Rail delays - articles and discussion

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Rail delays caused by safety rules, says union

Rail delays caused by safety rules, says union
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Robyn Ironside

November 05, 2009 11:00pm

STRICT safety procedures implemented by Queensland Rail a month ago are being blamed for increasing disruptions to train services.

The "separation of people and plant procedure" and the "five trackside safety lifesaving rules" have replaced the previous practice of maintenance workers simply informing controllers of their presence.

It follows a series of near-misses involving maintenance workers, but even the Rail, Tram and Bus Union believes the new procedures go too far.

"It takes hours for anyone to do maintenance, and jobs that were done in a few minutes now take several hours," RTBU secretary Owen Doogan said.

"What used to happen is we'd make a phone call and say 'We need to work on this track' and they'd block the traffic so it could be done.

"Now we have to establish an exclusion zone, erect barriers and find a protection officer to brief workers on all the dangers and impending dangers."

Track faults have caused extensive delays this week, with the Ferny Grove line almost completely shut down for the entire morning peak yesterday.

Thousands of commuters arriving at stations between Mitchelton and Bowen Hills faced hour-long delays as they found themselves queueing for buses.

Another fault between Roma Street and Central stations held up inbound southside services for up to 15 minutes each and a third fault was blamed for cancelling a service between Doomben and Corinda.

Cleveland, Ipswich and Sunshine Coast services have also experienced delays and cancelled services caused by "track faults".

Queensland Rail Network business manager Robert Moffatt said he understood the frustrations of commuters but said safety was the top priority.

"We make no apology for continually refining our work practices to ensure our staff are protected by the highest safety standards," he said.

However, Mr Doogan said QR had implemented the new safety procedures without consulting the union and other stakeholders and was still in the process of training workers up to be protection officers.

"That person is now in charge of safety at the work site but they can be difficult to find because QR doesn't have enough qualified people at the moment to perform that role," he said.

He said talks were continuing with QR to try to make the new procedures more workable.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

'Get off the tracks': QR order to blame for train delays

'Get off the tracks': QR order to blame for train delays
TONY MOORE
November 6, 2009 - 5:23AM

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A new Queensland Rail directive that restricts maintenance staff's access to rail tracks has been blamed for Brisbane's train delays of the past week.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Owen Doogan said last night access to the tracks had been stripped back in light of the charges that a QR senior manager will face this month concerning the deaths of two maintenance workers in 2007.

He said other senior managers feared being charged themselves over any future incidents.

"It all relates to a decision by the chief executive a few weeks ago to change the track access for everybody," Mr Doogan said.

"And that includes the people who maintain the track.

"So what was taking 10 or 20 minutes to get something fixed is now taking three or four hours."

Mr Doogan said the changes in access were linked to the charges that followed the deaths of two QR workers killed doing track maintenance at Coppabella, west of Mackay on December 7, 2007.

One investigation was carried out by Queensland Transport's rail safety unit.

QR and one of their employees, regional manager Glen Mullins, will appear in the Industrial Relations Court in Mackay on November 23 in connection with the two deaths.

Mr Doogan said Mr Mullins has been "personally charged" as an individual.

"And there is now a fear from senior management that other managers could be charged," he said.

Meanwhile, rail lobby group Rail: Back on Track said QR had cut back on maintenance and that "gangers" no longer walked sections of track every day checking for minor faults.

QR denied cutting maintenance spending.

There have been rail delays every day this week and in recent weeks there have been major delays caused by a broken bolt (Ipswich line) and by a plastic bag on overhead lines.

Rail: Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said he had been told gangers did not check rail lines as frequently as they had in the past.

"We think it may be a combination of things and we think maintenance levels may have been reduced," Mr Dow said.

"We used to see regular track walkers and we don't see them as regularly as we used to," he said.

"So it is fair question to ask: 'Is visual inspection of the track being carried out'?"

This post was made on Rail: Back on Track's website yesterday: "In the name of cost-efficiency these visual inspections no longer happen on a daily basis, which has the result that faults are not found now until such time as they result in a failure and what may have been something as simple as tightening a bolt becomes a major fault causing delays for commuters or possibly an incident causing considerable damage and cost."

QR did not answer questions about how frequently visual inspections were made of the rail track.

In a statement QR said: "QR continues to meet and in many cases exceed Australian standards for track maintenance and inspections, including visually inspecting the track on its Citytrain network.

