Planned closures - discussion

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1100475966386667520

[ozbob]

Facebook ..

[ozbob]

R592, R593, R594, R595, R596, R597, R598, R599, Ipswich-Rosewood-Springfield lines rail replacement bus-2 to 3 Mar 2019  PDF

>> https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/timetables/190302-R592,R593,R594,R595,R596,R597,R598,R599,ipw-rwd,sprfld.pdf

[ozbob]

I will aim for the 9.45am bus from Goodna, thence the 10.35am from Ipswich to Rosewood today.

[ozbob]

Decided to earlier. Now onboard R593 running 6 minutes early.
Frequency is better than rail.
😶

[ozbob]

Decided to earlier. Now onboard R593 running 6 minutes early.
Frequency is better than rail.
😶

Correction it is actually running 12 minutes late. No matter, frequency tends to smooth things out. Driver has radioed bus control at Ippy alerting them one pax onboard for Rosewood. 😎

[ozbob]

It's cool sitting up the front listening to the comms. They are really doing their best to look after pax.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101619214484303874

[InclusionMoves]

Just so everyone knows I am not ignoring this conversation have been following along. It is important and many valid opinions have been expressed. Just I am in the middle of 'a process' with this so doesn't make sense to make comment publicly,

Geoff

Bbl has low floor because they are for school services which don't run weekends. Thompson, kbl, cbl and others use the high floor buses because it comes from a different pool of rollingstock while their low floor buses provide the local translink routes.

Those are operators that have high floor buses because they use highways frequently.

Hence we shouldn't be paying them to use inappropriate vehicles for the work required.  TransLink needs to stop paying tour and charter operators to run coaches from the 90s and 00s while there are enough DDA compliant buses (which they have mostly paid for) to fully cover the work sitting in operator's depots on weekends.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101627744067117057

[ozbob]

Talking to a driver he says they have 4 of the deckers, used for charters and school runs in the main.
🕵

[InclusionMoves]

https://twitter.com/InclusionMoves/status/1101629805475188736

Just so everyone knows I am not ignoring this conversation have been following along. It is important and many valid opinions have been expressed. Just I am in the middle of 'a process' with this so doesn't make sense to make comment publicly,

Geoff

Bbl has low floor because they are for school services which don't run weekends. Thompson, kbl, cbl and others use the high floor buses because it comes from a different pool of rollingstock while their low floor buses provide the local translink routes.

Those are operators that have high floor buses because they use highways frequently.

Hence we shouldn't be paying them to use inappropriate vehicles for the work required.  TransLink needs to stop paying tour and charter operators to run coaches from the 90s and 00s while there are enough DDA compliant buses (which they have mostly paid for) to fully cover the work sitting in operator's depots on weekends.

[ozbob]

 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101632314549796864

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101665034982195201

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101675436998680576

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1101674902824706048

[ozbob]

This is a huge improvement on previous non-timetabled closures.
Signage, frequency and having a timetable is so useful. Bumped into a TransLink staff member at Rosewood, and thanked them for the work that has been done.

[achiruel]

No timetable for next weekend's Park Rd to Varsity Lakes though apparently. TL seem to have put the Beenleigh/Gold Coast lines in the 'too hard basket'.

[Cazza]

It says this weekend is another trial so they would hopefully collect and combine feedback received from customers, customer assistants and bus operators over the past few trials to improve for if (and hopefully when) this is common practice.

[achiruel]

I don't understand why the need for so many ongoing trials. It's clearly a good idea, just damn well do it already! 

[Cazza]

Honestly I have no clue. It's done very well in Sydney and Melbourne (I'd assume Perth and Adelaide too but I haven't really looked into it). Just look at how they do it and adapt changes where needed.

[ozbob]

Patience ..

The plan is that all rail replacement buses for planned track closures will be timetabled. 

It is a big task to crank up. We just have to give them some time to do it team.

This weekends western has been very good. OK, we can worry about the lack of low floor buses ( but that is a bigger issue related to how public transport is administered in this waste land .. ) and the non strict adherent to timetable.  But I will say this, mostly it was very close.

Leaving Ippy I chose the bus that went express to Riverview, then Redbank ( where I had a luncheon commitment ). No hassle.

For the record, my travels today were in a touched on state.  The price of infamy has its costs ... 

[ozbob]

^
Seniors go card

02 Mar 2019

08:49 AM   Goodna   10:18 AM   Rosewood   $ 2.46   
   
11:59 AM   Rosewood   01:14 PM   Redbank   $ 1.61   

[techblitz]

some feedback for the w/e track closures....for some it was 120 mins extra instead of translinks stated 'up to 60 mins' extra.

https://www.facebook.com/QueenslandRail/posts/2436305099721169

Also be aware it will take you approximately 3 hours to get there now too!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3113582408667803

Disorganization with Beenleigh gold coast line closure is terrible and yet still charging everyone full price. Poor people going to Beenleigh were told to get on buss going to robina and varsity lakes so had to get turn around and go back to coomera. Noone stated the line closures were in place when stopped at each station, which should have happened to give ppl heads up esp those from airport with luggahe. Lugging luggage up bus steps and down narrow aisle and leaving prams in aisles are whs issues I think at least some reimbursement for the inconvience and delays are in order esp with what we are charged for the trip. Disgraceful

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3112941438731900

Good morning Translink! Train services from Ormeau usually commence at 0604 on a weekend. I was there at 0600 ready to catch a rail bus as there are trackworks on the Gold Coast line today. The first bus arrived at 0640 and I am now still on a rail bus and have not even reached Park Road yet.

