Random observations around the network ...

[Mozz]

Good one Bob - I was riding along the Jack Pesch cycle bridge at indooroopilly and saw that train myself and thought "damn that's the first time I have seen Translink as a desto"

[Fares_Fair]

Good one Bob - I was riding along the Jack Pesch cycle bridge at indooroopilly and saw that train myself and thought "damn that's the first time I have seen Translink as a desto"

Question, was it going backwards?

[ozbob]

Good one Bob - I was riding along the Jack Pesch cycle bridge at indooroopilly and saw that train myself and thought "damn that's the first time I have seen Translink as a desto"

Question, was it going backwards?

The TransLink desto was on all units, front and rear. 

[Derwan]

The TransLink operator was intrigued on how I had incurred a double whammy fixed fare with just one touch, very quirky for Go card.

As you arrived on platform 2, you need to use the readers on that platform - as it's outside the Go gates, which are directional.

I assume you went downstairs and touched "off" at the gates - heading towards the parklands?  This registers as a touch ON as the gates are directional.  As you were mid-journey, it charged you the fixed fare and registered a touch on.

As you didn't touch off at the other end (which would've cancelled the touch on), you would have been charged another fixed fare.

EDIT: Ooops. Haven't been to this thread for a while.  Already answered on the previous page!   

[Fares_Fair]

The TransLink operator was intrigued on how I had incurred a double whammy fixed fare with just one touch, very quirky for Go card.

As you arrived on platform 2, you need to use the readers on that platform - as it's outside the Go gates, which are directional.

I assume you went downstairs and touched "off" at the gates - heading towards the parklands?  This registers as a touch ON as the gates are directional.  As you were mid-journey, it charged you the fixed fare and registered a touch on.

As you didn't touch off at the other end (which would've cancelled the touch on), you would have been charged another fixed fare.

EDIT: Ooops. Haven't been to this thread for a while.  Already answered on the previous page!   

No problem, thanks Derwan.
That is exactly what I did.

[Stillwater]

The interesting thing about the crossover and passing of the northbound Rockhampton Tilt Train and the southbound Cairns Tilt Train at Pomona around 1.10pm today was the fact that these fast trains had to crawl along in order to pass each other.  How easier would it would be had there been an extended passing loop in the vicinity of Cooroy-Cooran to allow trains running in opposite directions to pass at speed, something Mufreight has been banging on about for some time.

[Arnz]

EMU7 subbing in for the ICE on the Nambour-Caboolture counterpeak shuttle reportedly had to do a few 'resets' midjourney at Beerwah (Putting pantograph down and then back up again)

[ozbob]

EMU7 subbing in for the ICE on the Nambour-Caboolture counterpeak shuttle reportedly had to do a few 'resets' midjourney at Beerwah (Putting pantograph down and then back up again)

  aircon 10+  loos  - infinity  ha!

[Arnz]

Fortunately they get a long toilet break at Caboolture (It's only a shuttle, but EMU7 was already running late.) The continual crosses with the peak trains didn't help the EMU either.

[ozbob]

Luck favours the brave ... oft quote somewhere ...

Hey, when I arrived at Roma St earlier today, platform 9 ex down Ippy flyer, I looked towards the tunnels.  I could hear a 'roar' ...  a loco working very very hard.  Guess what?

1761 appeared lifting the entire Sunlander ( I think, could have been SOTO)  train. It was absolutely fascinating.  The 1761 DEL was absolutely flat out, the train coming up the grade out of the tunnels onto the platform 8 road was barely moving.  As the train and loco crested the grade, momentum was achieved.  What a magic moment!  And I managed to get a couple of happy snaps.











Photographs R Dow 17th February 2012

[petey3801]

Yeah, would have been going around for the second wash after arriving earlier in the morn! I have been told 1761 can be a bit dodgy, I think it may have stalled the other day trying to do the same thing...

[Fares_Fair]

Psst.

I heard that the Courier-Mail have some interesting letters to the Editor today, apparently some astute observations about transport.
If anyone has access to them and can scan them in that would be good.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

Power outages at Landsborough and Palmwoods stations last night upon arrival home.

Pax unable to touch off and so ALL will cop the fixed fare charge of $10.
For Palmwoods pax this is less than the $12.84 regular cost.

Pax were urged by the guard to contact TransLink and get their fares corrected.
Well done guard and QR on the 5:04 pm service to Nambour.  
Appreciated.

This morning the power to the readers and go card machines was still off and no pax were able to touch on.
We got a free trip today, I mentioned this power outage to the QR staffer at the fare gates and he let me through.


