Feedback received - thorns and roses!

[ozbob]

Feedback always welcome, please  send to admin@backontrack.org or use our form mailer --> here!

[ozbob]

Received  14 Aug 2007. Thanks!

Last night we went to the Bob Dylan concert at Boondall. The train journey there was ok although abysmally slow (no explanation for that)and we had to wait at Bowen Hills for the relief team (??).We got there in good time.

However, the journey home was another matter. There was a train at 10.50, which was good, but the crowd was so huge that many people had to stand all the way to Central. When we got to Central at 11.20, we found that the next train to Ipswich was at 12.07!!! So if we waited for that, we would have got home to Darra around 12.30-ish.We gave up and took a cab home, arriving at Darra before 12. So we paid an additional $30 for our nights entertainment.

I just don't understand how QR can remain so archaic - they want us to use the service, but they are not able to provide a modern timetable. In this day and age, people do go out at night, they want to go to concerts, but they don't want to have to wait so long for a return train especially when it's a week night and they have to go to work the next day.Just not good enough.

[ozbob]

Received 31st August 2007

Wednesday last week my train home suffered unit problems between Bray Park and Lawnton.  After sitting there for a while, they got the unit going and we got to Petrie where they had us change to a fresh set of units. 

The driver then overshot the platform at Burpengary and after sitting there for a while; the passengers were told that we had to go through to Morayfield and go the other platform and catch a train back to Burpengary.  This was because of ?signalling restrictions?. 

Unfortunately they said this to the wrong person because I was a train controller for over 16 years, I worked for 4 years for the company that installed the signalling between Petrie and Caboolture and as part of their development programme, I gained some qualifications in computer controlled signal interlocking.  I know that they should have been able to set back to the platform with the issue of a SW10 (I think this is the name of the form they now use.) 

After we arrived at Morayfield and were crossing over to the other platform the Gympie express went through.  My real thought was that this was the reason that they did not want to set back.  I rang QR and I have also submitted the same item through their contact email, but have not heard anything.

[ozbob]

Received 2nd September 2007

The alternate car-park for Ebbw Vale Station ie the one right out
the front is not covered by security cameras yet there is insufficient
carparking at this station forcing people to park there. In the last few
days two cars have been broken into -in broad daylight-at this location
right in front of the station . Surely a security camera or two could be
trained on the 30 or so cars that park there.

[ozbob]

Received 19th Sept, thanks!


Several weeks ago I was in Melbourne on holidays and they complain about the trains. All I can say is they have nothing to complain about. I am living with my sister and brother-in-law at Mt Tamborine for a while and catch the train each day. I started up catching the Gold Coast train but gave up getting on at Coomera. Do you know people bring their own chairs, pillows etc. It is packed and runs very few trains considering how many people use the service. So after a few days I gave up and drove to Beenleigh, parked the car and then go by train to South bank.

Bob, in my younger days I went to school on the train in Melbourne. For over 25 years I have lived here in Brisbane and it's my first time on the train. At first I liked it. You can read a book and Q Rail staff are very helpful and pleasant. That was until last night.

I left here at 4.10 and walked over to South bank. The train arrive at 4.40 PM and that's when all the trouble started.  No one knew what was going on. Next we were told to get out at Runcorn ( I think) and bus would take us to Sunnybank ( I think) again, no one from Q Rail was present, handful of buses and probably about 5000 people trying to get on.

Up the steps we go, then all of a sudden someone yells "get back on the train we can go as far as Sunnybank" lucky no one fell down the stairs as we all turned back around.

So, back on we get and get off again at Sunnybank. We got off, probably over a 1000 of us, no buses, no Q rail staff, nothing. People were crossing the road and nearly getting hit by cars. It was pure chaos. We stood  stranded until 7.00 and the station master locked himself in the office and wouldn't come out.

Then someone yells the trains are now going through. So we go back down to Sunnybank train station and guess what? A train comes and goes straight past us. We waited and waited, no one knew what was going on, Telstra was making money because everyone was on their mobile. Seems the news Chopper above knew, people said they had just been told it was on the news. All this time the Station master locked himself in his office and wouldn't come out.

Finally, at around 7.30 PM a train picked us up and what happens....the stop before Beenleigh it breaks down. We had to get off and then wait for the Gold Coast train to push it into Beenleigh.
the train stopped for us thanks to the Train driver and his assistant radioing and telling them to pick us up. So we got into a packed Gold coast train and finally made it to Beenleigh at 7.50PM.

Around 8 ish I got into the car and finally got home at Mt Tamborine at 8.45Pm. Time to eat dinner have a shower and go to bed.

Bob, it was truly unbelievable. I thought I was in India under British rule and the only thing we were missing was a few chooks, cows and pigs.

What saddened me was there people who had just arrived as tourists, elderly people who had just had hospital check ups, children and yet Q Rail never once seemed to keep us informed.

I bet they get a lot of complaints today. I am not complaining about the staff especially, the train drivers and his assistant. They were excellent.

Caroline

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

It is very difficult when these things happen at any time, but particularly peak times.  Hopefully some lessons can be drawn from these events, timely communication will help a lot.

Regards
Ozbob