Interim rail timetables

[tazzer9]

I realise it's not ideal, but wouldn't they be better off taking a bus from Southbank to Roma St? Or likely they're already overcrowded? I've no idea, I rarely travel in the area at that time.

In some cases it may be faster, but the buses can also be somewhat unpredictable in frequency and speed.

Definitely unpredictable in speed, but at that time the 66 runs every 5 minutes, then you have the 111 and 222 which are fairly empty and the 61 but don't encourage using this will annoy alot of people.

[Gazza]

When i worked in South Brisbane i used buses to Roma St because the wait time was lower.

[achiruel]

I realise it's not ideal, but wouldn't they be better off taking a bus from Southbank to Roma St? Or likely they're already overcrowded? I've no idea, I rarely travel in the area at that time.

In some cases it may be faster, but the buses can also be somewhat unpredictable in frequency and speed.

Definitely unpredictable in speed, but at that time the 66 runs every 5 minutes, then you have the 111 and 222 which are fairly empty and the 61 but don't encourage using this will annoy alot of people.

Why would it annoy people? If anything, I thought most people would prefer another option.

[tazzer9]

I realise it's not ideal, but wouldn't they be better off taking a bus from Southbank to Roma St? Or likely they're already overcrowded? I've no idea, I rarely travel in the area at that time.

In some cases it may be faster, but the buses can also be somewhat unpredictable in frequency and speed.

Definitely unpredictable in speed, but at that time the 66 runs every 5 minutes, then you have the 111 and 222 which are fairly empty and the 61 but don't encourage using this will annoy alot of people.

Why would it annoy people? If anything, I thought most people would prefer another option.

It would annoy normal users of the 61, people who use it as there normal route to get out of the city.    Its usually pretty full at that time, and it would annoy alot of people when they can't board at king george square.   Whereas at that time the 111 and 222 are fairly empty, especially after kgsbs.

[ozbob]

'Why do you only have 2 carriages attached? asked the passenger

'Because it's rush-hour' laughed Thomas pic.twitter.com/OducdM6v7x

— Train Guard (@ConductorSam) May 2, 2017

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

4th May 2017

Service disruptions continue on Queensland Rail fail ...

Good Morning,

There is a lot of ongoing constant service cancellation and delays on the Queensland Rail network, particularly outside of peak hours.

Peak times there is of course a more constant focus, but the effects after hours of cancellations often mean massive delays and very long journey times.

Queensland Rail only immediately reports peak OTR - the problems outside peak often go largely go unnoticed except for the passengers affected.
A low service frequency rail service connecting with a low frequency bus service, delays and cancellations are extremely problematical for passengers.  A point that Queensland Rail seems unable to grasp and understand.

Frankly, Queensland Rail is not getting any more reliable in essence.  Public is being treated in a very poor manner with this constant disruption.

This is the ' parade of failure ' for the evening of the 2nd of May 2017 [  https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.msg191934#msg191934 ]

See comment below too.

11.35pm Central to Nambour train is delayed 15 minutes http://bit.ly/2qtWtN3  #TLAlert #TLSunshineCoastline

10.05pm Central to Nambour train delayed 70 minutes http://bit.ly/2p1h6OI  #TLAlert #TLSunshineCoastline

11.28pm Central to Ipswich train has been cancelled http://bit.ly/2p4o9a6  #TLAlert #TLIpswichline

11.35pm Central to Caboolture train delayed 30 minutes http://bit.ly/2p1BX4i  #TLAlert #TLCabooltureline

10.05pm Central to Nambour train delayed 30 minutes http://bit.ly/2p1h6OI  #TLAlert #TLSunshineCoastline
 
10.05pm Central to Nambour train delayed 15 minutes http://bit.ly/2p1h6OI  #TLAlert #TLSunshineCoastline

9.37pm Ipswich to Central train delayed 15 minutes http://bit.ly/2qtHFho  #TLAlert #TLIpswichline

The 9.07pm Ipswich to Roma Street train is cancelled due to an earlier operational issue. http://bit.ly/2pASb6p  #TLAlert #Ipswichline

The 8.39pm Springfield Central-Roma Street train cancelled due to an earlier operational issue. http://bit.ly/2qzbL2i  #TLSpringfieldline

8.00pm Roma Street-Ipswich train cancelled http://bit.ly/2qsWsc3  #TLAlert #TLIpswichline

7.45pm Roma Street-Springfield Central train cancelled http://bit.ly/2oT7kTp  #TLAlert #TLSpringfieldline

The 6.34pm Domestic Airport-Eagle Junction train cancelled due to earlier operational issue. http://bit.ly/2qnkCHS  #TLAlert

We are very concerned about Queensland Rail.

