Easter 2017

[Stillwater]

^^ And all those people complaining on Facebook vote, Anna Palaszczuk.

[ozbob]

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts_to_page/

"The reduction in patronage during school holidays on the weekends means that services are not required to run as frequently which will ensure service reliability."
bullsh%t.
Not a good enough excuse, TransLink. What about all the uni students with mid semester exams? What about the people that need to get to work? What about all the school kids who now have the free time to head into the city or visit friends (whoops just debunked your excuse majorly there)?
Your excuse is bullsh%t, and the fact that you're also refusing to reply to most of the unhappy comments on here is telling.
We already pay a ridiculous amount for your services, and you can't even get your act together to be reliable with said services. Disgusting.

hey ho ...

[#Metro]

^^ And all those people complaining on Facebook vote, Anna Palaszczuk.

Anna Palaszczuk is fine, she has a safe seat. She survived the landslide the brought Newman in, when Red Team could fit into the back of a Maxi Taxi.

I think red team perhaps now realise that they are zombies walking.

But the opposition is far too weak as well. They are zombies too. They don't even have any policies on rail.

Where is Blue Team in all of this? AWOL...

Why does the entire government need to go when the problem is confined to one portfolio?

They should just dismiss the operator and get a new one. Why is it so hard to just do that?

QR can't sue TransLink for break or breach of contract because they are both gov't agencies, and Jackie Trad controls both.



https://i.imgflip.com/77km4.jpg?a414240

[ozbob]

This railfail Easter timetable fiasco is turning into a political ' train wreck ' for Anna and her team hey?

Whoa !

[ozbob]

An extra staff member may have to be placed on each one of Brisbane's new 75 trains to make up for a lack of disability access.#9News pic.twitter.com/3k4z2ORl5N

— Nine News Queensland (@9NewsQueensland) April 8, 2017

^

And note that they have also broken the bus/rail connections so that even worse than just the poor rail frequency.@jackietrad #qldpol https://t.co/bwxG2QJT94

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 8, 2017

[ozbob]

Oh dear ... oh dear ...

My wife, daughter and son in law all travelled on the last Up Ippy/Rosewood service. It was 15 minutes late.

There has been no official announcement of that fact on service updates etc. 

It does appear that they are not reporting late running now today ( cancellations too? ).

Unforgivable ... how sad they are now burying failure .. very difficult to have much respect now sadly.

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts_to_page?ref=page_internal

Rosewood train 15 minutes late?!
You have less services and you still can't run on time.
Great, thanks 👍 Incompetence.

Appears that @TransLinkSEQ is not reporting late running of the trains now etc.
See > https://t.co/nSfCntXOul#qldpol
ping @QueenslandRail

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 8, 2017

^

Do you think that if loss of reliability is buried it will not be discovered @jackietrad ?
Hard to have any respect now hey ...#qldpol https://t.co/2Ft8Q3isNV

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 8, 2017

[ozbob]

As of now last tweet from TransLink was 7.49am, nothing.

Nothing on service updates to alert passengers either

https://translink.com.au/service-updates?_=1491643212402

[ozbob]

FYI - Day one of the school holiday/Easter timetable disaster has been called
> https://t.co/uxeiYWYeY9#qldpol #railfail
Yep it's a ... pic.twitter.com/Y3Us4DWiCf

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 8, 2017

[ozbob]

How do you guys manage to have hourly trains STILL run late.
Also why have less trains (on school holidays) when there's more people?
Someone needs to be bloody sacked.
Or maybe pay me back the hours pay I lost (essentially a $30 ticket) to get to my destination in the first place.

If you're going to change the trains to hourly without warning could you at least make sure the train comes on time and not have an announcement that the the train is 10 minutes late as it arrives. It was kind of evident that the train was 10 minutes late when it arrived 10 minutes late.

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts_to_page?ref=page_internal

[ozbob]

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/1862627603763296

Even the outsourced TL face-booker does not quite get it all either .. no wonder punters are struggling with this

‎Chloe Elizabeth T‎

Need to get to the city tomorrow and was wondering if you could confirm a few things since the timetables are hourly this weekend and the journey planner is always wrong.

Do the trains leave every hour from Rosewood as normal meeting the connecting 37 past service or will it run differently to adhere to the train that leaves Ipswich on the 7 past ?

^

TransLink

Hi Chloe, these services will be departing Rosewood hourly on the hour (8.00am, 9.00am, etc), and will be arriving at Ipswich station at 21 minutes past the hour, eg, 8.21am. So You'll be there in time to meet up with the 37 past trains from Ipswich. Thanks! - Lachlan.

