Level crossings and Grade separation - level crossing removal

[ozbob]

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[tomato]

Hi all,

Given the list of railway crossings & the wording ...."ballast trains will be travelling .....to a site at Blackstone."

One presumes ballast is coming ie being delivered to, a site @ Blackstone......for what ultimate purpose..?.. reballasting the Swanbank line..? , ballast being stockpiled to be convenient for some future mainline job... ?

[ozbob]

Wulkuraka ballast sidings etc. is now closed (works to commence for New Generation Rollingstock depot), so Box Flat (Blackstone) will be used for ballast storage etc. Ballast is used for maintenance new lines and so forth.

[ozbob]

First ballast train today on the recently activated branch at Bundamba - Box Flat



















Photographs mufreight 29th July 2013

[ozbob]

Now the crossings are open etc.  maybe some race day specials!  QPSR could run a shuttle ..   

[ozbob]

The one across the old highway at Bundamba (Brisbane Road) is the big one (in pics).   The bridge (in pics) had some work done on it too to allow trains.

So now in theory QPSR could run into Bundamba (I think they might have mainline accreditation) ...

[mufreight]

Now the crossings are open etc.  maybe some race day specials!  QPSR could run a shuttle ..   

Hi Bob
I'm confused, My boy and I did the QPSR steam train last year. Seemed to go over alot of LX and started from Racecourse, which LX are you refering to?

Brisbane Road, the main drag, the train in this morning to Swanbank stopped with the locos just over the crossing and picked up an authority to proceed to Box Flat and apparently a pilot.
There will be regular trains operating to and from Box Flat since Wulkaraka and Wacol are apparently no longer to be used for loading ballast or unloading spoil.

[SurfRail]

There's no regular coal traffic there anymore, is there?

[ozbob]

There's no regular coal traffic there anymore, is there?

Yes no more,  stopped a while ago as I understand it.

[mufreight]

There's no regular coal traffic there anymore, is there?

No coal traffic, regular or irregular.

[QRsignalman]

Now the crossings are open etc.  maybe some race day specials!  QPSR could run a shuttle ..   

Hi Bob
I'm confused, My boy and I did the QPSR steam train last year. Seemed to go over alot of LX and started from Racecourse, which LX are you refering to?

Brisbane Road, the main drag, the train in this morning to Swanbank stopped with the locos just over the crossing and picked up an authority to proceed to Box Flat and apparently a pilot.
There will be regular trains operating to and from Box Flat since Wulkaraka and Wacol are apparently no longer to be used for loading ballast or unloading spoil.

Wulkuraka is closed to make way for the new Suburban Train Depot.
Wacol is still open to unload "spoil".

[ozbob]

Had a look around Geebung rail this morning.  Steady progress with the grade separation.  What a mess the roads are ....  cannot come quick enough the separation, but spoke with some locals who are worried about increased traffic (induced) once complete ...   

[HappyTrainGuy]

If only there was some sort of high frequency bus services and new feeder routes for the area..... 

From my experience driving through that area there are stages where the traffic is just mad. Mostly its in the arvo from 2.30-5pm. You have all the industrial people that started work at 6am knocking off, school is now out so you have mums in big 4WDs, traffic is starting to bank up on Sandgate road, congestion forms as a result of 2 lanes 3 lanes 2 lanes 3 lanes on sandgate road, cars start rat running, level crossing activation times are increased with peak hour, The Gateway stops traffic on Sandgate road, people heading for the gateway block people that want to turn off Sandgate road, Telegraph Road starts banking up traffic back to bunnings/McDonalds, Carseldine starts banking up from Gympie Road and at the level crossing, the gateway backs up Sandgate road from the onramp...... the whole northside is just a royal mess due to poor PT planning and infrastructure. You'll also find that alot of the time its people coming from poor PT areas who don't live in Brisbane causing the issues. Gympie Road (Bald Hills) is just a complete bumper to bumper traffic jam in the arvo and North Lakes, Mango Hill, Redcliffe, Murrumba Downs are the ones creating issues on the highway/Gateway.

[ozbob]

Got a happy snap of a 325 326 ....  in traffic ..  later ...   

