Interim rail timetables

[ozbob]

QR is in no hurry to get back to normal.

QR doesn't make money, so whether it runs 100 services or 1000 services, it is happy.

Indeed, a cut timetable saves the govt money.

In contrast, an organisation that has to make a return is only paid for the services that run.

Not running services is a disaster. Each day services don't run, losses accumulate.

It hits the bottom line, and this is before any fine or penalty is applied.

An organisation like that cannot afford to take its time. Time is money.

If it continues along that line, it will go bankrupt, losing control of the railway to its competitors.

[Monster]

I personally agree with the different friday timetable for at least the ferny grove line.  As while it is a pain not having as many services, I have yet to encounter an overcrowded service on a friday morning there yet.

Sadly I think you will. If this morning is anything to go by that is. 

[ozbob]

Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne all have consistent Mon to Friday rail timetables.  It is for a reason.

Utter contempt for the travelling public of SEQ this sham timetable from Monday <> Thursday with even more service reductions on Friday.

QR clearly do not care a fig leaf of the notion of a connected network, the impacts on transfers and connections and the general confusion that it causes.

FG line has had significant overloading problems on Fridays on this timetable in November <> December. 
Nothing will improve, it will only get worse.

Days of wine and roses are nearly over QR ...

[#Metro]

Having different timetables for different days of the week (barring weekend and special night services) is international worst practice.

Imagine if Connex did that...

[tazzer9]

I personally agree with the different friday timetable for at least the ferny grove line.  As while it is a pain not having as many services, I have yet to encounter an overcrowded service on a friday morning there yet.

Sadly I think you will. If this morning is anything to go by that is. 

Really, Not even the infamous 3-car 7:27am was ever that bad on fridays.   

[ozbob]

I recall BrizCommuter reporting a number of times the severe congestion on the FG ..

See what he has to say hey?

[achiruel]

While I am not a fan of a special Friday timetable, I think it's preferable to having multiple service cancellations when the public are expecting services to be running. I think using the lack of train crew as an excuse for the entire year is some giant load of male bovine faeces, though.

[BrizCommuter]

I personally agree with the different friday timetable for at least the ferny grove line.  As while it is a pain not having as many services, I have yet to encounter an overcrowded service on a friday morning there yet.

Sadly I think you will. If this morning is anything to go by that is. 

Really, Not even the infamous 3-car 7:27am was ever that bad on fridays.

BS!
The axed (on Fridays) 7:10am and 7:25am ex-Ferny Grove 3-car trains were quite often full on Fridays during the busier February/March period, though loadings are highly variable on these services. If there is no drop in patronage this should theoretically cause one or more of the 07:02, 07:17, 07:32am ex-Ferny Grove (which are usually >50% full) to be overcrowded.

However, BrizCommuter predicts that the exodus of passengers from using rail is so much, that this overcrowding may not eventuate. Whichever way, the situation is totally unacceptable. The Friday am peak is less frequent than when BrizCommuter moved to Australia 10 years ago!

[ozbob]

While I am not a fan of a special Friday timetable, I think it's preferable to having multiple service cancellations when the public are expecting services to be running. I think using the lack of train crew as an excuse for the entire year is some giant load of male bovine faeces, though.

Yep.  The train crew ' shortage ' is a lot of bull sh%t to put it bluntly.

More to do with failed policies within Queensland Rail and lack of effective human resources management.

Looking forward to the release of the Commission of Inquiry Report.

I have NO DOUBT what so ever that Queensland Rail is staffed sufficiently to deliver the Monday <> Thursday timetable on Fridays. No need to have a further reduced service timetable on Fridays.  It is a soft option with little regard for the impact on the community. This is a very serious situation - they are effectively forcing many off public transport.  I am going to dig in and fight!!  Once a digger always a digger!   

The sooner Queensland Rail is fizzed the better ...

PTQ with a rail division.

ELT - sacked.  QR board sacked.

Rail Commissioner heads QR - QR relegated to an operator only.  Some QR staff would be transferred to PTQ (Rail Division).

[ozbob]

From Monday 23 January, train services will run to the previous timetable from 7 November 2016. Plan ahead now: https://t.co/DVbtjacdJK pic.twitter.com/uvZ74lDFyf

— Queensland Rail (@QueenslandRail) January 20, 2017

^ soft option.  I suspect very little work was done at Queensland Rail.   Hence reversion back to an old timetable.

[ozbob]

Discussions re PTQ structures etc. moved >> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12341.msg186923#msg186923

Bit off topic .. 

