Queensland Rail

[ozbob]

Yo.  The Friday timetable is very frustrating for a lot of passengers agreed. 

I have feeling though they might just go straight back to the Oct 2016 timetable.  Have heard a few rumblings ...

Sent to all outlets:

25th June 2019

End of rail fail in sight !

Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track welcomes the restoration of the October 2016 Queensland Rail Citytrain Timetable from Monday the 29th July 2019.  This will put back around 430 weekly services and a consistent weekday (Monday to Friday) timetable.

The first wave of service cancellations (53 in number) occurred on the 30th September 2016, and during October 2016, further waves of cancellations lead to the situation of ' rail fail ' being declared.  Since then there have been a number of reduced service timetables as Queensland Rail recovered the numbers of train crew.

We call for a weekend of free travel on the SEQ public transport network on the 27th to 28th July (exception Airtrain and CityCat) to acknowledge the impact on the travelling public of the reduced service rail timetables over the past years.

Once the new timetable is in place, we would like to see progress for improved train service frequency on the Sunshine Coast Line (promised more services by Government in 2015, never delivered) and improving services between Nambour and Gympie North.  After that further frequency improvements to day inter-peak and counter-peak services on all lines.

We thank all at Queensland Rail for working hard to get back the October 2016 timetable.

Best wishes,

Robert

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

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https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1143315939204595712

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Facebook ...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Queensland Rail fail will be over by July 29: Bailey

Transport Minister Mark Bailey has put a date on when Queensland Rail will restore all the 430 remaining train services missing since October 2016, but says it is still 95 drivers short of its recruitment target.

THE Palaszczuk Government will attempt to end the rail fail by July 29, restoring 430 services to the struggling network while still 95 drivers short of their recruitment target.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said 200,000 extra seats would be on the network by the end of next month.

The new trains will restore the network to the service level of October 2016 when the system spectacularly crashed in the so-called Rail Fail.

"Plenty of hard work has gone on behind the scenes at Queensland Rail to get these services back online, including the largest driver recruitment campaign in Queensland's history," he said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1143324453415223296

[techblitz]

the irony....1 day before day 1000 

quote from a march 07 2017 article..

The delivery of a full-service timetable, with the appropriate use of overtime, is expected by late 2019.

So slightly better than that anticipated prediction..

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland government reveals 'rail fail' end date

Almost 1000 days since "rail fail" began and waves of cancellations struck, Brisbane commuters will finally have their full train timetable restored.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey announced Queensland Rail will add 430 services and an extra 200,000 seats across the network from Monday, July 29.

"This will be a 5.5 per cent increase in the trains across south-east Queensland, including 85 extra services during the peak hour, when they're needed the most," he said.

"Commuters will also welcome, we're returning to a full Monday to Friday timetable, consistent every week day, the same timetable, every single day."

The operator will, however, have to achieve that feat without the recommended number of new drivers - 200 - being trained and driving on the south-east Queensland network.

The public transport crisis was sparked following the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line in October 2016, which uncovered a shortage of train drivers and an unsustainable reliance of overtime.

It caused a crunch that led to the sudden cancellation of hundreds of services, including on Christmas Day, with Queensland Rail cutting 462 services under a new timetable in an attempt to restore reliability.

The Strachan inquiry said 200 new drivers were needed to restore reliability to the timetable, setting a deadline of June 30, 2019.

However, Queensland Rail has only managed to train 105 net new train drivers so far.

That has prompted questions about how much taxpayers will be slugged in overtime to operate the fully restored timetable.

In October 2018, the monthly overtime bill for drivers was $1.19 million.

Mr Bailey said overtime was a normal part of running a rail network but it was "coming down" under the Palaszczuk government as a result of more drivers being hired.

Brisbane Times has requested up-to-date overtime figures.

Mr Bailey said Queensland Rail would be "well on the way to 200" drivers by the end of 2019 but was unable to give a firm prediction of when that target would be met.

He said he had pledged to not announce the full restoration until he was "100 per cent convinced" of the sustainability of the rail network.

"I am absolutely confident that given the process has been very clear and thorough, and I am now convinced and confident about the sustainability of the system," he said.

Since October 2016, 172 drivers have completed their training and are now operating across the network, with another 79 currently in training.

In addition to reinstating the timetable, another 59 existing services will also be upgraded to full-length trains.

The training time for a new driver has reduced from 18 to 13 months.

The announcement comes after Queensland Rail has added dozens of extra services to the network in recent months.

[ozbob]

the irony....1 day before day 1000 

quote from a march 07 2017 article..

The delivery of a full-service timetable, with the appropriate use of overtime, is expected by late 2019.

So slightly better than that anticipated prediction..

I was confident it there would be announcement today or tomorrow.  There is going to be a bit of overtime in the offering.  But the political pressures were such that it was time to restore the timetable.  The fact that we are at 1000 days (tomorrow) has not gone unnoticed or our little '1000 party' campaign.