It does seem that we have a lot more problems than the Government or Queensland Rail are being honest about. The  ' secret culture ' continues.

Passengers are angry.  Talking to peak hour passengers only is distorting your view and feedback Queensland Rail.  Rail fail continues ...

Best wishes

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

A comment from a RAIL Back On Track Member concerning the parade of failure on the evening of the 2nd May 2017.

[ https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.msg191963#msg191963 ]

A delay of 70 mins at 10pm? That is just absurd. What on earth do they think people would do? Wait till 11:15 (when it should have been at Glass House Mountains Station)? This is just plain stupid. Even a replacement bus would have been an applicable option here.

I have just done a quick search and gathered some info. The 10:05 pm train from Central to Nambour actually departs Ipswich at 9:07pm (this one was cancelled due to an operational issue- anything ranging from a sick driver to a koala smoking weed on the tracks- no one really knows).

On Translink's Twitter page, the first update on the 9:07 (leaving Ipswich) Nambour bound train being cancelled was approximately 24 hours ago (from when I am writing this- currently about 7:25pm). So, Translink/QR had of known about this cancellation about 2 hours before the service was to even depart Ipswich. Surely, they would have been able to organise a replacement service (from the Roma St at least). To bring a train from the Bowen Hills yard, around the Exhibition Loop and into Roma St before the 10:03 pm departure time doesn't seem too much of a stretch to me? Surely, there would have been a driver and guard coming into BH Depot wanting to do another service with bonus money for their kind service.

To top it all off, the delay on the 10:05 pm (leaving Central) Nambour train went from 15 mins, to 30 and then to a whopping 70 mins. Even the Brisbane to Sydney CountryLink isn't this bad (and let me tell you, they completely throw the timetable out the window- delays of 30-60 mins is what is faced with over half the services).

But seriously, with around 2 hours notice of a cancelled service, then a 70 min delay on top of this is just crazy! Only a third world city like Brisb... my bad, a new world city like Brisbane can manage to pull this off.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2017/2017_05_10_DAILY.pdf

10th May 2017

Questions without notice

Cleveland Rail Line

Dr ROBINSON: My question is to the Premier. Labor's rail fail has seen the Cleveland line as
one of the worst affected in the city. One commuter who works in the city recently said, 'I have recently
experienced four train breakdowns and multiple waits. They have not fixed the train line.' When will this
government fix the broken Cleveland line and restore faith among my commuters in public transport?

Ms PALASZCZUK: I thank the member for his question. I am sorry that his constituent has had
that experience. Can I update the House that we now have a new CEO in place, we have a new chair,
Philip Strachan, and the Deputy Premier has been tasked with fixing the trains. That is exactly what
she is doing. She is working incredibly hard with the board. In fact, she has just advised me that she
travelled that line herself last week. She is out there meeting with the public, listening to their views
and, of course, delivering. There is no stronger advocate, other than me, for Cross River Rail in this
state. This Deputy Premier is fighting tooth and nail to get the funding that we need from Canberra for
Cross River Rail.

Once again I am extremely disappointed—and this is incredibly relevant—that all those opposite
can do is come in and attack Queensland's No. 1 infrastructure project. What they are attacking is jobs
for Queensland. Honestly, if this is a question time strategy they had better go back to the drawing
board because is it just absolutely hopeless.

Mr SPEAKER: Premier, I think you have answered the question.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Question Time Summary Queensland Parliament

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/queensland-parliament-question-time-live/news-story/5a6a422f3ad3086856117adad48ed6ac

Pressure on QR timetable stress test

Shadow Transport Minister Andrew Powell asked the Premier when the Government would release the Queensland Rail timetable stress test.
Ms Palaszczuk said the stress test would be released when the Transport Minister and QR's chairman and CEO were satisfied with it.

"A lot of work is underway, people are doing that work and it will be released when it is complete," she said.

:bi

[#Metro]

What a load of garbage it is reading the Hansard.

Queensland Government wants to get approval and funding for a project that hasn't yet been finalised and signed off by the Co-ordinator General?

The full 2000 page business case #3 has not been released yet (but they released the video animation). Maybe we could lobby the Federal Government to release the business case using FOI/RTI?

Whole transport portfolio is a train wreck, bus etc included.

Train timetabling is essentially randomised due to a combination of M-T and F, S, and Sun different timetabling with mechanical faults overlaid on top of that.

The QR Board and Executives are still there. They are still there!

