Random observations around the network ...

[ozbob]

Something you don't see every day.  A bonus service from Ipswich to Roma St





Photographs R Dow 13th October 2016

[tazzer9]

Queue ' I can't park at the station ' articles in the local media!

Already started, see todays CM. Parking trial for MBRL parking permits.

I think they should just auction them off. And charge for car parking at stations on MBRL. $2 flat fee per day a la Perth.

I really can't believe they didn't introduce some sort of paid parking for these stations.    $1 - $2 a day  is pretty reasonable.   I would guestimate around 2000 parks between the new stations.   $20,000 a week minimum isn't too bad. Its low enough that anyone using it can afford it, but makes people think twice about parking.
I would expand paid parking to the other large park n rides like richlands, ferny grove, gold coast stations. But leave places like keperra with free parking as it wouldn't be worth implementing it.

Could persuade the public that the increased revenue could be put towards safety around the entire network like paying for more security guards on trains, roaming dog patrols, more ticket inspectors, bathrooms and cleaning services at unattended stations. 

[red dragin]

Queue ' I can't park at the station ' articles in the local media!

Already started, see todays CM. Parking trial for MBRL parking permits.

I think they should just auction them off. And charge for car parking at stations on MBRL. $2 flat fee per day a la Perth.

Parking permits for Murrumba Downs was always in planning, given the proximity of local streets on the southern side being closer than the car park on the northern side.

[Arnz]

4PM Roma Street to Nambour service reported cancelled at Caboolture (lost count of how many times this particular service has been cancelled) due to ongoing ICE problems.  The train behind it (4:18pm ex-Roma Street which originated from Springfield Central) rescued those passengers at Caboolture this afternoon.

[brissypete]

Yesterday afternoon Police with SNOs were doing a ticket blitz at Fairfield.  Train was held at station while SNO accompanied by police checked all tickets.  A number of passengers did not travel further.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

@geoff_tewierik cost cutting or just poor maintenance due to cost cutting? pic.twitter.com/2WE4UfL0aw

— Taezar (@Taezar) November 27, 2016

[Otto]

Heard from others that quite a few trains are running around with no destination signs...

Mystery Tours, QR style !

[ozbob]

Heard from others that quite a few trains are running around with no destination signs...

Mystery Tours, QR style !

Been advised there was a software update over the weekend that had an issue. As trains get back to the yards they are being fixed.

[bcasey]

Heard from others that quite a few trains are running around with no destination signs...

Mystery Tours, QR style !

Yeah, the Ipswich train I caught this morning at Roma Street didn't have any destination signs either.

[wbj]

Caught the train from Albion station on Friday night.  What a frustrating experience.  Some timetables around but minimal information and poorly lit.  No indication which platform an outbound train would arrive at.  No voice announcements.  No staff. 

Even though I'm a regular commuter on the Caboolture line, I haven't used Albion station in a million years.  I was in no better position to the young overseas visitor who was also at the station looking equally perplexed.  We hopped onto the first outbound train (Doomben) to get to Eagle Junction so we could read some directory boards there.

[ozbob]

Nambour bound IMU departing Auchenflower this bright morning 🚊 pic.twitter.com/9SiojcTDa0

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) November 29, 2016

[tazzer9]

Currently on the brisbane - sydney XPT.  Two gentlemen went up to the customer service officer saying they werent meant to be on the train.  So we made a short stop at Park Road platform 4.

[#Metro]

Currently on the brisbane - sydney XPT.  Two gentlemen went up to the customer service officer saying they werent meant to be on the train.  So we made a short stop at Park Road platform 4.

How does that happen?! Security anyone?

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland Rail installs rubbish bins at inner-city train stations

The bins are finally coming back to Brisbane's train stations after a lengthy hiatus.

Bins were removed from inner-city train stations between Toowong, South Brisbane and Bowen Hills before the G20 in 2014 and were not returned.

The old metal bins were bolted shut in September 2014, with a sign saying "for safety reasons this bin is no longer available", before being removed.

At the time, Premier Campbell Newman told Queenslanders to be "alert, but not anxious" and warned of increased security measures.