[HappyTrainGuy]

So I take it you missed the 327 then? 

[James]

So I take it you missed the 327 then? 

Bob opted to stay off the 327 due to overcrowding. I mean, I was very fortunate to get on this packed 327 pictured below.



HTG, that problem is inherent everywhere. Just go to Indooroopilly around AM peak especially, and its traffic chaos. The school flow combined with travel to the City turns the area into a nightmare.

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/9/30/switch-flicked-on-rail-crossing-technology

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson
Monday, September 30, 2013

Switch flicked on rail crossing technology

Innovative level crossing technology has been switched on at two North Queensland locations, as part of the Newman Government's efforts to improve road safety.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said new radio break-in technology would be switched on this week at Calcium and Broughton, between Townsville and Charters Towers, to provide added warnings to motorists at railway crossings.

"Over the next six months we'll be trialling a radio break-in system developed by La Trobe University, which alerts motorists if there is a train approaching the crossing," Mr Emerson said.

"The technology wirelessly detects the presence of motor vehicles in relation to trains and can broadcast a warning announcement through the vehicle's radio, as well as displaying a visual warning through a unit fitted above the dashboard.

"The devices were installed in 22 trains and 23 vehicles which regularly use railway crossings at Manton Quarry Road, Calcium and Gromac Quarry Access Road, Broughton.

"The trial will help determine its effectiveness and whether it can be rolled out to additional railway crossings in Queensland."

Mr Emerson said the technology was one of three being trialled as part of a $2 million investment to improve safety at railway crossings.

Two additional railway crossing safety trials would also start in the coming months to test two other innovative systems developed by NFA Innovations and Railnet Safety Systems.

"A different type of radio break-in technology and a solar-powered railway crossing warning system will be trialled at locations in south west Queensland," he said.

Last financial year there were 351 reported near misses on the Queensland Rail network, including 199 incidents in South East Queensland and 152 incidents in regional Queensland. This compares to 481 near misses the previous year.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

9th October 2013

Trucks out of control

Greetings,

Much concern with road trucks in the community.  Level crossing crashes, bridge strikes, speeding, unroad-worthiness ... it just goes on and on and gets worse and worse.

The other day my grand daughter and myself were nearly wiped out by a speeding B-double that the driver thinks red lights and speed limits are for other road users to obey!

Just imagine the chaos and trauma if B triples are unleashed on Brisbane's roads ...

We need to stop pussy-footing around.  Put the cowboys off the roads for life.  Get bulk freight back on rail.  Increase sanctions for idiotic breaches of basic safety and commonsense.

We are heading for a transport disaster unless dramatic steps are taken.

Where is the real leadership in Queensland?

Best wishes
Robert

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


1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4141.0

[ozbob]

Twitter

Shelley Lloyd ‏@shelleylloydabc

A truck & a goods train have collided on the Cunningham H'way on the southern Darling Downs. @abcnews at 5:30 @abcsouthqld @612brisbane

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

ARHS have a tour to Thallon this week ...

[somebody]

What's with leaving the Todds Rd level crossing open with the Francis Rd overpass being opened?

[HappyTrainGuy]

There's no point in closing the Todds road level crossing yet.

[somebody]

There's no point in closing the Todds road level crossing yet.

If it's closed, no one can run into the boom gate.  Or be hit by a train.  I'm sure it would have been closed in Sydney.

And what do you mean "yet"?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Generally that's not much of a reason to remove close a level crossing altogether because someone might hit the boomgate with a vehicle or be hit by a train. You can be hit and dragged along by a train on the platform or land a car on the tracks at Nundah if you are stupid enough (christ I even remember someone getting a boat stuck on the railway tracks at one point). By that reasoning you might aswell shut down all the boomgates across the state and replace them with bridges. There is always risk but Todds road doesn't have a huge amount of traffic congestion and boomgate strikes that you see at places like Telegraph Road or Robinson/Newman roads (Alot of the boomgate strikes on Bilsen road happen in that timeframe where the whole industrial area finishes at the same time in the same period that school finishes - Not a single bus route runs through that area remember). The new overpass they built on Francis Road was to reduce congestion and bottlenecks on Samsonvale Road, Gympie Road, Kensington Way, Sparkles Road and Youngs Crossing/Old North Road because of how all the local roads always funneled into key roads with horrible restrictions such as single lanes and multiple thru/turn only lanes.