^
Robert Dow

Chloe that advice from TransLink is not quite correct. All the trains from Rosewood tomorrow are through services. You stay on the train, it passes through Ipswich at 21 minutes past. There are no 37 minute departures from Ipswich. Timetable is here > https://translink.com.au/.../170408-ipswich-rosewood.pdf

[BrizCommuter]

QR appear to have deleted and then re-added their Easter timetable message on Facebook. Thus all of the negative comments from Tuesday until Friday have disappeared into thin air. Can't handle the truth QR?

[ozbob]

QR appear to have deleted and then re-added their Easter timetable message on Facebook. Thus all of the negative comments from Tuesday until Friday have disappeared into thin air. Can't handle the truth QR?

Sad stuff hey ...

[Stillwater]

^ Disgusting.  Real bunker mentality at play.  In that mindset, you can't plan or strategise, just focus on ensuring one train follows the other; focussing on the moment.  Can't see the wood for the trees.

[#Metro]

^ can you report it to facebook? It might constitute deletion of a public record.

QR is a statutory authority. Just can't dispose of things like a company can.

Retention and disposal of public records - IS31
https://www.qgcio.qld.gov.au/products/qgea-documents/548-information/2360-retention-and-disposal-of-public-records-is31

Purpose

The Public Records Act 2002 (the Act) prohibits the disposal of public records without the permission of the State Archivist. The primary purpose of this information standard, which is managed and administered by Queensland State Archives, is to help public authorities meet their recordkeeping obligations under the Act.

The principles in this information standard are underpinned by the principles of sound recordkeeping as outlined in Information Standard 40: Recordkeeping (IS40) and apply to records in all formats including technology-dependent records.

Systematic, transparent and consistent disposal programs facilitate and support:

efficient delivery of government services
continuity of business processes
accountability
accessibility of government information
preservation of Queensland's cultural resources.

In this information standard, the term 'disposal' includes:

keeping all or part of a record for a period of time
destroying, deleting or migrating a record or part of a record
abandoning, transferring, donating or selling a record or part of a record.
Definitions for other terms used in this information standard can be found in the Glossary of Archival and Recordkeeping Terms on the Queensland State Archives website.

[BrizCommuter]

^ can you report it to facebook? It might constitute deletion of a public record.

QR is a statutory authority. Just can't dispose of things like a company can.

Retention and disposal of public records - IS31
https://www.qgcio.qld.gov.au/products/qgea-documents/548-information/2360-retention-and-disposal-of-public-records-is31

Purpose

The Public Records Act 2002 (the Act) prohibits the disposal of public records without the permission of the State Archivist. The primary purpose of this information standard, which is managed and administered by Queensland State Archives, is to help public authorities meet their recordkeeping obligations under the Act.

The principles in this information standard are underpinned by the principles of sound recordkeeping as outlined in Information Standard 40: Recordkeeping (IS40) and apply to records in all formats including technology-dependent records.

Systematic, transparent and consistent disposal programs facilitate and support:

efficient delivery of government services
continuity of business processes
accountability
accessibility of government information
preservation of Queensland's cultural resources.

In this information standard, the term 'disposal' includes:

keeping all or part of a record for a period of time
destroying, deleting or migrating a record or part of a record
abandoning, transferring, donating or selling a record or part of a record.
Definitions for other terms used in this information standard can be found in the Glossary of Archival and Recordkeeping Terms on the Queensland State Archives website.

I doubt that refers to Facebook and other social media. Deleting a Facebook post (and thus related comments) is well within the rules of Facebook. QR are just being sneaky.

[#Metro]

Grumpy customer! From Facebook:

Many people took the 4.46 train from Central Station to Redcliffe Peninsula and got off the train at Bowen Hills because of the speaker saying that it was express from Bowen Hills to Northgate stopping only at Eagle Junction and it wasn't true!! Stopped all stations!!!! 😡

[Stillwater]

It is sobering to think if QR had to service the existing track network AND a CRR tunnel with the existing trains and crew this weekend.  Trains every 90 mins?

[ozbob]

I am #FleeQLD for Easter.  Going for a high (relative to banana-land) frequency fix in Melbourne town.

Where I stay at Murrumbeena has 10 minute trains.  Grouse hey? Makes pub hopping a breeze! 

I am going to post selfies with PIDs & timetables  ..   