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2017

Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Greetings,

Little doubt that with the under-performing and under-servicing rail and bus networks in Brisbane and SEQ generally, as peak demands return next week first school, then tertiary sector student loads, combined with work commuting the transport network will approach collapse. Many people have been forced to abandon public transport and add to road traffic congestion, further slowing buses out on the road networks.

The failure to give buses the necessary priority on Victoria Bridge/Cultural Centre bus station because of the changes associated with Queens Wharf Brisbane construction road closures and bus route changes will cause bus-jam of a degree not seen before.  Normally the rail network could be expected to pick up some of the capacity.  But what do we have?  We have a reduced rail service timetable commencing from Monday the 23rd January 2017 which is basically the same failed timetable that was run with from the 7 November 2016.  What have Queensland Rail been doing the past months? Surely they could have come up with a better solution or have they just been counting their cash bonuses?

A problem with the rail timetable from Monday is the fact that the reduced service timetable for Mondays <> Thursdays is made worse by even more service reductions and a different timetable on Fridays. Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne all have consistent Monday to Friday rail timetables.  It is for a reason.

Utter contempt for the travelling public of SEQ this sham rail timetable from Monday <> Thursday with even more service reductions on Friday.

Queensland Rail clearly do not care a fig leaf for the notion of a connected network apparently, the impacts on transfers and connections and the general confusion this reduced service rail timetable causes.

I have NO DOUBT what so ever that Queensland Rail is staffed sufficiently to deliver the Monday <> Thursday timetable on Fridays. No need to have a further reduced service timetable on Fridays.  It is a soft option with little regard for the impact on the community. This is a very serious situation - they are effectively forcing many off public transport.

The mediocre responses by the transport authorities generally are confirming the need for major reform for the delivery of public transport in Queensland.

We will outline the suggested reform process in due course.

Today we just want to alert you to the immediate pending crisis.

Who cares?  We do ... Queensland Rail, TransLink, Transport and Main Roads and Members of Parliament generally do not.  They are useless.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12524.msg186884#msg186884 ]

[ozbob]

Latest media: &#39; Transport crisis next week in SEQ &#39;
> https://t.co/3Du8qvPGyj#qldpol@AnnastaciaMP @StirlHinchliffe @AndrewPowellMP pic.twitter.com/Yf411X8l2y

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 20, 2017

[ozbob]

Nearly gone ...   

[petey3801]

A possibly thought on why they aren't going back to the October timetable may be to allow some ability to have enough crews available for NGR testing and training while still running all services. No idea if that is right or wrong, but could be a reason behind it.

[ozbob]

^ which further highlights the lack of forward planning.  They got paid big bonuses for this crap.

There certainly is no excuse for the ' Friday ' timetable IMHO.

[brissypete]

It seems that the service gaps are random and didnt take passenger loading into account.  An example is the Beenleigh line from city, there is a Kuraby service that departs City 5pm and it is usually very lightly loaded (I catch it often) and yet other lines have busy services cut.  Im guessing its a case of cutting particular shifts without any shuffling.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[Otto]

Maybe I've been working in a job with too much political interference for too long, but I think there is a plan for QR.
My theory is that the QLD Govt has announced to the public that the interim timetable will be in place for the rest of this year.
I say that this is a cover for the real plan. Just before election time, the QLD Govt will miraculously announce that the full rail timetable will be reintroduced just weeks before people are sent to the polls, thus hoping to be seen to have done something and keep reminding us of how they fixed the trains to win more votes.

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Maybe I've been working in a job with too much political interference for too long, but I think there is a plan for QR.
My theory is that the QLD Govt has announced to the public that the interim timetable will be in place for the rest of this year.
I say that this is a cover for the real plan. Just before election time, the QLD Govt will miraculously announce that the full rail timetable will be reintroduced just weeks before people are sent to the polls, thus hoping to be seen to have done something and keep reminding us of how they fixed the trains to win more votes.

There is no plan ... just desperate polyticks!

We will arise !!!!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd January 2017

Re: Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Good Morning,

Our public transport network is going to come under considerable pressure from today. 
Loads will worsen even more when the tertiary sector returns in a few more weeks.

Will random rail service cancellations due to ' operational issues ' continue stranding many often with missed connections?

Will the reduced rail service timetable be adequate - particularly at peaks?

Will the inner Brisbane bus network grind to a halt with bus-jam?

Interesting if not depressing times ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2017

Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Greetings,

Little doubt that with the under-performing and under-servicing rail and bus networks in Brisbane and SEQ generally, as peak demands return next week first school, then tertiary sector student loads, combined with work commuting the transport network will approach collapse. Many people have been forced to abandon public transport and add to road traffic congestion, further slowing buses out on the road networks.

