Anne Parisianne
Metro Trains gave special recognition to a former Upfield Line staff member, Eugene Accornero, for his 51 years of dedication to working on the railways.
Mr Accornero is among seven members of the Metro team whose work was celebrated and recognised at Metro’s annual Milestone dinner.
At the event, more than 500 team members celebrated those who had worked on Melbourne’s train network for 15 years or more.
Mr Accornero reminisced when, in January 1973, his dad said, “If you’re not going to study, you have to go and work”.
Shortly afterward, Mr Accornero’s journey with the Metro Trains began.
He started as a junior station assistant at Upfield Station.
At the time, the 15-year-old Mr Accornero wore a PTC uniform and a dark-blue colour cap and wrote out tickets manually on a double-sided carbon.
Then, he would open and close the manual barrier gates as trains came and went from the platform.
Mr Accornero worked on the Upfield Line for 31 years.
He moved to Essendon station in 2004 and has been working there ever since.
As time passed, the uniform changed into the metro uniform.
The network has also changed since Metro started running it in 2009, and Mr Accornero has been impressed seeing the investment in the network.
Mr Accornero has always liked shift work as it gives him the flexibility to enjoy his days.
Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty said, “I feel privileged to be able to celebrate the outstanding contributions of so many incredible people who have committed their working lives to the railways”.
“Public transport provides great careers for our people and their wonderful contributions have kept our city moving every day.”