"QR has not changed any of its own standards for visual inspections in recent years.

"Regular visual inspections are a fundamental part of our safety and network maintenance system and trains won't run if inspections haven't occurred."

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Your form guide to getting to work by train this morning

Your form guide to getting to work by train this morning
ROBERT DOW
November 6, 2009 - 5:23AM

Robert Dow, from rail commuter lobby group Rail: Back on Track, has provided his "form guide" to a successful rail commute over the next week.

The Caboolture line is odds-on favourite for a delay in the next seven days.

Here is the field.

Ferny Grove line: Normally a good sprinter but prone to problems in the wet. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 5/1.

Beenleigh/Gold Coast: Constant performer in the failure stakes. Good for sprints but fails in the longer events. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 3/1.

Cleveland line: Lacks power for the longer duration events. Doesn't like the wet and/or winds. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 4/1.

Ipswich/Rosewood line: Good stayer but suffers from too much work. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 2/1.

Shorncliffe: Excellent all round performer, regular runner. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 7/1.

Doomben: Infrequent runner, often spelled, but when in work performs well in the sprints. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 7/1.

Caboolture/Sunshine Coast: Odds-on favourite, star performer in the failure derby. Odds of a failure the next 7 days: 2/1 on.

Please place your bets, or your comments.

[#Metro]

Queensland Rail Network business manager Robert Moffatt said he understood the frustrations of commuters but said safety was the top priority.

"We make no apology for continually refining our work practices to ensure our staff are protected by the highest safety standards," he said.

So it apparently the rail faults of the past week or so are systematic and are reportedly due to new rules in the organisation (correct me if I am wrong). This is difficult, because you want your workers to be safe always. But risk can be managed, but not eliminated. The highest safety attainable is to have no rail system at all. Then nobody can get hurt- ever.

[ozbob]

The 'Zero harm policy' is no doubt one of the factors, possibly the most significant as this must be influencing maintenance outcomes.  If the same standards were applied to roads nothing would move on the roads.

A balance between risk and practical reality must be found.  The legalistic approach to WHS is not really achieving sensible outcomes other than causing extreme managment responses (and understandably so IMHO).   QR and a senior manager is on trial.  Who is on trial for all the road deaths?  Crazy society ...

[ozbob]

Interview on 612brisbane Breakfast click --> here!

What's causing increased train delays?

What's causing increased train delays?
06 November 2009

Has there been a single train line not affected by a track fault this week? It seems the Shorncliffe Line stands alone in that regard.

Yes there was also storm damage and an item thrown on the overhead wires on the Cleveland Line - not much QR can do about that.

But surely track faults can be arrested.

Robert Moffatt is head of network business for South East Qld with QR, and explain the situation to Spencer.

[ozbob]

Well done Mr Moffatt and Spencer for the interview.

Mr Moffatt could you please detail the actual maintenance expenditure on the Citytrain network for the past 5 years, separate from the capital expenditure improvements?

Disruptions have been ongoing for some time.  The figures on the QR Citytrain web site are only peak figures, many disruptions happen outside peak times as well.

Have the new safety procedures increased costs of maintenance reducing the value of what is actually achieved?

See this thread for some examples of the disruptions --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.0

[#Metro]

We'll I am a bit of a cynical person...

1. If money for maintenance has increased, and service quality has decreased, then that actually is worse.
It means that we are paying more for less, and it suggests to me that the extra money spent has been ineffectual.

2. The fact that the performance indicators and the general public mood about QR reliability appear at odds suggest that the performance indicators used are not very sensitive to changes in what they measure. Theoretically, If every train outside peak hour was cancelled, or ran 1 hour late, but every peak hour train ran on time, the performance indicator would show reliability at 98% or at least something very high indeed. But everyone knows if a rail service performed like that, in practice,  that would be a catastrophe.

Perhaps the network has too many critical choke points and not enough resilience/redundancy when one thing fails.
In this regard, the Tennyson Loop is a valuable part of the network.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Commuters spent 28 days waiting for trains last year

Commuters spent 28 days waiting for trains last year
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger

November 10, 2009 12:00am

COMMUTERS spent the equivalent of 28 days waiting for delayed or cancelled peak hour trains on the southeast's Citytrain network last year.

Figures released under Right to Information laws show trains were delayed an agonising 691 hours across the network last financial year, with more than 4960 late or cancelled trains.