The failure to give buses the necessary priority on Victoria Bridge/Cultural Centre bus station because of the changes associated with Queens Wharf Brisbane construction road closures and bus route changes will cause bus-jam of a degree not seen before.  Normally the rail network could be expected to pick up some of the capacity.  But what do we have?  We have a reduced rail service timetable commencing from Monday the 23rd January 2017 which is basically the same failed timetable that was run with from the 7 November 2016.  What have Queensland Rail been doing the past months? Surely they could have come up with a better solution or have they just been counting their cash bonuses?

A problem with the rail timetable from Monday is the fact that the reduced service timetable for Mondays <> Thursdays is made worse by even more service reductions and a different timetable on Fridays. Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne all have consistent Monday to Friday rail timetables.  It is for a reason.

Utter contempt for the travelling public of SEQ this sham rail timetable from Monday <> Thursday with even more service reductions on Friday.

Queensland Rail clearly do not care a fig leaf for the notion of a connected network apparently, the impacts on transfers and connections and the general confusion this reduced service rail timetable causes.

I have NO DOUBT what so ever that Queensland Rail is staffed sufficiently to deliver the Monday <> Thursday timetable on Fridays. No need to have a further reduced service timetable on Fridays.  It is a soft option with little regard for the impact on the community. This is a very serious situation - they are effectively forcing many off public transport.

The mediocre responses by the transport authorities generally are confirming the need for major reform for the delivery of public transport in Queensland.

We will outline the suggested reform process in due course.

Today we just want to alert you to the immediate pending crisis.

Who cares?  We do ... Queensland Rail, TransLink, Transport and Main Roads and Members of Parliament generally do not.  They are useless.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12524.msg186884#msg186884 ]

[ozbob]

Latest: Transport crisis in SEQ - underway
> https://t.co/yhqu1p4RNf#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @AnnastaciaMP @Curtis_Pitt_MP @jackietrad pic.twitter.com/szaSypJZw1

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 22, 2017

[ozbob]

Minister Hinchliffe was interviewed on 1612 ABC Breakfast this morning.  Fairly soft interview but among other things he said there was 13 drivers on standby this morning.  Sort of confirms my suspicions that the Friday variant of this rail fail timetable is a major con!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd January 2017

Re: Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Greetings,

Minister Hinchliffe said on 612 ABC Brisbane radio this morning that there were spare train crew on standby (~ 13 drivers).

Surely this is further evidence that there is no need to have the further reduced train timetable on Fridays?

It must be a priority to get consistency in the train timetable for Mondays through to Fridays.  Queensland is a laughing stock.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

23rd January 2017

Re: Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Good Morning,

Our public transport network is going to come under considerable pressure from today. 
Loads will worsen even more when the tertiary sector returns in a few more weeks.

Will random rail service cancellations due to ' operational issues ' continue stranding many often with missed connections?

Will the reduced rail service timetable be adequate - particularly at peaks?

Will the inner Brisbane bus network grind to a halt with bus-jam?

Interesting if not depressing times ...

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

21st January 2017

Transport crisis next week in SEQ

Greetings,

Little doubt that with the under-performing and under-servicing rail and bus networks in Brisbane and SEQ generally, as peak demands return next week first school, then tertiary sector student loads, combined with work commuting the transport network will approach collapse. Many people have been forced to abandon public transport and add to road traffic congestion, further slowing buses out on the road networks.

The failure to give buses the necessary priority on Victoria Bridge/Cultural Centre bus station because of the changes associated with Queens Wharf Brisbane construction road closures and bus route changes will cause bus-jam of a degree not seen before.  Normally the rail network could be expected to pick up some of the capacity.  But what do we have?  We have a reduced rail service timetable commencing from Monday the 23rd January 2017 which is basically the same failed timetable that was run with from the 7 November 2016.  What have Queensland Rail been doing the past months? Surely they could have come up with a better solution or have they just been counting their cash bonuses?

A problem with the rail timetable from Monday is the fact that the reduced service timetable for Mondays <> Thursdays is made worse by even more service reductions and a different timetable on Fridays. Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne all have consistent Monday to Friday rail timetables.  It is for a reason.

Utter contempt for the travelling public of SEQ this sham rail timetable from Monday <> Thursday with even more service reductions on Friday.

Queensland Rail clearly do not care a fig leaf for the notion of a connected network apparently, the impacts on transfers and connections and the general confusion this reduced service rail timetable causes.

I have NO DOUBT what so ever that Queensland Rail is staffed sufficiently to deliver the Monday <> Thursday timetable on Fridays. No need to have a further reduced service timetable on Fridays.  It is a soft option with little regard for the impact on the community. This is a very serious situation - they are effectively forcing many off public transport.