"We want people to be vigilant, we want people to be conscious of this threat level, but they should continue to do what they normally do," Mr Newman said.

In late September, see-through rubbish bins were installed at Caboolture train station, with one commuter posting on Facebook that they "look like sippy cups with condoms".

And finally, on Thursday night, six clear plastic bins - with an inner, removable plastic bag - were installed on the concourse at Central station.

A spokeswoman for Queensland Rail said the return of the bins - with rubbish and recycling options - honoured a commitment made by Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to do so before the end of 2016.

"Bins will continue to be rolled out to other inner-city stations," she said.

"We are confident that these new bins will enhance convenience for our customers and staff."

Mr Hinchliffe said the return of bins to the concourse at Central station was a "victory for common sense".

"It's something that has been raised with me by commuters on numerous occasions since becoming Transport Minister," he said.

"I have listened to their feedback."

Mr Hinchliffe said the need to remain vigilant was still present, but the six clear bins at Central, combined with CCTV coverage, struck a sensible balance.

Bins will also be installed at other inner-city train stations.

Mr Hinchliffe and Queensland Rail have been under intense pressure in recent months, following numerous cancellations including 235 on Christmas Day, amid a driver shortage made evident after the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line.

There are questions over the reliability of services on New Year's Eve, although Mr Hinchliffe assured commuters he was confident the planning had been done to make the night run smoothly.

[Stillwater]

The clear plastic bins at Caboolture have worked.  You can see what is inside them, and it is easy to know when they are full and due for emptying.  Returning bins to other stations a sensible outcome.

[brissypete]

About time the bins were returned.  Only took 2 years, cant rush these things

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[James]

Long overdue. Really there was no need to get rid of the bins in the first place. Brisboring is too low key to ever be a target for terrorism. What iconic things does Brisbane have? Most people in the world don't even know where Brisbane is.

Another legacy of the G20 talkfest.

[PollyWouldLikeASeat]

Yesterday afternoon at central, saw three fare evaders blatantly follow other people through the gates, one dived under the gates in full view of the QR information person that stands under all the monitors in middle of the concourse.  Ended up being in the same carriage as them, had to watch them congratulate each other on getting away with it. 

[SurfRail]

I haven't exactly scoped the place out in detail but the only bins I have seen are at the Creek St exit and out the fron of Maccas.  Hardly an improvement.

[ozbob]

7 News at 6pm: From Australia Day pride to protests. A Brisbane train vandalised and violence in the streets https://t.co/P58RQGuWbn #7News pic.twitter.com/G05BKZPmHt

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) January 26, 2017

[Gazza]

^Things that are not ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ.

[ozbob]

At Roma Street station
All down trains platform 6
Up platform 5 & 4
Track work 8 & 9 roads up
Heading to Nambour on 8.33am service

IMU171/SMU290 today's down train

[ozbob]

 

You are absolutely hopeless @QueenslandRail.. after my Northgate train was a no-show, you sent the Doomben train towards Ferny Grove! How?? pic.twitter.com/kRtshkfSJr

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

^

@Robert_Dow @QueenslandRail Doomben service accidentally sent down FG road. Umm, I thought we had drivers who looked at signals/tracks?

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

^

@darthcaligula66 @Robert_Dow @QueenslandRail No dest change. Driver announced the error. Don't they look out front window at switch/signals?

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

[verbatim9]

You are absolutely hopeless @QueenslandRail.. after my Northgate train was a no-show, you sent the Doomben train towards Ferny Grove! How?? pic.twitter.com/kRtshkfSJr

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

^

@Robert_Dow @QueenslandRail Doomben service accidentally sent down FG road. Umm, I thought we had drivers who looked at signals/tracks?

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

^

@darthcaligula66 @Robert_Dow @QueenslandRail No dest change. Driver announced the error. Don't they look out front window at switch/signals?

— shane spargo (@shanespargo) February 9, 2017

Yep and get paid 100,000 gran a year for doing it. Do aircraft accidently fly to different destinations. Vary rarely and get paid similar to Qld Rail drivers

[#Metro]

Oops!

