Interim rail timetables

[techblitz]

something needs to be done about that Friday 5.17pm ex central service to Cleveland. Reports now of pax only just able to get on @ south Brisbane and pax left behind at southbank/park rd....2 very busy stations. Next train from central 5.47.
Hopefully there will be some relief @ park rd with uni finishing...

[red dragin]

Which is worse -- the crisis in Australian cricket or the crisis in QR?

Hmmm, neither are guaranteed to make it through the day, so that's a tough one

[ozbob]

Which is worse -- the crisis in Australian cricket or the crisis in QR?

ROFL 

[ozbob]

Which is worse -- the crisis in Australian cricket or the crisis in QR?

Hmmm, neither are guaranteed to make it through the day, so that's a tough one

 

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 16th November 2016 page 15

Queensland Rail should just stick to the facts

[ozbob]

Notice at Goodna rail

[Stillwater]

Perhaps the people within QR and Treasury should stop seeing our rail network as a great big sinkhole, but as an economic asset vital to the functioning of a city and state economy:

http://eng.monash.edu.au/civil/assets/document/research/centres/its/caitr-home/prevcaitrproceedings/caitr2007/karpouzis-rahman-tandy-taylor-caitr2007.pdf

[#Metro]

Perhaps the people within QR and Treasury should stop seeing our rail network as a great big sinkhole, but as an economic asset vital to the functioning of a city and state economy:

http://eng.monash.edu.au/civil/assets/document/research/centres/its/caitr-home/prevcaitrproceedings/caitr2007/karpouzis-rahman-tandy-taylor-caitr2007.pdf

This is a really great document, because it doesn't just demonstrate cost per passenger but BENEFIT per passenger!

The average subsidy ratio over the past 10 years (1997-98 to 2006-07) is 3.1. That is, for
every one dollar of NSW Government subsidy to CityRail over the 10 year period to operate
the metropolitan network, the community of NSW generated an average return of $3.10.

The guide should be how to maximise that return to the community. Modernisation is a good start, and I can only hope that Baird et al replace more Sydney Train lines with automatic metro.

[ozbob]

Friday, a different #railfail timetable today
> https://t.co/0fUXS0bSie
No @QueenslandRail services Ipswich <> Rosewood on weekend. #qldpol pic.twitter.com/yJkhxRBQ5w

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 17, 2016

[ozbob]

. @QLDLabor
H O P E L E S S@QueenslandRail #railfail#qldpol pic.twitter.com/xTS1s6WcM6

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 17, 2016

Serious problems with @QueenslandRail @TransLinkSEQ & @TMRQld
Utter shambles folks ...#qldpol@AnnastaciaMP @StirlHinchliffe time sorted

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 17, 2016

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> We are being discriminated against by QR'


OFF THE BUSES: Ipswich commuters with mobility scooters say they cannot get on the buses running on the Ipswich-Rosewood line.

RESIDENTS with mobility issues and disabilities insist they are being discriminated against by Queensland Rail's decision to run buses instead of trains on the Ipswich- Rosewood line on weekends.

But QR told the QT this week that "a special low floor bus was also operating on the line to assist those with a disability" last weekend.

Ipswich West MP Jim Madden also told the QT this week that QR was "going to make sure the buses have facilities for those with disabilities" this weekend.

But North Ipswich resident Allan Ward told the QT the buses prevented him from getting on with his mobility scooter.

Mr Ward regularly uses the Ipswich-Rosewood line and said buses were no use to him.

"They are discriminating against anyone who is disabled," Mr Ward said.

"I have a reasonably large mobility scooter and I can get it on the train no trouble at all but I cannot get it on the bus no matter what bus they send.

"Most larger mobility scooters can't get on the bus either."

Mr Ward said the comments from Mr Madden and QR were wrong.

"What they are saying is not the case at all," he said.

"At Ipswich station last weekend I was told that I had to give 24 hours notice so they could arrange a suitable vehicle.

"But hang on, they can't even arrange a suitable vehicle."

Another commuter said "the replacement bus service ... is operated using high floor coaches which a disabled person either can not access or has extreme difficulty accessing. Anyone using a motorised wheelchair or a mobility scooter can not access these buses at all."

Ipswich rail guru Robert Dow, of Rail Back on Track, wrote this week of the bus replacement service that "passengers using mobility devices are often excluded from travel, unless they can somehow see into the future and book transport with Queensland Rail at least 24 hours ahead".

"However, when there are weekend closures, this means in effect up to three days ahead.

"Hardly fair and equitable," he said.

