9 Nov 2008: SEQ: Please stop for us or we will do it on the train!

[ozbob]

Media Release 9 November 2008

SEQ:  Please stop for us or we will do it on the train!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport is concerned that North Coast rail commuters are being serviced by suburban trains without toilets.  Some of these runs are potentially three hours and it is a long time to sit with one?s legs crossed.  Commuters are becoming a little perplexed as they note Interurban Multiple Unit (IMU) trains (toilet equipped) running short haul suburban runs whilst on many of long haul runs north, for example Nambour and beyond they have to sit it in Electric Multiple Unit (EMU ) trains which don?t have toilets.  It is even more confounding as passengers note IMU trains sitting in the marshalling yards as they pass on by in the EMU trains.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has received consistent feedback from north coast commuters concerned about the failure to provide toilet equipped trains on the interurban runs north.  This is further problematical as many stations don?t have toilets open for use either!"

"We believe it is not an unreasonable request from the north coast commuters for toilet equipped trains. Particularly as we note IMU trains frequently running short haul suburban services around the Brisbane Citytrain network.?

?Can QR Citytrain consider providing IMU trains for the north coast interurban runs please?  We appreciate the lack of funding for QR passenger services has lead to the need for some non toilet trains to do the long haul runs, but now that the new trains are available surely something can be done??

?Goodness, what would the Gold Coast commuters do if they had regular EMU trains?  It does seem that some interurban lines are more interurban than others??

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

I had the opportunity to briefly mention this issue on 612 ABC Brisbane radio this morning on the Spencer Howson Breakfast show.

Mr Paul Scurrah Executive General Manager QR Passenger also made some further comments on a later interview.

Certainly the issue is now out there and hopefully more IMUs will be available for all North Coast services.

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

3 November 2010

Greetings,

Today I travelled on the 3.08pm QR service from Nambour to Roma St.  I left the train at Fortitude Valley as that was the only station that I could reasonably access a toilet.

The train was an EMU 6 car set.  We have have highlighted the problems for passengers travelling on these services on trains without toilets.  For the latter half of the journey I was in considerable discomfort as there is no opportunity to go to the toilet.

Even more perplexing is the practise of waiting at Elimbah station for a timetable correction (due to the new line Beerburrum to Caboolture there are time savings but the timetables have not been adjusted, so the train waits at Elimbah, this afternoon for around 5 minutes).  No toilets at Elimbah.  On arrival at Caboolture I noticed the toilets open but no time to access. The train only stopped for around 50 seconds or so. It doesn't take a great mind to think, hey, surely the timetable correction could be made up at Caboolture and in so doing those pax that need to go to the toilet could?

We have highlighted this issue before (see below).  Why is it the Sunshine Coast line is treated as a poor distant cousin of every other line?  Fair dinkum, subjecting passengers to this level of non service is beyond not acceptable, it is disgraceful.  We have received a lot of feedback on this which is one of the reasons for taking the journey today. It is little wonder that many have had to abandon the rail service because of the uncertainty of toilet facilities.

All documented here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3031.msg38273#msg38273

Can someone please sort this out for the passengers on the Sunshine Coast line please?

IMUs should be running Sunshine Coast <--> Gold Coast as a sector in my opinion, with the same frequencies.

Regards
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

Media Release 9 November 2008

SEQ:  Please stop for us or we will do it on the train!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport is concerned that North Coast rail commuters are being serviced by suburban trains without toilets.  Some of these runs are potentially three hours and it is a long time to sit with one?s legs crossed.  Commuters are becoming a little perplexed as they note Interurban Multiple Unit (IMU) trains (toilet equipped) running short haul suburban runs whilst on many of long haul runs north, for example Nambour and beyond they have to sit it in Electric Multiple Unit (EMU ) trains which don't have toilets.  It is even more confounding as passengers note IMU trains sitting in the marshalling yards as they pass on by in the EMU trains.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track has received consistent feedback from north coast commuters concerned about the failure to provide toilet equipped trains on the interurban runs north.  This is further problematical as many stations don?t have toilets open for use either!"

"We believe it is not an unreasonable request from the north coast commuters for toilet equipped trains. Particularly as we note IMU trains frequently running short haul suburban services around the Brisbane Citytrain network."