Commuter groups yesterday said the figures ? which follow a recent spate of lengthy passenger delays ? confirmed the deteriorating state of the region's train network.

But Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the delays detailed in the RTI documents were cumulative and the actual wait across the network was much lower.

"Using the figure of 28 days, the amount of time lost in 2008-09 due to all causes, represents around 0.78 per cent of the total peak train running time," she said.

The biggest cause of delays to trains on the network was infrastructure faults, including track or signal failures along the lines, or speed restrictions imposed on trains.

Speed restrictions are imposed on trains on the network if extreme heat poses a risk of tracks buckling, work is being undertaken on tracks nearby, if non-urgent work has not been completed, or if there is a police incident on the lines.

Queensland Rail yesterday apologised for any delays, and admitted recent faults had occurred in "critical locations" and compounded delays to other trains.

Commuter advocacy group Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said expenditure on maintenance was not keeping up with expansion of the track, and new safety procedures would make delays worse.

"It would appear that the maintenance budget is not sufficient. The evidence of that is increasing unreliability of the system," he said.

"The actual track has increased considerably, which also requires extra signal systems ? all of which require maintenance." The increasing size of the network meant extra maintenance.

QR Network general manager Robert Moffat denied track maintenance was not adequate, with the rail provider's budget for maintenance increasing from $49 million to $55.3 million in the past two financial years.

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

The biggest cause of delays to trains on the network was infrastructure faults, including track or signal failures along the lines, or speed restrictions imposed on trains ...

We have made the point many times, that QR Passenger is not responsible for the majority of factors impacting on deteriorating on time train performance.

[#Metro]

I don't mind speed restrictions due to heat. These are unavoidable.
It is the "avoidable" time losses that are important.

This article was well written and raises some good points. This is one metric of measuring how resilient and "healthy" the system is.
Passenger Time Lost (PTLs) would be good. You have to sum the time loss that each passenger experiences as these economic "disbenefits" to accumulate to society, and this is depends on how many people are in the train at the time of the delay.

It is the same philosophy used for justifying action on road congestion. A 1 hour 'avoidable' wait in traffic each day is "only" 4% of the time in a day, but this amounts to multibillion dollar losses for the city, and is used as a guide for how much the gov should spend on new roads/infrastructure to alleviate the problem. Same logic here.

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
10/11/2009

Ministerial Statement by Transport Minister Rachel Nolan

In recent weeks there have been a number of delays which have inconvenienced commuters on the Citytrain network.

While in the last financial year, 91.74% of trains ran on time, this figure has improved to 94.3% in the September quarter this year.

In the last couple of weeks, however, the performance of the rail network has been poor.

In October, 4.8% of trains were delayed due to track issues, and last week this was 8.5%.

This is not good enough. I apologise to commuters for this recent and unacceptably poor run.

On their behalf, I have demanded answers from Queensland Rail and we are taking steps to improve performance.

My advice from Queensland Rail is that the recent performance is the result of a series of unfortunate incidents at critical locations, and is not indicative of a systemic maintenance issue.

In the last week for instance, one major delay occurred on the Cleveland line because a storm disrupted power. Another unacceptable delay occurred when a worker severed an optical fibre at South Brisbane, and a third resulted from a police incident.

I am advised there is no evidence to indicate an overall deterioration of the network. Queensland Rail conducts visual inspections three times a week and regular track audits using computer technology.

That auditing indicates that the "overall track condition index", a technical measure of track quality, has been constant for the last five years, notwithstanding an increase in services.

To maintain this standard, the Government funds QR for track maintenance. This year, at $56 million, the Citytrain track maintenance budget is at its highest level ever.

It is true that QR has recently introduced new rules to enhance safety on the network. This has lead to some increase in the time taken to respond to incidents in some cases. Safety is and always will be our number one priority, but these new measures will take a little while to bed down.

I have directed Queensland Rail to meet with unions and work with them to get the balance right between safety and responding quickly to incidents.

No one likes delays, and again I apologise to commuters.

I can assure them that our network is maintained appropriately, and that we are continuing to work towards building a better public transport system.

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

[Mozz]

I get some of the e-rail messages and they certainly don't concur with the statement from the minister. I would suggest an analysis of the messages I receive would reveal the majority are signal or track faults delaying trains and then staff problems which appear to be on a par with actual train faults - much further down the frequency are delays due to police incidents and weather. Are we talking all trains or only peak trains?