Queensland Rail fail: Passengers frustrated as train sent down wrong line

Less than a week after the Strachan report into Queensland Rail was handed down, the beleaguered operator has had to apologise to frustrated customers whose train was sent down the wrong line.

About 5.30 on Thursday evening the Doomben service from Bowen Hills was sent down the Ferny Grove line instead, leaving passengers to disembark at Windsor and head back to Bowen Hills for the correct service.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-rail-fail-passengers-frustrated-as-train-sent-down-wrong-line-20170209-gu9mac.html

[BrizCommuter]

Oops! Happens on most rail systems, but frustrating when trains are only every 30 minutes!!

[petey3801]

Not entirely sure that this needs its own thread, but anyway. It happens. It is also exceptionally rare, as Briz said, but does cause annoyance and delay, as well as embarrassment, on the very rare occasion that it does happen.
How the media manage to link it with the report is anyones guess!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

10th February 2017

Re Doomben train down Ferny Grove line

Good Morning,

With a spectacular piece of poor timing a train headed for Doomben was sent down the Ferny Grove line by mistake during last evening peak.

Queensland Rail fail: Passengers frustrated as train sent down wrong line
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-rail-fail-passengers-frustrated-as-train-sent-down-wrong-line-20170209-gu9mac.html

This happens rarely on any railway system.  It is not a dangerous situation but it is somewhat inconvenient for passengers and can cause flow on delays.

Queensland Rail need to put out a clear statement to assure passengers of the details of what actually occurred.  Runaway speculation and potential alarm is not helpful.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Latest: ' Re Doomben train down Ferny Grove line '
> https://t.co/SJtMj8JiNZ#qldpol@jackietrad @QueenslandRail @N_Scales_TMR pic.twitter.com/QL9YARTXY3

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) February 9, 2017

[ozbob]

I said to daughter #2 this morning that a train was sent down the wrong line last peak.

She ' OMG !  That is dangerous '  I explained that not really dangerous but very very inconvenient.

This is a good demonstration of why QR need to get on the communication front foot!

[BrizCommuter]

Though of course, if a train goes down the wrong line in London, at least the passengers can get a full fare refund. In Brisbane, just a hollow apology.

[ozbob]

.@QueenslandRail passengers left at Windsor after their train took the wrong turn. @MaxFutcher #7News https://t.co/qNMs5zCG5i

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) February 10, 2017

[ozbob]

Boarded EMU 01 at Milton early today heading to Springfield Central
Still in good condition credit to QR

[tazzer9]

Have any wolo/high temperature conditions been enacted.    The trains ive been on today have been travelling at very low speeds.  (Despite being able to run to the timetable and the many slow crossovers and temporary speed restrictions).  Even through areas which have a low speed anyway?

[James]

1:37pm Ipswich to Nambour service has been delayed 15 minutes due to weather conditions. Presume it could be an issue with tracks out that way.

QR seems to cope quite well with the heat. Today is exceptional in terms of heat, probably the hottest day we've had since the 2004 heatwave. Tracks here seem to hold up a lot better than they do in Melbourne & Sydney.

[tazzer9]

1:37pm Ipswich to Nambour service has been delayed 15 minutes due to weather conditions. Presume it could be an issue with tracks out that way.

QR seems to cope quite well with the heat. Today is exceptional in terms of heat, probably the hottest day we've had since the 2004 heatwave. Tracks here seem to hold up a lot better than they do in Melbourne & Sydney.

Was on that.  I got delayed up to 20 minutes, even went through petrie on platform 1.   But once it went past caboolture.   there was no such thing as speed restrictions.   Fastest trip between caboolture and nambour, and between nambour and roma st on the return  (i got the same train back as my house lost power, so i was using the train as a moving cool box).

They ran a train dead from mayne all the way to nambour because it was so delayed.

[Stillwater]

A lot of fat in the Nambour timetable .. perhaps to allow for unexpected delays with crosses.

[Arnz]

IMU175 & partner is operating the inbound Gympielander this morning.

[ozbob]

NGR 701 just passed Oxley down main

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) February 24, 2017

[BrizCommuter]

NGR 701 just passed Oxley down main

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) February 24, 2017

Sure it wasn't a mirage?