Random observations around the network ...

[BribieG]

I was having a fly-around using Nearmap and came across this 9 car set at Geebung. I've never seen one myself and I presume this is how they run them to Maryborough and Back for refurbishment etc?

[somebody]

Can't see the picture on my current internet connection, but are you sure it isn't an anomoly in how the pictures are taken?

[colinw]

I sometimes see 9 or 12 car transfers at Kuraby.  There's often one inbound between 6PM & 7PM after peak.

[Golliwog]

I've seen a few 9 and 12 car trains run through Central in the off peak. I think it just lets them get all the cars through quicker as you only need one headway gap, plus only one driver and guard. I was going along the ICB the other day and saw a 12 car set using what I believe in the train wash there too.

[BribieG]

Looking at the stations' car parks and the direction of the shadows I would say that they did the fly over on a Sunday Afternoon, so maybe the 9 car set is heading for Caboolture for the Monday morning rush.

[ozbob]

I have occasionally seen 12 car sparks movements on the Ippy as well.  Not often though.

[Derwan]

Sorry to disappoint, but it's the way the images are joined.  The join is in the sixth carriage (from the top).  You'll notice that that carriage is actually longer than it should be.  If you zoom right in, you'll see 3 sets of doors on the one carriage.

[BribieG]

Yes I can see the join 
Didn't they use to say that the camera never lies? 

[ozbob]

The changed railscape at Oxley.  UP train arriving.



Photograph R Dow 19th September 2010

[ozbob]

Tandem arrival at Corinda



Photograph R Dow 23rd September 2010

[ozbob]

Buranda rail station - On time train performance notices



Photograph R Dow 24th September 2010

[#Metro]

IMHO on time performance does not matter as much as frequency does.
Maybe they should have sign with the frequency of service on it 

[ozbob]

Yesterday I headed off to town from Corinda again.  Darra and Oxley 30 minute frequency, Corinda 15 minutes.  It does make a big difference in terms of the perceived utility of the services.  It is time that we moved to improved frequencies.  Achievable on most lines now.  The excuses are wearing thin ....

[ozbob]

Central





Photographs R Dow 26th September 2010

[ozbob]

Not sure what is going on but just passed through Roma St.  Was fortunate to get some happy snaps of a Cleveland service coming through from Central and into Platform 2 Roma St.  This is the first regular suburban service I have seen use platform 2.  QR staff were correctly informing pax transiting from inside the go gate cordon not to touch if going up to platform 2 for the Cleveland service.

Platform 2 is the gauntlet track platform 4' 8.5" and 3' 6" dual gauge, other side (platform 1) bus.

Proof of operational capability ...



Photograph R Dow 27th September 2010

More photographs --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4520.0

[#Metro]

Standard Gauge eh? Not used very often either and next to busway... sounds like a good place

... for a Light Rail terminus!!! 

[STB]

Boarded SMU229 this morning (10:40am) and it had the new auto announcement system installed.  Also, EMU 03 was out and about on the Cleveland line this morning minus the 'bandicoot' ends.

Upon arrival at Cleveland, the 10:52am city service had been cancelled, no reason given.

[p858snake]

Not sure what is going on but just passed through Roma St.  Was fortunate to get some happy snaps of a Cleveland service coming through from Central and into Platform 2 Roma St.  This is the first regular suburban service I have seen use platform 2.  QR staff were correctly informing pax transiting from inside the go gate cordon not to touch if going up to platform 2 for the Cleveland service.

Platform 2 is the gauntlet track platform 4' 8.5" and 3' 6" dual gauge, other side (platform 1) bus.

Proof of operational capability ...

They were throwing alot of services around, there was some work being done on a line some where (i passed it but can't remember where)

[mufreight]

Standard Gauge eh? Not used very often either and next to busway... sounds like a good place

... for a Light Rail terminus!!! 

Obviously tramtrain has been inhaling too much of Bertie Bus's exhaust fumes, from an operational viewpoint one would be hard pressed to pick a worse location or perhaps he would relocate the interstate passenger terminal in Cairns.

[ClintonL94]

The Gold Coast train that departs Beenleigh at 17:09 arrived 5 minutes early at Beenleigh this afternoon. Left on time!

I got on a Gold Coast train that leaves Central at 15:54. Instead of this service arriving into Roma Street at Platform 4, it arrived at Platform 3. On departure there were still quite a few passengers on the platform. Was there a problem accessing Platforms 4/5 at Roma Street?

