Sunshine Coast Line : Delays for DECEMBER 2011

[Fares_Fair]

December delays thus far ... to SC commuters.

The times reported below do not take into account the 3 minutes and 59 second allowance that QR's service contract to TRANSLink allows.
Further to this contractual allowance, TRANSLink allow trains from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to be 6 minutes late before being recorded as such.

In my opinion, when the public hear the words "on-time performance" they would assume this means what it says.
But for TRANSLink, the authority tasked with overseeing the public transport system, this is NOT the case and 'spin' is used to obfuscate the truth by changing the definition of 'on-time'.
A Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast train e.g. can be up to 6 minutes late and still be considered 'on-time'.
This of course does wonders for their on-time performance figures.

The times shown below are actual times.

UPDATED DAILY
The new timetable was supposed to make the services more reliable by adding 'fat' or 'padding' (extra time) into the timetable.

In 1986 a train journey from Caboolture to Brisbane took 42 minutes, today that same journey takes 62 minutes.
Our journeys are scheduled up to 8 minutes longer than the pre-June 6 timetable.
Is it more reliable ?

Do these reflect the on-time performance of our services.
See for yourself by the growing list below;

Individual monthly performance summaries found here: --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7184.0
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thursday December 1, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

2 minutes late into Central Station

Thursday December 1, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Friday December 2, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Friday December 2, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable (assumed - no record taken)

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Monday December 5, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

6 minutes late into Central Station no announcements made, arrived Caboolture on time and slowed from there on in.

Monday December 5, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Tuesday December 6, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

5 minutes late into Central Station announcement made in Central station tunnel, waiting for traffic in front to clear.

Tuesday December 6, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

6 minutes late into Palmwoods departed Central 5 minutes late

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Wednesday December 7, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

3 minutes late into Central Station

Wednesday December 7, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

2 minutes late into Palmwoods

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thursday December 8, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

3 minutes late into Central Station

Thursday December 8, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Friday December 9, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

3 minutes late into Central Station

Friday December 9, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Monday December 12, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Monday December 12, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Tuesday December 13, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Tuesday December 13, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Wednesday December 14, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

9 minutes late into Central Station medical emergency (woman fainted) at Northgate station

Wednesday December 14, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thursday December 15, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

6 minutes late into Central Station arrived at platform 2 (normally platform 6)

Thursday December 15, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Friday December 16, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

3 minutes late into Central Station

Friday December 16, 2011
5:04 PM services from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time within 2 minutes of timetable

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Sunday December 18, 2011

2 Major delays to Caboolture - Nambour section of the line.
First at approx. 4:56am with services resuming by 9:28am. Alternate transport (perhaps buses) was arranged in the interim.
(erail alerts issued but no tweets about the delays, just one tweet about six geese a laying)
Second occurred at approx. 12:00pm with buses replacing trains between Caboolture and Nambour, services resuming by 2:00pm (according to TL website, no tweets or erail alerts issued)

No one from QR or TransLink can confirm what took place or where it occurred.
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Monday December 19, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Monday December 19, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Tuesday December 20, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

3 minutes late into Central Station

Tuesday December 20, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Wednesday December 21, 2011
6:14 AM from Nambour to City

2 minutes late into Central Station

Wednesday December 21, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time actually arrived 4 minutes early tonight at 6:44pm 

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thursday December 22, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Thursday December 22, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time actually arrived 3 minutes early tonight at 6:45pm 
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Friday December 23, 2011
6:14 AM service from Nambour to City

Arrived Central on time within 2 minutes of timetable

Friday December 23, 2011
5:04 PM service from City to Nambour

Arrived Palmwoods on time

................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

[somebody]

I'd be very careful with that 42 minutes time.  There has to be some catch.

[Fares_Fair]

I'd be very careful with that 42 minutes time.  There has to be some catch.

It was reported by Channel 7 television media at the opening of the line electrification in 1986 by former Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Peterson.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

I'd be very careful with that 42 minutes time.  There has to be some catch.

It was reported by Channel 7 television media at the opening of the line electrification in 1986 by former Premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I saw the you tube clip, but I bet there is a catch.

[Arnz]

I'd be very careful with that 42 minutes time.  There has to be some catch.