[achiruel]

I would hope that the amount of overtime offered is sustainable (so that it doesn't trigger another #railfail due to crew fatigue or rostering requirements), and that it steadily decreases as new crew are trained. I'll be looking out for an increase in cancellations did to "operational issues" after the new timetable is brought in.

[ozbob]

This is the break up of the additional weekly services.  This will restore services back to the October 2016 timetable.

Note Sunshine Coast retained the services it had in the October 2016 timetable because it was very poor as it was. 
But it is the one line that does need improvements rather urgently.

Cleveland – 48

Beenleigh – 43

Ferny Grove – 44

Northgate to Roma Street shuttles – 239

Caboolture – 9

Springfield – 13

Doomben – 6

Ipswich/Rosewood – 6

Shorncliffe – 12

Redcliffe Peninsula – 2

Gold Coast – 6

Sunshine Coast – 0

Airport – 2

[Arnz]

The "odd-ball" Nambour peak services, which were originally serviced by a 5-car ICE before being replaced by a 6-car IMU or IMU/SMU hybrid in recent months will have their stopping patterns "normalised" to the same pattern per the other Caboolture/Sunshine Coast stations. 

This will mean those former ICE operated journeys will be retimed and will add least 5 minutes to those journeys in line with the other Sunshine Coast services.

This will add a extra morning and extra afternoon peak service to Morayfield, Burpengary, Narangba and Dakabin stations

As the following Nambour services are no longer serviced by the Inner-City Express (ICE) trains, these services are able to follow the consistent Nambour stopping pattern (stopping all stations from Nambour to Petrie and express to Bowen Hills, stopping only at Northgate and Eagle Junction). This change will provide three extra weekday services at Morayfield, Burpengary, Narangba and Dakabin stations.

​Service departing Nambour at 5.01am and arriving at Central at 6.44am will depart Nambour one minute later at 5.02am and arrive at Central six minutes later at 6.50am.
Service departing Nambour at 7.26am and arriving at Central at 9.08am will arrive at Central six minutes later at 9.14am.
Service departing Central at 4.04pm and arriving at Nambour at 5.49pm will arrive at Nambour three minutes later at 5.52pm.

[ozbob]

QR - 430 extra weekly train services and 200,000 seats for South East Queensland

>> https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Media%20Centre/Pages/extra-train-services.aspx

Each line has detailed information.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1143417834313097219

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1143400226578788352

[achiruel]

How many extra services can the NCL realistically carry without further duplication?

[ozbob]

How many extra services can the NCL realistically carry without further duplication?

The first step is services every hour outside peaks.  This was the proposal in 2015.  All achievable.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1143429650783145984

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1143430817781149696

[ozbob]

Interview on 4BC Drive with host Mark Braybrook and Robert Dow RAIL Back On Track.

Subject: Light at the end of the tunnel for 'Rail Fail'

> https://backontrack.org/docs/4bc/4bc_25jun19_rd.mp3 MP3 10MB

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https://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-for-rail-fail/

After almost 1,000 days Brisbane's 'Rail Fail', which resulted in reduced services forcing commuters onto interim timetables, is almost finally over.

State Transport Minister Mark Bailey has announced normal weekday timetables will resume on Monday the 29th of July with an extra 200,000 seats on the network.

It was supposed to have all be sorted by the end of last year but Robert Dow from rail lobby group Rail Back On Track tells Mark it is better late than never.

Download this podcast here

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https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1143540082130898945

[ozbob]

I have been booked for an interview on ABC Radio Breakfast this morning around 7.15am.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1143594799460601857

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 26th June 2019 page 19

The end of the rail fail is now in sight

[ozbob]

Queensland Rail Media Release

https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Media%20Centre/Media%20Releases/Pages/An-extra-430-weekly-train-services-and-200,000-seats-for-SEQ.aspx

An extra 430 weekly train services and 200,000 seats for SEQ

25/06/2019

Queensland Rail will implement an extra 430 services and upgrade 59 existing services from three-carriages to six-carriages, in a move that will add 200,000 seats across South East Queensland each week from Monday, 29 July 2019.

This follows a number of incremental improvements already delivered for customers, including the introduction of 32 priority peak services each week and 14,000 seats from May 2019 and 193 three-carriage upgrades and 46,000 extra seats from December 2018.

Queensland Rail's CEO Nick Easy, said the next stage of improvements scheduled for 29 July would restore train services to the level which was planned to be introduced with the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line in late 2016, reinstating the most timetabled services in South East Queensland's (SEQ) history.

"From 29 July, Queensland Rail will restore the 8,290 services per week which were promised for commuters with the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, representing a 5.5 per cent increase on today's service levels," Mr Easy said.