[ozbob]

Ferny Grove service arriving at Roma St



Photograph R Dow 5th October 2010

[STB]

Coming home on the train last night, there were two men dressed in black with backpacks (looked official) with Rail Squad officers checking tickets.

[Golliwog]

Brisbane gets MIB?

[ClintonL94]

SMU 249 was bought back to Brisbane today after being overhauled at EDI in Maryborough.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesmp/5063767513/

The PIDs will be upgraded at Mayne.

All SMU 220 units are getting this upgrade.

Photography of Michael James.

[Arnz]

The 'Cooroylander' operated by IMU107/108 today.  For once, the return service back to Brisbane is "on-time".

The only times when the Cooroy service is "on-time" is when it's operated by a IMU or SMU, and that's including the scheduled crossings with Traveltrain services north of Beerburrum.  Normally it's between 5-10 minutes late when operated by the ICE.

[ozbob]

Bowen Hills railway station






A Cleveland bound train departs from platform 1 Bowen Hills

Photographs R Dow 15th October 2010

[ozbob]

EMU 07

--> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesmp/5103822147

Photograph by jamesmp

[Otto]

To my surprise, a 12 car SMU passed me at South Brisbane at about 12:15pm on Wednesday running as a 'special' which i presume was heading towards mayne yards. 1 of the 4 '3 car units' was sporting a nice new paint job !!

[Stillwater]

Lady alighting from today's 'Cooroylander' aka the 'Cooroy Sprinter', was 'busting to go'.  Train crew opened the station ladies so she could spend a penny.

[BribieG]

New Morayfield western car park now open, still some scaffolding around the South end of the platform, hopefully they are going to give us a walkway and gocard reader so we don't have to do a ridiculous dogleg through the existing carpark. Morayfield should have been on the list for renovations as it needs lifts and a second bridge, it's far more busy than say Bald Hills which has the full shebang.

[Jonno]

Looks like a lost TOD opportunity to me.  I suspect this is an unsafe station at night as there is nobody around!!!!!

[Fridge]

Morayfield is alright at night, I use to catch trains late on weeknights to go home and there's always at least 1/2 dozens workers who get off with me and most nights there are CSOs on the platform. 

[Jonno]

But still should be a TOD though!

[ozbob]

Terminating service arriving at Corinda (track closure Corinda - Rosewood 23/24 Oct)



Photograph R Dow 24th October 2010

[STB]

But still should be a TOD though!

Personally I think Caboolture would make a better TOD location than Morayfield, with access to Bribie Island, Sunshine Coast and west of Caboolture available.  And central to government, library and shops.

[ClintonL94]

Today at Edens Landing as I was waiting for EMU 07 to pass through as a test run to Beenleigh I caught several trains..EMU 07 never came - it was at Dakabin when I arrived at Beenleigh.



















Varsity Lakes



Note the driver posing for the photo in this one..

Photographs of C Larsen 24 October 2010.

[Jonno]

But still should be a TOD though!

Personally I think Caboolture would make a better TOD location than Morayfield, with access to Bribie Island, Sunshine Coast and west of Caboolture available.  And central to government, library and shops.

Or both  ? ? ?

[BribieG]

Caboolture would be better, it's becoming a TOD - lite at the moment with nearly all the old houses along Lower King Street being demolished to make way for apartment blocks. There's a big area opposite the Station that was earmarked for a University and it's just car parking. I think there could be a case for a new station between Caboolture and Elimbah, up near the Showgrounds, then we could see a TOD happening. As far as Morayfield goes, there was a great opportunity in the 90s because Morayfield Road South of Station Road was undeveloped but since then it's become a maze of bunnings, Good Guys, Etc Etc so that's been lost. Typical of the old Caboolture Shire Council, they were real hicks and even the mention of TOD would have made their eyes glaze over. As far as they were concerned the rail was only there for the White Trash to get out of the Shire and leave it to the Acreage block and Canal Estate residents.

[Emmie]

Morayfield is alright at night, I use to catch trains late on weeknights to go home and there's always at least 1/2 dozens workers who get off with me and most nights there are CSOs on the platform. 

Are you male or female, Fridge?  I had a 17 year old girl in my class last year, and there was no way she would come to evening lectures, if it meant getting off at Morayfield after dark.

[ozbob]

Darra platform 3, EMU03 leading a 6 car UP Ippy ..



Photograph R Dow 26th October 2010