey only, where two intrepid passengers boarded it for the return journey. It was later cut back to Paysandu and then to Salto before being abandoned all together. During the brief period it ran it suffered at least one derailment and hit a taxi on a level crossing whose lights were not functioning
Not our fault of course says the govt. Blame some one else in both cases the Brazilian rail frieght operators ALL
I post this just to show how the Argentine rail authorities have a complete disregard for passenger safety
So if you travel by rail in Argentina, take out a substantial life insurance policy, in dollars preferably
@20 when you've lived you're entire life under such corruption and see all attempts to end it ultimately fail, you learn to accept it and move on with your life. Even those who protest don't think anything will ever change. It doesn't help that some people are morons and that the politicians know how to keep them under control. It's not that different from most third world countries, though. What I find weird is that people in first world countries seem to have such a problem understanding third world countries.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 05:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When I lived in BA I wanted to take the train to Mar Del Plata until I found out it was worse than the trains you see in India! It is only for super poor people, not only does it break down all the time so the passangers are stranded for 6-12 hrs with no water or food it also has people that rob you! Awful awful awful.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 05:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Only six hours? You were lucky! And whatever happened to the high speed train project between BA and Rosario? Another Malvinas wet dream?
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 05:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Did you hear of the guy who hit a biker on the highway then drove for 8 miles WITH THE DEAD BIKER ON HIS HOOD until he reach a toll booth and someone finally called the police!
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 05:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It goes back to corruption, people are not afraid of consequences because if you are powerful enough, rich enough you can buy your way out of any problem.
Argentina is in the top 5 countries in the world for traffic fatalities and anyone who has ever been there knows why.
3/4 of the cars shouldn't be allowed on the road and 1/2 people are driving drunk.
Whoops, YB.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 07:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina is only in the top five alphabetically.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate
They're actually right in line with Costa Rica. My state in the U.S. is more than 8x safer though. When you think of the number's effect on extended families and their quality of life, it's important.
Have they yet found the people/person responsible for this,
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 07:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0or what.
Brasil and África.......One destiny, our people, our history, our future. SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMOMWEALTH.......
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 08:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Briton No mre than they have found those responsible for the AMIA bombing
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 08:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 030, true,
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 08:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 029,
the only thing you have in common with africa are the trees,
IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF ASKING FOR JUSTICE.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 09:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Although i support c. f. k's govt., i have never omitted that her administration, and nestor kirchner's haven't done so much, in order to improve the deplorable state of some of the train lines, after 50 years of lack of appropiated policies.
I have always thought that it can't be argued as an excuse, the disastrous situation of the country in 2003, when n. k. took office, because beyond the miserable situation of arg. in that year, the govt. could have designed an efficient controll over the train lines, like when n. k. recalled some of the licences of one the lines, because the service was a disaster, or when his govt. and c. f. k's recalled other licences, and nationalized enterprices because they hadn't done enough inverstments.
Anyway, all this tragedy won't finish when all the politicians, and the bussinessmen who are accused of corruption and negligence get a sentence. What we must do also is to fight for a better service, because millions of us travel by train everyday around the country. That's why i hope that all the promisses of inverstments, which were expressed by minister randazzo, can be a reality finally.
Beside, although i recognize that just 2 or 3 train lines are a disaster in bs as, and all the rest provide a good service, we can't let this tragedy happen again.
I will always support the victims who call for justice, because it's their right, beside, they don't want just justice for their families, they fight also for a better service, tha's why i'm so proud of them, and they will always have all my admiration and respect.
On the other hand, if the only one thing that many of the people who reject c. f. k's govt. can do, is to criticise the decisions taken by her govt., or her mistakes only, or if they just insult deliberatly, or make such mediocre anaysis, without proposing any idea, it just shows their low level of debate, and their low human and intellectual quality.
Batykan City, Tuesday Feb 23rd 2013:
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It is with great woe and sadness that we announce today that Nostrolldamus the 12th has journeyed into empyreal immortality.
Under normal protocol, and as has been the case since the installation of Nostrolldamus the 2nd, the throne of the guardian of justice and truth would be passed onto the groomed successor, Nostrolldamus the 13th; however, unlike his predecessors, Nostrolldamus the 12th begot no heir.
It is thus proclaimed and promulgated that a Grand Conclave will be convened in 12 days time to select a successor. The conclave will session at the Great Hall of Saint TTT square, and in session it shall remain until a leader is crowned.
Until that time, it is declared that the world is from this moment, henceforth, officially, under a state of INTROLLREGNUM until further notice. TTT be with you.
Anyone want to guess where Arg thougt it was getting $ to upgrade trains...IADB.
