THE RailCorp transit officers who patrol Sydney's trains have a ''poisonous'' relationship with their management and many stick in the job only because of the relatively high pay.

An external review of the officers finds morale is ''either low or at best ambivalent'', amid complaints of malicious management, unfit workmates and inadequate security equipment.

"Us versus them" ... Transit Officers working for City Rail check for fare evaders on the Inner-West line. A RailCorp review has highlighted the low morale amongst Transit Officers. Credit:Jon Reid

The review was commissioned by RailCorp in response to union concerns about safety. But its final report, obtained by the Herald, goes further than its terms of reference to expose a troubled work culture and recommends RailCorp turn over responsibility for managing officers to a senior police figure.

''The most disturbing issue identified by the review was the level of antagonism between transit officers and security division [of RailCorp] management which can best be summarised as an 'us versus them' poisonous situation,'' says the review, by Noetic Solutions.