[#Metro]

My advice from Queensland Rail is that the recent performance is the result of a series of unfortunate incidents at critical locations, and is not indicative of a systemic maintenance issue.

What evidence/how bad does it have to get for it to be a "systemic issue"?
Random problems happen randomly.

[#Metro]

Business angry over rail disruptions
By Andree Withey

Posted Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:00pm AEDT
Updated Thu Nov 5, 2009 2:14pm AEDT
There were 60 services effected this morning because of a major fault on the Ferny Grove line between Bowen Hills and Mitchelton.
(ABC TV News - file image)
Queensland Rail is under fire over the number of regular faults and delays on the city network.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2734154.htm?section=business

[Fares_Fair]

I agree with you Mozz,

Since the figures quoted on QR website are for peak on-time performances, these would suggest that the figures quoted by the Minister DO NOT include out-of-peak services and thus produce a deliberately skewed picture.

Also note that the peak on time figures also appear to exclude cancelled services
in their totals, thus providing a further obfuscation of the reality.

In the letter from the Hon. Rachel Nolan MP, it states (and I quote),

"If for instance QR Passenger fails to have at least 92.4% of its trains running
within 3 minutes and 59 seconds of the advertised timetable during the peak periods
then it suffers a financial penalty for unsatisfactory performance.
QR Passenger is similarly penalised if more than 0.5% of services are cancelled
without warning during the peak periods."

No wonder it's in such a mess when the statistics are incomplete at best or misleading !

My suggested system of calculating the time actually lost in delays and cancellations would give a far more accurate appraisal of the network.
e.g. every train that is say 12 minutes late by the time it reaches it's destination, would equal 12 points and for every train that is cancelled, the point score would be the complete scheduled travel time of the service (in minutes), e.g. Nambour to Roma Street service 6:09am to 8:18am if cancelled, would equal 129 minutes and therefore 129 points.

This total figure could then be compared to the total travel-time of all services, and expressed as a
%age and even broken up into individual branch lines also. I believe it would clearly show the effective reduction in services caused by delays and cancellations.


Regards,
Fares_Fair

[#Metro]

Metrics like the ones Ms Nolan is quoting are methodologically deficient.
All trains outside peak hour could be cancelled, so long as each train during peak hour ran to time, it would show 100%.

Pull my other leg!

[#Metro]

My suggested system of calculating the time actually lost in delays and cancellations would give a far more accurate appraisal of the network.

I have suggested PTL (Passenger time losses) as a metric because they can be converted directly to economic losses to society if we know the value of time, thus distinguishing the seriousness of each incident. A full train that is delayed at peak hour by 20 minutes is more serious than a full train that is delayed by 20 minutes on a Sunday evening. This is because people value their time more during am peak than say Sunday evening.

Perhaps we could have both measures. Fault probabilities for each line could also be useful in uncovering systematic issues and making contingencies. If one line is more prone to faults/issues/incidents (whether inside or outside of QR's control) then contingencies can be made, or diagnostics focused on that line.

[ozbob]

A full train that is delayed at peak hour by 20 minutes is more serious than a full train that is delayed by 20 minutes on a Sunday evening. This is because people value their time more during am peak than say Sunday evening.

I hear you tramtrain but I have become increasingly concerned with the impact of out of peak cancellations and disruptions, as for the peak problems.  For the individuals affected it can be no difference in terms of impact.  Many folk work weekends, public holidays and odd hours.  Out of peak cancellations occur not infrequently at present.  With the poor frequency often, it is a major impact.  OK may not be the numbers at peak but often still an issue for those caught up in the delays.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX 10th November 2009 page 1

Timely boost



Good story,  the glimmer of hope was probably extinguished for  many as commuters read their mX whilst waiting for the system to resolve ..

[Fares_Fair]

One could almost feel the irony at yet another rail failure on the QR network,
especially whilst reading the mX with the 'fantastic' news about how on-time the trains are now !

Talk about, lies, damned lies and statistics.

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[#Metro]

On a side issue, I am a bit disappointed with the news, media releases etc.
It's embarrassing to read these things, and then look out your window and see that its not like that at all.

Ms Nolan's media release looked like a veiled defence, and despite the number of words was relatively information-free:

Ministerial Statement by Transport Minister Rachel Nolan

In recent weeks there have been a number of delays which have inconvenienced commuters on the Citytrain network.