Feb 23rd, 2013 - 11:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So it looks like that won't be happening anytime soon
AR-X1018 : “Belgrano Sur y Norte” Railroad Renovation Program
Looking for U$1.2B to be approved...nope
It is funny because it is true...homero simpson
@33
Feb 24th, 2013 - 02:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0argie trolls? which one?
THINK IS BRITISH
MARCO ALEJANDRO IS BRITISH
DANNY BERGER IS BRITISH
PRO-ARG IS BRITISH
SUSSIEUS IS NORTHAMERICAN
SIMON68ZHIVAGO IS A JEWISH FROM CANADA
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuujajaja
@35 um yeah thanks Sussie!
Feb 24th, 2013 - 02:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0:D hahahaha
Feb 24th, 2013 - 05:21 am - Link - Report abuse 0@35 another deluded malvinista,
Feb 24th, 2013 - 06:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0Whatever!
Who cares?
ldiota!
@32 Interesting post.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0This is a case where CFKC and her government have completely underestimated the feelings of the public. Not just those involved in, or with relatives involved in the incident.
As I said before, she kept quiet because she is culpable.
Read this well written article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/9890078/Argentina-dispatch-the-troubled-reign-of-Queen-Cristina-of-Argentina.html
Feb 24th, 2013 - 12:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Argentine Sugar Federation is denying the lack of Sugar in Supermarkets after the media posted pictures of empty store shelves.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 01:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Which means there is clearly a lack of sugar in the supermarket.
I hope the Rgs have headed my long advice to stock up on Sugar because this is the beginning of the shortage.
Oh I love saying I told you so....
What it has been a year now since these people were killed using public transport? As no report on the progress of the enquiry been made available to the relatives of thew deceased?
Feb 24th, 2013 - 04:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If not, why not? and when can they expect to hear from the investigating authorities?
Seems only fair they should ask this and very, very understandable why they should demonstrate. I would do the same in their place.
@40 It is an interesting article and pretty much the mood of people for the last six months, maybe longer. Even people I know well in Argentina that lean towards CFK have grown tired of her obsession with the Falklands and are far more concerned about inflation and growing crime. One described it as a tension in the city.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 04:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It is strange to think that when I was a child, about 8 or 9 years old, my parents took us (my sisters and I) to Buenos Aires from Zapala. The train left Zapala exactly on time, according to my father's pocket watch, and arrived in Buenos Aires also exactly on time. This was in 1946, two years before nationalization.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 04:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Jolly good work Juan Domingo Perón, as with everything you put your hands on you turned gold to shit!!!!!
44 Simon68
Feb 24th, 2013 - 06:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I make that 1,250 Km in a straight line: I bet that took a while.
Can't see evidence of any railway in Zapala, I suppose they did a Dr Beeching and took the rails up?
Chris
Feb 24th, 2013 - 06:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Dr Beeching, what a cock up that was.
I live in a rural part of the UK and it is no exaggeration to say that almost every surrounding town and major village has a Station Road or Station Street, along with what use to be the platform and station. All now converted into residential properties.
Now on bank holidays and Summer weekends, it can take you an hour or more to drive a mile or two, traffic backs up ten, twenty miles regularly.
Oh for the days of steam, travelling would be much easier. Time to reinvest in the railways, that's the answer.
merco-british crap-news is british shit for them to feel “superior”
Feb 24th, 2013 - 08:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0i hardly can't wait until the taliban attacks the brtish embassies around the world! is the only way to go: terrorism
Stupid, sad woman! Get a life.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 08:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0# 47 You have committed a serious offence, incitement to terrorism. I do hope you are within the reach of the authorities. If not, they will track you down.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 08:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@46
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Since you brought it up,
My father greatly misses the 'Nickey Line' the branch rail line he took to school from Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead, in the 30's and 40's. The tracks were finally removed, but some platforms and bridges are still there.
My Grandfather's Chemist's shop was on Station Rd. Harpenden.
In case you are interested:
There is a book entitled, 'The Nickey Line'
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Line#mw-mf-search
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicky_Line#mw-mf-search
Troy
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Thanks. like most boys that never grew up I have a soft spot for the old steam train. Mums grand father was an enginner for Great Western, before moving on to Mine Engines, more money. Must have got it from him I suppose, don't have an anorak, pencil and note book though, not quite that bad. Apologies to any train spotters who may be reading this, horses for courses.
Everyone 47 is Sussie! She is obviously getting ignored!
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Keep going Sussie. You reflect on your country Argentina.
46 reality check
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Not many people know what the permanent way is today.
One guy asked me if it had anything to do with the Romans, but I answered no: it was a philistine.