This is just madness.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2017/2017_05_11_DAILY.pdf

11th May 2017

Questions without notice

Queensland Rail, Timetable

Mr POWELL: My question without notice is to the Premier. The Deputy Premier told the
parliament via a letter from Phillip Strachan that his stress test of the Queensland Rail timetable would
be finished in April. When will the Premier release this secret report that could see more services cut
from Queensland Rail's timetable?

Ms PALASZCZUK: I thank the member for the question. As I said earlier this week I think, there
is a new CEO in place and we have the new chair, and the Deputy Premier is working with both of those
gentlemen to ensure that we get this right. Let me make it very clear. A new CEO has been appointed.
The new CEO, working with the chair and the Deputy Premier, will release that stress test when they
are ready and when they have it right. It would be unacceptable for the public if they released it when
all three parties were not satisfied. The work is underway. A lot of work is underway. People are doing
that work and it will be released when that work is complete.

[Nina M Blackwell]

Cleveland line commuters MUST keep the pressure on QR to restore 100% the January 2014 timetable, at a minimum, specifically reinstating the 5:09 pm express at the earliest possible time which sounds like it will be in 2018 as it is. The current so-called interim timetable better be just that: INTERIM. If patrons stop making noise QR will think it's okay and we can live with it. WE WILL NOT! Our member for parliament Mark Robinson is doing his part to keep the issue front and center in session. Let's support his efforts by letting him hear from us regularly. Thank you. 

[ozbob]

I had a meeting with the CEO QR yesterday redlandsneen, among many things I again raised the problems with the Cleveland line PM peak once more.

It was stated that they still do not have enough train crew ( ? ) and they have looked at adding a PM peak service to Cleveland by removing a service that is not well patronised on another line.  We will see ..

The problem that the present Labor Government has is that when these reduced service timetables were initially inflicted on the public, they said there would be a progressive reinstatement of service.  Hello?  All we have seen is even more service reductions.

The travelling public, those who depend on the rail service for transport for work, appointments, study and so forth are being sacrificed on the altar of ' lets look good for sporting events '.  There is very scant regard for the core regular public transport user. No more evidence of this scant regard than the so called reduced service timetables moving from clock face times and breaking connections bus/rail particularly. 

This is going to be very very costly, come #qldvotes I am sure ..

[ozbob]

Gold Coast and Doomben Friday morning service changes from Friday 28th July 2017

> https://translink.com.au/service-updates/137946

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/sanderlands/status/889598634798456832

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/889600484264247296

[#Metro]

CityTrain Response Unit

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/sanderlands/status/889598634798456832

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/889600484264247296

A good song to listen to while waiting for the train is ...

[SurfRail]

Gold Coast and Doomben Friday morning service changes from Friday 28th July 2017

> https://translink.com.au/service-updates/137946

Good.  The all stations Varsity Lakes to Ferny Grove is something I've been trying to wrap my head around since it was put in place.

[Cazza]

https://twitter.com/sanderlands/status/889598634798456832

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/889600484264247296

I mean, this is always an option...
http://www.watching-grass-grow.com/

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/139401

Minor changes to early morning services on the Ipswich and Caboolture lines

From Monday 24 July 2017, the Ipswich and Caboolture lines have minor changes, where two services have merged.

Our journey planner has been updated, so please plan your journey in advance.
Train line    Service changes
Ipswich line    The 5.28am service on Monday to Thursday, that previously terminated at Bowen Hills, now continues on to Caboolture.

    Please note, there is now an 11 minute wait at Central station from 6.26am - 6.37am before the train continues.
    If you are heading to to Fortitude Valley and Bowen Hills and do not wish to wait at Central, please transfer to other services .

Caboolture line    

The 6.33am service from Roma Street to Caboolture on Monday to Thursday, has merged with the above Ipswich to Bowen Hills service. This service will now depart from Roma Street at 6.24am.

    If you usually caught the 6.33am Roma Street to Caboolture, you either need to arrive earlier, to depart at 6.24am, or catch another train to Central, to transfer to the 6.37am service to Caboolture.

[ozbob]

FYI ...

A little twitter exchange last evening ..



Love it .. " QLD don't do sense "  

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/890986357748768768

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/890986911539412993

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/890990225534590976

[Stillwater]

I love QR's terminology.  Two services will 'merge'.  Most people would say that one service has been cut.

[ozbob]

I love QR's terminology.  Two services will 'merge'.  Most people would say that one service has been cut.

Exactly ... more service reductions despite the ' committment ' of progressive service improvements!

Today is day 302 since the onset of #railfail

[ozbob]

FYI

https://twitter.com/DarrenDavis10/status/895174430959251461

[Cazza]

^And Wellington has 1/10 of the population that the Brisbane Region does. Go figure.