[Gazza]

No, I agree with Simon. Sorry HTG.

The whole point of grade seps is that they have a benefit in terms of traffic flow and safety. Why build them otherwhise?

If tens of millions are spent on a new overpass then the adjacent open crossing should be closed, with traffic encouraged onto the new bridge/overpass instead.

[SurfRail]

*cough*beaudesertroadsalisbury*cough*

[somebody]

The only reason not to grade sep every level x is bucks.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2

[HappyTrainGuy]

No, I agree with Simon. Sorry HTG.

The whole point of grade seps is that they have a benefit in terms of traffic flow and safety. Why build them otherwhise?

If tens of millions are spent on a new overpass then the adjacent open crossing should be closed, with traffic encouraged onto the new bridge/overpass instead.

The only reason the Francis Road overpass was fast tracked was to reduce congestion created by the flawed design of Samsonvale Road and the local area. It had to cope with local traffic, traffic to the north and south and traffic heading west on what was pretty much a 1 lane road in each direction. There's nothing wrong with the crossing. Heavy vehicles don't use it because of weight restrictions in the area. It's a key link for local bus routes and school services. It links the area directly onto Gympie Road. And its hardly the most dangerous level crossing around. Until such a time where there is a quad or a serious increase in rail traffic then it should remain open.

The only reason not to grade sep every level x is bucks.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2

Usually because its plain stupid to spend that amount of bucks on a bridge that has low traffic flow.

[somebody]

Htg, and with todds rd the money has been spent, we,re just not getting the benefit.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 10th October 2013 page 9

Close call with B-double

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Telegraph Road overpass to be completed next year

[ozbob]

ABC News --> QR reveals Inglewood truck-train crash findings

[mufreight]

ABC News --> QR reveals Inglewood truck-train crash findings

The truck driver was not charged, raises the question is why not?

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Motorists take heed around level crossings

Motorists and pedestrians are heeding warnings and increased penalties on the state's 1300 train level crossings according to the annual findings of Queensland's Rail Safety Regulator.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the figures showed that the Newman Government's election promises of better planning and better infrastructure were delivering improvements, including reductions in near misses and boomgate strikes involving drivers and pedestrians.

"In the past year we've had a particular focus on level crossing safety with education, technology trials and new flyovers at Bracken Ridge and Geebung," Mr Emerson said.

"Unlike Labor we've taken a tough approach to level crossing safety, doubling the fines for damage to rail infrastructure and increasing our efforts to recover costs from motorists who cause the damage.

"At crossings with boom gates there were 175 strikes, below the four-year average of 212. We are seeing positive results with the number of near misses involving motor vehicles down by 7.1 per cent on the four-year average, and pedestrians down by 37.3 per cent.

The Rail Regulation Unit conducted 121 compliance inspections during the year across the 57 accredited Queensland rail operators.

"We'll also be making all operators aware of the need to continue to focus their efforts on reducing signals passed at danger with 97 recorded – up from the four-year average of 88.

"I'm pleased the industry is taking a proactive approach to rail safety with an increase in the reporting of minor incidents resulting in a 57 per cent reduction in major incidents."

Key results from the 2012-13 were:

-          One fatality, down from the four-year average of five

-          93 Category A (major) incidents, down from the four-year average of 136

-          26 running line derailments, down from the four-year average of 38

-          97 train crew error SPADs, above the four year average of 88

-          353 near misses with vehicles, down from the four year average of 379

-          126 near misses with people, down from the four year average of 201

The full report is available at www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Rail-safety/Safety-reports.aspx

[ozbob]

http://www.scottemerson.com.au/media/media-releases/432-level-crossing-break-in-trial-for-south-west.html

Level crossing break-in trial for south west

    Created: 19 December 2013

A trial of new safety technology is now underway in south west Queensland, as part of the Newman Government's efforts to improve safety at railway crossings.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the radio break-in technology had been installed at Malu (between Oakey and Dalby) to provide added warnings to motorists.

