Queensland Rail

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/641-2024.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 641
Asked on 22 May 2024

MR S MINNIKIN ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND MINISTER
FOR DIGITAL SERVICES (HON B MELLISH)

QUESTION:

Will the Minister provide a list of all unplanned outages of the Queensland Rail digital Track
Access System (TAS) since its introduction (including the date and duration of any outages)
together with details of any safety incidents that have resulted from unplanned outages?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Chatsworth for the question.

The Track Access System (TAS) is a software system that allows an electronic request for a track
authority, which is the process that provides safe access to the rail corridor. Prior to the
implementation of this software, Queensland Rail used a paper-based system.

Even with a limited number of outages, the TAS is a significantly safer process for employees. It
provides protection officers with a real-time representation of network operations, which
significantly reduces the likelihood of communication-based errors occurring.

Since its introduction to the Queensland Rail network in 2022, there have been nine unplanned
outages of TAS:

. 24 July 2022 – four hours
. 2 December 2022 – 45 minutes
. 3 October 2023 – two hours
. 6 October 2023 – two hours
. 19 November 2023 – two hours
. 12 December 2023 – four hours
. 15 December 2023 – 20 minutes
. 16 December to 17 December 2023 – 15 hours.
. 25 January 2024 – 33 minutes.

There were no safety incidents on the Queensland Rail network as a result of the outages to TAS.

If TAS is unavailable, Queensland Rail reverts to paper-based track authorities to ensure the safe
continuation of its operations.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/791-2024.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 791
Asked on 12 June 2024

MR J LISTER ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND MINISTER FOR
DIGITAL SERVICES (HON B MELLISH)

QUESTION:

Will the Minister provide (reported separately by quarter since 1 July 2023), (a) the number of
individuals who have commenced as train drivers at Queensland Rail and (b) the number who
have ceased to be train drivers?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Southern Downs for the question.

Queensland Rail advises that as at 13 June 2024, it had a total of 757 drivers in supply for its
South East Queensland (SEQ) and Regional networks. Queensland Rail continues to maintain
an adequate supply of drivers to operate its services across Queensland.

(a) Newly qualified drivers into supply on the SEQ and Regional networks (excludes tutor
drivers and train operation inspectors) are as follows:

. September 2023 – 21
. December 2023 – 9
. March 2024 – 27.

(b) Number of qualified drivers in supply who have ceased to be train drivers on the SEQ and
Regional networks (including cessation of employment and transfers to other roles within
Queensland Rail) are as follows:

. September 2023 – 17
. December 2023 – 17
. March 2024 – 10.

[Fares_Fair]

Looking at those figures alone it is a net gain of 13 drivers.
Newly qualified = 57
Cessations = 44

Net gain = 13

[ozbob]

Now that's a Merv-elous milestone! 👏 Gympie North's Assistant Station Master, Merv, is celebrating 60 years with...

Posted by Queensland Rail on Monday 19 August 2024

[ozbob]

https://x.com/RailExpressNews/status/1827930612365430882

[verbatim9]

Sadly, I've noticed quite a lot of graffiti on trains lately. I hope their measures lead to a reduction of graffiti on trains and along the corridors.

It's blatant vandalism and has no association to street art.

Ive also seen a NGR with indigenous artwork wrap defaced with graffiti as well.

[verbatim9]

Talking about Graffiti, I was at Fairfield station the other day and the new lifts were shocking. Graffiti inside the lift with scooter tyre burnouts all on the floor of the lift as well as  burn marks (melted patches) in the flooring. The lifts looked like they were over a decade old.

[verbatim9]

The Yeerongpilly overpass is another place where lifts have been vandalised as well from floor to ceiling.

[HappyTrainGuy]

There's a reason for more graffiti on trains and it's not from a lack of enforcement.

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2024/868-2024.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 868
Asked on 20 August 2024

MR R STEVENS ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND MINISTER
FOR DIGITAL SERVICES (HON B MELLISH)

QUESTION:

With reference to Citytrain services delivered in 2024 (to date)—
Will the Minister advise how many scheduled or planned six-car train services operated with a
three-car set (reported separately by month)?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Mermaid Beach for the question.