[brissypete]

^And Wellington has 1/10 of the population that the Brisbane Region does. Go figure.

New trains too!

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[cartoonbirdhaus]

FYI

https://twitter.com/DarrenDavis10/status/895174430959251461

I wonder what'll happen to feeder buses such as the 150, 160, 170, that currently run half-hourly weekdays. Upgrade to 20-minute frequencies, or (more likely with the somewhat circuitous 150!) cut back to hourly Mon-Sat? Anyway, yet another Australasian city which'll have better heavy rail frequencies than Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

[ozbob]

Ekka starts today > https://t.co/Qqs25t53dD
Remember 'Friday' timetable today too - double whammy time
Will the rail network work?#qldpol pic.twitter.com/xj7Qv5yTvf

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 10, 2017

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th August 2017

Ekka shows that rail timetable improvements are achievable NOW !

Good Morning,

According to news reports there was a  high level meeting yesterday between the Deputy Premier and the New Generation Rollingstock Consortium.

Any chance of a public statement as to what the meeting was about and the outcomes please?  After all, it is all of us paying for this monumental botch.

Has the path to full Disability Discrimination Act compliance  for the NGR trains been worked out?  Have the remaining issues been sorted?  So many questions, so very few answers. For your information, today is 538 days since the first NGR train, 701 was towed out to Wulkuraka.

Today the Brisbane Ekka commences.  We also have the ' Friday timetable ' today - more service reductions on an already poor reduced service Monday to Thursday timetable.  The fact that Queensland Rail can provide the additional Ekka train shuttles (albeit assisted by a steam locomotive and the SX carriage set) is perhaps a sign that they can as a priority get rid of the ' Friday timetable ' and introduce a consistent Monday to Friday timetable, with the additional PM peak services so urgently needed on the Cleveland line?  We live in frustrated hope ..

Today is 315 days since the first wave of cancellations associated with #railfail which happened on 30th September 2016
Public has been suffering cancellations, delays and reduced service since then.  Good luck with #qldvotes !

Enjoy your day!

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

======================

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/895692404212105216

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/PeterNemere/status/895775542917582848

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/895778036611788800

[Cazza]

https://twitter.com/PeterNemere/status/895775542917582848

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/895778036611788800

Ummmm, this is what I don't understand. They seem to (t's and c's apply, see in store for details) have the available resources to run a Mon-Thurs timetable so why is it so hard to run the same services on a Fri? Is it because they need the drivers to do the early Sat and Sun morning runs, so they rest them on Fri?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Would more than likely be a roster due to how crews operate with shifts, OT and minimum times between shifts.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/898018163232612357

[BrizCommuter]

https://twitter.com/PeterNemere/status/895775542917582848

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/895778036611788800

Ummmm, this is what I don't understand. They seem to (t's and c's apply, see in store for details) have the available resources to run a Mon-Thurs timetable so why is it so hard to run the same services on a Fri? Is it because they need the drivers to do the early Sat and Sun morning runs, so they rest them on Fri?

It is to do with how many consecutive days drivers can work.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/900761543079374848

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/_Josh_King/status/916205466757218305

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/916344757462241280

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/1000millimeter/status/916648717595398145

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/916847152114163712

[ozbob]

Example of feedback being received:

It's nearly election time. Can we get a commitment from both the government and the opposition that we will go back to the previous timetable or even increase the services.

This has been going on for so long with many services cut that I fear this will become the new norm and previous services will never be reinstated.

I catch the train to Walloon and afternoon peak hour services are atrocious and have cost me so much time.

I'm also not sure if we have ever been given a timeframe as to when this debacle should be resolved. Regards .......

[BrizCommuter]

Example of feedback being received:

It's nearly election time. Can we get a commitment from both the government and the opposition that we will go back to the previous timetable or even increase the services.

This has been going on for so long with many services cut that I fear this will become the new norm and previous services will never be reinstated.

I catch the train to Walloon and afternoon peak hour services are atrocious and have cost me so much time.

I'm also not sure if we have ever been given a timeframe as to when this debacle should be resolved. Regards .......

Not until 2019, if we're lucky.

[ozbob]

^ Yo.  My response:

Dear xxxxxxx,

Thanks for your email and feedback.  Yes, the present reduced service timetables are not satisfactory at all.

The bad news it will not be until late 2018/2019 before the full timetable is restored.  We have been highlighting this as being not satisfactory for some time now.

I wish I could offer more hope but the sad reality is it is a diabolical mess, and it is going to take time to resolve.

Make sure you please give feedback to your local Member of Parliament.  It all helps. Thanks.

Regards
Robert