While in the last financial year, 91.74% of trains ran on time, this figure has improved to 94.3% in the September quarter this year. [1]

In the last couple of weeks, however, the performance of the rail network has been poor.
In October, 4.8% of trains were delayed due to track issues, and last week this was 8.5%.[2]
This is not good enough. I apologise to commuters for this recent and unacceptably poor run.
On their behalf, I have demanded answers from Queensland Rail and we are taking steps to improve performance.[3]

My advice from Queensland Rail is that the recent performance is the result of a series of unfortunate incidents at critical locations, and is not indicative of a systemic maintenance issue.
In the last week for instance, one major delay occurred on the Cleveland line because a storm disrupted power. Another unacceptable delay occurred when a worker severed an optical fibre at South Brisbane, and a third resulted from a police incident.[4]

I am advised there is no evidence to indicate an overall deterioration of the network. Queensland Rail conducts visual inspections three times a week and regular track audits using computer technology.[5]

That auditing indicates that the "overall track condition index", a technical measure of track quality, has been constant for the last five years, notwithstanding an increase in services.[6]
To maintain this standard, the Government funds QR for track maintenance. This year, at $56 million, the Citytrain track maintenance budget is at its highest level ever.[7]

It is true that QR has recently introduced new rules to enhance safety on the network. This has lead to some increase in the time taken to respond to incidents in some cases. Safety is and always will be our number one priority, but these new measures will take a little while to bed down.[8]
I have directed Queensland Rail to meet with unions and work with them to get the balance right between safety and responding quickly to incidents.

No one likes delays, and again I apologise to commuters.

I can assure them that our network is maintained appropriately, and that we are continuing to work towards building a better public transport system.[9]

[1], [2], [4], [5]. [6] all minimise the problems, and seed alternative (distractive) explanations for the disruptions. It almost communicates "what you are seeing is not real!". We know and understand that accidents happen. The concern was that a substantial amount of problems had been to do with signal and point failures- nothing to do with the odd storm or whatever.
Despite [5],[6] and [7] the problems continue. So these methods can't seem to pick the faults.
[8] sounds like bad means to a good end. [9] Sounds nice but lacks information.

- What is the problem (don't know)
- What questions did Ms Nolan ask and what answers is she expecting (not known)
- What will she do when she has the answers or does not like them (nothing mentioned)
- What new measures will take place (none mentioned, maybe 'discussion with union and QR')
- How are we 'working towards a better system' (not mentioned)
- Why are these problems continuing (not mentioned)

Queensland is not the smart state. It is the spin state.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_propaganda

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Minister tempts fate with rail assurances

Minister tempts fate with rail assurances
CAMERON ATFIELD
November 11, 2009 - 6:05AM

Just hours after Transport Minister Rachel Nolan issued a Ministerial Statement saying there were no systemic problems with Brisbane's Citytrain network, peak hour commuters were thrown into chaos last night as a signals failure brought the entire network to a halt.

Robert Dow, from rail commuter lobby group Rail: Back on Track, said it was "quite ironic" that such a system meltdown would occur just hours after Ms Nolan's statement.

"As that (Ministerial) Statement was being issued, there was a track failure at Northgate," he said.

"As an isolated incident, (last night's system failure) was probably a unique problem, but in the context of the past few weeks, it's a bit difficult for commuters."

In the statement, Ms Nolan conceded 8.5 per cent of trains were delayed last week due to track issues.  That was up from 4.8 per cent in October.

"This is not good enough. I apologise to commuters for this recent and unacceptably poor run," she said.

"On their behalf, I have demanded answers from Queensland Rail and we are taking steps to improve performance.

"My advice from Queensland Rail is that the recent performance is the result of a series of unfortunate incidents at critical locations, and is not indicative of a systemic maintenance issue."

A Queensland Rail spokesman said last night's problems were unrelated to the track issues experienced last week.

Rather, it was the result of a "significant system fault" in QR's central control centre that affected signaling across the network between 4.57pm to 5.20pm, during which time all trains stopped.

Ms Nolan said she could assure commuters that the network was maintained appropriately.

"I can assure them that our network is maintained appropriately, and that we are continuing to work towards building a better public transport system," she said.

[ozbob]

Media Release 11 November 2009

SEQ:  Public transport fantasy and reality

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for an external audit of public transport in South East Queensland.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back On Track is of the view that the go card system is presently not capable of supporting a 100% ticketing solution for public transport in south east Queensland.  Equipment that is constantly failing, not fit for purpose and a clumsy administrative support system means that many users will simply not be able to cope. A fare structure that attempts to force users to move from paper to go card is unacceptable, particularly so if the go card system is not fully functional at all levels."