"Can QR Citytrain consider providing IMU trains for the north coast interurban runs please?  We appreciate the lack of funding for QR passenger services has lead to the need for some non toilet trains to do the long haul runs, but now that the new trains are available surely something can be done?"

"Goodness, what would the Gold Coast commuters do if they had regular EMU trains?  It does seem that some interurban lines are more interurban than others?"

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

TOILETS NOW!!!



I wonder if "natural emergency" is reason enough to hit the emergency button???

It's not just that line. All over the network the toilets get locked after hours. When you are waiting 30 minutes for a train, nature often calls!

[ClintonL94]

IMUs should be running Sunshine Coast <--> Gold Coast as a sector in my opinion, with the same frequencies.

Bob are you saying that there should be runs from the Gold Coast to Nambour and return as a 30 minute frequency? What about the services to Brisbane Airport? Start those from Roma Street or have them on the Gold Coast runs as 30 minutes aswell to make a 15 min frequency for the gold coast..?

[ozbob]

It is a bit TIC Clinton.  The services for the Sunshine Coast should be IMUs.  The Airport can be handled with anything, but some special  air sets for a true airtrain service might be the go.  Time the sunshine coast was looked after.  In the longer term I would expect that there would be some Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast runs, used to be before the Airtrain.  The taxpayer pays for the trains.  It is not unreasonable to expect IMUs to be on that line, preferentially.  I am not sure why it is not being done, surely it can be organised that way.  The ICEs manage to get on the right line.

Deplorable all round really, the rolling stock and the frequency ...  it is actually quite an issue for some. To the extent they don't use the service any more.

[#Metro]

Bob are you saying that there should be runs from the Gold Coast to Nambour and return as a 30 minute frequency? What about the services to Brisbane Airport? Start those from Roma Street or have them on the Gold Coast runs as 30 minutes aswell to make a 15 min frequency for the gold coast..?

This has some appeal- ExpressLink Gold Coast to Brisbane then ExpressLink again to the Sunshine Coast.

The problem is the Airport Line and Airtrain. Introducing a single transfer step into the process is going to be bad for Airtrain patronage IMHO.
It would introduce a transfer penalty which could be quite large simply because connecting services on the public end (Eagle Juntion/City Stations etc) are not frequent.

So not only would you have to wait at the Airtrain platfrom for 30 minutes but when you got to Roma Street, you would have to wait again for another 30 minutes.
A direct trip to Brisbane Airport is very appealing to GC tourists. Convincing them to undertake an infrequent transfer step part way from train-train would be challenging,
unless the rail line was extended to Gold Coast Airport...

[ozbob]

It is possible to do both, maintain IMUs most of the time BNE - Gold Coast, and IMUs on the Sunshine Coast.  I have seen EMUs out at Brisbane Airport, not often but the do get out there at times.  Tough.

A fifteen minute airtrain service will not be connected with direct Gold Coast services at least half time in any case.  Time the world got over it.

[ClintonL94]

I bet sunshine coast passengers would be thinking in disgrace when they get on a EMU and see a IMU at Mayne as they pass by the depot 

[Arnz]

A particular 6-car EMU spends almost the entire day on Nambour runs. 

This particular EMU/SMU that starts from Redbank, arrives Roma St at 8:01am (continuing onto Nambour).  Leaves Nambour for the return service to Roma Street 10:04am, arrives Roma Street around 11:45am.  This same unit has a 1 hour break before returning to Roma Street to form the 12:43 Roma Street to Nambour service (and leaves Nambour at 3:08pm on the Brisbane return service).

There are surplus IMUs (or ICEs) to operate the service, problem is the people allocating the fleet in the yard are being told to throw whatever.  I personally think this should change so that toilet equipped units should be mandatory on longer services on "Zero Harm/OH&S" grounds.  If it means doing short suburban runs to form longer runs (eg Shorncliffe to Redbank, then Redbank to Nambour), then so be it.

[ozbob]

This ad was in the Brisbane mX 3rd November 2010 page 17

"To us, accessibility means that the widest range of customers can use our stations and trains with ease, regardless of disability, age or travelling requirements ..."

This is admirable but something as simple as ensuring IMUs or equivalent (eg. ICE) on the services north of Caboolture is not addressed?

[ozbob]

Bump