[ozbob]

It is sobering to think if QR had to service the existing track network AND a CRR tunnel with the existing trains and crew this weekend.  Trains every 90 mins?

They would have to close lines down.  They may as well do that rather than continue with such poor frequency.

There are two solutions for now as I see it, both unpalatable but better than this weekend shambles.

1. Modify the weekend operating pattern to that branch lines have shuttles and all stoppers Caboolture<>Ipswich, Ferny Grove<>Beenleigh ( 2tph). Shuttles on the rest (2tph).  Ok transfers but everywhere would get 30 minute, run express flyers Sunny Coast and Goldy every hour. 

or

2. Have rolling closures of the network eg one weekend take out Ipswich/Rosewood/Springfield.  Do concentrated track work.

Next weekend close say Northgate <> Gympie North, Shorncliffe.   and so forth.

It is very embarrassing that the Ferny Grove line this weekend (track closure) has a better service than the open rail lines in the main ..  :conf

Under option1 bus/rail connections are a lot less problematical, and key buses could be adjusted if this was permanent, say until 2018.

[ozbob]

Or looking at it in another way, if cannot match the train frequency in Adelaide, we really have got a poor system.

[Stillwater]

Hopefully Option 1 will be considered seriously by Mr Easy -- people will get around the (reduced service)network faster.  They would find transfers acceptable, if not ideal.

[ozbob]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/119126

Lift outage - Roma Street platform 8 and 9

From Monday 10 April until Friday 28 April the lift on plaftorm 8/9 at Roma Street will be unavailable due to essential maintenance.

These platforms are generally serviced by trains travelling towards Ipswich, Rosewood and Springfield to the south and Caboolture, Redcliffe Peninsula and Sunshine Coast to the north.

If you are traveling to Roma Street and require the use of the platform 8/9 lifts, you can:

    transfer at Central station (Beenleigh, Gold Coast and Cleveland trains generally service platforms 4/5)
    seek assistance from station staff
    call 13 16 17 or text 0428 774 636.

Please note: Platform service information is a guide only. Trains may service other platforms at Roma Street without notice due to operational issues like maintenance, special event services and unexpected delays.

Received a report of a disabled passenger requesting assistance at Roma St because ALL trains are on the mains (8 & 9).  Cannot get to the trains. I hope QR organise transport to the nearest DDA compliant station as needed .. 

[techblitz]

More often than not there is usally a staff member planted at the bottom of the out of service elevator telling them to go to central and catch the next train.

guards need to be making announcements for all inbound trains coming into roma st and central from valley that certain platforms are out of order @ roma st and need to get off @ central...how bloody hard is it?

I was sitting on the steel seats next to out of service elevator for platform 6/7 a few days ago and in the space of 15 mins there was about 10 people with prams,wheelchairs,tourists who dont regularly use roma st with multiple large baggage items that required elevators....they were all told to go to central and catch the next train.....the elevator attendant did help some people though with bags so they could use the escalator...

[ozbob]

#FleeQLD

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/qrs-easter-rail-fail-backlash-begins.html
QR's Easter Rail Fail - The Backlash Begins

[HappyTrainGuy]

Grumpy customer! From Facebook:

Many people took the 4.46 train from Central Station to Redcliffe Peninsula and got off the train at Bowen Hills because of the speaker saying that it was express from Bowen Hills to Northgate stopping only at Eagle Junction and it wasn't true!! Stopped all stations!!!! 😡

Automatic announcements.

[ozbob]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/qrs-easter-rail-fail-backlash-begins.html
QR's Easter Rail Fail - The Backlash Begins

Sent to all outlets  ... 

BrizCommuter:
QR&#38;#38;#38;#39;s Easter Rail Fail - The Backlash Begins
> https://t.co/o6KP2WP6Ci#qldpol@jackietrad @AndrewPowellMP pic.twitter.com/gjSMh0iQ9u

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 9, 2017

^

Or how NOT TO DO Public Transport Oz land ..#auspol #nswpol #springst #politas #qldpol #saparli #ntpol #wapol #actpol#prayforSEQPT https://t.co/MHmdAQFnMd

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) April 9, 2017

[Stillwater]

Brizcommuter asks: "Are QR and TransLink living a parallel universe of delusion and spin?"

The answer, unfortunately, is: "Yes."

It has got to the stage where the problem is not so much a lack of drivers or insufficient rolling stock, with QR manufacturing their own parts for old train sets, it is in the corporate group think of those at the top in QR and TransLink.  There is no Plan B.

