Fix the frequency NOW!

[#Metro]

I am one very very frustrated commuter today. Not only did it take forever to get a train, but there were delays on top of that too! Waiting for the train took longer than the journey itself!

What can I do?    Then I thought of a pro-forma.  
I hope it goes viral all over the internet!

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Dear QR/Minister for Transport/Translink (delete which is not appropriate)

I am petitioning you to increase services on the _____________ line (insert line here) so that my local station _________ (insert station) gets more trains more often. While I am sure that your organisation/you (select one) are committed to public transport, it remains that public transport needs to be convenient all day for everyone.

Let's see trains every 20 minutes on the __________ line (insert line here) in the off-peak to begin with.

The reason why more people don't catch trains is because there isn't a service there to catch when they want one. Other cities like Perth manage to have trains every 15 minutes in the off peak. Why can't we do that?

Yours sincerely

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[tronixstuff]

Good idea.
Personally I think all employees of Translink from the CEO to the handrail-polisher should be forced to use public transport for a month. See what happens then!
An associate of mine works for QR, lives in Ipswich, has a free travel entitlement, yet still drives to and from work every day to the CBD. Funny...

[Golliwog]

There was an article in Thursday mX which was saying that the federal candidates in the seat of Ryan had agreed to give up their cars for the day and use other means to get around to all their scheduled events. Too bad the article also pointed out that one of them (the currently elected one, I forget his name) had decided to do so, but was planning to go around on a motor scooter instead. Still, a good start to getting the pollies to know what its like.

[ozbob]

I know from conversations and observations many TL folk, including Board members and the CEO do regularly get out on public transport.  Many TransLink staff also daily commute to work.  FYI.

Frequency is the major problem with the rail network.  My recent visit to Melbourne reminded me how good our system can be with a bit of imagination.  The frequency in Melbourne was really good, especially the timetable tweaks already made by Metro.  When I travel in Melbourne I don't bother generally with timetables, the ultimate 'frequency test' ....

[mufreight]

The biggest frequency boost that Translink and the current Government have provided has been to the announcement of spin, prompted undoubtedly by a desperate Government that has failed to provide either adequate public transport infrastructure or services and an oncoming Federal election.
Most regrettably all this hot air and spin has not improved the levels of rail commuter service because Queensland Rail has not been funded to provide the required levels of service, either by Translink or the State Government.  

[#Metro]

I know from conversations and observations many TL folk, including Board members and the CEO do regularly get out on public transport.  Many TransLink staff also daily commute to work.  FYI.

That's great to know, but it is not going to put more services on. This practice of multiplying new train services by two and then multiplying it by five and then multiplying it by 1000 or whatever to give "seats per week" to "puff up" to an announcement is not going to help me much! We need more services each hour, not each week!

If they use it so often, why can't they see that more services need to be put on?
It's good if you are a 9-5 commuter, but if you want to use PT for anything else, you may as well pay a visit to your local car dealer.

With hindsight, I should have just given up and called a taxi.

Fix the frequency NOW!

[Otto]

Ideally, a 15 minute service should operate on all lines.
This would not be possible to Cleveland, but with the addition of a third platform at Cleveland, it would be possible to have a 20 minute fequency to Cleveland with the trird platform to allow an adequate turn around for train crew. At the moment, the longest single track travel time is 7 minutes so that would certainly rule out a 15 minute service interval.

[#Metro]

Thanks for the suggestion! Friday really was the last straw for this annoyed commuter! 

Unfortunately, bottlenecks in the system have been for too long used as a convenient excuse not to upgrade frequencies when they are more of a reason to fix the bottleneck!

Even every 20 minutes is better than nothing!

I wonder how they manage to do the morning peak hour runs though?
Trains depart Cleveland at 6:12 am, 6:25,  6:42, and 6:55 am. How is that possible?

A similar thing happens in the afternoon with trains arriving Cleveland at 5:03 pm, 5:27, 5:43, 5:57 and 6:11pm, 6:24, 6:41 and 6:53.

[somebody]

Ideally, a 15 minute service should operate on all lines.
This would not be possible to Cleveland, but with the addition of a third platform at Cleveland, it would be possible to have a 20 minute fequency to Cleveland with the trird platform to allow an adequate turn around for train crew. At the moment, the longest single track travel time is 7 minutes so that would certainly rule out a 15 minute service interval.

3 platforms and single track?

Manly-Thorneside
Thorneside-Wellington Point
Wellington Point-Cleveland

Are all 6 minute runs.  In theory, you could upgrade the frequency to 15 minutes, with a 1.5 minute dwell at Thorneside in both directions.

