Opposition Media Release: Cash Cow Rail Commuters Given Third World Service

[ozbob]

January 18, 2010

Cash Cow Rail Commuters Given Third World Service

SUNSHINE Coast residents were being ripped off with higher fares for a rail service which was "lousy" and "third world", Member for Maroochydore and Shadow Transport Minister Fiona Simpson said.

Ms Simpson said the Bligh Labor Government's massive hike in public transport fees, costing some commuters 40 per cent more, was a cash grab with little in return.

"I'm calling on the State Government to fix this appalling timetable to the Sunshine Coast," Ms Simpson said.

"If you miss your evening train out of Central in Brisbane for the Sunshine Coast, you'll be waiting a long time," Ms Simpson said. "The late peak evening trains for Nambour leave Central at 6.07pm, then 7.27pm with the next service at 9.28pm.

"Coast rail commuters are being used like cash cows."

Ms Simpson said the timetable had more holes than swiss cheese and was a disgrace for a region of 300,000 people.

"The rail infrastructure is already there. The services aren't. Wouldn't it be far smarter to give people travelling between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast a genuine alternative to the Bruce Highway and using a car?"

"My vision for the Sunshine Coast is a place where the liveability of this wonderful region is maintained and enhanced. Good public transport within our region is essential and so are our links to the State's capital. The existing rail infrastructure to the Coast is underutilised and means more people are using their cars to drive to and from Brisbane than is ideal."

[Derwan]

Bob, could this have been a result of your discussions with her?  I know the evening gaps are something you've been highlighting.

[ozbob]

Ms Simpson is based in the Sunshine Coast, and I know has received feedback on this (from constituents, our media and members).  It is an important issue, also the lack of services from Nambour in the evening Mon-Thu is a problem as well.

[Arnz]

IMO;
* move the 7:27pm to around 7:07pm
* Introduce new service around 8pm
* Keep the existing service at 9:28pm

The re-timed 7:07pm service would turn-back at Nambour and would form the last service out of Nambour around 9pm.  The 8pm service would stow overnight at the Nambour depot yards. 

[STB]

The 8pm service originates at the Caboolture yards, Nambour yards or Mayne? 

Just asking as I'm not sure how that would impact on unit balancing (always the same number of trains available at a yard at the beginning of the day to the end of the day), not a problem if the unit comes from Mayne.  If you are suggesting if the 8pm service originates at Mayne, continues to Nambour where it stows overnight, it might cause a unit imbalance (too many trains/too little trains) at Nambour.

[Arnz]

The 8pm service originates at the Caboolture yards, Nambour yards or Mayne?  

Just asking as I'm not sure how that would impact on unit balancing (always the same number of trains available at a yard at the beginning of the day to the end of the day), not a problem if the unit comes from Mayne.  If you are suggesting if the 8pm service originates at Mayne, continues to Nambour where it stows overnight, it might cause a unit imbalance (too many trains/too little trains) at Nambour.

The existing 7:27pm service (moved to 7:07pm under my suggestion) currently stows at Nambour.  I'd would have that service turn back and head back to Brisbane departing Nambour after 9pm (stow back at the main Electric Train Depot around 11pm).  

Traffic may be low late at night for a 9pm Nambour-Caboolture-City service, but there is some local generators (Uni Students connecting from Landsborough after evening uni classes, and the few late night workers from the coast and Caboolture).

The extra 8pm service (starting from Roma Street and heading to Nambour with the usual stopping pattern of Northgate and Petrie) would have that unit stowed at Nambour (replacing the unit from the existing 7:27pm service).

[mufreight]

Some good basis ideas, but while the balancing of train sets poses a potential problem the balancing of crews which no one has mentioned to this time could pose the greater problem.

[somebody]

Some good basis ideas, but while the balancing of train sets poses a potential problem the balancing of crews which no one has mentioned to this time could pose the greater problem.

The don't just start work at Nambour, run a few services, knock off at Nambour to be replaced by newly starting crews?  If the set moves, the crew has to too, no?

[Arnz]

From what I understand Brisbane-Nambour (and Cooroy) services are operated by Bowen Hills, Nambour and Caboolture based crews.

Some through-running express services may have crew changes at Caboolture, and other services may be Bowen Hills crews operating through to Nambour and back.

The Gympie North service is operated by Brisbane crews iirc (inc the overnighter in Gympie).

[Fridge]

Traffic may be low late at night for a 9pm Nambour-Caboolture-City service, but there is some local generators (Uni Students connecting from Landsborough after evening uni classes, and the few late night workers from the coast and Caboolture).

When I was at USC, the last bus from the uni to Landsborough Station left the uni at 6.40pm, arriving around 7pm and the Brisbane train left around 7.30pm.  HEAPS OF FUN!!! I was lucky that I didn't have any to do any of the classes that finished after 6pm.  This train would arrive in Caboolture at around 8.05pm, missing the 8.02pm all stations Ipswich train so I would have to wait for the 8.32 Ipswich train.  In total of about 45mins of pointless waiting.

[rob2144]

Nambour can stable 2 6car sets in the yard and 1 6car set in the back platform

[Arnz]

Nambour can stable 2 6car sets in the yard and 1 6car set in the back platform

3x 6-car sets in the yard actually.  1x 6-car at Turnback platform = for a total of 4x 6-car trains.

[Arnz]

Furthermore to the post, I really think the triangle siding at Landsborough could be demolished for a electrified turn-back siding.  

Though there may be issues with the level crossing north of Landsborough.  Perhaps build a bridge over crossing just north of the primary school.

It would make it easier to turn-back any extra off-peak services at Landsborough without interupting traffic at the level crossings, with Sunbus bustituting the remainder of any extra off-peak services.

[rob2144]

Nambour can stable 2 6car sets in the yard and 1 6car set in the back platform

3x 6-car sets in the yard actually.  1x 6-car at Turnback platform = for a total of 4x 6-car trains.

Must be very short 6 car sets, most ive seen inside the fenceline is 15 cars

[longboi]

Nambour can stable 2 6car sets in the yard and 1 6car set in the back platform

3x 6-car sets in the yard actually.  1x 6-car at Turnback platform = for a total of 4x 6-car trains.

Must be very short 6 car sets, most ive seen inside the fenceline is 15 cars

But didn't you say Nambour can store 3 x 6-car sets? That's 18 

trolleybus is right though, you can store a 6-pack in the dock (Platform 2).

[rob2144]

Nambour can stable 2 6car sets in the yard and 1 6car set in the back platform

3x 6-car sets in the yard actually.  1x 6-car at Turnback platform = for a total of 4x 6-car trains.

Must be very short 6 car sets, most ive seen inside the fenceline is 15 cars

In my earlier post i said 2 6cars and i have seen a 3 car set in there aswell but another 3 cars would sit outside the gate

But didn't you say Nambour can store 3 x 6-car sets? That's 18 

trolleybus is right though, you can store a 6-pack in the dock (Platform 2).

[longboi]

Yeah but you can store units on the platforms, too.

[rob2144]

only on the dock platform, the other platform is apart of the crossing loop

[Arnz]

I've seen a 2x 6-car IMUs and 1x 6-car ICE parked inside the Nambour yards late on a Thursday evening.  

A 1x 3-car SMU260 was parked (with cabin lights turned off) on the dock/turn-back platform.

[#Metro]

Spare a thought for people in places like Toowoomba or other regional forgotten-about centres.
If Sunshine Coast is 3rd world (and some 3rd world places have excellent public transport, metros and busways), these other places must be last world...