Mr Easy won't have an easy task ahead.

[ozbob]

I made the point in the interview on ABC Radio last Friday (below) that the convoluted spin etc. should cease.

Be honest and to the point. 

They are in a world of delusion.  I think a factor is the disconnect between actual TransLink staff and the public.  Contact with the public is out-sourced by script to what ever comms mob who is doing it this contract. 

Queensland Rail only is a Mon to Friday comms set up.

No wonder punters are fed up hey?

I have made a permanent recording of the relevant interviews yesterday with Steve Austin on ABC Radio Brisbane.

First myself on the School holiday/Easter Timetable and NGR, and then Matt Longland DDGTransLink on the timetable.

7th April 2017

MP3 file 25 MB > http://backontrack.org/docs/media/abcbris7apr17.mp3

[ozbob]

One of the comments in BrizCommuters post.

" I was shocked when I found this out today. The funny thing is the 500 bus leave 4 mins before the train is due so you have to wait another hour for a bus home. If the trains changes should the buses not change to meet the trains. Why does this not happen."

Breaking the bus/rail connections really does hurt folk.  It has been not been given enough consideration.  There are only two ways to mitigate it.  Increase train frequency or get back to clock face.

[Nickfein]

Only good thing about the Easter timetable is that the Doomben line gets an hourly service on Sundays which should be permanent.

[ozbob]

Only good thing about the Easter timetable is that the Doomben line gets an hourly service on Sundays which should be permanent.

+1   

But even this good news has not really been told well, buried in timetables.  It is a function of the tennis but shows what should be done for all the tennis events.

My son-in-law who is an occasional weekend rail user is off to the tennis today.  He was at Corinda and he rang me to ask if the train to Doomben was the one he should board to get to the tennis?  I assured him it was, it will go to Yerongpilly.

[BrizCommuter]

I'll be adding any more social media comments from today into the aforementioned blog post, so that there is a permanent record of the backlash.

Very concerned that this isn't the last time we'll see hourly weekend services.

[achiruel]

I'll be adding any more social media comments from today into the aforementioned blog post, so that there is a permanent record of the backlash.

Very concerned that this isn't the last time we'll see hourly weekend services.

I've no doubt of it. I think this is something that will be experienced quite a lot over the next 12 months or so. Incidentally, all the services I caught yesterday, with the exception of Yeerongpilly<->Corinda, were quite well patronised (I estimate 80-100 % of seated load, some standees but by choice not requirement).

[#Metro]

Just get a new operator. They can even use the QR brand so that nobody notices its under new management.

POLL: Should Queensland Rail be subject to Competitive Tendering? (April 2017)
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12721.0

PS: Has anyone manged to get on to the Gold Coast 1-station express / novelty services?

[ozbob]

 

[Mr X]

PS: Has anyone manged to get on to the Gold Coast 1-station express / novelty services?

Someone needs to go to Helensvale at 7.56 tonight to attempt to catch this service, and then complain when it doesn't show up 

Alas, I fear we have all been bamboozled.

[#Metro]

Once in a lifetime opportunity. Take a photo, it's newsworthy stuff.

[Stillwater]

Time for the faceless people at QR and TransLink to come out from behind the social media facade, put aside the glossy brochures and You Tube presentations and schedule a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss the services, line by line.  Hold meetings at Beenleigh, Ipswich, Sandgate, Caboolture, Nambour, Eagle Farm, Narangba, City, Ferny Grove, Nambour.  Face-to-face explanations and feedback from the community best way to repair the damage done to QR and TransLink.

[#Metro]

Time for the faceless people at QR and TransLink to come out from behind the social media facade, put aside the glossy brochures and You Tube presentations and schedule a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss the services, line by line.  Hold meetings at Beenleigh, Ipswich, Sandgate, Caboolture, Nambour, Eagle Farm, Narangba, City, Ferny Grove, Nambour.  Face-to-face explanations and feedback from the community best way to prepare the damage done to QR and TransLink.

But what will this achieve? QR already has massive public relations arm and live feedback over facebook. The problems are freely known.

We already had an inquiry and report and CRU monitoring units set up. Do you want a Royal Commission?

What will more hoping, wishing and waiting achieve? What will listening to more explanations etc do? Just rip up the contract.

Let someone else have a fair go at running the system.

Faces of QR Board http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Pages/Board.aspx

Faces of QR Executive Leadership Team http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/about%20us/Pages/ExecutiveLeadershipTeam.aspx