5 Dec 2011: SEQ: Santa refused a train ticket to the Sunshine Coast

[ozbob]

Media release 5 December 2011

SEQ: Santa refused a train ticket to the Sunshine Coast

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org), a web-based community support group for rail and public transport, and an advocate for public transport passengers, has called on the Queensland Government to explain its ban on Santa travelling to the Sunshine Coast as part of its 'Santa Express' promotion during the Christmas holidays.

Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track, said:

"RAIL Back On Track members want to know why Santa has been refused a ticket to travel to the Sunshine Coast aboard his own special Santa Express train.  Inexplicably, and for the second year in a row, Santa will spread his Christmas cheer to the children of South-East Queensland from the comfort of his very own train, but not to those along the railway line line between Caboolture and Nambour."

"For the disappointed children of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Rail has become the Grinch that stole their Christmas."

"Queensland Rail has announced that Santa will be on his very own train that will operate across each Citytrain network line between 12 and 16 December (1)."

"The train will stop at all stations so that every child can join in festivities and get his or her photo taken with the jolly man in red for the cost of a gold coin donation to charity.  For the trip north, however, Santa will travel only as far as Caboolture."

"If Santa's train can't be squeezed into the tight timetable on the single line Sunshine Coast track north of Beerburrum, then this supports the community's call for track duplication to Nambour."

"Perhaps a man of Santa's advanced years might find it difficult travelling to Nambour on a train without a toilet, just as one of his little friends was forced to do last month (2)."

"A visit to Santa is an enduring childhood experience. By publishing a Santa Express timetable that includes Rosewood, the Gold Coast and Cleveland, but which does not extend beyond Caboolture to Nambour, parents and children have every right to ask 'why not us?' If there is a genuine reason why Santa and his helpers can't climb aboard a passenger train to Nambour, Queensland Rail needs to provide an explanation."

"Silence is unforgivable.  Kids are told that they will not get a visit from Santa if they are naughty. By denying the Santa Express to Sunshine Coast children, QR's subliminal message is that they are somehow 'undeserving' – a feeling their parents already have over the Government's broken promise to dual-track their important freight and passenger rail corridor."

References:

1. http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/MediaCentre/Campaigns/Pages/SantaExpress.aspx

2. http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/11/05/mums-trip-from-hell/

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Discussion thread --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7197.0

[Gazza]

At the very least, why not use a regular service for one of the Santa trains?

[ozbob]

Greetings,

Just noted the Queensland Rail web site has been updated:

Note: On Tuesday 13 December, the Santa Express will continue to all stations to Nambour. The Santa Express will travel on the Doomben line on Thursday 15 December. The timetables below will be updated as soon as possible.

http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/MediaCentre/Campaigns/Pages/SantaExpress.aspx

THANK YOU!

[Fares_Fair]

Thank you goes to Mr Robert Dow of Rail Back on Track for highlighting the Sunshine Coast Santa service situation.
Thank you also to Queensland Rail for implementing a sensible solution.



Regards,
Fares_Fair.