Suggestions and Questions for the Minister.

[mufreight]

A different approach.
Just a thought but perhaps a thread addressing suggestions and questions to the Minister Nolan regarding matter relevant to public transport and public transport infrastructure.
Over time there have been many worthwhile suggestions from members of this group and nothing ever gets fixed if no-one knows it has or is failed and your suggestions may contain the information needed to resolve problems or improve the system.
Please be respectful of the Minister and give a little thought to suggestions and questions and perhaps the Minister may see this as a credible source of information and provide responses to your input.
Time will tell if this will work but it is worth a try.

[Harry]

Perhaps the Minister should give some active consideration to resolving the recurring problems that currently face QR Passenger in its endeavour to operate commuter services in the south east Queensland area.

At the present time QR Passenger is in the face of an increasingly unacceptable level of infrastructure failures is faceing an impossible task in trying to provide reliable commuter services.

These failures of signaling, power and below rail infrastructure are beyond the control of QR Passenger and are a result of QR Network, a seperate entity failing to maintain the required infrastructure for the commuter network, signaling, power supplies and below rail infrastructure.

One solution would be to hand full control (and responsibility) of the commuter network over to the principal user of this infrastructure, QR Passenger as is done with the greater Sydney commuter network being under the control of their Citytrain organisation. 

Full control of the SEQ commuter network from Nambour south to Robina and west to Gatton by a single organisation such as QR Passenger would have many benefits, in the event of failures they would be in a position to react much more quickly by rerouting trains and or providing alternative services.

There could be more scheduled preventative maintenance of infrastructure with less disruption to scheduled passenger operations particularly in relation to signaling and power supplies as QR Passenger being the principal user of the part of the QR system would have a greater interest in ensuring the reliability of the system in which they operate.
At the present time QR Passenger is blamed for service disruptions brought about by an increasing number infrastructure failings over which they have no control, if as under the present system QR Passenger is the receipent of the blame then it is reasonable they should at least also have the control of the system infrastructure and the responsibility to resolve or at least minimise the underlying problems.

Freight operations through the commuter network area would also benefit by more reliable infrastructure even if under the control of QR Passenger rather than QR Network which has obviously failed to provide the standards of infrastructure maintenance required for the operation of a reliable and efficent commuter metwork.

A service rather than a cost based culture would bring about such a change as is obviously required.
Minister Nolan is obviously aware that while freight services may pay the bills it is commuters that vote and her efforts to this time in resolving problems with the Public Transport system have been highly laudable and wind of change when compared with the track record of her predecessor so commuters have hope that the Minister will address and resolve these problems.

[ozbob]

Welcome Harry!  Thanks for your thoughtful and cogent comments.

Best wishes
Bob

[Harry]

Thanks.  I have long been a 'lurker' and prefer to keep it that way in general.  But good works you all do here.
All strength to you.

Harry

[mufreight]

The post by Harry the Lurker says much and the events of this morning brought about by further infrastructure failure support his perceptions and make his comment even more relevant.
That he proposes giving the total responsibility for the Passenger network including the associated fixed infrastructure to a single authority, in this case QR Passenger, is something that must be considered by the Minister and Government as the unacceptable levels of disruption to the operations of the passenger services currently occouring make imperative.
Commuters can not afford the ongoing personal costs of an increasingly unreliable rail service despite the best and frequently innovative efforts of the dedicated management and staff of QR Passenger nor can the community.
To remedy the situation by such a transfer of control and responsibility would refocus motivation to the actual problems by those who are in a position to better determine the priorities relating to the operation of a dependable passenger operation and over time this would cost the Government if not less but then no more, to provide and operate this important Public Transport asset

[ozbob]

Interview this morning on 612 ABC Brisbane

--> http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2009/05/whos-the-blame.html?program=612_breakfast

Thanks for the interest 612!

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Broken bolt halts Queensland Rail services

Broken bolt halts Queensland Rail services
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Robyn Ironside

May 16, 2009 12:00am

ALMOST a third of Brisbane's Citytrain services were delayed or cancelled yesterday because of a single broken bolt on a railway track.

Queensland Rail confirmed 70 of its 220 services were affected by the "track fault" in the tunnel between Roma Street and South Brisbane stations, including about 10 that were cancelled, between 6am and 10am.

Commuters had up to an hour added to their trips as crews worked to fix the bolt, which had locked part of the track into the wrong position.

QR Network general manager Robert Moffat said the problem was picked up by their automated monitoring system and electricians were sent to investigate.

"Our electricians had to enter the tunnel to find and fix the bolt but in order to do so we had to stop the trains in the area," Mr Moffat said. "It would have been unsafe to expect staff to work in a tunnel with live powerlines and moving trains."

He apologised for the inconvenience and assured commuters the work was carried out as quickly as possible.

"We have a comprehensive proactive maintenance program, unfortunately some of these events are simply unforeseeable."

But Bruce Mackie from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union said the "integrity of train tracks" was being compromised by a shortage of track maintenance staff.

"We have a campaign to increase track maintenance staff to ensure small items like this aren't missed," said Mr Mackie.

Robert Dow from commuter advocacy group Back on Track said Brisbane's rail system had become unreliable.

"Every day we have between 8 and 15 per cent of trains running late, cancelled or not turning up," Mr Dow said.

Some of those caught up in yesterday's delays vented their anger on www.couriermail.com.au - which carried reports of the track fault before Translink's own website.

[O_128]

I laugh at comprehensive maintenance program the new IMUs should not have rust on them after only 2 years of service

[Markus]

I would like attention paid to the end user of trains - us !
I don't want money squandered if it's not in our best interests.

- I, personally, would rather have NO station improvement until station platforms are built up to the height of the bottom of train doors.
It's 2009 engineers and designers. BNE can't possibly hold International events catering for new travellers and expect some to not trip or slip down the gap.

- Planning & building the Inner City Line should be a priority. Essentially you would be planning for a sustainable form of transport for 3 large urban areas.
Namely GC, BNE and Sunshine Coast. One needs to get through BNE to get to the other end. Any politician or bureaucrat in SEQ even remotely involved in transport who cannot see that, perhaps needs to review what it is they think they are doing.

- ALL future stations to be built on a straight section of track.

- Trains on Spur lines need to go somewhere ! Planning for where they end up needs to be performed at the same time as a spur is requested.

- GO cards, travel sections need simplifying. KISS principle with fewer sections, prices. A body is a body in my opinion.

[Matt]

Exactly, Markus, I was amazed that ever since the introduction of electric rail, there has been little or no effort to make the platforms level with the train floors.
If you have ever detrained at Morningside on the way to Cleveland, there is a gap of approx 300mm betwen the carriage and the edge of the platform, enough for a toddler to disappear completely down the hole, caused by the curvature of the platform and the straight line of the carriage.

[O_128]

manly station actually scares me. For city services the rear carriages have a low step probably 10cm tough at the front there is a step of a foot   and  a big gap one morning in rain i actually lost a leg down this hole. i will get some pics.