"Despite constant failure and overloading on all public transport modes we are continued to be subject to apologies and then statements of success.  Calls for some sort of compensation for the constant personal financial impacts are simply dismissed with more statements, apologies and spin of how wonderful it all is."

"It is little wonder that many public transport commuters are at breaking point and have been forced to seek alternative transport solutions, usually motor vehicle adding to the chronic chaos on the roads."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail 11th November 2009 page 22

Anger at QR Track Failure Delays

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 11th November 2009

Question without notice

Citytrain

Ms SIMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Transport. During yesterday afternoon?s peak hour rush the entire South-East Queensland Citytrain network was paralysed for 20 minutes. Will the minister say whether she takes ministerial responsibility for the Citytrain network and this meltdown?

Ms NOLAN: Yesterday there was a major shutdown of the network when a computer failure in the central control centre put the train network into safe mode and trains were stopped. The incident occurred at the worst possible time. It happened at 4.57 pm and was rectified at 5.17 pm.

The flowthrough of that incident was that 72 trains were delayed for an average of 20 minutes. Some were delayed for a considerably shorter time than that, but some were delayed for longer. Approximately 40,000 people were caught up in that delay. This is clearly completely unacceptable. Commuters rightly expect a reliable service. This government, which is making an enormous investment in public transport, similarly has very high expectations of our system. We demand reliability.

This morning I met with the CEO of QR and the heads of network and passenger in order to make the government?s expectations abundantly clear. They join with me in apologising to commuters for this latest incident. They assure me again, as I said yesterday, that there is no evidence to support the suggestion that there are systemic network issues. QR will receive an interim report on this incident by the end of the week. I have made it very clear that I expect them to take any action required to ensure that this does not happen again.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard 11th November 2009

Question without notice

Public Transport System

Mr EMERSON: My question is to the Minister for Transport. The minister has repeatedly denied being responsible for the ongoing failure to provide a public transport system for South-East Queensland that commuters can confidently rely on. What does the minister accept responsibility for?

Ms NOLAN: I think the premise of the member for Indooroopilly?s question is sufficiently incorrect as to be quite simply misleading. I as transport minister do entirely accept responsibility for the nature of our transport network. That is why I just gave a detailed explanation of an incident that happened just yesterday, and that is why I consistently stand up in this parliament and talk about the government?s substantial investment and positive change in that transport network as well. This government more than any other in living memory has a clear and unequivocal commitment to a better public transport system right across the state, but given that the question is from the member for Indooroopilly I would say that on this occasion we are talking about the south-east.

Ten years ago before this government was elected there was no busway network in the southeast, and this government entirely accepts responsibility for the construction of a world-leading busway. This government entirely accepts responsibility for the fact that we are, again, the first government in as long as I can remember to expand the length of the rail network. We currently have major projects underway to expand rail out to Richlands in the member for Inala?s electorate and ultimately it will go on to Springfield in the electorate of the member for Bundamba. We entirely accept responsibility for the fact that we are extending rail to the Gold Coast, with the project to continue down to Varsity Lakes being very close to completion. I guess my question for the member for Indooroopilly is this: do he and his colleagues come in here and accept responsibility for the fact that they ripped up Gold Coast rail when they were last in government?

In the last five years there has been a 50 per cent patronage increase across the TransLink network as a result of the substantial changes and the major investment that this government has initiated. The people of Queensland are voting with their feet and they are voting for? Mr Lucas interjected.

Ms NOLAN: And they are voting with their go cards, to take the minister?s interjection. They are voting for a rapidly improving and expanding public transport network.

Opposition members interjected.

Mr SPEAKER: We will wait for the crossfire to finish.

[#Metro]

Tell me it isn't so. Perhaps the pollies have become so cocooned in their own threads of spin that even they are starting to believe it.

They assure me again, as I said yesterday, that there is no evidence to support the suggestion that there are systemic network issues.

It is starting to seem like that it is impossible to present evidence ever to suggest that there are systemic network issues. What evidence does one need to demonstrate a "systemic issue"?