"The Pixie radio break-in system, developed by NFA Innovations, has been switched on and will alert motorists if there is a train approaching the railway crossing," Mr Emerson said.

"The trial started earlier this week with devices installed in 28 trains and 25 vehicles which regularly use the railway crossing at Malu Quarry Rd.

"During the trial, we will monitor the behaviour of these motorists and collect data to allow us to compare driver behaviour before and after the technology."

This is one of three different technologies being trialled across Queensland as part of a $2 million commitment to improve safety at railway crossings.

The trial period will help determine the effectiveness of the Pixie system and whether it could be rolled out to additional railway crossings in Queensland.

Mr Emerson said a different type of radio break-in technology, developed by La Trobe University, was also being trialled in North Queensland.

"Early next year, we will trial a solar-powered crossing warning system, also in the south west, which is being developed by Railnet Safety Systems," he said.

"The system is an alternate type of flashing lights and will be trialled at Maag St, Toowoomba and Lane Rd, Lanefield.

"As always, motorists and pedestrians need to do their part and obey the signs and signals at all railway crossings."

In the last financial year, there were 65 near misses at railway crossings in the south west. During the same period, near misses on the Queensland Rail network decreased from 489 to 351 or by nearly 30 percent.

[ozbob]

http://mypolice.qld.gov.au/blog/2014/01/18/serious-crash-north-toowoomba/

Serious crash, North Toowoomba
January 18, 2014 at 4:49 am

Police are investigating an incident where a car collided with a train about 10.30pm last night in North Toowoomba.

Initial investigations indicate that a car was being driven along Jellicoe Street as an unloaded coal train was travelling towards the Willowburn Station.

The car passed the warning lights and crashed through the boom gate at the level crossing and has then struck a container carriage of the train.

The car contained two female occupants. One young woman sustained serious injuries and a 32-year-old local woman sustained critical injuries. Both were transported to Toowoomba Base Hospital.

Investigations are continuing.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

20th January 2014

Queensland:  Bridge strikes, level crossing incidents continue unabated - action demanded today.

Greetings,

On one of the most important days for rail and public transport in SEQ ever, two boom gate strikes have already caused delays, not only for the public transport network but also the road network. Serious incident in Toowoomba Friday night.  It is time that serious sanctions were imposed on these clowns.  Life time suspensions make actually endear the behaviour change that is lacking with selfish motorists in Queensland.

What's new?

Best wishes
Robert

Contact:

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

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

Media Release 29 May 2009 re-released 20 January 2014

Queensland:  Bridge strikes, level crossing incidents continue unabated - action demanded today.

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for immediate action to stop road users causing chaos with the rail network, and for the Government to get serious about bridge strikes.

Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Yesterday on the QR Citytrain network more chaos from bridge strikes and motorists disregarding road rules and smashing into boom gates.  It is time that something was done!  Enough is enough."

"Heavy vehicles, buses and trucks must stop at all unprotected level crossings immediately and only proceed if safe to do so."

"We call on the Queensland Government to take decisive actions today before there is another disaster."

Contact:

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

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times 27th January 2014 page 3

In brief ..

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 30th January 2014 page 9

Road users called on to improve their behaviour

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Drivers responsible for damaging Queensland rail bridges and boom gates pay $213,00 in seven months

DRIVERS who plough into rail bridges and boom gates causing widespread disruption are shelling out more than $30,000 a month for their poor judgement.

New figures show the State Government has clawed back $213,740 from drivers responsible for damaging rail infrastructure in the last seven months.

The sum works out to an average of about $5,000 per incident since last July. Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the amount recovered was in addition to $330,000 paid back in 2012-13.

"There have been three bridge strikes in the past week which includes an incident at Nambour last Friday which was not only dangerous but (it) also severely disrupted rail services costing thousands of dollars to repair and to provide alternative transport for commuters," Mr Emerson said ...

More --> Couriermail

[ghostryder]

A worrying trend i have seen which seems to be increasing is the number of motorist that will actually pull up in the middle of the level crossing with their car sitting over the track pause for a few moments look both ways then drive off. One location i have seen this done at has warning lights bells and booms. I don't mean to start a state war but most of the offending drivers have Queensland Rego Plates on them.

Scott