"On top of that, through the ongoing rollout of the New Generation Rollingstock fleet, a further 59 existing services will be upgraded from three-carriages to six-carriages, with a total of 200,000 extra seats to be introduced.

"These extra services will provide 85 additional trains in peak times each week, when the majority of our customers are travelling, and will restore an extra 142 services each Friday to provide a consistent timetable Monday to Friday.

"An incredible amount of work has taken place behind the scenes to ensure Queensland Rail can deliver these improvements for customers reliably and sustainably, underpinned by the largest driver recruitment and training program in Queensland Rail's history.

"Since October 2016, this program has seen an incredible 172 new drivers complete their training and enter supply since October 2016, representing a net increase of 105 (as at 16 June 2019).

"A further 79 trainee drivers are currently in training, and we will continue to focus on a pipeline of talent for the future, to ensure we continue to deliver services reliably and sustainably for our customers, as we have done since January 2017.

"Queensland Rail has never lost sight of restoring these services for South East Queenslanders, and I look forward to seeing these improvements in place and benefiting commuters."

Mr Easy said extensive operational readiness and planning activities had now been completed, and independently assured by the Citytrain Response Unit, ahead of the implementation of the changes from 29 July.

"Delivering a new timetable is a complex task which requires the consideration of a range of interconnected logistics beyond the availability of traincrew, including the planning, stabling and maintenance of trains, rostering and daily train movements," Mr Easy said.

"More trains running across the network is naturally more challenging to operate, and as the implementation of these changes approaches in the coming weeks our teams will be 100 per cent focused on ensuring we transition to these changes reliably.

"We hope these improvements can make a real difference to our customer's schedules each week, providing more frequent services and more options for our customers to get to and from their commitments sooner."

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Just completed an interview with ABC Gold Coast Radio.

The Gold Coast fared a lot better than most other lines during the period of reduced service timetables.  The 6 services being put back are on Fridays to give the consistent Mon <> Fri again.  Raised the prospect of the introduction of some local services, and later services ex Central on Monday to Thursdays (last service presently 10.59pm (Fridays 11.29pm and 12.29am, Saturdays 11.29pm, 11.59pm and 12.29am), as well as more counter-peak and perhaps peak as patronage increases.

[SurfRail]

Coomera, Helensvale and Robina are all currently or growing to be large town centres in their own right.  15 minute headways along the Gold Coast line is absolutely something we need to be pursuing in the near future, whether or not every train continues to Brisbane.  Especially relevant with new stations coming online at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac (even if I'd prefer Ormeau be closed and the Pimpama site moved slightly further north).

The timetabling, turnouts, signalling etc should all permit trains to be turned back on the platforms at Ormeau in between the half-hourly Brisbane trains, even in the peaks.  Might just need some crew facilities upstairs, there should be room for it.  The real limitations on this that I see are:
- Crew availability (would be fixed eventually if they continue to make good progress)
- Rollingstock availability (would only require a few extra sets for 30 minute local trains overlaid with 30 minute intercity trains)
- Lack of stabling (this I think is the big hard infrastructure limitation, the space at Robina is all full)
- Funding

The last 2 are the big issues moreso than the first 2.

[ozbob]

I have been booked for an interview on ABC Radio Breakfast this morning around 7.15am.

Interview on ABC Radio Brisbane Breakfast Hosts Craig Zonca and Lorretta Ryan and Robert Dow RBoT

Subject New timetable from 29th July 2019

> https://backontrack.org/docs/abcbris/abcbris_rd26jun19.mp3 MP3 7MB

[ozbob]

Been a lot of media interest the last 24 hours.  I am a bit worn out now. 

Lucky I am going off on my #newrailtour2019  this Saturday for a bit of R & R ( Rail and Rail  )

Queensland Rail have put together an excellent suite of support resources for the introduction of the 29th July 2019 timetable.

>> https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Media%20Centre/Pages/extra-train-services.aspx

PDF timetables for the 29th July 2019 timetables are available too.

Plenty of detail and informative.  Well done.

My concern still is for the rollingstock reliability.  We are still seeing a steady procession of ' rollingstock issues ' ...  I hope this improves.

[ozbob]

Couriermail 26th June 2019 page 8

Bailey says QR is well on track to end rail fail

THE Palaszczuk Government can't say how much overtime it will have to pay train drivers when south-east Queensland's rail network returns to a full weekly schedule next month.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey announced yesterday that train services would return to levels last seen 1000 days ago when the system spectacularly collapsed after the Redcliffe Peninsula line opened.

The Strachan review of the so-called rail fail pinpointed excessive use of overtime as a factor in months of disrupted services that eventually forced Queensland Rail to cut 462 services from the timetable.

Mr Bailey said 430 extra services and 200,000 seats would return to the network on July 29, restoring the timetable back to the 8290 weekly services that were operating when the system imploded.

