28 Minutes at Central during peak

[Derwan]

20 seconds.  That's all there was in it.  I took just a little longer than I'd hoped at a shop after work.  I knew I was cutting it fine.  I walked quickly towards Central Station.  I'm too dignified to run.  I'm too polite to push past people on escalators.  I hoped I'd just make the 4:25 Shorncliffe train!  But alas, I heard the guard's whistle as I patiently waited behind others on a crowded escalator down to platform 5/6.

What was I to do?  I knew I had 28 minutes until the next Shorncliffe train.  Armed with a copy of mX, I leaned against a post (the seats were full) and waited patiently.

The 4:28 Petrie train came and went.
The 4:32 Nambour train came and went.
The 4:37 Caboolture train came and went.
The 4:42 Caboolture Express train came and went.
(At this stage the platform was becoming crowded due to the cancellation of the 4:38 Ipswich train.  I'm sure I heard a similar announcement about a Cleveland train on platform 1/2.)
The 4:47 Petrie train came got cancelled.

This got me thinking:
1.  How is it that there can be 5 scheduled services for a single line between two scheduled services of another line during the peak period?
2.  Why are there still so many cancellations when it's no longer flu season?  (There were 3 cancellations in as many minutes on Wednesday.)
3.  Why aren't there more seats at Central station?

_{(Also submitted to mX)}

[ozbob]

Well done Derwan, see you made the mX letter of the day today (30th Oct) 

You have raised some very important points.

Regards
Ozbob

[Derwan]

Thanks Bob!

I actually worked out why there aren't more seats at Central.  It would make things difficult with everyone getting off trains during the morning peak hour.  Perhaps they could fit a few more in though!

But yes - timetabling should be for both conveniences and capacity.  If it were for capacity alone, we'd be going back to hourly trains on Sundays.  In peak, we shouldn't be forced to wait 28 minutes for the next train.

[SteelPan]

Derwan,
The waiting behind others on the escalator is an interesting comment - obviously, no one in QR/QT appreciates that you CAN buy more than one set (up and down) of those things at a time - go to Syd and Melb (right here in Oz people, right here in Oz) and see (wait for it) MULTIPLE sets of escalators operating - particularly when thousands of people are using them at busy times - don't be affraid QR/QT spys - don't be affraid, they don't come to life in the dead of night and go on the prowl - they are just escalators - but you CAN buy as many as you want - and in a city the size of Brisbane, that long ago past the point of one up one down, that might be a good idea - the new Brunswick St will be a interesting test!!!  The ALL TIME QR CLASSIC however, is Roma St Station - our "premier" Train Station ('cuse my rolling around the floor laughing) at Roma St, they have ONE of them there "moving sets of stairs" on to each platform  yes, someone was so stoopid and cheap, they ordered ONE escalator per platform - wait there's more - and they run it DOWNWARDS at peak time in the morning - I've just run outside and done a quick x-peri-ment and DOWN is pretty easy, UP is where the going gets tuff and folks may appreciate some assistance!

Queensland - The Smart State (by 1930's Standards).
Spoken by me, for me and I proudly take full responsibility for it.