Random observations around the network ...

[ozbob]

on another observation from yesterday i didn't think that the ICE trains were in service yesterday because the usual counterpeak shuttle (caboolture-Nambour) was completed by EMU 21   :conf.

and also the 9:33 am Roma street to Gympie North was operated by **Drum role** SMU 244-247. when it got to Nambour it was 5 mins late.

JESSE

Thanks, glad I didn't decide to have lunch at the Cooroy RSL yesterday ....  oh the pain ... 

[STB]

Went for a trip down to the Gold Coast yesterday via route 761 to Coolangatta to see a movie.  Route 761 was fully loaded in both directions with the majority of people going the full way to Coolangatta/Tweed Heads.  Route 761 also ran about 10-15mins late in both directions at the time I caught it (12:30pm to Coolangatta; 4pm to Varsity Lakes).

[ozbob]

I had a ride on a 180, QSBS to stop 24 yesterday, about 15 pax ... around lunchtime  PIDs stuffed at C ..

Also earlier 172 inbound from Mater Hill to CC, around 8 pax on board around 11am  ...

[somebody]

Went for a trip down to the Gold Coast yesterday via route 761 to Coolangatta to see a movie.  Route 761 was fully loaded in both directions with the majority of people going the full way to Coolangatta/Tweed Heads.  Route 761 also ran about 10-15mins late in both directions at the time I caught it (12:30pm to Coolangatta; 4pm to Varsity Lakes).

I thought that data point re:761 loads in the bus review was extremely suspect.

[jesse]

AH men to that  ozbob

[STB]

Went for a trip down to the Gold Coast yesterday via route 761 to Coolangatta to see a movie.  Route 761 was fully loaded in both directions with the majority of people going the full way to Coolangatta/Tweed Heads.  Route 761 also ran about 10-15mins late in both directions at the time I caught it (12:30pm to Coolangatta; 4pm to Varsity Lakes).

I thought that data point re:761 loads in the bus review was extremely suspect.

It could be just that time of year to where people head out and about to the beach and shops, as I have seen route 761 lightly loaded in the past.

[somebody]

Doubt it: http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/Id/73004

"This service has had an average of over 4000 passengers a week since it was introduced in June 2010 and I expect this number to soar with the additional services."

At about 170 services/week, that's 23 average per trip.   Back of envelope.  Even if doubling the frequency didn't increase use, it's still a few people using it.

[ozbob]

SMU 207 UP Richlands service, Warrender Street Bridge Darra,  3 car sets doing the Richlands runs today, Christmas Day.



Photograph R Dow 25th December 2012

[#Metro]

^ I have a feeling that Richlands trains will be extended in the future to Kippa Ring.

[ozbob]

Robert Dow ‏@Robert_Dow

Happy christmas SMU 207 arriving back at RIchlands

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/283450089148661762/photo/1/large

[HappyTrainGuy]

^ I have a feeling that Richlands trains will be extended in the future to Kippa Ring.

Correct.

[mufreight]

^ I have a feeling that Richlands trains will be extended in the future to Kippa Ring.

Correct.

Methinks you mean Springfield trains?      

[Arnz]

Speaking of bus patronage during the free period on the Sunshine Coast, most buses are carrying heavier loads than usual during this period.  Even some hourly frequency coverage runs are getting 15-20 people on services in the middle of the day and peaking up to 30-40 people.  On a normal day most hourly frequency coverage routes average anywhere between 5-10 people.

Most trunk runs (600 and 620) are averaging 25+ people a run, with some drivers on the trunk route runs having to put the "Sorry Bus Full" signs up.    Even the students that live near the University campus are taking up the offer with 615 and 616s (runs every 30 mins) reporting heavy loads.

However, the proposed axed routes in question (601 and 613) still isn't doing as well (averaging 5-10 people), although it did get a patronage increase.   

[techblitz]

Speaking of bus patronage during the free period on the Sunshine Coast, most buses are carrying heavier loads than usual during this period.  Even some hourly frequency coverage runs are getting 15-20 people on services in the middle of the day and peaking up to 30-40 people.  On a normal day most hourly frequency coverage routes average anywhere between 5-10 people.

Most trunk runs (600 and 620) are averaging 25+ people a run, with some drivers on the trunk route runs having to put the "Sorry Bus Full" signs up.    Even the students that live near the University campus are taking up the offer with 615 and 616s (runs every 30 mins) reporting heavy loads.