Another 32 services were restored in May.

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the services put the system "back to where we were in 2016", but questioned how the services could be delivered economically when only 105 new drivers out of a required 200 had been added to the roster.

"The only thing that concerns us a little bit is that they are still a long way from the 200 extra drivers that was mooted as being required to pull right out of this, which means they're probably going to have to run a bit of overtime," he said.

Over the past year, the total overtime cost for drivers on average per fortnight was $592,000. Mr Bailey could not say what the current overtime bill was or what it would be when services resumed. He said he was "convinced and confident" about the system.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said she would believe the rail fail was over when "I'm standing with a commuter and their train actually turns up".

[ozbob]

Couriermail 26th June 2019 page 22

Editorial: Labor fixes disaster of its own making

[BrizCommuter]

Such exciting news, that BrizCommuter is celebrating by coming out of semi-retirement.
https://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-end-of-railfail-is-nigh.html

[James]

At least #railfail is coming to an end before its 3rd anniversary. I still do worry about the ability to deliver the timetable effectively with existing rolling stock, particularly given the number of rolling stock cancellations as of late.

But hey, at least #RailFail is over, we're just left with #NGRfail for now. At least it is a win in the end.

[verbatim9]

Even though return of peak services are welcomed. It hasn't addressed the spiralling cost of running those services. Driver Only Operations should be looked at. Until then the tax payer will be paying more for all these returned services thanks to train driver and guard overtime payments. The overtime bill currently stands at $660,000 a fortnight for drivers and guards. Wouldn't people prefer a more efficient way to run the trains like Driver Only Operations and the money saved spent on better infrastructure? Funds can go towards new line extensions, new buses and full time bus routes. This will create jobs in the broader economy instead of lining overtime payments to guards unnecessarily. (not security guards.)

^^I know that ATP is holding this back but why not plan for the future. It shouldn't be a Liberal or Labor thing. It should be justified as a political neutral efficiency. A solution to run the trains long term.

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1143853680245874690

[ozbob]

Such exciting news, that BrizCommuter is celebrating by coming out of semi-retirement.
https://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-end-of-railfail-is-nigh.html

Thanks ..  Sent to all outlets & ...

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1143898246776905728

[ozbob]

Queensland Times 27th June 2019 pages 1 & 5

More trains, seats and services from July

   

[JimmyP]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1143853680245874690

The Sunshine Coast line didn't have any service reductions at the start of it all as I recall, so what do you expect? The 'improvements' are simply returning to the 2016 timetable.

[AnonymouslyBad]

Even though return of peak services are welcomed. It hasn't addressed the spiralling cost of running those services. Driver Only Operations should be looked at.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be on the future roadmap but there's no way this is a realistic option in the short- to medium- term.

Putting aside that the militant unions would have a field day, DOO would also require every station in the network to be manned around the clock, probably by at least 2 staff. If you ask me, this is a far better option for passenger outcomes (vs. train guards + unmanned stations), but I doubt it's cheaper.

QR isn't running a metro system, they're running a suburban commuter network that's been patched together over more than 100 years. Running costs will always be comparatively high, becuase basic stuff like accessibility is non-negotiable and until every station is exactly the same (never) that requires human bodies.

[#Metro]

Putting aside that the militant unions would have a field day, DOO would also require every station in the network to be manned around the clock, probably by at least 2 staff. If you ask me, this is a far better option for passenger outcomes (vs. train guards + unmanned stations), but I doubt it's cheaper.

Melbourne phased it out, they have more stations that we do. They are also removing level crossings all over the city, something that might have also been thought of as belonging to the never-never.

Platform screen doors on the newer stations, such as Gold Coast-Airport, Kippa-Ring and Springfield lines could be looked at.

Then you have Sydney metro - not the new section, but the section between the CBD and Bankstown which is a conversion of an existing heavy rail line.

I don't think it is reasonable to discount the possibility given that a systematic and serious look has not really been undertaken.

[Stillwater]

Now we have consistent Mon-Fri timetables, dare we hope for end to separate Saturday and Sunday timetables in favour of a single weekend timetable both days?

[ozbob]

Now we have consistent Mon-Fri timetables, dare we hope for end to separate Saturday and Sunday timetables in favour of a single weekend timetable both days?

Good point!
It's like a weekday here in Sydney. Central had volumes of passengers when got back from Newcastle.

[AnonymouslyBad]

Now we have consistent Mon-Fri timetables, dare we hope for end to separate Saturday and Sunday timetables in favour of a single weekend timetable both days?

We may be hoping for too much! 

The ~10pm finishes on a Sunday are particularly silly. Most people would (reasonably) assume Sunday evening trains finish the same time as any weekday. I certainly did the first time it caught me out. The different start times of a morning are also baffling in 2019.