Technically, should we be pinged for the $10 fixed fare when it is caused by power outage?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

Technically, should we be pinged for the $10 fixed fare when it is caused by power outage?

Absolutely not!  System Failures are Translink's responsibility.

Don't forget to wait until you have paid for a trip which would have been free before disputing the transaction, or you'll have to do it twice.

[Fares_Fair]

Power outages at Landsborough and Palmwoods stations last night upon arrival home.

Pax unable to touch off and so ALL will cop the fixed fare charge of $10.
For Palmwoods pax this is less than the $12.84 regular cost.

Pax were urged by the guard to contact TransLink and get their fares corrected.
Well done guard and QR on the 5:04 pm service to Nambour.  
Appreciated.

This morning the power to the readers and go card machines was still off and no pax were able to touch on.
We got a free trip today, I mentioned this power outage to the QR staffer at the fare gates and he let me through.


Technically, should we be pinged for the $10 fixed fare when it is caused by power outage?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Power outage STILL at Palmwoods station tonight, more than 24 hours since our arrival home last night.
No one told us we will cop another $10 fixed fare for evasion for the second night in a row.
We did score a free trip in this morning as the readers were again without power.

Why do they let us touch on knowing full well that there is no power at our end stop, and that we will be charged for evasion?

Pax at Palmwoods were again unable to touch off and so ALL will cop the fixed fare charge of $10.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE !

Yet another sign of infrastructure neglect on the Sunshine Coast

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Mr X]

Absolutely disgusting 

[p858snake]

Power outage STILL at Palmwoods station tonight, more than 24 hours since our arrival home last night.
No one told us we will cop another $10 fixed fare for evasion for the second night in a row.

Why do they let us touch on knowing full well that there is no power at our end stop, and that we will be charged for evasion?

o.0 Pick up a phone and they will waive it.

If they just let anyone though the gates, People would just claim they were going to X when they are going to Y.

[Fares_Fair]

Power outage STILL at Palmwoods station tonight, more than 24 hours since our arrival home last night.
No one told us we will cop another $10 fixed fare for evasion for the second night in a row.

Why do they let us touch on knowing full well that there is no power at our end stop, and that we will be charged for evasion?

o.0 Pick up a phone and they will waive it.

If they just let anyone though the gates, People would just claim they were going to X when they are going to Y.

I called TransLink and they will NOT waive it - because the $10 fixed fare charge is less than the $12.84 journey cost.
I asked if I could correct these 2 'black marks' against my history- caused by their failure to repair power to the go card readers in a timely fashion?
They won't waive them.

go card, maybe it comes from a French background, where you are guilty until proven innocent.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[PollyWouldLikeASeat]

Wasn't just Palmwoods, Beerwah was still out this afternoon as well.  Maybe we get another freebie in the morning. 

[Fares_Fair]

lol, fingers crossed and looking very likely.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

Landsborough's readers was working as of this afternoon (4:55pm)

[Stillwater]

Commuters head to work on the Sunshine Coast line.





Gympielander negotiates curves north of Nambour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGqzNDdhGrk&feature=related

[Fares_Fair]

 

and that looks like Stillwater on the front left (facing backwards - also reminiscent of the SC line) and fungily enough, using the remnants of the new plywood decking covered rail buses 5 years on.


Re: Gympielander.... nice brown overcoat and blue jeans SW.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[petey3801]

After the storms that went through up there yesterday afternoon, I think the go-card readers at a couple stations are the least of most peoples worries right now... 

[Fares_Fair]

After the storms that went through up there yesterday afternoon, I think the go-card readers at a couple stations are the least of most peoples worries right now... 

true

[Fares_Fair]

Wasn't just Palmwoods, Beerwah was still out this afternoon as well.  Maybe we get another freebie in the morning. 

Yes, no power to go card readers at Palmwoods again this morning.
Free trip in again today.
I'm not happy with the fixed fares against my travel record though.
Doesn't seem fair.

I only hope that the statistics for fare evasion precludes these situations of equipment failure.
Does anybody know?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

Feedback received, thank you.
Appears to another case of anger caused by non-announcements about what was happening and why.
A simple fix, really.

Receievd Wednesday February 22, 2012 at 7:12pm

Just thought you may like this.
I caught the 1745 Gympie north. Firstly it was delayed 10 mins, then they changed the platform from 7 to 9.
When we arrived at Caboolture we were detrained into the rain with no explanation to wait in the rain for 5 mins.
Half the doors didn't work on the train when it did arrive and it lost power for a period of time (photo attached).
At this time we are now 40 minutes delayed and have witnessed the third world quality of Queensland Rail

Attached photograph showed a darkened train interior.

