Random observations around the network ...

[Stillwater]

Oh gawd, he's one of us now 

[BrizCommuter]

Oh gawd, he's one of us now 

He still needs to be booted from D-G TMR even if he can't now be booted from Australia.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958150096998227973

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/958153637254975488

There were 4 guards on this train, 2 were trainees.

[BrizCommuter]

Have the seats on Roma St p10 just been painted blue? Very odd!

[aldonius]

Temp platforms are down at Newmarket!

Did I just fail to notice it on Monday, or has it all happened since then?

[300LA]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know about the broken(?) TV's at the front entrance to the Fortitude Valley station precinct?
I've mentioning it to QR staff on numerous occasions, however they don't even know what/if anything is wrong with them or who has ownership to fix them.

[SurfRail]

In Central Station upgrade news, the platform seating has been moved slightly - and not much else.

[kram0]

In Central Station upgrade news, the platform seating has been moved slightly - and not much else.

Yeah I was thinking that not much has happened. I am informed the big ticket works will not start until after the Comm Games.

[SurfRail]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know about the broken(?) TV's at the front entrance to the Fortitude Valley station precinct?
I've mentioning it to QR staff on numerous occasions, however they don't even know what/if anything is wrong with them or who has ownership to fix them.

Unsurprising.  Proper facilities management is non-existent at DTMR, QR or any other agencies in the whole silly little archipelago.

[techblitz]

a better use for the TV's would be to wack on one video or song & set it to permanent repeat which should hopefully scatter the misfits & charity hawkers that have become a permanent daytime feature as you walk in to catch your train.....

[SurfRail]

They should just play Mozart non-stop like they do at Southport.  (Down there it doesn't help that the main stops are near the courthouse, the cop shop, the parole office and a bunch of other offices that are like a one-stop-shop for a certain subset of people.)

I sometimes think the whole block between Gipps St, Wickham St, Constance St and St Pauls Tce should just be consigned to the flames and started again from scratch.

[red dragin]

NGR heading into Roma St, looked like platform 9 though, about 11am today. Was a pretty bare exterior (had to look several times to see if it was an NGR).

Was negotiating the numpties on Countess St, so too far away and busy to note a number.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/960307693150851072

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962054218151485447

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962075112932429827

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962090104171872259

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962090426097287171

[Stillwater]

Brenton Waters' article is a well-crafted piece. 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962266865480249344

[BrizCommuter]

In EM101. Wheel flat so bumpy it could destroy kidney stones!

[ozbob]

^

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962802920684101632

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/962803520289165312

[ozbob]

BrizCommuter QR have asked what service was it on? I said probably inbound ex Ferny Grove.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

101? Wouldn't that be an IMU then? 

[ozbob]

Carriage 1 EMU 01

eg.

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/679863920958414852

[BrizCommuter]

BrizCommuter QR have asked what service was it on? I said probably inbound ex Ferny Grove.

Yes. Sorry about the delay in replying.

[not_available]

In EM101. Wheel flat so bumpy it could destroy kidney stones!

I saw EMU 01/04 (01 leading) today departing Bowen Hills at ~2:25pm. It was Ipswich bound.
Also I think i saw 709 (? not to sure, didn't see the number clearly enough through the scratched windows etc. , so don't quote me on this) stabled near Bowen Hills, and it wasn't the plain grey of an NGR not yet in service. (again, not sure if it's 709)

[ozbob]

Yo. Probably was NGR 709.  I saw it at Mayne on Saturday on the way to the Airport. Was gone on the return journey, assume it is doing its acceptance kilometres out on the network. Probably will the 8th into revenue service.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/963186571133444097

[not_available]

Yo. Probably was NGR 709.  I saw it at Mayne on Saturday on the way to the Airport. Was gone on the return journey, assume it is doing its acceptance kilometres out on the network. Probably will the 8th into revenue service.

Yeah, it was 709. Saw it again today. Also this happened.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/964741719571877888

[Cazza]

I do believe T1523 has had it's red Downtown Loop skin stripped and is now running as a plain MAN bus. I've seen it around a few times now (running normal routes) and have had to take a double look at the fleet number. Only used to seeing T12xx/T13xx, not T15xx.

[aldonius]

All Northside trains are starting/terminating at Bowen Hills P3/4 today.

And the lifts are out, apparently due to the weather.

"Please take care with luggage on the stairs" but no mention of what PWDs should do.

Otherwise good platform announcements.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Pubic transport fails attract 900 commuter complaints a week

FED-UP public transport users are making their grievances known with almost 900 complaints made about train, bus and ferry services each week.

More than 45,800 commuters complained to TransLink about service issues in 2017, a 20 per cent increase from the year before.

The revelation comes as furious customers sent TransLink's app rating plummeting, with the latest update causing chaos for commuters who say the technology falls woefully short of expectations.

The data reveals customer satisfaction is lowest in the areas of reliability, affordability and frequency with trains the source of the most frustration.

Brisbane man Tony Corbett started The TransLink Ripoff group about five years ago for concerned public transport users, in response to "total frustration with the Brisbane transport system".

Mr Corbett said the group had successfully campaigned for better zoning and concession fares for the unemployed to bring the system in line with other states but said a lot more needed to be needed to be done to meet customer expectations.

"The only thing that surprises me about the number of complaints is that it hasn't increased by more," he said.

"It's the transport system of last resort and people only use it if they have to."

Mr Corbett said customers were fed up with the "inconsistent" transport options.

"I don't actually use the public transport system now because it's so bad," he said.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the number of complaints was a small portion of the total number of customers.

"We are committed to fairer fares for Queenslanders, and this month's fare increase was the first since the LNP's massive hikes in 2014 when prices went up by 7.5 per cent for Southeast Queensland commuters," he said.

"We are also committed to fixing the trains, and are implementing all 36 recommendations of the Strachan Report."

Mr Bailey said he was aware of the issues with the TransLink app and the department "will continue to roll out changes to improve app functionality and address key issues".

LNP shadow transport minister Steve Minnikin said commuters were frustrated.

"Labor's new rail timetable has 470 fewer services, and even then they still can't get the trains to run on time," Mr Minnikin said.

"No one likes paying more for less.

"It's simple. People want reliable, affordable and frequent services."

[corners]

Track grinding machines parked near Sunshine this morning

[mufreight]

SMU 210 propelled out of Ipswich workshops at 11.50 am 19th Feb 2018.

[not_available]

Does anyone know why the Redcliffe/Caboolture/SC trains where departing on platforms 4 (central, p2 Valley-Northgate) at around 2pm yesterday?

[James]

Does anyone know why the Redcliffe/Caboolture/SC trains where departing on platforms 4 (central, p2 Valley-Northgate) at around 2pm yesterday?

Maintenance on the mains I'm guessing. It's common for QR to shut two of the four tracks going through the inner city to do maintenance during the weekday interpeak - the theory being that it costs less to pay staff to do it then vs. at night/on a weekend.

[not_available]

Why would EMU 19/?? be sitting at Northgate, platform one with PIDs off? (That was probably a very 'i don't know a lot about trains' question. )

[HappyTrainGuy]

Northgate terminator/starter.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/967164936722919424

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/967185590448930816

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/967192848654200832

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/967254027758026752