He thought I was serious.
@An Argie , With comments like that no wonder The Jews are starting to mis trust you-PIECE OF SHIT
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chris R
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When we first moved here we drove passed a sign saying Ancient Monument, we sopped, me and her indoors walked a mile along a track looking for it, then it dawned on us we were on it. it was the Peddars Way, an iron age road!!!!!!
To quote think.
Chuckle, chuckle!
@rc
Feb 24th, 2013 - 09:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Reality
You and I share this legacy of the Industrial Revolution - the British invention of steam power.
(I suppose now the Trolls will blame you and I for the misery of children in third world factories)
My Great Grandfsther was a steam tractor operator in England, 1900 or so. My father and I have ridden a number of steam trains as the opportunity arose.
My father is a member of the 'Friends of the Nickey Line' society.
The Nickey Line is affectionately mentioned as a branch railway now discontinued . Very sad.
The Best of Times, John Seabrooke..
http://www.harpenden-history.org.uk/page_id__315_path__0p1p83p.aspx
G.W.R.? - you must be from the South, then.
Ever run into Dame Dover?? Just yesterday, he planted info in a post to Think that he was going to walk his dogs along 'the cliffs'
:-D
My old man was an LNER driver. Many times collecting his pay from Stratford (now the Olympic park), I stepped up on the footplate with him for the thrill of releasing the steam brake and opening the regulator carefully. Joe Brown was a fireman there, used to sing and play his shovel like a uke. Then came the smelly diesels... Great days.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 10:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No, we were on the other end of Gods Wonderful Railway, Wales. That's why he changed jobs, running steam engines for the winding gear at a coal mine, more money. Most of mums side were involved with steam.
Feb 24th, 2013 - 10:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Nothing so manual for dads side, all tailors, then the serices.
Captain Silver
Feb 24th, 2013 - 11:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Was Joe Brown a Formby fan, Captain?? LOL
My Grandfather was amongst other things, a cornet player in Black Dyke Mills brass band. He had an autographed George Formby banjo ukelele that he played for me.
My Grandfather did not stay in 'Steam' he was a founding officer of RFC or RAF, not sure of details, and dropped bombs from his 'Camel in WWI. I suppose he missed Von Kirchner, though.
Reality
“God's Wonderful Rsilway” LOL!!
Yes, I suppose Dover is too far East of the GWR anyway.
I recently bought the collection of Ealing Comedies, just for The Titfield Thunderbolt, with a young Sid James as a steamroller driver who blocks the train.
Lovely movie! I hadn't seen it for 40 years.
ELAINE B. SIMON68.
Feb 25th, 2013 - 12:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0ELAINE: For the first time, i can say that i appreciate a comment posted by you, because unless this time, you give appropiate arguments, without expressing that c. f. k. is crazy, or making some other mediocre analysis.
I could never understand why if c. f. k. and nestor kirchner were so brave in order to recall some licences of private enterprices which exploted services which had been sold to private corporations during the decade of the 90's, or if they had the politic will in order to nationalize some enterprices because the service that they provided was a disaster, or because they hadn't done enough inverstments, i have always wondered why didn't they have the same bravery and politic will, in order to recall since many years the licences for the enterprices which exploted the trains line that crashed last year.
Perhaps it's the worst contradiction of the best government of the last 46 years.
SIMON: I respect the love that you feel for your british empire. However, there is something much more important than your feelings and everybody else's, i mean the facts. The day that you have enough intellectual honesty, in order to discuss about something so complicated like politic issues are, you'll realize that if the train lines started to be a disaster after the nationalization, it was'nt because of the nationalization, it was actually because all the governments after peron didn't do enough inverstments, in order to provide a good service. The rail ways started to be dismantled during frondizi's presidence, with the purpose of implanting the larkin plan.
On the other hand, such important instruments like the rail ways can't be exploted by private enterprices, they must belong to the state, and i dont' think it because i'm leftist, i think it because the rail ways comply a social function, conecting such a big country like our's, which is more more important than the lucrative purposes of the private enterprices.
@60 What if you had many different ways of connecting the country successfully? In the U.S., flying from one side of the continent to the other is cheaper than rail, bus, or car.
Feb 25th, 2013 - 02:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0@44
Feb 25th, 2013 - 02:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0Take a flight. Stop perpetrating lies about Argentina.
@60 axel
Feb 25th, 2013 - 02:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0“The day that you have enough intellectual honesty, in order to discuss about something so complicated like politic issues are, you'll realize that if the train lines started to be a disaster after the nationalization, it was'nt because of the nationalization, it was actually because all the governments after peron didn't do enough inverstments, in order to provide a good service. The rail ways started to be dismantled during frondizi's presidence, with the purpose of implanting the larkin plan.”
