Queensland Rail - Commonwealth Games timetable

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th April 2018

SEQ PT is now a dysfunctional disconnected mess

Greetings,

The Commonwealth Games are underway.  Well done on the opening.  Plenty of service on the Gold Coast line.  As we anticipated however, the service reductions and bungled connections on the rest of the rail network as a consequence of rail fail and years of incompetent bungling of the rail system have lead to much overcrowding on the limited peak services that remain on most of the network.

On the Ipswich line passengers were standing on the connections between carriages.  Passengers were left behind on departing Kippa-Ring services.  Many services overloaded. ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12829.msg206955#msg206955 ). Many passengers will give up and turn to the roads no doubt.

Queensland Rail need to urgently review the congestion problems and hopefully put on some extra services where needed.

It is very disappointing that the day to day travelling public of SEQ is sacrificed on the altar of incompetence and mismanagement.

It was always our concern that the wider SEQ public transport network would be a dysfunctional disconnected mess for the Commonwealth Games.  Achieved TransLink and Queensland Rail, take a bow.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981566718857289729

[ozbob]

Folks still struggling to get home!   

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

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/176466  2.04am

Additional bus services from Roma Street station

Additional bus services have been added for customers travelling home from this evenings Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. These services will depart from Roma Street station platform 10. Customers are advised to seek assistance from Queensland Rail staff for travel assistance.

[achiruel]

How, exactly, does a bus depart a railway platform

[ozbob]

How, exactly, does a bus depart a railway platform

They mean out the back of platform 10.

[BrizCommuter]

It seems that due to shuttle bus delays to Nerang, meant that some passengers ended up in Brisbane after last connecting trains. Buses were added from Roma St, but TransLink were oblivious to these additional services.

Also, Gold Coast trains unusually using platform 3 at Roma Street. QR telling Ferny Grove passengers to change at Roma St to get to South Bank is not the best advice (Central would be more convenient).

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TristanVorias7/status/981641818533126144

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

I think they have the balance wrong.  Too much capacity for the Gold Coast line, not enough left on the rest of the SEQ rail network sadly ...

[brissypete]

Some observations from Fairfield which is on the closed Beenleigh line.
QR staffer on duty at station standing on inbound platform.
Signage in place along walking route to bus stop
Caught the 104 instead of R610 because it came first.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/981664410342010881

[HappyTrainGuy]

It seems that due to shuttle bus delays to Nerang, meant that some passengers ended up in Brisbane after last connecting trains. Buses were added from Roma St, but TransLink were oblivious to these additional services.

Also, Gold Coast trains unusually using platform 3 at Roma Street. QR telling Ferny Grove passengers to change at Roma St to get to South Bank is not the best advice (Central would be more convenient).

Platform 3 has raised sections in the middle. Also easier to mention it as a dedicated platform for gold coast games services. Drivers on Cleveland, Beenleigh, Park Road and Gold Coast services were using it in the lead up for practice.

[BrizCommuter]

It seems that due to shuttle bus delays to Nerang, meant that some passengers ended up in Brisbane after last connecting trains. Buses were added from Roma St, but TransLink were oblivious to these additional services.

Also, Gold Coast trains unusually using platform 3 at Roma Street. QR telling Ferny Grove passengers to change at Roma St to get to South Bank is not the best advice (Central would be more convenient).

Platform 3 has raised sections in the middle. Also easier to mention it as a dedicated platform for gold coast games services. Drivers on Cleveland, Beenleigh, Park Road and Gold Coast services were using it in the lead up for practice.

No issues with the use of platform 3 other than QR should not be advising passengers from the North to change at Roma Street due to no cross/same platform interchange. If I had changed as advised at Roma St this morning (I changed at Bowen Hills) I would have missed the following service to South Bank.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Commuters packed into trains on Ipswich line: Reports

IPSWICH commuters were reportedly packed into overloaded trains during peak hour yesterday.

Transport advocate Robert Dow from Rail Back On Track said his organisation received reports of people standing on the connection platforms between carriages due to lack of space.

Meanwhile, those travelling on the Gold Coast lines appeared to have plenty of space with spare seats spotted in carriages.

There have been major changes to services on the Ipswich line with trains redirected to the Gold Coast to cater for the Commonwealth Games, which officially opened last night.

Mr Dow congratulated Queensland Rail for adequately servicing the Gold Coast area but said due to the lack of effective planning, those using the rest of the network appeared to already be suffering.

"Well done on the Gold Coast line," Mr Dow said.

"But we always knew there would be impact on the rest of the network with trains overloaded and passengers being left behind."

He said passengers were left behind on the Kippa-Ring services and many trains were reportedly overloaded.

"When these sorts of things happen, people will change their travel plans and try and work around the timetable we have for the next three weeks," Mr Dow said.

"Some will plan to leave early while others will abandon public transport all together."