To be fair, yes they have opened the busway and will extend things etc. But the SE busway plans were in place in the 70's IIRC. Ms Nolan would have still been in primary school/high school perhaps. There are new trains (after RailBOT lobbied for more), GoCard is getting there but only after a 4 year delay! And people still cling to their paper tickets- so much so that price rises are needed to make them let go. Spending more on the network is welcome, but not much use if it breaks down and nobody can use it!

On the good side, I suspect that QR has things under control now and we won't see a repeat of the maladies that have plagued the system over the past few weeks.

[Derwan]

It will take a serious accident with multiple deaths (caused by a track fault) before politicians will wake up.

Where are the conspiracy theorists?  We have had multiple track faults, signal faults and now a computer fault that brought the whole network to a standstill - all within a couple of weeks.  How can this be a coincidence?  What is the agenda and who is driving it?

[#Metro]

Ms Nolan questioned the value of installing traffic cameras at level crossings to videotape motorists who ran red lights, flashing lights and stops signs.

Really? Who's side is the Government on? I am really beginning to wonder if the QLD Gov is suffering from some kind of reverse logic syndrome.

CCTV is not good enough. Grainy images with barely visible number plate- no good.
Images need to be colour, sharp and enough to stand up in court. This would not be a non-issue if it were a red light camera at a traffic light intersection. But because it is a rail intersection, oh no, that's different. Perhaps they don't believe that such a move would pull enough fines for the state. If that is the case, then it is simple- increase the fine! $2000 penalty for driving around boomgates in front of a train.

[#Metro]

Where are the conspiracy theorists?  We have had multiple track faults, signal faults and now a computer fault that brought the whole network to a standstill - all within a couple of weeks.  How can this be a coincidence?  What is the agenda and who is driving it?

My theory (and it is just hypothetical/speculation) is that there is a problem with the computer system. If a track fault is a point not moving, and a signal fault is a light not changing to the correct one, then these are -correct me if I am wrong- centrally controlled by a computer.

That would be the first place I would look.
To do that, I think "Rail holiday" should be declared for a weekend and the system examined by whoever manufactured it/engineers.

[ozbob]

The problems are real.  Workers have to go to the problems and fix them up.  It takes time for the gang to be formed move to location.  A TPO needs to be found.  Safety assessment then briefing and then barriers put in place.  Only then can work commence.

The failure two days ago I think is the first time the system and its back up both have gone down together.

There does appear to be some problems from signals/points detectors and communication links?  Sometimes it is as simple as an unintentional cutting of a cable.

I don't think there is a commuter system that is perfect.  Even airlines have had issues.  

I am not sure what a weekend of no trains would achieve.  There is ample time to evaluate and test during various line closures and I would be surprised if this window of opportunity is not used already.

[STB]

Tell me it isn't so. Perhaps the pollies have become so cocooned in their own threads of spin that even they are starting to believe it.

They assure me again, as I said yesterday, that there is no evidence to support the suggestion that there are systemic network issues.

It is starting to seem like that it is impossible to present evidence ever to suggest that there are systemic network issues. What evidence does one need to demonstrate a "systemic issue"?

To be fair, yes they have opened the busway and will extend things etc. But the SE busway plans were in place in the 70's IIRC. Ms Nolan would have still been in primary school/high school perhaps. There are new trains (after RailBOT lobbied for more)

The busway network was worked out and recommended to be built in the early 90s IIRC, there used to be a link on the old Busway website showing the details of the original plan, although I think it's disappeared into the archives now. 

And as much as others here would like to think, I'm very certain those extra trains were planned in the QR corridors well before RailBOT came about, as it was part of the bigger plan of the Sailsbury to Kuraby triplication and Gold Coast duplication, as was the old SMU 220s when part of the Caboolture line got triplicated in the late 90s.  They normally plan the extra services at the same time as the planning of the duplications and triplications and any other infrastructure project, so they can model these services before actually timetabling them, usually at least 3 to 5 years or more in advance.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Six peak-delays a week hold up Queensland Rail

Six peak-delays a week hold up Queensland Rail
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger

November 15, 2009 11:00pm

RAIL commuters travelling from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane face the worst delays across the network, with an average of six peak-hour delays each week day.

Figures show thousands of commuters using the troubled Caboolture line suffered through 1663 peak-hour delays last financial year, mostly due to passenger loading problems and infrastructure failures.

Documents released under Right to Information provisions reveal almost one in four delays on the line, which runs from the CBD north to Gympie, were caused by track and signalling failures or speed restrictions.