[ozbob]

Inbound ex Goodna, heavy over flow parking Gailes / Wacol,  parked on verges in muddy drains. With forecast rain today, big chance they will be bogged ...

[ozbob]

MMY 030 (rail grinder) just flew through Corinda UP on main up,  managed to get a pic ..

Rail grinding being done over the next week or so out this way ..





Photographs R Dow 24th February 2012

[Cam]

Inbound ex Goodna, heavy over flow parking Gailes / Wacol,  parked on verges in muddy drains. With forecast rain today, big chance they will be bogged ...

I parked on bitumen at Wacol this morning but I have walked through mud to access the car before when it was parked on the grass towards Gailes.

[ozbob]

The UP Ippy due at Goodna at 4.35pm was 10 minutes late yesterday afternoon.  I was there waiting for a pax.  Watched as the hourly 530 bus took off as scheduled at 4.40pm.  Next bus for the punters (and last) 5.40pm, another 55 minute wait ...

A lot of services run late on weekends.  This makes it very difficult because of the very limited bus connections.  Anyone really care??

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

26th February 2012

Is there a political party that will fix rail-bus connections?

Greetings,

Yesterday afternoon, Saturday 25th February, the UP Ipswich train due at Goodna at 4.35pm was 10 minutes late.  I was there at Goodna railway station waiting for a pax.  Watched as the hourly 530 bus took off as scheduled at 4.40pm.  Next bus for the 530 punters (and last) due 5.40pm, another 55 minute wait for those who missed the bus!  A 522 bus does leave Goodna at 5.10pm but this does not have the same route coverage as the 530 bus.

A lot of services run late on weekends.  This makes it very difficult because of the very limited bus connections.

Do you think that in view of the very poor rail and bus service frequencies that some attempt could be made, particularly on weekends when service levels are terrible, such that buses could be held to allow connections to be made where possible and practical?

It is very difficult to rely on public transport when there is complete disregard in many situations of the impacts of late running rail services.  I don't think it is too big of an ask, and I don't think the affected punters do either.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[Arnz]

The 5:53am service from Landsborough (ex 5:25am Nambour) downgraded to 3-cars today (IMU177) due to it's partner unit failing unit over the weekend.  

As bob reported earlier in a different thread, this unit turned at Richlands.  Not sure if it's being subbed out in the City or whether it'll head back to Nambour.

[Fares_Fair]

Interruption: VERY RANDOM OBSERVATION ...

Gillard = 73 votes
Rudd = 29 votes

Gillard wins Labor leadership by 44 votes.

Now back to our regular irregular thread.

[Fares_Fair]

Interruption: VERY RANDOM OBSERVATION ...

Gillard = 73 votes
Rudd = 29 votes

Gillard wins Labor leadership by 44 votes.

Now back to our regular irregular thread.

Soap continues, a recount called ...

Gillard = 71 votes
Rudd = 31 votes

Gillard wins Labor leadership and becomes Prime Minister again, by 40 votes.

[ozbob]

Interruption: VERY RANDOM OBSERVATION ...

Gillard = 73 votes
Rudd = 29 votes

Gillard wins Labor leadership by 44 votes.

Now back to our regular irregular thread.

Corrected count 71/31  not that it really matters.  

Gee the next down at Goodna is ontime.  25 pax just off bus are happy,  CONNECT!

[Stillwater]

 The $260,000 cost that the state government spends on those seven 'temporary' platform stations on the Sunshine Coast Line every years is about to be blown this year by the cost of replacing the plywood platform at Pomona.  The floods that washed through the town at the weekend also washed ballast from beneath the rail line at Pomona, including the loose foundations supporting the temporary platform.  The plywood surface has more bumps than a string of camels and the scaffolding beneath is askew.  QR repair crews have re-ballasted the line and this afternoon were working on the signal equipment at the Pomona level crossing, with a view to have the line operational at 7pm Monday.  However, the platform will take longer to rebuild.  The old short platform is still operational.  

EDIT:  QR advises that Pomona Station is closed until further notice.

[SurfRail]

How much to put in some concrete pylons, a frame and pavers, seriously?

There are plenty of ways to do things on the cheap - if they anticipate not building any of these upgrades for several years, may as well just put in something more permanent.

[Stillwater]

Yep.    Maybe even worthwhile putting up with the short platform for a bit longer until something more substantial is put in place.

[Tezza]

Has anyone else had the unpleasant experience of using the lifts or should I say toilets at Lawnton station.  There are a number of people with wheel chairs and prams who use these lifts and they are disgusting.  They always smell of urine, so bad at times you want to vomit, sometimes fresh urine which is a trip hazard.  They would have to be the worst on the network.  Yuk QR!