The service disruptions on the Ipswich lines, will be in place until Friday, April 20.

While there have been reductions, trains are scheduled to arrive and depart from Ipswich Station every 30 minutes during peak hour.

In the evening, trains will arrive at Ipswich Station about every 15 mins.

[Arnz]

At least one of the older 200 series SMUs has made it onto the Ipswich-Nambour rotations today and is running at least 5 minutes late northbound (which just eats into the turnback time at Nambour due to the slower top speed). 

Also sighted are the usual IMU160/SMU260 6-car hybrids and 6-car SMU260 toiletless configs (which has appeared since the start of the Comm Games timetable) north of Caboolture.  Have noted there has been toilet breaks at Caboolture for the runs rostered with the 6-car SMU260s.

[ozbob]

I picked up my daughter at Darra earlier.  She caught the 12.28pm out of Central.  This train commences at Nambour at 10.38am.

What was interesting was that it was 6 car EMU.  EMU 51 trailing unit, missed the first one. It was 6 minutes late at Darra. 

Quite possible that this was an example of EMUs now on Sunshine Coast? 

[HappyTrainGuy]

I picked up my daughter at Darra earlier.  She caught the 12.28pm out of Central.  This train commences at Nambour at 10.38am.

What was interesting was that it was 6 car EMU.  EMU 51 trailing unit, missed the first one. It was 6 minutes late at Darra. 

Quite possible that this was an example of EMUs now on Sunshine Coast?

More than likely the Ex-Nambour was terminated at Roma Street with a new service running behind from Bowen Hills. The norm if there is an issue with the set or a scheduled swap for mtce.

[ozbob]

^ Thanks HTG.  Thought that might have been the case but worth noting.

[tazzer9]

Thought it was strange using platform 3 as a through platform.  All the gold coast trains have had a good cleaning though.  All 3 I used today were so clean, the man in front of me thought that IMU101 was one of the new trains.  G:link trams also have been cleaned and have a sweep through at helensvale before anyone is allowed on. 

Also 2411+2473 are stabled at beenleigh, presumably so if something hits the fan they can move it. 

[brissypete]

The signage at Rail Bus stops has been improved during today, now with temporary orange flags denoting Beenleigh line rail replacement bus stop and orange timetable cases attached with full rail bus and regular bus times.

Also noticed Fairfield Station still staffed at 5:30 and additional A frame signage at base of stairs on P1. Rail buses also appear on bus way departure boards and on apps.

I'll admit I was a bit cynical how it would be handled so far it seems to be well done.

Hopefully QR can adopt the same practices for signage and timetabling during future trackwork.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozyguy87/status/981805689155629056

I suggested to the CEO QR a couple of weeks ago that I thought the Caboolture line would be a problem with pax congestion during the Games timetables ..

[ozbob]

The signage at Rail Bus stops has been improved during today, now with temporary orange flags denoting Beenleigh line rail replacement bus stop and orange timetable cases attached with full rail bus and regular bus times.

Also noticed Fairfield Station still staffed at 5:30 and additional A frame signage at base of stairs on P1. Rail buses also appear on bus way departure boards and on apps.

I'll admit I was a bit cynical how it would be handled so far it seems to be well done.

Hopefully QR can adopt the same practices for signage and timetabling during future trackwork.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

Thanks for those updates.  Good to see better outcomes.   

[Otto]

I picked up my daughter at Darra earlier.  She caught the 12.28pm out of Central.  This train commences at Nambour at 10.38am.

What was interesting was that it was 6 car EMU.  EMU 51 trailing unit, missed the first one. It was 6 minutes late at Darra. 

Quite possible that this was an example of EMUs now on Sunshine Coast?

The 10:03pm service from Roma St (ex Ippy) to Nambour was a 6 car EMU ( only first 3 cars open )

[ozbob]

Thanks Otto.  Confirmed.  I think it might have been the same set I saw earlier?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

6th April 2018

Not enough trains - work at home?

Good Morning,

We understand the Government has asked public servants to  ' work at home ' where possible to help reduced crowding on the limited service trains that remain on the rest of the rail network?  Can this be confirmed please? This will have local economic effects on CBD  retailers particularly too.  Rail fail disease is spreading.

One thing is clear.  We expect some decisive action once the Commonwealth Games comes to to a close.  Everyone is tired of the constant apologies and ongoing failure. This rail fail shambles must be sorted promptly from here.  The entire public transport network for SEQ is in need of urgent reform, as well how public transport is administered, managed and operated in Queensland, SEQ particularly.

Hang in there SEQ!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Sent to all outlets:

5th April 2018

SEQ PT is now a dysfunctional disconnected mess

Greetings,

The Commonwealth Games are underway.  Well done on the opening.  Plenty of service on the Gold Coast line.  As we anticipated however, the service reductions and bungled connections on the rest of the rail network as a consequence of rail fail and years of incompetent bungling of the rail system have lead to much overcrowding on the limited peak services that remain on most of the network.

