Random observations around the network ...

[Jonno]

On the 5:52 Central to Cleveland... with toilet.  And I rushed to go before getting on as well. 

[WTN]

It seems that Brisbane City Council has decided to plant trees along part of Edward St - and right in bus stop 145. Stop 145 is a busy stop served by Brisbane Transport and Logan City buses (including the 555 'BUZ'). In the mornings, there's a good chance that a bus docking at the lead stop will have the rear door blocked by a tree. In the afternoons, the footpath is narrower and has less space for commuters waiting and people walking though. It's starting to look like Cultural Centre with multiple buses docking and people everywhere.

I might take a photo of this when I get a chance.

[Arnz]

It's been reported on the ATDB that IMU102 has been refurbished to a similar style to SMU239/SMU249.  

New Floors, Seat Covers, etc installed.  Existing PIDs were also repaired along with the installation of Comms/VAS.

[Gazza]

Infuriating looking across at the tennis centre, and not being served by rail ...

Didn't they just build that new footbridge from Yeerongpilly?

[#Metro]

The footbridge is good- only seen it on my way to Beenleigh.
I think high frequency bus through the area would be better for now.
Train to Tennyson you have 1 station that you have to walk to. With a connecting bus on the street you can have multiple bus stops close to the people and feed them into Yeerongpilly. But it has to be frequent, connect and be obvious from the train.

Post-CRR will be interesting though. Beenleigh and Gold Coast trains will cover the area from Yeerongpilly further down, so there may be an opening to maybe run a Corinda-Tennyson-Yeerongpilly-Doomben service... possibly...

[Golliwog]

BT took delivery of 3 new tri-axle buses on the 1st of March. I've ridden one of them twice now on the 109. For those that are interested they are numbers 1711, 1712 and 1713 and are based at Garden City depot. Brisbane Transport Buses gives a seated capacity of 49 plus 2 wheelchairs but no overall capacity. The main feature I like about it though is the full size rear door.

[ozbob]

Onboard IMU 176 8.27am BNE service ex Corinda via Tennyson, all pax asked to leave first three cars, has changed from last week when pax allowed travel, doors isolated ...

[kw]

Shorncliffe Up and Down trains both using Platform 1 at Northgate. Caboolture trains terminating on Platform 2.

[somebody]

Shorncliffe Up and Down trains both using Platform 1 at Northgate. Caboolture trains terminating on Platform 2.

Never knew that was possible!  There you go.

[ozbob]

Presently at Bundamba onboard EMU72.  Noted SMU 292 on a run through Darra earlier (trial run by the look of it), also some trains running down on the main up (platform 3 road) Darra.

[ozbob]

SMU292 running through platform 4 Darra








Richlands commencing Shorncliffe service




SMU237 running down through the up main Darra (platform 3 road)




Down trains leave close together from platform 2 and 3 Darra



Photographs R Dow 14th March 2011

[Derwan]

Shorncliffe Up and Down trains both using Platform 1 at Northgate. Caboolture trains terminating on Platform 2.

Never knew that was possible!  There you go.

Yep - possible as long as it is on DS to begin with.  (Can't go from DM to US.)  Inbound services can also arrive on platform 2 (DS), then switch back to US or on to UM after Northgate.

Sometimes when we're running late in the afternoons, the Nambour train will pull up on platform 1 as we're pulling up on platform 2.  We go first, but it means the Nambour train doesn't have to wait behind us.

There was an interesting moment one time when we were switching from DM to DS.  The Nambour train was already on DS!  It switched to US, but would've been a hairy moment for any passengers who didn't realise what was happening!

[Arnz]

Friday afternoon at Glasshouse Mountains:  ICE 153.

[ozbob]

Late Sunday morning, SMU 234/250 had failed platform 5 Roma St.

Ferny Grove (really Bowen Hills due to the track closure) via platform 6



Photograph R Dow 20th March 2011

[Arnz]

The midday (1243) dunnyless Nambour flyer has been served by Red QR trains 277/278 the past 2 days

[johnnigh]

Why do train controllers prefer to send coalies down the electrified track, even at peak hour evening, on the old inbound track? And in the depths of the early morning, from Corinda, onto the old outbound track, ensuring loudest crashing through endless points between Corinda Stn and Allen Tce?

The brand new freight track remains largely unused, perhaps keeping until it is 'really' needed. Wouldn't like to wear it out unnecessarily would we? As for the passing loop... I've never witnessed anything being passed on that loop.

I guess it might be that the drivers don't know how to cope with the signals and lack of all those points

[ozbob]

Yes, I had a look at Corinda today.  The up sub (freight line) is  a bit shiny, the passing loop is rusted over ..  guess that is more a reflection of low traffic since the range closed.

[petey3801]

Why do train controllers prefer to send coalies down the electrified track, even at peak hour evening, on the old inbound track? And in the depths of the early morning, from Corinda, onto the old outbound track, ensuring loudest crashing through endless points between Corinda Stn and Allen Tce?

The brand new freight track remains largely unused, perhaps keeping until it is 'really' needed. Wouldn't like to wear it out unnecessarily would we? As for the passing loop... I've never witnessed anything being passed on that loop.

I guess it might be that the drivers don't know how to cope with the signals and lack of all those points

Might be something to do with drivers not being qualified for the new tracks?? Also, the fact the Range has been closed for a couple months now means there has been little traffic to be crossed in the loop...

[Golliwog]

Has anyone else seen that the toilets at Central has finished their refurbishment? Look quite snazzy, although the think the addition of automatic doors a bit over the top. The gentlemens door keeps opening for women who have to walk past it to get to theirs

[mufreight]

The freight loop at Corinda has seen use with an empty coal held there to wait a path west just as the stock loop at the Dinmore is used to hold loaded coal services for a path.

