Shorncliffe Line - peak period wait times

[Derwan]

Hi all,

I've lived in Brisbane for 2.5 years and catch a train to work from Boondall each day.  I'm guessing the Shorncliffe line may not be as busy as other lines?

Here are my annoyances regarding timetabling of services (which also affects overcrowding):

1.  I usually catch the 7:14 or 7:28 in the morning.  The 7:28 is always packed.  Why?  Because if you don't catch that train, the next one is at 7:55 - 27 minutes later!  This is an extremely long wait during the peak period.  An additional service between 7:28 and 7:55 is required.

2.  Coming home, I usually catch the 4:25 from Central.  There are no additional services on the Shorncliffe line until after 5.  With the afternoon peak period these days starting at 4, it means a long 28-minute wait during the peak period.  Both the 4:25 and 4:53 trains tend to be more overcrowded than some of the trains after 5pm.  I would like to see services around 4:15, 4:35 and 4:55 (i.e. one additional service).

Hopefully the March 2008 timetable changes will address this... but with little mention of the Shorncliffe line on TransLink Network Plan, I'm a bit worried that we'll get forgotten.

[ozbob]

Thanks for your feedback Derwan. 

I think the Shorncliffe line has been suffering a lot of cancellations too of late.

It is amazing the gaps in peak on many lines, something we are working to have addressed.

Regards
Ozbob

[ozbob]

RAIL Back On Track - Media Release 8 September 2007

Brisbane: Shorncliffe Line Passenger Congestion and Cancellations

RAIL ? Back On Track (http://backontrack.org)  a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail throughout Australia has called for additional Citytrain services on the Shorncliffe line as a matter of urgency.

Robert Dow said:

?Congestion on the Shorncliffe line Citytrain services is adding to commuters? woes, particularly as this line is often targeted for ?no notice service cancellations? for the often stated ?operational reasons?.  These ?operational reasons? are generally either crew or serviceable train shortfalls at peak and it seems that the Shorncliffe line is one of the first lines to have services cancelled.?

?A particular problem is the gap between the morning peak weekday services that leave Shorncliffe at 7.20am and 7.47am. Citytrain has started introducing the new IMU series trains.  At least 6 of these new trains are running. There is now the capacity to introduce an extra service between the 7.20am and 7.47am services from Shorncliffe to the City without delay.?

?In the early afternoon peak, two gaps are causing congestion. These are the gaps between the 3.53pm and 4.25pm, and the 4.25pm and 4.53pm services from Central to Shorncliffe.  Peak times are earlier these days and of longer duration.  Extra services between these times say around 4.10pm and 4.40pm would help ease the early afternoon peak congestion.

?Feedback received at RAIL Back On Track from passengers who regularly travel on this line supports strongly this call (1).?

"RAIL Back On Track also requests that more services generally for the Shorncliffe line be considered in the next timetable review scheduled for March 2008."

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=208.0

Contact:

Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track
http://backontrack.org

[Derwan]

Great to see some publicity about the Shorncliffe line.  Thanks to Robert for taking this on and pushing for more services (and fewer cancellations).

A letter in mX recently suggested that QR should stop advertising the 5:12 from Central.  That way they wouldn't have to announce its cancellation!  I caught this train twice last week - each time thinking I'd probably have to wait for the next one.  But fortunately they ran both days.

On Tuesday morning, the 7:20 train from Shorncliffe was cancelled.  (The rumour was that it actually broke down at Sandgate.)  Of course this is the one that has a 27-minute wait afterwards.  A work colleague boards the train at Banyo and was not able to board the next train due to overcrowding.

I caught the 7:20 this morning (7:28 from Boondall).  There were significantly fewer people than usual.  Perhaps they caught the earlier train in fear of a repeat of yesterday's problem?  Perhaps they just drove to work instead!

Keep up the good work Bob!

[Derwan]

Lately the 7:06 from Shorncliffe has been rather crowded.  There are people standing down the aisles by the time the train gets to Boondall (just 4 stations down the line).

At the moment, the timetabling from Shorncliffe is as follows:

6:45
7:06 - 21 minute gap (Express)
7:20 - 14 minute gap (Express)
7:47 - 27 minute gap
8:04 - 17 minute gap
8:25 - 21 minute gap

I usually catch the 6:45, 7:06 or 7:20.  The 6:45 is okay, but the 7:06 and 7:20 are crowded.  I'd like to see a train leave Shorncliffe around 7:00 and then have no more than 15 minutes between each service from then until 8:30.  This would only necessitate the addition of 2 more services.  In an ideal world there would be even less gap between the most popular services (e.g. around 7:00 - 7:30).

Don't get me started on the afternoon!  Only 2 additional services run to Shorncliffe - the first at 5:12 from Central.

I really hope the March timetable changes address these issues.

[Derwan]

I had the pleasure of catching a train from Zillmere to work one day last week.  There were two trains within a few minutes of each other (I think one was an express - I just missed it but only had a 2-minute wait for the next one.)  The train was half empty (i.e. over half the seats were available).

Compare this to my usual train from Boondall (the equivalent zone 3/4 station on the Shorncliffe line) and the train is already almost at seating capacity when I get on.  (I usually just stand.)  That's pretty bad when you consider there are far more stations before zone 3 on the Caboolture line.

Again - this just demonstrates how the Shorncliffe line is neglected when it comes to peak services.

I pointed out in a news.com.au comment that there are only 2 additional services in the morning and afternoon peak periods.  (One of them is the first train to be cancelled when there are staffing shortages.)  How does QR/QT expect to conveniently transport the entire working population from along the Shorncliffe line with little more than a Sunday timetable?

[Derwan]

Patronage on the Shorncliffe Line appears to have increased dramatically this year.  Both the 7:06 and 7:20 trains have people crowding the door areas by the time they get to Boondall and I am forced to squeeze past and down the aisle to find a spot to stand.

More people squeeze on at Nudgee and Banyo.

With both these services running express between Northgate and Bowen Hills (stopping only at Eagle Junction), they are popular for those at Northgate and Eagle Junction for a quicker trip into the city, so of course they try and cram onto the train.  (I guess it's better than stopping at every station.)

Gaps either side of these services are 21 and 27 minutes.  We need more services to cater for the sudden increase in patronage.