However, the proposed axed routes in question (601 and 613) still isn't doing as well (averaging 5-10 people), although it did get a patronage increase.   

How well do 'factory outlet' bound bus routes do on the sunshine coast? eg: harbortown pax absolutely hammer the 709 from helensvale station to harbortown on the GC.And in brisbane the 590/369 deliver decent dfo bound pax.

[Fares_Fair]

Speaking of bus patronage during the free period on the Sunshine Coast, most buses are carrying heavier loads than usual during this period.  Even some hourly frequency coverage runs are getting 15-20 people on services in the middle of the day and peaking up to 30-40 people.  On a normal day most hourly frequency coverage routes average anywhere between 5-10 people.

Most trunk runs (600 and 620) are averaging 25+ people a run, with some drivers on the trunk route runs having to put the "Sorry Bus Full" signs up.    Even the students that live near the University campus are taking up the offer with 615 and 616s (runs every 30 mins) reporting heavy loads.

However, the proposed axed routes in question (601 and 613) still isn't doing as well (averaging 5-10 people), although it did get a patronage increase.   

[jesse]

Sightings
Morayfield
1608hrs (Caboolture all stopper) SMU 278-280
1615hrs (ipswich express) smu 264-275
1620hrs (nambour all stopper)imu 109

JESSE 

[Arnz]

4:10pm ex Sunshine Plaza 600 to Caloundra double decker service seen leaving with 75+ people onboard.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Haha, well given today was a public holiday I passed 2 empty outbound 330s (inner city busway exit/exiting Westfield), 1 empty inbound 330 (thru Chermside), 1 person on a outbound 370 (Newmarket Road, Lutyche), 1 person on a inbound 340 (Graham Road Aspley), ~10 on a outbound 333 (Rode Road lights) and 2 packed "Out of service"/Suncorp buses (Stafford Road entering the busway via Swan Street/Kedron) on my trip home just after 6 tonight.

[somebody]

Haha, well given today was a public holiday I passed 2 empty outbound 330s (inner city busway exit/exiting Westfield), 1 empty inbound 330 (thru Chermside), 1 person on a outbound 370 (Newmarket Road, Lutyche), 1 person on a inbound 340 (Graham Road Aspley), ~10 on a outbound 333 (Rode Road lights) and 2 packed "Out of service"/Suncorp buses (Stafford Road entering the busway via Swan Street/Kedron) on my trip home just after 6 tonight.

So your point is to bag increased PT?

[ozbob]

Noted at Roma St short time ago, platform 2 UP end 6 car EMU, platform 3 2 x 6 car SMUs, not attached ...

[HappyTrainGuy]

No just an observation. Hence why I posted it in the observation thread

[techblitz]

No just an observation. Hence why I posted it in the observation thread

lllots of near empty buzes around yesterday however it is  xmas/new year hols and a lot of people out of town....
regarding the 340...it seems the service is quite popular between chermside and carseldine station even in the inter-peak and with increasing residential development it was a very smart move by translink to buz this route.With a growing student population around this area it bodes well for the future.Before buz routes are implemented it needs to have plenty of ticks before committing.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Disagree with the smart move for buzing the 340. If anything it was a smoke and mirrors approach at making the northern busway look alot better than it actually was with all the "Service Improvments" that it randomly brought in for it. A new 328 route forged out of the old existing 325/335/339 routes. 329 going peak direction only through a limited catchment. Buzing the 330. 335 extension to Sandgate etc. The only thing I liked was the operating hours extension across the routes.

Just like the 330 all it needed was addressing the frequency between certain times, operating hours and sorting out the rockets. Making it a buz route which gives it frequency from early morning to about midnight was just not needed and is plain overkill/waste of resources. Chermside shopping centre is one of the main attractions and once that's closed  patronage just falls off the cliff and it struggles to keep up any sort of decent patronage due to the better competing 330-333. The outbound hourly 325/335 usually have higher loadings than some 340s at night. If you base it on a growing student population, new residential developments, servicing major points of intrest etc than the 336/337 should be buzed ASAP due to the route passing 8 or so schools, 3 interchanges, 3 major shopping complexes, servicing areas not serviced by other routes and provide faster times than other routes from the city (just like how people used to use the outbound train + inbound 340 as it was faster than the outbound 340/341 from the city). The 336/337 doesn't need to and plain would not survive as a buz route but it needs its operating hours looked at, boost the frequency to hourly at the minimum, 15-20 mins during peak hour for the 3 interchanges (Geebung, Chermside and Aspley interchanges), the 8 schools, multiple shopping complexes and major points of intrest that it passes. As it is now there are solid loadings on the last couple services due to students and locals from the major shopping centres/interchanges using them.

