Server Crash: Issues Re-starting Postgres

While I was out of the office yesterday the server shut down unexpectedly.
Now I'm having difficulties getting postgres restarted because it's been so
long since I've done this.

Based on error messages when trying to start postgres I killed the .pid
file and /tmp/.s.PGSQL.5432. Obviously the wrong things to do.

As user postgres I try to start the server and see this:

postgres(at)salmo:~$ postgres -D /usr/local/pgsql/data >logfile 2>&1 &
[1] 8453

But, when I try to access a database:

psql: could not connect to server: Permission denied
Is the server running locally and accepting
connections on Unix domain socket "/tmp/.s.PGSQL.5432"?

I touched that file in /tmp but that's apparently not what I should have
done.

What is the process I follow to get postgres running again?

TIA,

Rich