A typical mobility scooter, photographed in Bell St Ipswich



Photograph R Dow 16th November 2016

=========================

Queensland Times 18th November 2016 page 9

'We are being discriminated against by QR'

[ozbob]

The Friday #railfail timetable #2 is just that hey ... 

==========================

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/106161

7.30am Rosewood-Central train running express Corinda-Milton

The 7.30am Rosewood to Central train will run express from Corinda to Milton stopping only at Indooroopilly due to heavy passenger loading.

An additional Corinda to Central train will depart Corinda station at 8.29am.

[ozbob]

There is a sensible solution to #railfail & all lines serviced
> https://t.co/CRtU7YrYXi#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @AnnastaciaMP @jackietrad pic.twitter.com/uYxBY2rJlh

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 17, 2016

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/105201

Ipswich-Rosewood weekend rail replacement services

Rail replacement buses are running between Ipswich and Rosewood stations, under the new Queensland Rail timetable. These buses replace two services on Friday afternoon, and all weekend services.

While most services will stop at all stations, there are eight services on Saturday and six services on Sunday that will run express between Ipswich and Rosewood. These have been provided below.

Following customer feedback received by Queensland Rail, from this weekend rail replacement buses from Rosewood will depart at the original scheduled train times.

These new departure times are in our online journey planner so you can start to replan your weekend journey now.

[#Metro]

I never thought I would live to see that day that:

- Rocket buses were fired from Zillmere to UQ Lakes

- Queensland Rail couldn't do a timetable up and hid it from the minister for almost a year

- People paying full fare and getting fined on rail replacement buses

- Hundreds of train services cancelled

- The minister STILL in his job

We can only look forward to the next installment of this dramatic arts production in

ACT II - Queens Wharf & The Collapse of the Brisbane Bus Network 

There are still ferries and trams to screw up! Plenty of material for an ACT III and ACT IV!

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

I never thought I would live to see that day that:

- Rocket buses were fired from Zillmere to UQ Lakes

- Queensland Rail couldn't do a timetable up and hid it from the minister for almost a year

- People paying full fare and getting fined on rail replacement buses

- Hundreds of train services cancelled

- The minister STILL in his job

We can only look forward to the next installment of this dramatic arts production in

ACT II - Queens Wharf & The Collapse of the Brisbane Bus Network 

There are still ferries and trams to screw up! Plenty of material for an ACT III and ACT IV!

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/105201

Ipswich-Rosewood weekend rail replacement services

Rail replacement buses are running between Ipswich and Rosewood stations, under the new Queensland Rail timetable. These buses replace two services on Friday afternoon, and all weekend services.

While most services will stop at all stations, there are eight services on Saturday and six services on Sunday that will run express between Ipswich and Rosewood. These have been provided below.

Following customer feedback received by Queensland Rail, from this weekend rail replacement buses from Rosewood will depart at the original scheduled train times.

These new departure times are in our online journey planner so you can start to replan your weekend journey now.

We highlighted the fact that the first weekend of the rail replacement by bus they actually scheduled the buses to depart Rosewood 15 minutes before train departure times ... that went well hey?



Shambolic the way this #railfail is being managed frankly.  It is not getting any better.

[Stillwater]

It seems so hit and miss and management on-the-run, with managers having no idea of the situation on the ground hour to hour, day to day.  Coming from this must be a severe flattening of the QR management structure, getting rid of the various layers -- I suggest a halving of the number of layers.  This has gone beyond organising trains and drivers.  A complete management overhaul is needed. 

[BrizCommuter]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/105201

Ipswich-Rosewood weekend rail replacement services

Rail replacement buses are running between Ipswich and Rosewood stations, under the new Queensland Rail timetable. These buses replace two services on Friday afternoon, and all weekend services.

While most services will stop at all stations, there are eight services on Saturday and six services on Sunday that will run express between Ipswich and Rosewood. These have been provided below.

Following customer feedback received by Queensland Rail, from this weekend rail replacement buses from Rosewood will depart at the original scheduled train times.

These new departure times are in our online journey planner so you can start to replan your weekend journey now.

We highlighted the fact that the first weekend of the rail replacement by bus they actually scheduled the buses to depart Rosewood 15 minutes before train departure times ... that went well hey?



Shambolic the way this #railfail is being managed frankly.  It is not getting any better.

Whoever thought that running buses earlier than the trains, especially after giving no notice to customers of the change, is clearly either not a public transport user and/or intellectually challenged.

[red dragin]

Later, you could make a poor argument in defence of, but earlier 

I'll ask my 5 year old tonight, what he would have done if he was in charge. He was telling me all about signalling yesterday whilst we waited at Murrumba Downs, so he probably knows more about run a railway than some in QR it seems 

[James]

Whoever thought that running buses earlier than the trains, especially after giving no notice to customers of the change, is clearly either not a public transport user and/or intellectually challenged.