On the Ipswich line passengers were standing on the connections between carriages.  Passengers were left behind on departing Kippa-Ring services.  Many services overloaded. ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12829.msg206955#msg206955 ). Many passengers will give up and turn to the roads no doubt.

Queensland Rail need to urgently review the congestion problems and hopefully put on some extra services where needed.

It is very disappointing that the day to day travelling public of SEQ is sacrificed on the altar of incompetence and mismanagement.

It was always our concern that the wider SEQ public transport network would be a dysfunctional disconnected mess for the Commonwealth Games.  Achieved TransLink and Queensland Rail, take a bow.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981930192779198465

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981937520425418754

[ozbob]

A Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th April 2018 page 13

Public transport sacrificed for Games

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/981986950830743552

[SurfRail]

On the 6:28 ex Robina to Doomben now.  Just crossing the Coomera River and the thing is virtually empty.

They have seriously overprovisioned.

[BrizCommuter]

7:00am from Bowen Hills to Gold Coast running 6 mins late - delayed by preceding late running ex Ferny Grove service (SMU 222/234) which seemed to trundle slowly along the FG Line. Not sure why the trains could not run out of scheduled order.

[ozbob]

On the 6:28 ex Robina to Doomben now.  Just crossing the Coomera River and the thing is virtually empty.

They have seriously overprovisioned.

Yo.  Yet to see a happy snap of a Gold Coaster more than roughly half pax loaded.  I think the balance is a bit skewed too.

[BrizCommuter]

I think the GC service provision is sensible. So many fluctuations it is difficult to predict the demand. The above mentioned service was pretty busy, though mainly as it ended up running later than the following service.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/982007073490653184

[BrizCommuter]

Apparently previously mentioned 6:32am ex-Ferny Grove service overshot the platform at Oxford Park, causing the delay to that service and knock on delays to following am peak services.

[BrizCommuter]

Have been checking the real time info a few times this evening and the Northbound (Gold Coast to Brisbane) services have generally been running within 2 mins of schedule.

[SurfRail]

Wouldn't it be ironic if the trains are the only things not to experience major disruption?

The event shuttles appear to be completely incompetently managed and run.  The only thing I'm prepared to forgive is the Broadbeach South situation on Wednesday afternoon, everything else has been very poor.

I haven't had any reports of anything to indicate Surfside's normal route network is particularly stretched.

Trams are doing very heavy hauling and with a little timetable degradation due to loading.  Clearly evidence more trams should be purchased in the next few years so more services can be added.

[tazzer9]

Why would a platform overshoot cause serious delays?  Is it treated like a SPAD?   I know they have to report it, and its a big inconvenience depending on how big the overshoot it, going from the front door to the driver forgetting to stop.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/982360213486366720

[BrizCommuter]

Why would a platform overshoot cause serious delays?  Is it treated like a SPAD?   I know they have to report it, and its a big inconvenience depending on how big the overshoot it, going from the front door to the driver forgetting to stop.

I would assume that the driver has to get permission to reverse back into the platform, and that the control centre needs to be informed before any progress can be made. The train was 3-4 mins late into Enoggera, and was around 6 minutes late leaving Bowen Hills due to painfully defensive driving. I would assume that the delayed trains route was set in advance through the junction with the Mayne exit, and that signallers didn't intervene in time. This then delayed the Gold Coast service (which was coming out of Mayne) which could have been run out of order if signallers had been paying attention. The Gold Coast service was thus approx. 7 mins late after Roma Street, which would have delayed the following Cleveland train, and following Gold Coast train (at least 5 mins), and quite likely other following services for some time.

[red dragin]

It won't be as simple as throwing it in reverse.

Permission as BrizCommuter said, would be required as the guard would have to relocate to the rear of the train to be the spotter.

Imagine the gridlock if cars where imposed the same level of safety that the railways are.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/982159881389072384

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/982440416602542081

[ozbob]

Wouldn't it be ironic if the trains are the only things not to experience major disruption?

The event shuttles appear to be completely incompetently managed and run.  The only thing I'm prepared to forgive is the Broadbeach South situation on Wednesday afternoon, everything else has been very poor.

I haven't had any reports of anything to indicate Surfside's normal route network is particularly stretched.

Trams are doing very heavy hauling and with a little timetable degradation due to loading.  Clearly evidence more trams should be purchased in the next few years so more services can be added.

Peter Beattie said in a tweet that the trams are carrying a lot more pax than what was modelled ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7057.msg207115#msg207115 ).  I think the modelling has been way off for most things - TransLink / DTMR involved of course.

Heavy rail is going well too so far.  Everything has been thrown at it of course.  Be interesting to know how many times Bombardier Techs have done their thing.