Your signage states that travelers should allow an extra hour for journeys during track works. It is now 0850 and I am almost three hours into a journey that normally takes 50 minutes.

[ozbob]

The sooner all closures are timetabled for rail replacement buses the better.  They have gotten away with an utter shambles for too long now.

Slowly ...

[HappyTrainGuy]

Why forward the details to QR. They don't look after the replacement buses anymore...

[techblitz]

QR could probably ease a bit of the online criticism by simply foregoing the facebook  trackwork updates/notices......given translink is responsible for co-ordinating the majority of efforts..

But as long as they choose to....no doubt out of courtesy...then the QR social media team should be prepared to cop the odd bit of flack...translink cop the most of it.

And no matter how much you educate people.....you are never going to get rid of the ones that vent their frustration solely @ QR for shutting bits of the network down in the first place.

QR will also cop some if someone is unhappy with the 12 month in advance calendar...of which translink also cops some.
Unfortunately both social media pages cop bits of flack here and there that they aren't at all responsible for....

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> TransLink to launch trial during track closure across the coast

Residents using public transport will face some difficulties when tracks close on the Caboolture, Redcliffe Peninsula, Shorncliffe and Sunshine Coast lines next week.

But a trial system could relieve some of the stress.

TransLink and Queensland Rail will soon trial improvements to rail replacement bus services during the April 6-7 track closure.

The trial system has now been used in almost a dozen track closures and introduces benefits such as published timetables, online journey planning and higher all-day frequency of buses.

New passenger information has been created to keep customers informed about the trial, including bus stop timetables and wayfinding maps for affected train stations.

Head of TransLink Matt Longland said travelling during a track closure had never been so easy.

"It's as simple as planning from A to B and showing up for your bus," Mr Longland said.

"While the system is still in its trial phase, we're already seeing improvements to customers' experiences.

"We look forward to hearing feedback about the latest trial."

During track closures, the use of rail replacement buses allows Queensland Rail to undertake vital maintenance and improvement works while minimising disruption to customers.

Improvements made during this closure will include reconditioning between Northgate and Virginia, ballast replacement between Sunshine and Geebung, station upgrade work at Boondall, Strathpine and Morayfield and general track maintenance across the corridor.

[Cazza]

^It's next weekend (6th/7th April)

[ozbob]

oops ... 

[achiruel]

Regarding next weekend's track closure, there doesn't seem to be any work planned south of Northgate, so why can't trains terminate there instead of Bowen Hills? And it seems the Doomben & Airport lines are running so BH-EJ at least must be clear.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1114250590672941056

[Paul B]

wonder why they forgot to add Nundah to the rail replacement (live) timetable?

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1119032041863913472

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1120586378079694849

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Rail replacement buses to stop closer to stations during Ferny Grove line closure

People using rail replacement buses along the Ferny Grove line this weekend will have to walk less than during previous track closures.

From first service this Saturday until last service on Sunday, the R395 bus route will stop all stations from Ferny Grove to Central, except at Bowen Hills.

Head of TransLink Matthew Longland said refinements had been made so that passengers would have less of a walk to catch the replacement buses.

"When we first trialled rail replacement buses on this train line back in October, commuters had to walk a longer distance than usual at Grovely Station but this will no longer be the case because they will be dropped off outside the station," Mr Longland said.

"There are also major improvements for passengers at Windsor and Enoggera who will be dropped closer to their stations to make it an easier walk to tap on their go card."

Access to the train stations will also make it easier to touch on/off as well.

TransLink has been trialling timetabled rail replacement buses for a number of lines across the South East Queensland network.

There will be a dedicated route number, online timetables and improved passenger information, providing customers an experience similar to catching a standard bus route.

"We've been pleased with the performance of previous trials and have received positive feedback about the availability of timetables," Mr Longland said.

Passenger information will be installed at stations and bus stops while new maps and timetables have been produced to keep customers informed.

[SurfRail]

Ridiculous.  The stops should be those which support a more direct route and where people are ultimately going to or coming from, not the station entrance.

[achiruel]

Also, if TransLink seriously expect people to use go cards on rail replacement buses, they should have buses with readers on board! Not expect people to walk to/from a station for the purpose of tapping on/off.

[achiruel]

After travelling to Sydney this weekend and experiencing another city's rail replacement first-hand, I'd like to make the following observations:

• bus replacement in Sydney is free
• all replacement buses in Sydney are timetabled
• the timetable for the Airport bus was next to useless because in addition to the track closure there was heaps of roadworks with lane closures in the CBD. Apparently Sydney Trains doesn't communicate with the roads people, because it really wasn't a good time for track closure!

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1127648002527694848