Queensland Rail aims to provide six carriages on each train for customers. Sometimes, due to
unit availability, a decision to operate a three-car train will occur. Queensland Rail acknowledges
that three-car services can be inconvenient to some customers. However, running a three-car
train is preferable to cancelling a service altogether.

In early 2024, a number of trains servicing the South East Queensland (SEQ) network were
undergoing critical maintenance to ensure their safety and compliance to standards, as well as
preventative and corrective maintenance on the Queensland Rail fleet.

On top of that, the number of New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) trains available for service has
been continually impacted since 2019 due to the ongoing NGR Accessibility Upgrade Program.
This cost Queensland taxpayers an extra $335 million to retrofit foreign-made trains ordered by
the LNP in 2014, in response to a Commission of Inquiry.

These works were completed in late July 2024. This meant for five years, the number of six-car
train sets were consistently reduced, forcing more three-car sets to be used in their place.

Another reason three-car sets are a feature of the SEQ Rail Network is that the 75 NGR trains—
bought under the former government—are not fully compatible with the Ferny Grove, Beenleigh
and Rosewood lines.

The NGR trains are not able to run on the Ferny Grove line at all, as they leave a large gap
between the train and platform at some stations, meaning passengers cannot board safely and,
at Newmarket and Keperra, the platforms are too short to accommodate the NGR trains at all.

Due to these issues—and the pairing of the Ferny Grove and Beenleigh lines—it means the NGR
trains also do not run on the Beenleigh line as part of the regular timetable.

On the Rosewood line, the NGR trains are too long for the platform, forcing passengers into the
front three cars, otherwise they would step and fall onto the tracks.

This requires Queensland Rail to run more three-car train services, on all three of these lines.
The number of three-car services has decreased throughout the year, however, as the NGR
Accessibility Upgrade Program came to a close, the NGR fleet availability increased.

Between 1 January 2024 and 22 August 2024, Queensland Rail operated a total of 251,948
services (including Airtrain) and the total number of three-car sets used was just over three per
cent:

. January – 1637* of 28,957 (5.65%)
. February – 1936* of 33,530 (5.77%)
. March – 1782* of 33,824 (5.27%)
. April – 1234* of 32,185 (3.83%)
. May – 609* of 35,997 (1.69%)
. June – 520* of 30,634 (1.70%)
. July – 302* of 31,096 (0.97%)
. August (as at 22 August) – 108* of 25,725 (0.42%).

*Excludes scheduled three-car services between Ipswich and Rosewood 

[HappyTrainGuy]

Errr... What?? What is this woffle?

Someone is bending the truth there. There are gaps but the NGRs currently already use stations with bigger gaps - northern end of indro P4 for example which is off camber low platform height ie vertical and horizontal gaps. There are many platforms that have NGRs off camber on low platform heights. Auchenflower is another even though it just had accessibility upgrades. Chelmer and Zillmere are stations that are also off camber. Platform lengths are a load of bs. Plain and simple. Platform extensions aren't new either. For example indro Ipswich end.

PSA requirements to maintain OTP and city slots along with keeping PSA numbers/staff costs down prevent NGR from running on Ferny Grove and Beenleigh lines.

Kuraby and Beenleigh services from Doomben/Bowen Hills/northside dead runners are routinely cancelled due to only NGRs being available despite not going onto the Ferny Grove line.

Why is everything a political game. Yes there are issues. Just f%cking fix them and get on with it.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Re indooroopilly station platform extension.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KMmafPUMBH1HBtV47?g_st=ic

[ozbob]

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/queensland-rail_earlier-this-week-we-were-thrilled-to-welcome-ugcPost-7260075744314208258-p-ER

LinkedIn: Queensland Rail

Earlier this week, we were thrilled to welcome our new Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg MP, to our Rail Management Centre (RMC). He joined our CEO, Kat Stapleton, Head of SEQ, Neil Backer, General Manager Rail Management Centre, Dean Kelly and our dedicated teams to see them in action.

With real-time disruptions caused by an over-height vehicle impacting the network, the Minister gained firsthand insight into the hard work and collaboration it takes to keep Queensland moving smoothly and safely every day.

Thank you, Minister Mickelberg, for taking the time to connect with our teams. We look forward to working with you as we continue to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient rail services across the state.