It seems to be a common pattern when an Argie utility or service is 'nationalised' it becomes less efficient, poorer service, and regulations that once applied to a private company, are no longer enforced or adhered to, by the now-public company.
The government directly controls operating expenses and investment, with nobody to answer to. Maintenance and service requirements seem to suffer.
A railway, properly constructed and maintained, is a very efficient way to move people and goods. Too bad it does not work for you, anymore.
It is the fault of the government, nobody else.
As Simon said, the trains ran ontime, before they were “Nationalised”.
The Train Buffs
Feb 25th, 2013 - 10:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0The reason I became a Professional Engineer was because my grandfather was Chief Engineer at Johnsons Rolls, Black Lake, West Bromwich.
Besides making high spec rolling mill rolls they made most of the bullhead stock for the West Midlands (Staffordshire then).
Not many people realise that bullhead is a very special alloy steel which self-hardens when the tyres of the engines and rolling stock run over it. Compared to later, new bullhead although very strong, can be filed on the bullhead itself; try doing it after three months on a mainline and it will blunt the file.
So when you rode into Birmingham from any direction you would have been riding on a Johsons' rail.
When I was 11 YO I used to help in Granddads turning shop: I sat on the cross slide of a 50 ft lathe while the roughing cut was done (about 3/4 in!) and knocked the chips off the tool to keep the cut running true. The chips came off blue and very ugly; I used a 2x2 piece of wood to hit them and wore a welders hood with plain glass in the window. Imagine doing that nowadays? Looking back I am pretty sure somebody was watching me from the next lathe just to ensure I didn't do anything daft and nothing went wrong.
My granddad would have had hell to pay from my grandmother if that were the case. Happy days, long since gone.
Dads father was gassed twice whilst serving with the Royal Field Artilery in ww1. Not much call for tailors in the depression. worked as a pickler in the local steel works, with what was left of his one good lung.
Feb 25th, 2013 - 01:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0My nan used to give me hell for leaving the kitchen door open, worried about the cold draughts, those were the days when the families used the kitchen more and kept the parlour for best.
Never forget, I use to go in there to read the encyclopedias my nan bought for me the year I was born. By the time I was able to appreciate them, they were history books! Years later I used still read them for laugh at them, god how much progress occurs in a single decade.
Like you say Chris, Happy days, absent loved ones, bless em.
You lot! As a ex BR employee - I did my surveyors training in UK at Derby with BR I maintain a strong interest in rail transport
Feb 25th, 2013 - 01:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Of particular interest is the massive accident at Quintinshill on the Scots border
My father in law who had joint Argentine and UK cityzen ship enlisted in WW1 in the 7th Royal Scots and was one of the few survivors of his battalion almost all of whom were killed in that accident on thier way to the front. As well as the troop train, a passenger local, a Scots up express and two coal trains were involved and the wreckage burnt for three days. Nobody knows how many died as most records were destroyed in the conflagration
On a lighter note there were some pretty gimcrack outfits , particularly prior to the 1924 regrouping. The Bishops Castle, the Gin and Toffee line and Col Stevens rickety enterprises among them. But the real joke railways were in Ireland. See Percy French song about the West Clare Rly “Are you right there Michael, are ye right?”
AYAYAY. TROY TOMPEST.
Feb 25th, 2013 - 05:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0AYAYAY: Your observation is interesting, in fact, we have a ren-nationalized airline (aerolineas argentinas), which connect the whole country, including those destinies where private airlines don't go, because they aren't considered like profitable.
Respecting the trains lines, it's ncesary to recover all the destinies which were dismantled since decade of the 60's. Untill that decade most argentina was connected by rail ways, but the services weren't good in some places because the different governmens hadn't done enough inverstments.
TROY: Your and your friend simon have a very partial knowledge about what happened with the rail ways in argentina. Beside, the hate that you and him feel for c. f. k.'s govt., don't let you make a fair analysis of this question. That's why, the day that you and him have enough intellectual honesty, which is necesary to discuss about something so complicated like politic, you'll stop making such mediocre comments.
I agree on what you say, respecting the fact that a rail way propperly constructed and maintained is efficient. However, it must be managed by the state , because such importants instruments like the rail ways, comply a social function, connecting such a big country like arg.
In the case of the private enterprices, they have never cared about the social function of the rail ways, they just care about profitable destinies, thats' why, during frondizi's presidence many rail ways started to be dismantled, in order ti implanted the larkin plan.