It's a good idea in theory - as it ensures the buses still connect to existing rail services that the train would connect to. I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing.

How it was communicated though (i.e. not at all, and without any specifics) was an absolute and utter shambles. At the minimum, a RailBus timetable should have appeared on the rail timetables with replacement stops specified, much like what happens with the Sunshine Coast Line for weekday railbuses.

[Stillwater]

The Courier-Mail website is reporting:

Meanwhile, crucial testing of the New Generation Rollingstock trains that are supposed to relieve pressure on the train network has been halted because of driver shortages.

The NGR program has already suffered setbacks such as serious design issues.

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman confirmed the shortage had affected ongoing testing of the new trains, with test drivers diverted elsewhere to help alleviate pressure on the network.

A test crew is expected to be put back on next week.

"This temporary measure is not expected to have a financial impact on the NGR project," the spokeswoman said

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland Rail paid bonuses as chaos consumed network

At the height of the controversies around Queensland Rail's mass cancellations and driver shortages, the board splashed out on generous bonuses for its executives.

The revelation is highly embarrassing for the operator, which has been plagued with bungles, including that it was warned about a looming driver shortage for the new Redcliffe Peninsula Line as early as January.

It is understood the board signed off on the performance payments on September 29.

It is understood one payment, worth more than $70,000, was awarded to Queensland Rail chief operating officer Kevin Wright, with the bonuses paid on October 17, and the other payments for executives averaged about $45,000.

On September 30, 50 train services were cancelled, with Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe saying he only found out about cuts from social media. He requested a briefing the next day but said he was not advised about the chronic driver shortage.

The new timetable was rolled out on October 4 for the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, but on October 21, 100 services were unexpectedly cancelled as the driver shortage reached crunch point.
Advertisement

Performance payments for senior executives are based on the achievement of key performance indicators.

A QR spokeswoman confirmed performance payments were approved by the board in September and said they were "based on individual and organisational performance for the previous financial year".

"Last financial year, that meant 393 staff are eligible for bonuses as well as five executive(s)," the spokesman said.

The spokeswoman said $7.19 million in bonuses was paid out of a performance payment budget of $9.27 million.

A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the QR board signed off on the payments and shareholding ministers were not notified or consulted about the appropriateness of the payments.

"In fact, the Minister and Treasurer were only informed about these payments via a letter received on 10 November - 25 days after the payments were transferred," the spokeswoman said.

"As soon as the government was advised these payments had already been made, it sought advice about whether the money could be recovered.

"However, under Queensland Rail's senior executive employment contracts we have been advised this is not possible."

The spokeswoman said it was Mr Hinchliffe's strong view that the payments were not in line with community expectations.

"He is disappointed the board did not defer its decision to make the final payments given the cancellations in October due to train crew shortages," she said.

Mr Hinchliffe has written to the board to seek urgent consideration of options to address the issue, including the review of KPIs for the determination of bonuses.

"The Transport Minister is focused on fixing this mess and restoring frontline services and recruiting new drivers and guards," the spokeswoman said.

Queensland Rail was not obliged to report on the bonuses until next year's annual report.

Mr Hinchliffe has maintained that Queensland Rail repeatedly did not tell him of issues related to driver shortages.

There have been repeated cancellations to trains in recent months, including on the interim timetable designed to cope with a lack of drivers, with a reduced service timetable finally rolled out on November 7.

The decision for the board to award bonuses in October, despite numerous reports flagging driver shortages during 2016 - and amid train cancellations - raises serious questions.

A draft report from consultants Indec, provided to Queensland Rail at the beginning of the year, raised concerns about a driver shortage in relation to the new generation rollingstock and the Moreton Bay Rail Link, as it was then known.

Advice from Canadian company GIRO in March 2016 warned Queensland Rail's "current driver and guard resource levels (were) not sufficient".

Another report from GIRO, dated October 21, reaffirmed the driver shortage.

Chief executive Helen Gluer resigned on October 27, along with chairman Michael Klug.

Earlier, Queensland Rail's head of train service delivery was stood down.

Former Rio Tinto boss Philip Strachan has been appointed to review what went wrong in Queensland Rail.

[ozbob]

It is a fuking circus ...  not much else really is adequate to describe these events ...

Poor battlers out west of Ipswich have  'permanent weekend track closures '  and they have to run the rail-replacement-bus-fare-gauntlet.

There is a distinct lack of leadership from the Minister, and from TransLink.  They all need to go ...

Anyone seen or heard from the head of TransLink?  Anyone ? ?

[ozbob]

The Courier-Mail website is reporting:

Meanwhile, crucial testing of the New Generation Rollingstock trains that are supposed to relieve pressure on the train network has been halted because of driver shortages.

The NGR program has already suffered setbacks such as serious design issues.

A Queensland Rail spokeswoman confirmed the shortage had affected ongoing testing of the new trains, with test drivers diverted elsewhere to help alleviate pressure on the network.

A test crew is expected to be put back on next week.

"This temporary measure is not expected to have a financial impact on the NGR project," the spokeswoman said

Thanks see here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg183583#msg183583  for NGR discussions.

I think there are things being hidden re NGR too by the way.

[Stillwater]

It is always dangerous to start believing your own PR rhetoric ...

"As a group, the Executive Leadership Team purpose and direction is guided by whole-of-government and departmental priorities. These priorities are established through strategic planning to establish the objectives, strategies and performance indicators for TMR."

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/About-us/Leadership-changes-at-Transport-and-Main-Roads.aspx

[ozbob]

It is always dangerous to start believing your own PR rhetoric ...

"As a group, the Executive Leadership Team purpose and direction is guided by whole-of-government and departmental priorities. These priorities are established through strategic planning to establish the objectives, strategies and performance indicators for TMR."

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/About-us/Leadership-changes-at-Transport-and-Main-Roads.aspx

Verbal wank ... bit like the QR Customer Charter ...   

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

19th November 2016

Rail fail fix

Good Morning,

Finally an article highlighting the sheer arrogance of Queensland Rail in paying bonuses to Executive Staff in the midst of the rail service delivery crisis.

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland Rail paid bonuses as chaos consumed network

People who are suffering the impacts of service cuts are very upset about this.  Do you blame them?

OK.  How to sort this mess.

Queensland Rail needs to revert to the previous rail timetable, that is the one in operation prior to the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line. This was being delivered with a high degree of reliability.

Shuttle services between Petrie and Kippa-Ring need to be layered on that, with perhaps some peak direct services.   This was the approach that was used when the Richlands line opened in January 2011 [ A copy of the Richlands interim timetable can be found here > Richlands Jan 2011 interim timetable  ]. Shuttles operated until such time the full new sector one timetable was implemented in June 2011. Introduce shuttle services (mainly off peak) on the Redcliffe Peninsula Line between Petrie <> Kippa-Ring.  Yes this is an inconvenience but it will take the pressure off all lines, and allow all train crew to be made route ready without the present pressures and will provide a reserve for New Generation Rollingstock testing and training, and time to get new crews up to speed.  Queensland Rail staff are obviously under considerable strain due to the bungling, and it is time to stabilise the situation.  The present ' new timetables ' are just a smorgasbord of service cuts and non delivery.  Hardly satisfactory.  Time for the big steps and some real political leadership.

Here is a 5 point plan [ https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/798259410942324738 ] :



Further more it is time that the authorities came clean on the New Generation Rollingstock project.  What is going on?  When will we see the new trains in service?

Enough of the spin and bull-dust, time to come clean with the truth.  What is the disability access plan for these trains?

Can a broom be put through TransLink and TMR too please?  They had carriage of both Moreton Bay Rail Link and the New Generation Rollingstock projects, both abysmal project failures at this point. Or do they get cash bonuses too?

Enough of the mediocrity.  Time to sort it once and for all.

Robert

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

[ozbob]

Latest media: &#39; #Railfail fix &#39;
> https://t.co/NWJ7qnImPw#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @AnnastaciaMP @TMRQld @TransLinkSEQ @QueenslandRail pic.twitter.com/JJOmviQyEB

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 18, 2016

[ozbob]

And still cannot manage trains Ipswich <> Rosewood.

Shocker! Hey Minister @StirlHinchliffe

No confidence in @QueenslandRail #qldpol https://t.co/e2eh3xCp1S

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 18, 2016

^

Park Road to Cleveland track closure this weekend | TransLink https://t.co/ZYmlnuedPs

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 18, 2016

[Otto]

Excuse my ignorance, but I must ask, if Park Rd to Cleveland is not running due to trackwork, then why the hell can't a crew be available to do the Rosewood shuttles this week-end..  :conf

[petey3801]

Rosewood is run by Ipswich crews. Also, this weekend at least, good use is being made of the lack of Rosewood trains with trackwork being done between Ipswich and Toowoomba.

[Otto]

Rosewood is run by Ipswich crews. Also, this weekend at least, good use is being made of the lack of Rosewood trains with trackwork being done between Ipswich and Toowoomba.

Thanks petey.. That makes sense.. 

