Clive Coleman wrote to uk.transport.london on Thu, 16 Dec 2004:

I can't agree with you there, it was only the unions which kept firemen
and guards on trains in the sixties for safety reasons when the B.R.B.
Wanted single manning for economy, bugger the safety.

What I can't understand is why we feel the need to under-staff our
trains for reasons of economy, when in the USA they seem able to employ
not only one guard (or "conductor", as I understand they are called
there) per train, but seemingly one per carriage! No question of fare
evasion there - your ticket is checked every trip, and a chitty put into
a slot in the luggage-rack above your head, so the staff person knows
they've done it. The trains were a lot nicer than ours, too - roomy,
comfortable, and, above all, CLEAN, even the loos - and there was
drinking-water if you wanted it, which I always do.

How come "the land of the free" is so much more comfortable with high
levels of service than we are (don't get me started on how many
different staff members they seem to need to serve you in the cheapest
of restaurants!)?
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 12 December 2004