On the other hand, dont be so hipocrite, if the rail ways were sold to private enterprices, which is what happened during the decade of the 90's, and if the service is not efficient, it's not just because of the govt., in fact i have never omitted it's responsability. However, it's also the responsability of the private enterprices which exploted the licence.
Axel, You always seem to have some muddled up explanation of why nothing works in your country.
Feb 25th, 2013 - 07:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You are pathetic
I see you are hoping, hoping mind you to make U$450/mo this year. Did you know you could work 3 days a week in the USA and make that cleaning houses?
@67 axel
Feb 25th, 2013 - 10:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“I agree on what you say, respecting the fact that a rail way propperly constructed and maintained is efficient. However, it must be managed by the state , because such importants instruments like the rail ways, comply a social function, connecting such a big country like arg. ”
Axel, be honest. The government does not need to run the railways, just regulate them.
The government can regulate them to meet service requirements and safety standards. As a private corporation, it must be efficient and financially responsible to stay in business.
The government is not so accountable and can run into trouble “self-regulating” their business.
Canada's largest railways are privately owned and profitable. There were and are, government owned ones - guess which ones work best?
Provincial governments have sold railways off because they were losing money on them.
Canada is larger than Argentina with more arduous terrain.
Good for a country to regulate Transportation, but they are not accountable.
Your country 's government is irresponsible causing money loss and passenger deaths.
Be 'intellectually honest' and - Stop apologising for them.
Axel. There is much debate about whether the state should wholly or partly control the rail systems and I think the jury of public opinion is stillout on most of the systems
Feb 25th, 2013 - 11:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0In your view do you think that all bus companies should be nationalised and run as a social service by the State. Going a step further do you think all road hauliers of goods should also be run by the State?
Its even been tried in UK once and it just didnt work
TROY TOMPEST. REDPOLL.
Mar 02nd, 2013 - 08:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0TROY: Accept it or not, the responsability of providing a good service, doesn't depend on the govt. only, it depends on the private enterprices too, because they explote the licence.
I have never omitted the responsability of the governments, in relation to the deficiences of the services of the rail ways.
Perhaps the govt. doesn't have enough money to renationalise the rail ways, but it can have a better regulation for them, like you express in your comments.
On the other hand, during nestor kirchner's govt., his administration had decided to recall one of the licences which was being exploted by a private enterprice, because the service it provided was a disaster.
Beside, respecting this tragedy, not only are being investigated by the justice some ex transportation ministers of c. f. k.s' govt., but also the bussiness men who exploted the licence. It's a clear sign that providing a good service doesn't depend on the govt. only, but depends on the private enterprices which explote the licences too.
If you prefer believing something different, it's your problem, the most important is that justice makes an ample analysis of such a complicated cause, which is something that people who have such a mediocre thought like you can't do unfortunatelly.
REDPOLL: I don't think that neather all bus companies, nor all road haulliers should be natioalised, but the state can have a good regulation for both services. The case of the rail ways, and the airline are different.
@Axel
Mar 02nd, 2013 - 10:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“On the other hand, during nestor kirchner's govt., his administration had decided to recall one of the licences which was being exploted by a private enterprice, because the service it provided was a disaster.
Beside, respecting this tragedy, not only are being investigated by the justice some ex transportation ministers of c. f. k.s' govt., but also the bussiness men who exploted the licence. It's a clear sign that providing a good service doesn't depend on the govt. only, but depends on the private enterprices which explote the licences too.
If you prefer believing something different, it's your problem, the most important is that justice makes an ample analysis of such a complicated cause, which is something that people who have such a mediocre thought like you can't do unfortunatelly.
REDPOLL: I don't think that neather all bus companies, nor all road haulliers should be natioalised, but the state can have a good regulation for both services. The case of the rail ways, and the airline are different”
Axel,
Argentina began nationalising the railways in 1936, and by 1948 all the British owned railways and French owned railways were seized by the government - a symbol of great victory over “foreign economic Imperialism”.
For 60 years, the government has controlled regulating, administering, fare pricing, maintaining, and funding, the railways.
For 60-70 years, government corruption,insider deals, and either a reluctance to spend funds or allowing them to be misappropriated, has led to neglected maintenance, causing death and injury.
The 'businessmen' were cronies of the government, licences by them.
Nestor took over more than 10 years ago, not mich has changed. Like you, he blamed predecessors and put in his own crooks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_nationalization_in_Argentina
TROY.
Mar 04th, 2013 - 07:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Unless this time you could understand that the responsability of providing a good service doesn't depend on the govt. only.
Respecting what i think about the actual government, read my comment 32, and you''ll see what i think about what the govt. should have done in relation to the rail ways.
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