The mediocre responses by the transport authorities generally are confirming the need for major reform for the delivery of public transport in Queensland.

We will outline the suggested reform process in due course.

Today we just want to alert you to the immediate pending crisis.

Who cares?  We do ... Queensland Rail, TransLink, Transport and Main Roads and Members of Parliament generally do not.  They are useless.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12524.msg186884#msg186884 ]

[ozbob]

" It must be a priority to get consistency in the train timetable for Mondays through to Fridays "
> https://t.co/MdMCrc3DRo#qldpol pic.twitter.com/AWopvghZ3L

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) January 22, 2017

[ozbob]

Any problems this morning?   No feedback as to any particular issues although I have heard the Opposition might be suggesting congestion on some lines (not sure though which lines, presume FG is one of them).

Real school loadings will not occur for a few days yet, with uni loads starting to impact from 2nd week of February or so ..

[techblitz]

Seems the 24 minute gap (7.02 - 7.26) for the springfield inbound @ graceville is resulting in people unable to board carriages.

[ozbob]

^ thanks.  Cleveland line folk not happy either, particularly the PM peak poor service.

[ozbob]

Just completed an interview with Ben Davis 4BC (pre-record, have to go out later).  Will be on later this afternoon, topic today's timetable etc.

[Nina M Blackwell]

With the release of today's timetable, the Cleveland line continues to be decimated .  Ever since 2014, people have had to re-jig their work hours in order to try and get the last "express" at 5:09 pm and now the last express is 4.54 pm which only caters to folks finishing at 4.30.  Not everyone is so lucky as "Top Tier law firms" generally grumble when you want to leave even at 5"00 pm.

Ever since our "express" train was diluted by introducing 6 more stops in 2014, Cleveland patrons have suffered in the early am peak because the patrons between Morningside and Park Road appear not to enjoy peace and quiet/reading time in the "quiet carriage."  Whether they can't be bothered opening a book for their short ride, who knows?    It seems QR now intends to little by little take away any express service at all during peak evening hours.  What have the Cleveland patrons done to deserve this?  I'm not sure, but I think we pay the highest fares around Brisbane Metro.

Please QR, bring back at least two post-5:00 pm peak hour commute services.

[James]

Any problems this morning?   No feedback as to any particular issues although I have heard the Opposition might be suggesting congestion on some lines (not sure though which lines, presume FG is one of them).

Real school loadings will not occur for a few days yet, with uni loads starting to impact from 2nd week of February or so ..

All schools under Brisbane Catholic Education control are off today (includes most Catholic primary schools) along with some other independent schools. We definitely haven't seen the worst of this week's crowding.

Uni goes back quite late this year, classes don't start until the 27th of February, with O-Week starting on the 20th. That'll be the real test.

[BrizCommuter]

Any problems this morning?   No feedback as to any particular issues although I have heard the Opposition might be suggesting congestion on some lines (not sure though which lines, presume FG is one of them).

Real school loadings will not occur for a few days yet, with uni loads starting to impact from 2nd week of February or so ..

All schools under Brisbane Catholic Education control are off today (includes most Catholic primary schools) along with some other independent schools. We definitely haven't seen the worst of this week's crowding.

Uni goes back quite late this year, classes don't start until the 27th of February, with O-Week starting on the 20th. That'll be the real test.

Also with Australia Day on Thursday, we'll see a relatively quiet Friday this week.

[tazzer9]

The first week of University's will really show how bad the timetable is.   Especially on friday.

[ozbob]

.@QueenslandRail&#39;s new train timetable came into play today. @KateLJones7 #7News https://t.co/hi8WGKk6hQ

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) January 23, 2017

[ozbob]

Our trains are packed and there&#39;s fewer of them, but the Transport Minister says that&#39;s the best that&#39;s available. @NatJohnWallace9 #9News pic.twitter.com/AuNXTUjUFn

— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) January 23, 2017

[ozbob]

[tazzer9]

according to 7 news.  only 9 out of the 100 new drivers will start next month.   
That would barely replace those who have left/retired.

[ozbob]

Don't forget QR was given authority to recruit 100 drivers/guards in October 2015 ...

Nothing much happened hey.  Not looking good is it?  It is a total clusterfuk!

You do not have to be Einstein to work out that this timetable is going to fall over in mid February unless more services are put on.

[#Metro]

Just highlights how the politicians are not in control, and how the Translink service contract between the minister and himself essentially is unenforceable!

With such stellar management and performance as this, let's award bonuses and extend the service contract! </sarcasm>

[#Metro]

Just saw the clips.

Almost 99% on time running hey!

Must be amazing!


The statistics said so!!