Article: Locked in a rail carriage on final run

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!

Locked in a rail carriage on final run

Locked in a rail carriage on final run

Roxanne Mccarty-O'Kane | 20th August 2011

AN ELDERLY couple was almost stranded more than 6km from their car after being unable to exit a Queensland Rail carriage on the last service of the evening last week.

It was the kindness of a stranger that saved Una Robinson and husband Steve from walking from the Beerwah station to Glasshouse Mountains in nine degrees about 10.30pm on Friday night.

Panic struck Mrs Robinson as she frantically pushed the exit button to disembark at Glasshouse Mountains' station, only to find it did not respond.

It wasn't until another passenger alerted her that the door was locked that she rushed to another door to see the carriage slowly creeping away from the platform.

"I just threw my hands in the air," she said.

"It was really scary as I had no idea how we were going to get home."

As they were on the last train from Brisbane to Nambour, the mistake could have left the couple, both aged over 70, stranded at Beerwah with no way of reaching their car parked at the previous station.

Luckily two passengers detrained at Beerwah and a Caloundra lady offered to drive them back to their car.

Mrs Robinson said Queensland Rail was running unsafe services by locking doors without an "obvious sign".

"The safety was disgusting. If that hadn't happened to us at Glasshouse, what would've happened to the passengers getting off at Beerwah? They would have missed their stop too," she said.

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said any locked doors were marked with yellow tape across the entrance.

"After 7.30pm the last three carriages of a six-carriage train are closed and the lights turned off, to make security patrols easier and prevent customers from becoming isolated. This is international best practice for public transport security," she said.

[ozbob]

I have seen many cases of people nearly left behind, and an odd one of a person missing a station because they have not realised a door is taped up ...

[SurfRail]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!
...
"After 7.30pm the last three carriages of a six-carriage train are closed and the lights turned off, to make security patrols easier and prevent customers from becoming isolated. This is international best practice for public transport security," she said.
...

Really?  

[Stillwater]

It is best practice when you convince yourself that you operate a 'world class' public transport system. 

[somebody]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily click here!
...
"After 7.30pm the last three carriages of a six-carriage train are closed and the lights turned off, to make security patrols easier and prevent customers from becoming isolated. This is international best practice for public transport security," she said.
...

Really?  

What's wrong with that as a concept?  Stupid part is the trains don't stop on the 3 car dot when they reasonably could (I/B at Sherwood would be an exception), announcements aren't particularly good etc.

This story seems to be confusing two concepts - doors closed deliberately for increased safety in numbers and door broken down.

[p858snake]

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman said any locked doors were marked with yellow tape across the entrance.

"After 7.30pm the last three carriages of a six-carriage train are closed and the lights turned off, to make security patrols easier and prevent customers from becoming isolated. This is international best practice for public transport security," she said.

Looks like QR is getting confused again... they wouldn't be a in carriage with no lights... This is the case of a broken door by the sounds which should have a Pink and White sticker compared to yellow tape (unless they have changed in the last few weeks since I last saw one).

Edit: Didn't see Simon's post before me

[ozbob]

Also have 'Door Locked' stickers ...

[Fares_Fair]

hmmm,
"After 7.30pm the last three carriages of a six-carriage train are closed and the lights turned off, to make security patrols easier and prevent customers from becoming isolated. This is international best practice for public transport security," she said.

I definitely missed that one in the manual.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[STB]

What one can learn from this story.  People don't notice signs, even if it's stuck on the door they are trying to exit.  Also note that I think QR got a bit confused from the night time security concept and a locked door due to door failure.

It's also bemusing to watch people try to open the door by hitting the emergency door open button, and then you get those that just stand there expecting the door to open, despite all the signage  .  I have come to the conclusion over time that humans are generally a stupid species with quite a lot of things in life  .  There's only a few that really take notice, they are the smart ones.

[Stillwater]

It would be good to know what model of train this was.

[mufreight]

It would be good to know what model of train this was.

12 inch to the foot scale running on Cape Standard gauge

[p858snake]

I have come to the conclusion over time that humans are generally a stupid species with quite a lot of things in life  .  There's only a few that really take notice, they are the smart ones.

It depends on who puts the stickers up, I have not noticed them at the start once or twice, I like it when the {Drivers/Guards} put one or two at averageish adult eye height then put the stickers over the {buttons/handles} as well.

[mufreight]

When traincrew close off carriages they generally check that there are no passengers in those cars before closing them off, when there is a door failure again train crew are more likely to place the stickers so that they are sufficently visible to commuters and frequently they place them accross the door control buttons.
The unfortunate part is that frequently passengers simply do not look with the older EMU's even when the stickers are almost at eye level,
Human nature, but the problem should eventualy be resolved with the replacement of the lever controls and the fitting of door control buttons as the EMU's go through the shops but there are some who will not look.

[Golliwog]

I think the least crowded peak hour trip I ever had into the city was when all four doors on the carriage just behind the guard had some sort of issue shortly after leaving Ferny Grove. They got locked off with the stickers and everything at Grovely and the guard informed all of us that were already there that we were ok to stay there, but to leave the train we would have go out through the 2nd car.

[O_128]

I have come to the conclusion over time that humans are generally a stupid species with quite a lot of things in life  .  There's only a few that really take notice, they are the smart ones.

It depends on who puts the stickers up, I have not noticed them at the start once or twice, I like it when the {Drivers/Guards} put one or two at averageish adult eye height then put the stickers over the {buttons/handles} as well.

Sheesh Im getting sick of catering to the lowest denominator, obviously the other passengers pointed out the big sticker that says LOCKED. Older people speak out will be on the news now about needing bigger stickers or announcements or some rubbish.