The documents reveal 1369 peak-hour services were cancelled or delayed on the Ipswich line, which runs to the Transport Minister's electorate, almost a third of which were caused by passenger delays.

Passenger delays, usually a result of heavy passenger numbers, overcrowded trains, or assistance for disabled commuters, were significant across the network.

The best commuter lines were Doomben and Shorncliffe, while the Cleveland line faced 500 delays or cancellations.

The Beenleigh line, once referred to as the Bombay Express due to overcrowding, and the Gold Coast line recorded 480 delays, mainly due to rolling stock failures.

Commuter groups said delays caused by overcrowding and infrastructure failures needed to be improved. "Infrastructure faults are not good enough ? there is a need to look at their procedures and address what needs to be changed to make the system more reliable," said Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow.

A spokesman for Queensland Rail said the Caboolture and Ipswich lines were the largest on the network, also carrying freight, and were undergoing major upgrades.

"Caboolture and Ipswich lines are more heavily patronised than other rail lines on the Citytrain network and have more than 76,000 services every year," he said.

"Therefore when a problem occurs, it has potential to cause more consequential delays because more trains operate on these lines."

But QR refused to release maintenance spending for each rail line, saying only that they fluctuated but were at the "right level depending on individual requirements".

"The year-by-year spending on any given line fluctuates significantly because major maintenance activities are done in five-year cycles and some, like timber sleeper replacement, every 15 years," he said.

"Another example is the recent maintenance of the Ipswich to Rosewood line that would show a $5.5 million spike due to bridge repainting at Sadliers Crossing."

Lengthy delays continued throughout the weekend for rail commuters, with track and signalling failures on the Gold Coast and Ferny Grove lines causing 20-minute delays.

Blog comment:

There were multiple failures yesterday again with another CBD failure last evening (Sunday), lucky not another peak crisis. 

Friday late peak another complete CBD failure as well.  Rather than hide figures there is a need to fix the constant disruption due to track and signal failures.  The network never used to be like this.

Caboolture (Sunshine Coast) and Ipswich both carry heavy freight.  This is another reason for exacting maintenance and capability.  The Ipswich line has around 40% freight, coal mainly pounding the rails day and night 24/7.  It takes a toll.

No one gets too upset with the occasional problem, but constant disruption and delays for some it seems daily is not acceptable.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

16th November 2009

Greetings,

This past weekend has seen a continuation of the track faults and signal problems on the QR Citytrain network.

Summary of information available publicly:

Friday 13th:  Passengers will experience 30 minute delays to all trains on all lines for the during of Friday's peak., signal fault.

Saturday 14th:  Disruptions on Gold Coast Line between Robina and Nerang due to signalling fault.  Bus between Nerang and Robina.

Saturday 14th: QR has advised that there are delays to northbound train services this afternoon due to a points problem at Bowen Hills.
There are delays of up to 30 minutes on the Ferny Grove train line with buses replacing trains between Roma Street and Mitchelton.
A shuttle train service is running between Mitchelton and Ferny Grove.
Some train services on the Caboolture, Shorncliffe, Airport and Doomben lines are also experiencing delays of up to 15 minutes.

Sunday 15th 15 Nov 2009: Disruptions on Gold Coast Line due to track fault. Bus transport operating between Rocklea and Banoon.

Sunday 15th:  30 mins delay for services on CBD Line due to signalling fault. Service to resume by 9:00 PM.

Seriously,  does anyone think that this acceptable?  Can you imagine the chaos if this pattern of failure was superimposed on daily weekday peaks?

QR Passenger the operator is doing the best under extraordinary circumstances.

Other incidents such as rock throwing and passenger issues will occur.  But the constant infrastructure problems do need to be addressed with action not spin please.

There is also a problem with the TransLink web site alerts.  Please put the rail alerts back on the QR Citytrain web site and link that into the TransLink web site.  As was demonstrated over the weekend TransLink is NOT capable of providing an immediate alert service. This is critical in view of the ongoing issues.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track

[Fares_Fair]

Ah, unfortunately what we Sunshine Coasters have long suspected ...
the Sunshine Coast line is the worst performer (2008-09) for delays and disruptions.

It topped the list at 1663 in the year, almost 21.5% ahead of our nearest rival,
the infamous Ipswich line at 1369.

And the quoted delays are just the "peak-hour disruptions"
in a classic display of massaged statistical spin.

...and where is the response from TransLink ?
and what are they going to do about it ?

hellooo anyone there ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair