Interim rail timetables

[#Metro]

We have a bet thread re: NYE 

Majority think that NYE trains will be screwed.

Just saying. 

[ozbob]

Rail crisis meeting called for Wednesday by QLD govt to plan for NYE & new timetable cutting 870 services until mid Jan @9NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/teQa8U0Uye

— Darren Curtis (@DarrenCurtis9) December 27, 2016

[ozbob]

We have a bet thread re: NYE 

Majority think that NYE trains will be screwed.

Just saying. 

>> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12600.0

[#Metro]

Rail crisis meeting called for Wednesday by QLD govt to plan for NYE & new timetable cutting 870 services until mid Jan @9NewsBrisbane

The words ' plan ' and ' Queensland Government ' should not be used in the same sentence.

[tazzer9]

Rail crisis meeting called for Wednesday by QLD govt to plan for NYE & new timetable cutting 870 services until mid Jan @9NewsBrisbane

The words ' plan ' and ' Queensland Government ' should not be used in the same sentence.

I beg to differ.   They are extremely good at plans.   Implementing them on the other hand.

[ozbob]

S S H T T 

[#Metro]

I beg to differ.   They are extremely good at plans.   Implementing them on the other hand.

' Animated video ' and ' artists impression ' should also not be used in the same paragraph or document as ' Queensland Government '.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Christmas rail fail predicted... on YouTube

QUEENSLAND Rail has denied it was warned by rail advocates of the Christmas Day timetable collapse despite a video explicitly spelling out the looming disaster posted one month ago.

The video message, emailed to Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, several other MPs and media outlets, accurately predicted the Christmas rail meltdown and triggered questions to QR.

It was posted by rail advocate Paul Pluta, the same man who first lifted the lid on the extent of the driver shortage debacle in October with the release of a critical QR report on driver shortages.

QR's acting chief executive Jim Benstead rejected at a press conference today that QR had been warned by public transport advocates before Christmas that a rostering stuff-up was likely.

"I'm not aware of Queensland Rail being warned by any rail advocates that this incidence would occur on Christmas Day and lead to the cancellation of those services," he said.

But Mr Pluta's YouTube video of November 27 warned of a "huge disaster that's coming up" due to drivers taking Christmas leave.

Directed at Mr Hinchliffe, Mr Pluta's video message triggered questions from multiple media outlets, including The Courier-Mail, to both QR and the Minister.

In his video message, Mr Pluta warned Mr Hinchliffe: "I don't think that QR have quite told you the impact of these holidays. I think you should ring the head honcho of QR and ask him.

"Go and ring [acting chief executive] Neil [Scales] and ask him what the hell is happening with the train drivers taking holidays over Christmas.

"You are going to embark on a complete f**k up over Christmas and I don't think QR has quite told you this. I've got internal sources who've told me that you don't know."

The video was attached to an email with the subject line "CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FOR STIRLING HINCHLIFFE ABOUT ANOTHER LOOMING QR DISASTER!".

Mr Pluta, a self-described Youtube celebrity, first warned Mr Hinchliffe of driver shortages in March months before the timetable fiasco struck and obtained a copy of a critical report commissioned by QR detailing the problems before Mr Hinchliffe was aware of its existence.

The Courier-Mail on December 1 sent a list of questions to the Minister's office and QR about whether it was able to manage over Christmas following Mr Pluta's latest video warning.

Among the questions, Mr Hinchliffe was asked whether he was confident QR had the staffing capabilities over summer with crew on Christmas holidays to meet its timetable of services.

A spokeswoman responded: "As most people will appreciate, patronage on the public transport network is significantly lower around Christmas and the New Year."

Mr Hinchliffe was also questioned about the warnings by other media outlets at a November 28 press conference.

QR separately responded to questions by down playing problems with the number of staff taking holidays on December 7, stating "leave numbers are at average levels for this festive period."

A spokeswoman then said it had not been accepting annual leave requests for Christmas and New Year's Day "for some time."

However, a union circular later told members it had got QR to drop the blanket ban on leave.

The Courier-Mail also published a report on December 10 flagging concerns the timetable problems would be "potentially exacerbated by drivers taking Christmas leave."

It included comments from Rail advocate Robert Dow questioning whether QR could cope into the new year when cheaper fares were introduced. "The network could collapse," he said. ...

[ozbob]

Train drivers could be asked to come back from holidays to ensure the network is ready for New Year's Eve. @NatJohnWallace9 #9News pic.twitter.com/PhQhjTJnFF

— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) December 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Queensland Rail: There will be more changes to our train timetables from tomorrow. https://t.co/YdYBV7W4PQ @MarlinaWhop #7News pic.twitter.com/uaGp5bUN3S

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) December 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Christmas rail fail predicted... on YouTube
> https://t.co/MfKi5EZrR6#qldpol
Whoa .... another one!

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) December 27, 2016

^

It's all over red rover#qldpol
How come ' rail advocates ' can foretell the future?
Not a paid army of staff and pollies ? ?#railfail https://t.co/IRppjAy4qr

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) December 27, 2016

[ozbob]

^

[ozbob]

There has been constant social media chatter for a month now that there were looming problems with crew availability for Christmas period.

Paul Pluta's youtube effort was rather special though.  Paul is leaked information and he puts it forward as a good citizen should!

I doubt that Minister Hinchliffe can really survive now as Transport Minister in the New Year for much longer. 

This is just getting worse by the day sadly.

[#Metro]

Paul Pluta has a YouTube Channel.

I do not endorse the content, video is provided here for reference.

Coarse language warning.

Edit: added extra Xmas video (second in list)

[ozbob]

^ as these videos are now being referenced by the media it is appropriate to link them here.

RAIL Back On Track does not endorse external youtube videos by Paul Pluta or anyone,  however in the interest of fair public discussion it is reasonable to reference them so that readers can make their own judgements.

[SurfRail]

All due respect, but if this "character" (and I mean that in more than one sense) came to me with any claim about anything at all, I would feel perfectly justified in ignoring it.

[Fattious]

Interesting comment from the minister at the end of that nine story.  The previous long term timetable was overly ambitious and not sustainable with resourcing.

[James]

Paul Pluta's performances are rather... well... special. He is making valid points though, once you get past all the expletives.

All due respect, but if this "character" (and I mean that in more than one sense) came to me with any claim about anything at all, I would feel perfectly justified in ignoring it.

Who knows who is feeding him information, though. If he's actually got a copy of the NGR agreement, regardless of how much of an idiot he may (or may not) be, he's obviously got some kind of reliable source within QR.

[#Metro]

NEW Paul Pluta video.

I do not endorse the content, video is noted here for reference.

Paul Pluta claims that QR is pumping information through a legal firm so that legal privilege attaches to its documents creating confidentiality. Remember, earlier QR also raised confidentiality to delay the initial Strachan enquiry.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-refusing-to-cooperate-with-investigation-into-bungled-timetable-and-driver-shortages/news-story/d1fdd8c6d5cbd31b57295a9c56142e14

I think if this is true, the Strachan Commission needs to be upgraded to a Royal Commission IMHO. May as well extend it to all modes as a pre-emptive move.

The video contains such extreme content and language that I do not feel comfortable posting the actual link here, but the youtube tag is tfV6CY2B_S8

[Mr X]

I found that very hard to watch.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland rail acting CEO on leave during Christmas timetable shambles

THE Mr Fix It brought in to salvage Queensland Rail remained missing in action yesterday, forcing the corporation's chief accountant to explain why no one can guarantee train services on New Year's Eve.

Neil Scales, who replaced Helen Gluer in the top role after she resigned in October, has taken three weeks leave, starting on December 16, to return to family in the UK, which was arranged before he took over the role.

It's understood he will not be called back to work, despite the Christmas Day disaster which forced the cancellation of almost a third of train services – 235 out of 790 – because train crew on days off did not agree to working on the holiday.

QR's chief financial officer Jim Benstead took over the acting chief executive role and yesterday admitted the rail operator might be forced to rely on its failed rostering system of recalling drivers from leave to fill gaps on the New Year's weekend – potentially creating another catastrophic network failure.

Neither Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe nor Mr Benstead could guarantee there would be no service cancellations during the New Year's celebrations.

The failure to provide certainty about train services during the holiday period has led to fresh calls from the Opposition for Mr Hinchliffe to be sacked.

Mr Benstead yesterday said QR was still considering whether it needed to pull drivers off leave to plug gaps in this weekend's roster.

"That is one of the situations that we will be looking at heavily and in detail in our final planning sessions that take place today and through to tomorrow," he said.

"I cannot predict exactly what's going to occur in any particular circumstance but we are ensuring that we are putting our plans in place."

Mr Benstead said QR was unable to guarantee New Year's Eve services would not be affected by service cancellations due to further roster errors.

"I'm giving assurance to commuters that we are doing everything possible to ensure that we deliver the services that are required for New Year's Eve through to New Year's Day," he said.

Mr Hinchliffe said he would "cross examine" QR's plan for this weekend services during a meeting – scheduled for today – to prevent another Christmas Day rail disaster.

"The key issues are making sure that we go through the details of how arrangements are in place to address and deliver significantly the greater level of service ... and also the contingencies that are in place," he said.

"I have been engaging in further detailed briefings with Queensland Rail on a daily basis. The fundamental thing is that we deliver a reliable service."

Acting Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said Mr Hinchliffe's position was untenable as he could not guarantee services during one of the biggest celebrations on the calendar.

"Southeast Queenslanders are bracing for chaos this New Year's Eve, which is one of the best nights of the year for partygoers all over Brisbane. They won't know whether their train is going to turn up on time – just like Christmas Day," she said.

"The Premier needs to come back (from holidays) and sack this incompetent Minister."

Ms Frecklington said QR's performance was not good enough and Mr Hinchliffe was ultimately responsible.

[ozbob]

Queensland Rail needs someone at the top that has a substantive rail background - a Rail Commissioner.

With all due respect but accountants and lawyers, and ex-politicians are not rail specialists.

An absurd nonsense the Board and Management of Queensland Rail IMHO.

[ozbob]

The Summer School Holiday Train Timetable starts today.
Good luck SEQ - peak fares for off peak service !
> https://t.co/AkCFbNzFDc#qldpol pic.twitter.com/MgiNRp3cOZ

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) December 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

28th December 2016

Re: SEQ: Summer School Holiday Train Timetable - off peak fares only is the call!

Good Morning,

The next phase of the #railfail crisis is underway today.

Commencing today the  Summer School Holiday Train Timetable - https://translink.com.au/service-updates/109921

Reduced service, problems with bus and rail connections which will lengthen journey time for many struggling commuters.

There will be a high political cost for this ongoing shambles.

I have been advised by Minister Hinchliffe that there will be free travel on New Years Eve on the TransLink network from 8.45pm 31st December 2016 through to 5.30am 1st January 2017 ( https://twitter.com/StirlHinchliffe/status/813603156928045056 ).  Good for the New Year Revelers but doesn't really do much for struggle street paying peak fares for essentially off peak service with longer journey times.

You make your bed, you lie in it ..

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.msg185794#msg185794 ]

[ozbob]

" next phase of #railfail crisis is underway from today "
> https://t.co/24nQmRaZXK#qldpol@StirlHinchliffe @QueenslandRail @AnnastaciaMP pic.twitter.com/uh7qSTH7Kp

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) December 27, 2016

[techblitz]

All due respect, but if this "character" (and I mean that in more than one sense) came to me with any claim about anything at all, I would feel perfectly justified in ignoring it.

he has a good internal source....how u doin....
Also rather concerning that he has one in the first place...really shows that there is some discontent within the organisation

[BrizCommuter]

I found that very hard to watch.

Yes, he has a bit of a potty mouth. Needs to wash his mouth out with soap and water!

[#Metro]

After watching the controversial Paul Pluta videos, I can identify three tiers in the ' chain of failure ':

1. Government, bent on passive (non-) management so as not to offend people or make controversial decisions.
Minister does not seem to be receiving relevant communications and appears to be unable to act even if he does. Won't take advice like isolate the MBRL etc.

The only bright spots at this level are the Fares Review and Gold Coast Light Rail extension. The rest is on the back burner.
Still contracting with monopolists (both public and private) regardless of performance, and letting bad performance slip by (bus and train).

2. The Queensland Rail Board
I am starting to think that the board is not the actual root of the problem. The board is responsible for the general policy direction and overall framework of the organisation.  They look after the 'macro' or 'global' things. They are not there intervening day to day. (The exception here is the CEO, who sits on board meetings and is in the ELT)

3. The Executive Leadership Team
The executive leadership team (ELT) manages the day to day coalface operation of the organisation. They take instructions from the board and convert them to practical actions on the ground. There seems to be real problems in the communications between the ELT and QR Board and Minister.

Newman contributed to the issues, but that cannot possibly be the full story. As has now been demonstrated, Paul Pluta knew there was a problem with the Christmas rostering FOUR WEEKS before the event.

Four weeks seems long enough to devise an intervention, regardless of whatever Newman et al did years ago.

Firing and replacing the minister or QR Board (and replacing it with a Railways commissioner) does not extinguish the need for an ELT.

Even a "railways commissioner" needs to have an executive leadership team below it to run day to day business. One person cannot do everything.

In SA, although there is a railways commissioner, the setup looks closer to a TransPerth setup. The ELT roles there appear to be spread across the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. In the Queensland context, copying that setup would imply Queensland Rail and DTMR be merged.

DPTI SA About us
http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/about_us

DPTI SA Organisational Chart
http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/260206/DPTI_Organisation_Chart.pdf

From the organisational chart:

General Manager Public Transport Operations Directorate
>> Manager Rail Risk, Governance & Assurance
>> Manager Rail Operations

General Manager Asset Management Directorate
>> Manager Rail Infrastructure Management

So my conclusion is that the executive leadership team is where the replacement needs to be. By all means, make the changes at the upper governance tiers as well, but failing to renew the ELT is a recipe for failure I think.

Crucially, the choice of new CEO will be important in all of this too.

[STB]

From what I understand after I did a bit of research last night, 'Archieluxury' is a character he plays, the one you see in those videos, while the real Paul Pluta is an unemployed IT person, who happens to been sacked or resigned quite frequently from his previous jobs.  I remember coming across him by accident a few years ago and I remember him being rather sexist and very off putting.

I'm with the others, if I was the Minister, regardless of what he is saying, wouldn't place much attention on him either, the way he speaks is just off putting and my brain wants me to put him in the crazy category.

[STB]

I tend to agree with Metro to some extent - the Board won't be dealing or making decisions necessarily on coalface operations.  I sit on a Board as well for a Not for Profit Company and we don't generally discuss day to day operational stuff, moreso long term macro stuff and planning for the business overall on a longer term basis. 

I'd be very surprised if the QR Board had a more micromanagement level of interaction with the running of QR (Helen Gluer's involvement did surprise me).  The Executive Management will be the ones running the ship and implementing any longer term decisions the Board makes, while middle Management would be the ones who really know what is happening as they are dealing directly with the workers (Train Planners, Roster staff etc), and one would hope that the middle Management would be informing the Execs on what's going on with the Executives responding accordingly.

I'm starting to think this issue is way more complex than one might think and the reports will make for interesting reading.  It's obviously a management issue at it's core, but a very complex one at that.

Just to add, during my time working at Qld Rail in 2009, I did notice that even within the organisation there was a culture of not being allowed to say stuff if things went wrong and secrecy - hell, I wasn't even allowed downstairs in then QR Network (I was in QR Passenger).  We were taught about ringfencing (ie: don't share anything about QR to anyone outside of the organisation, even after you leave).  I do wonder if that culture still exists.

Also kinda think it's a little political given how Qld Rail has so badly advised the Transport Minister and possibly even Jackie Trad when she was Transport Minister.

[#Metro]

I can understand that people want to draw conclusions about Mr Pluta's character. For me, I ignore that entirely.

What I am looking for is the content of what he is saying. He has somehow managed to get all sorts of information the minister hasn't

to a level where he can pre-warn of events well in advance. Remember, the Christmas Rail Fail is isn't his first correct prediction. It is his second.

The Courier-Mail also reported his e-mail way back in March 2016. The actual email, verbatim, is appended to the end of the following

Courier-Mail story:

In the March email, he also accurately predicted that the opening of the Moreton Bay Rail Link would be delayed by months and that there would be signalling issues.

Queensland Rail: Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe warned about driver shortage in early March
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-transport-minister-stirling-hinchliffe-warned-about-driver-shortage-in-early-march/news-story/f2d36dfdfc14daf778aee62d007ecf30

And he somehow also got a copy of the NGR contract which I would imagine is not something that just falls off the back of a truck.

[STB]

I can understand that people want to draw conclusions about Mr Pluta's character. For me, I ignore that entirely.

What I am looking for is the content of what he is saying. He has somehow managed to get all sorts of information the minister hasn't

to a level where he can pre-warn of events well in advance. Remember, the Christmas Rail Fail is isn't his first correct prediction. It is his second.

The Courier-Mail also reported his e-mail way back in March 2016. The actual email, verbatim, is appended to the end of the following

Courier-Mail story:

In the March email, he also accurately predicted that the opening of the Moreton Bay Rail Link would be delayed by months and that there would be signalling issues.

Queensland Rail: Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe warned about driver shortage in early March
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-rail-transport-minister-stirling-hinchliffe-warned-about-driver-shortage-in-early-march/news-story/f2d36dfdfc14daf778aee62d007ecf30

And he somehow also got a copy of the NGR contract which I would imagine is not something that just falls off the back of a truck.

It's still a good idea to provide context to someone when you are getting this sort of information.

[techblitz]

From what I understand after I did a bit of research last night, 'Archieluxury' is a character he plays, the one you see in those videos, while the real Paul Pluta is an unemployed IT person, who happens to been sacked or resigned quite frequently from his previous jobs.  I remember coming across him by accident a few years ago and I remember him being rather sexist and very off putting.

I'm with the others, if I was the Minister, regardless of what he is saying, wouldn't place much attention on him either, the way he speaks is just off putting and my brain wants me to put him in the crazy category.

never bag an unemployed person or job jumper....they have time on their hands to do a LOT of research. Just by taking a quick look at his playlists...he is a person who does a lot of research. He deserves praise just on the R.T.I`s effort alone.
There is a lesson here for 'establishment' ministers. Find the time and listen to everyone....even if they do come off a little whacky...

[STB]

From what I understand after I did a bit of research last night, 'Archieluxury' is a character he plays, the one you see in those videos, while the real Paul Pluta is an unemployed IT person, who happens to been sacked or resigned quite frequently from his previous jobs.  I remember coming across him by accident a few years ago and I remember him being rather sexist and very off putting.

I'm with the others, if I was the Minister, regardless of what he is saying, wouldn't place much attention on him either, the way he speaks is just off putting and my brain wants me to put him in the crazy category.

never bag an unemployed person or job jumper....they have time on their hands to do a LOT of research. Just by taking a quick look at his playlists...he is a person who does a lot of research. He deserves praise just on the R.T.I`s effort alone.
There is a lesson here for 'establishment' ministers. Find the time and listen to everyone....even if they do come off a little whacky...

I haven't bagged him for being unemployed, that's just who he is and where he currently is in his life.  He is certainly whacky though, on a few different levels.

In terms of the RTI stuff he has, he's certainly done very well there.  I do kinda wish that he comes off less whacky though, he might get taken more seriously by the Minister and QR Management.   I suppose in his mind that if he acts whacky he'll get way more attention and be listened to, that's the logic I keep telling myself.

[#Metro]

In terms of the RTI stuff he has, he's certainly done very well there.  I do kinda wish that he comes off less whacky though, he might get taken more seriously by the Minister and QR Management.   I suppose in his mind that if he acts whacky he'll get way more attention and be listened to, that's the logic I keep telling myself.

I think Mr. Pluta's character is irrelevant for a second reason - The Minister, Queensland Rail and the Queensland Government are not listening to anyone in general. So even if it were someone else, it would make no difference IMHO.

How do I know this? They (Minister, QLD Rail, QLD Gov) are not even listening to us! RBOT said so many times that they have to isolate the MBRL. Isolate the MBRL. Isolate the MBRL. Did they do it? No, not at all. They haven't fired the board, and they didn't make any attempt to claw back the cash bonuses etc. All the e-mails and INDEC reports etc that people threw at them appears to have amounted to nothing really.

The irony in all of this is that Annastacia Palaszczuk's gov't has come full circle and to the same point the Campbell Newman was at. Not listening, not processing feedback, not acting decisively on the information to solve the problem.

It is like the whole SENSE -- THINK -- ACT chain of action has been scrambled up. And we all know what happens to govt's that enter this stage of paralysis at an election...

[techblitz]

Just had to report to QR that one of their employees has given them a 5 star rating(with no reason) on their facebook page and request that they contact that employee to delete it. Totally degrades the integrity of the ratings system. Hopefully they will take it seriously...

[BrizCommuter]

Quite a social media backlash (again) over the SSHTT timetable. Many comments about an 60min early am peak gap on the Sunshine Coast Line, and lack of express trains on the Ipswich Line.

[#Metro]

Quite a social media backlash (again) over the SSHTT timetable. Many comments about an 60min early am peak gap on the Sunshine Coast Line, and lack of express trains on the Ipswich Line.

QR Facebook Page

5 stars - 55
4 stars - 13
3 stars - 15
2 stars - 28
1 star - 328

[ozbob]

QR does not  need a board.  Superfluous fluff.  Look at the ELT - the board replicates it.

What they need is more rail expertise at the 'organisational regulator' so to speak.

The upper echelons of QR management could be cut by 50% (as I have mentioned before) with only improvements the results, plus more resources to be deployed where it is needed, crew, maintenance, operations.   

All this is just speculation of course.  Lets just leave these aspects until the Commission of Inquiry is tabled.

[ozbob]

Quite a social media backlash (again) over the SSHTT timetable. Many comments about an 60min early am peak gap on the Sunshine Coast Line, and lack of express trains on the Ipswich Line.

Yes, they are gone for all money at this point.