[ozbob]

" Rail replacement buses are running between Ipswich and Rosewood stations, under the new Queensland Rail timetable. These buses replace two services on Friday afternoon, and all weekend services. "

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/105201

No mention of trackwork Ipswich <> Toowoomba.  More bullsh%t from TransLink.

No mention here either > http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/forcustomers/trackclosures/12monthcalendar

[mufreight]

Traveled from Ipswich to Thagoona today with a mobility scooter.  An interesting and enlightening exercise.
I arrived at Ipswich station and was met by a driver from Thompsons Coaches, the young bloke was most helpful and told me to wait while he organised a suitable bus that they had a suitable bus on standby, the bus he organised promptly pulled up and dropped the ramp but unfortunately the mobility scooter can not negotiate the entrance into the bus which both drivers and myself had anticipated.
They then called the station master out who then returned to his office and made a couple of phone calls and eventually came back out and advised that he had been instructed to call a Maxi Taxi and that one was on the way which arrived within about 25 minutes and I was then off to Thagoona.
The Thompsons staff could not have been more helpful as were the Ipswich station staff.
For the return journey as Thagoona was unattended I was given a phone number for Ipswich station to ring when I was ready to return and and told that they would arrange for me to be picked up. 
There had been a shift change while I was at Thagoona and the officer who took the call being unaware that my scooter would not fit on a low floor bus was initially going to get me picked up be the low floor bus that was on standby at Rosewood, I then advised him that we had to get a maxi taxi for the trip out and why so he arranged a maxi taxi for my return to Ipswich.
Again the staff could not have been more helpful.
Having a low floor bus on standby at both Ipswich and Rosewood does not solve the problem of disability access as even some motorised wheelchairs can not negotiate the entrance to a low floor bus and require a maxi taxi, perhaps instead of having two low floor buses on standby it would be more effective to have two maxi taxi's on standby.
All in all a most interesting afternoon.

[ozbob]

Well done mufreight!

[mufreight]

The staff involved both QR and Thompsons were all on the ball and could not have been more helpful.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

20th November 2016

Re: Rail fail fix

Good Morning,

Still silence from the authorities.  When will rail services be back onto Rosewood at weekends?

When will the New Generation Rolling stock trains be in service?

We truly do have major issues with our rail network.  A band-aid timetable arrangement with massive service cuts and constant cancellations is not the answer.

There is a solution as we have detailed below.

Best wishes
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

19th November 2016

Rail fail fix

Good Morning,

Finally an article highlighting the sheer arrogance of Queensland Rail in paying bonuses to Executive Staff in the midst of the rail service delivery crisis.

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland Rail paid bonuses as chaos consumed network

People who are suffering the impacts of service cuts are very upset about this.  Do you blame them?

OK.  How to sort this mess.

Queensland Rail needs to revert to the previous rail timetable, that is the one in operation prior to the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line. This was being delivered with a high degree of reliability.

Shuttle services between Petrie and Kippa-Ring need to be layered on that, with perhaps some peak direct services.   This was the approach that was used when the Richlands line opened in January 2011 [ A copy of the Richlands interim timetable can be found here > Richlands Jan 2011 interim timetable  ]. Shuttles operated until such time the full new sector one timetable was implemented in June 2011. Introduce shuttle services (mainly off peak) on the Redcliffe Peninsula Line between Petrie <> Kippa-Ring.  Yes this is an inconvenience but it will take the pressure off all lines, and allow all train crew to be made route ready without the present pressures and will provide a reserve for New Generation Rollingstock testing and training, and time to get new crews up to speed.  Queensland Rail staff are obviously under considerable strain due to the bungling, and it is time to stabilise the situation.  The present ' new timetables ' are just a smorgasbord of service cuts and non delivery.  Hardly satisfactory.  Time for the big steps and some real political leadership.

Here is a 5 point plan [ https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/798259410942324738 ] :



Further more it is time that the authorities came clean on the New Generation Rollingstock project.  What is going on?  When will we see the new trains in service?

Enough of the spin and bull-dust, time to come clean with the truth.  What is the disability access plan for these trains?

Can a broom be put through TransLink and TMR too please?  They had carriage of both Moreton Bay Rail Link and the New Generation Rollingstock projects, both abysmal project failures at this point. Or do they get cash bonuses too?

Enough of the mediocrity.  Time to sort it once and for all.

Robert

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

[ozbob]

Latest media: &#39; Re: #Railfail fix &#39;
> https://t.co/wSME6L1z1x@AnnastaciaMP @StirlHinchliffe @N_Scales_TMR @QueenslandRail pic.twitter.com/LE3NRpnuXy

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 19, 2016