Once trading hours were extended and other points of interst are available then it might have been time to buz the 340 for a better frequency from 6am-12am.

[ozbob]

Noted at Roma St short time ago, platform 2 UP end 6 car EMU, platform 3 2 x 6 car SMUs, not attached ...

Photograph R Dow 2nd January 2013

[petey3801]

Noted at Roma St short time ago, platform 2 UP end 6 car EMU, platform 3 2 x 6 car SMUs, not attached ...

Photograph R Dow 2nd January 2013

Yeah, another trial of sorts. They're using p2&3 at Roma Street to stow a few finishing (roma street) trains in peak in order to reduce the congestion going to the yard/empty via Tennyson to the yard. Some leave jyst after peak, others wait till just before midday before heading for the yard.

[ozbob]

Platform 8 Roma St



Photograph R Dow 3rd January 2013

[Mr X]

Waiting at central platform 4 for 1:04 Nambourlander
Central is quite busy today!

[ozbob]

Gailes ... Up empty ..



Photograph R Dow 10th January 2013

[HappyTrainGuy]

Someone's flogging off a couple of the old BT buses up north. 1 has been converted into a RV and can be seen just past Burpengary on the way to Morayfield and the other can be seen from the Bruce Highway southbound just after the old Big Fish Tavern.

Also noticed there's also a couple out in a paddock on the way to Bribie Island.

[SurfRail]

Someone's flogging off a couple of the old BT buses up north. 1 has been converted into a RV and can be seen just past Burpengary on the way to Morayfield and the other can be seen from the Bruce Highway southbound just after the old Big Fish Tavern.

Also noticed there's also a couple out in a paddock on the way to Bribie Island.

Somebody at Ningi bought around 50 of them from memory.  Planning conversions to motorhomes etc.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Ah right.

There's also a few of the older buses up for sale that have been converted around the Glass House Mountains area.

[Otto]

At 11:30am, Observed Ferny Grove train from Southbank (vulture St ) station switch tracks towards South Brisbane station to stop on Platform 1 @ South Brisbane. Anyone know why ?

( I have assumed Platform 1 is on the Grey St side and 3 is on the Merivale St side )
( Wish I could remember which was the up and down lines )

[jesse]

On tuesday i caught the shorncliffe train from south brisbane to central (units consistanting of EMU 72-78) when we got to Roma Street the train guard said somthing unusual, he said **roma street station this is the sea train, we're going to shorncliffe**   it was quite amusing at the time. Nice to see that there's still some rather funny train drivers in qr 

in other observations, emu 01 emu 13 emu 81 were camping on platform 3 at roma street on tuesday. I thought that maybe it might be showing new styles of emu refurbishments. Any ideas?

JESSE

[ozbob]

Hi Jesse,

Platforms 2 and 3 Roma St are being used for stabling between the peaks.

[jesse]

Hi Jesse,

Platforms 2 and 3 Roma St are being used for stabling between the peaks.

Cheers

[ozbob]

Some random grabs from travel today Darra - Richlands

Darra West



Darra west sub station



SMU249 - tidy unit



Richlands



Car park at Richlands - completely full



Photographs R Dow 18th January 2013

[petey3801]

EMU72/78 running on the Gold Coast/Airport corridor at the moment... Was due to the first Airtrain of the day failing at Roma Street at 5 this morning.

[somebody]

EMU72/78 running on the Gold Coast/Airport corridor at the moment... Was due to the first Airtrain of the day failing at Roma Street at 5 this morning.

Got to Roma St and failed after that?  That's pretty unsociable.

[petey3801]

EMU72/78 running on the Gold Coast/Airport corridor at the moment... Was due to the first Airtrain of the day failing at Roma Street at 5 this morning.

Got to Roma St and failed after that?  That's pretty unsociable.

Yeah, pretty much! Managed to get itself out of the shed, got to Roma Street and decided it had Mondayitis  I was coming around through Normanby on an empty to Ferny Grove when I got the call that we were going to the Airport instead

[somebody]

I make it that the first train of the day to the Airport forms a Roma St terminator out of the airport.  Perhaps the second Airport bound train was cancelled, and this train had to form the 6am ex-Airport train to the Gold Coast?