On 21/11/2020 16:47, pn1 wrote:
> Yes; older tram enthusiasts generally look down with disdain at today's decision makers; men and women who are mostly of following generations. Such people are seen not to have the quality of those of earlier eras; people who worked for the MMTB and similar organisations throughout Australia.

>

> Those of us in the older age group can feel thankful of being able to experience a tramway world that is invariably considered better than that of today.


I'm not in that category.

I see a high level of skill and much greater knowledge and technical
capacity than I ever achieved in many young engineers.

There's nothing much to criticise in the teams that brought us
Melbourne's E class trams or those who have designed the life extension
program for the rest of the Melbourne fleet.

My impression is that the problems that have appeared in several cities
(including Sydney) who have 'started from scratch' in building light
rail are largely due to some of those involved being unwilling to do
their research properly - seeing light rail as like heavy rail but smaller.

Melbourne learnt the hard way that you can't outsource responsibility
for quality - the C and D classes were the result of the attempt and the
E class is the result of learning the lessons.

Mal Rowe - not at the rose coloured glasses stage of looking back yet.