20 minute frequency doesn't make sense on either the Beenleigh, Gold Coast or Cleveland lines

[#Metro]

20 minute frequency doesn't make sense on either the Beenleigh, Gold Coast or Cleveland lines

Why not? Perth has trains going every 15 minutes on a Sunday!
Perhaps we have become used to expecting poor services  

TransLink has on its website as one of its aims as "providing world class public transport" or something like that.
World Class PT comes more frequently than every half hour. World Class PT is there for all day use, to where ever you want to go.

[somebody]

20 minute frequency doesn't make sense on either the Beenleigh, Gold Coast or Cleveland lines

Why not? Perth has trains going every 15 minutes on a Sunday!
Perhaps we have become used to expecting poor services  

TransLink has on its website as one of its aims as "providing world class public transport" or something like that.
World Class PT comes more frequently than every half hour. World Class PT is there for all day use, to where ever you want to go.

Because it doesn't allow the Gold Coast trains to overtake the Beenleigh Trains on current infrastructure.  If the infrastructure was upgraded then it may be defensible, especially for the Gold Coast which I do not think needs 15 minute off peak frequency given the length of the journey.  In the same way as most people think a half hourly plane frequency SYD-MEL is excellent.

As for Cleveland, I've already explained how that doesn't make sense haven't I?  You still need to cross trains twice at that frequency.

EDIT: If there was a duplication Manly-Lota, then you would be able to do Lota-Wellington Point in 10 minutes.  But that would have no operating margin, so I'm not sure about that idea.

[#Metro]

As for Cleveland, I've already explained how that doesn't make sense haven't I?  You still need to cross trains twice at that frequency.

Not for the mornings though. How its done in the morning when there are services that do 15 minutes more or less, or are these formed from dead running services leaving another depot along the line? 

If the infrastructure was upgraded then it may be defensible, especially for the Gold Coast which I do not think needs 15 minute off peak frequency given the length of the journey.  In the same way as most people think a half hourly plane frequency SYD-MEL is excellent.

Well I don't think its excellent. 
If it is good enough for Perth...

[somebody]

As for Cleveland, I've already explained how that doesn't make sense haven't I?  You still need to cross trains twice at that frequency.

Not for the mornings though. How its done in the morning when there are services that do 15 minutes more or less, or are these formed from dead running services leaving another depot along the line? 

Yes, dead running from Mayne.  Trains for first 3 services are stabled at Manly.  Quite likely the dead running trains are "fleeted" for at least some of the journey.

Did a bit of digging and Sydney's Richmond line has a half hourly frequency with 2 crosses, at Clarendon and Riverstone.  End of duplication is at Quaker's Hill.

Richmond: 60.68km
Clarendon: 57.22km
Riverstone: 45.96km
Quaker's Hill: 40.09km

If the infrastructure was upgraded then it may be defensible, especially for the Gold Coast which I do not think needs 15 minute off peak frequency given the length of the journey.  In the same way as most people think a half hourly plane frequency SYD-MEL is excellent.

Well I don't think its excellent. 
If it is good enough for Perth...

You don't think that a half hourly frequency of a plane service is excellent??

Perth lines:
Armadale: 30.1km
Freemantle: 18.7km
Clarkson: 33.2km
Mandurah: 70.1km
Midland: 16km

Only the Mandurah line is close to the Gold Coast line, but that's still a bit shorter.  GC line is at 89.4km currently.

[#Metro]

Thanks for the info.  

You don't think that a half hourly frequency of a plane service is excellent??

Perth lines:
Armadale: 30.1km
Freemantle: 18.7km
Clarkson: 33.2km
Mandurah: 70.1km
Midland: 16km

Only the Mandurah line is close to the Gold Coast line, but that's still a bit shorter.  GC line is at 89.4km currently.

For a plane, sure. It probably takes half an hour to drop bags off, clear etc.
For trains. No.

The distance for the Gold Coast line looks like it is measured to a terminal station. There are a number of stations like Nerang (75.89 km), Coomera (59.59 km) and Helensvale (68.26 km) that have connecting feeder buses. The more services that can be put on, the better the network will become. Even every 20 minutes would be an improvement.

It should be just like BUZ: NO COMPROMISE, 6am-11pm, 7 days a week.
If TL wants a world class system, it should be world class standard like it says it is, and no less. 

[somebody]

Ok, but in the case of the Gold Coast line, it is not achievable now.

Also, it is well down the priority list.

[#Metro]

Agreed. But the entire railway network has been "down the priority list" for some time now.

[Otto]

3 platforms and single track?

Manly-Thorneside

There is a passing opportunity at Lota ( 2 through platforms )

[somebody]

3 platforms and single track?

Manly-Thorneside

There is a passing opportunity at Lota ( 2 through platforms )

That's true but I don't see it as being very useful.  Most useful part about that is that it gives trains an extra platform to turn around on in peak.

[ClintonL94]

A lot of people at Roma Street this afternoon - I mean more than usual.. ekka! FREQUENCY FIX PLEASE.

[#Metro]

More waiting last night at the rail station. 
So much time wasted.