It was reported by Channel 7 television media at the opening of the line electrification in 1986 by former Premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I saw the you tube clip, but I bet there is a catch.

I don't think there is one.  There was "no" express services in 1986.  It was either the Caboolture-Petrie shuttle in off-peak, or the direct "all-stops" peak services in 1986.

[somebody]

I want to see the timetable.

[petey3801]

And I can virtually guarantee the timetable was not able to be run to time following speed boards (ie: a LOT of speeding was taking place...).

[Arnz]

If I do recall there was 1 or 2 fewer stations back on the NCL suburban line in 1986.  There was no Carseldine for starters.

[HappyTrainGuy]

There was the potential for some time to be gain in those tunnels that the subs now run through 

[Fares_Fair]

If I do recall there was 1 or 2 fewer stations back on the NCL suburban line in 1986.  There was no Carseldine for starters.

I know that in 1981, there was no Bray Park.
Record starts at top of this post --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7183.msg77472

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Set in train]

The speed was reduced from 120 km/h on the Cab - Petrie section, this was mentioned at the Monday night meeting at Central by the QR staffer, Kev.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Shouldn't really matter. EMUs top out at about 105kph. The speed was only applied to ICE units.

[Set in train]

Shouldn't really matter. EMUs top out at about 105kph. The speed was only applied to ICE units.

Good to know, still a question that an answer needs to be found for I guess.

[Fares_Fair]

The speed was reduced from 120 km/h on the Cab - Petrie section, this was mentioned at the Monday night meeting at Central by the QR staffer, Kev.

Hello SiT,

Just so I get this into context, did he (the staffer, Kev) say what it had been reduced to and when or why it was reduced?
also (just out of curiosity) why was the remark made, was it in response to a Q regarding this specific point about the length of journey time reduction since the 1986 electrification?

Thank you,

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Set in train]

The speed was reduced from 120 km/h on the Cab - Petrie section, this was mentioned at the Monday night meeting at Central by the QR staffer, Kev.

Hello SiT,

Just so I get this into context, did he (the staffer, Kev) say what it had been reduced to and when or why it was reduced?
also (just out of curiosity) why was the remark made, was it in response to a Q regarding this specific point about the length of journey time reduction since the 1986 electrification?

Thank you,

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Hi FF, I didn't take notes at the meeting, but am sure slower travel times between Caboolture & Petrie were mentioned due to speed restrictions on the line.

[Fares_Fair]

The speed was reduced from 120 km/h on the Cab - Petrie section, this was mentioned at the Monday night meeting at Central by the QR staffer, Kev.

Hello SiT,

Just so I get this into context, did he (the staffer, Kev) say what it had been reduced to and when or why it was reduced?
also (just out of curiosity) why was the remark made, was it in response to a Q regarding this specific point about the length of journey time reduction since the 1986 electrification?

Thank you,

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Hi FF, I didn't take notes at the meeting, but am sure slower travel times between Caboolture & Petrie were mentioned due to speed restrictions on the line.

Why not (lol)
Not a problem, thank you.


Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I can guarantee that the removal of the 120kph boards had no effect on running times what so ever considering 120 of the 134 CityTrain fleet at the time couldn't even make that speed without problems occuring. Pretty sure it was removed when the Tilts took over TravelTrain duties. I'm not sure if they switch off the tilting system manually when they run RS-CAB/CAB-RS but I'm pretty sure the software for the tilting turns on/off/degree of tilt when its reaches around those speeds and could cause problems when running past stations that are located in non ATP areas (Past Caboolture it works in conjunction with ATP and preloaded GPS points etc), on curves approaching/following stations such as Narangba for fear of kicking in and making contact with the platform.

[Arnz]

HTG, it was around 2002 or 2003 (I do recall the IMUs doing 120km/h on the Narangba-Burpengary section in the afternoon peak in 2002).  

It would've been around the time shortly after the withdrawal of the "Spirit of Rockhampton" ICEs from the Sunday-only Rockhampton service.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yeah, I should have put fulltime traveltrian duties to make it more clear. The base times still should have been focused on EMUs/SMUs running the route. Any speed gains from IMUs would have been eliminated with the extra dwell before departing on time.

[Fares_Fair]

December Statistics
Record starts at top of this post --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7183.msg77472

Regards,
Fares_Fair.