[Golliwog]

Is it just the new trains that can turn around really fast, or are the older once capable of doing so as well? I caught the 8.07am express from FG this morning, it managed to turn around in 2 minutes or less.

[Arnz]

And SMU277/SMU278 spends almost the entire week on express runs up to the SC.  3rd day in a row on the midday "dunnyless" flyer.

Here's a quick phone camera vid of it today (Friday) leaving Glasshouse on the return trip working a Roma Street express (sorry didn't have my camera at this time, best quality is 480px).

[johnnigh]

The freight loop at Corinda has seen use with an empty coal held there to wait a path west just as the stock loop at the Dinmore is used to hold loaded coal services for a path.

That's good. It's been used once! 

I guess it might be used a bit more when the western line re-opens.

I also note that the new electric track is also often used by coalies. The shine on the freight line is fading, fading....

I think I'll have a chat with customer services one day to point out that the noise levels of coalies on the electric tracks is much greater than those on the new line, and that the good burghers of Corinda, and possibly other places where the electric track has lots of points around Darra, can enjoy easier sleep and lower volume on their televisions!

[HappyTrainGuy]

Other rollingstock both in service and out of service can also have an influence of what points trains change tracks at. Since coal and freight from out west has been nearly non existant and trains now running to Richlands it could also be easier to maintain these routes until the new timetables kick in and services get back up to 100%. Lots of things to factor in rather than just why don't they.

[ozbob]

Understand some coalies from the downs have come down the range today ... 

[mufreight]

Is it just the new trains that can turn around really fast, or are the older once capable of doing so as well? I caught the 8.07am express from FG this morning, it managed to turn around in 2 minutes or less.

The trains themselves make little difference to turn round times but the crews do, two minute turn rounds are frequently the case at Ipswich when a new crew is taking the train out and the train has run in late.   

[Golliwog]

Is it just the new trains that can turn around really fast, or are the older once capable of doing so as well? I caught the 8.07am express from FG this morning, it managed to turn around in 2 minutes or less.

The trains themselves make little difference to turn round times but the crews do, two minute turn rounds are frequently the case at Ipswich when a new crew is taking the train out and the train has run in late.   

So why is 8 minutes the quoted time for a turn around? Or is that just to provide the crew with a short break?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Its just a safeguard so crews can change driving ends, have a little break, do a little spot cleaning, use the restrooms if needed and do a quick check over of the train without having to rush no matter what type of rollingstock it might be.

[Golliwog]

Its just a safeguard so crews can change driving ends, have a little break, do a little spot cleaning, use the restrooms if needed and do a quick check over of the train without having to rush no matter what type of rollingstock it might be.

Ahhhk, so just out of interest, if it was just a straight up turn around, no worries about taking a break, spot cleaning, etc, how fast could a train be turned around?

[mufreight]

With a three car set possibly in three minutes instead of four, with a six car set six minutes could be possible instead of the eight, but this would go gown the tube very quickly if either of the crew needed to go to the toilet, report or correct a fault.
The times for turn rounds are reasonable and practical, they also provide a buffer, small though as it is to maintain timetables.

[Golliwog]

With a three car set possibly in three minutes instead of four, with a six car set six minutes could be possible instead of the eight, but this would go gown the tube very quickly if either of the crew needed to go to the toilet, report or correct a fault.
The times for turn rounds are reasonable and practical, they also provide a buffer, small though as it is to maintain timetables.

I know they are reasonable and practical, I was just curious as to how fast it could be done if all there was to do was turn around. And I would dispute what you are saying is the fastest possible 6 car set turn around, as I have posted previous, I have observed a 6 car unit do it in 2 minutes (I watched the PID clock).

[petey3801]

With a three car set possibly in three minutes instead of four, with a six car set six minutes could be possible instead of the eight, but this would go gown the tube very quickly if either of the crew needed to go to the toilet, report or correct a fault.
The times for turn rounds are reasonable and practical, they also provide a buffer, small though as it is to maintain timetables.

I know they are reasonable and practical, I was just curious as to how fast it could be done if all there was to do was turn around. And I would dispute what you are saying is the fastest possible 6 car set turn around, as I have posted previous, I have observed a 6 car unit do it in 2 minutes (I watched the PID clock).

And, as you were told earlier, it was due to having a relief/turnback driver at the other end. Therefore, the incoming driver did not need to head up the other end, instead, the turnback driver energised the cab and was ready to go straight after the incoming driver isolated. Depending on the stock (some are slow to pump up the air, others are fast), it can be done within a minute.

For normal turnarounds (driver walking from one end to the other), 6-minutes would be pushing it a bit, 8 minutes is pretty safe.

[Golliwog]

Ok, my bad. I misread the post. I thought when it said it wasn't the units that mattered but the crew, it was about the skill of the drivers.

[HappyTrainGuy]

As petey said. If you had the crew ready at both ends and not waiting for any passengers to get on or off you could easily do a turn around in a minute or so.

[Stillwater]

The argument here is getting pretty thin if the criticality of the timetable depends on the rate at which water passes from a driver's bladder, or the length of time he or she spends in the bog!

[somebody]

The argument here is getting pretty thin if the criticality of the timetable depends on the rate at which water passes from a driver's bladder, or the length of time he or she spends in the bog!

At some stations, such as Cleveland it is fair enough.  But stations like Shorncliffe which have a single track section, I'm sure another solution can be found.  A crew swap could be done all day, especially because it's a depot.

[mufreight]

The additional numbers of crews required for step back change overs would add quite considerable cost, funds better spent of additional services, the additional problem is the loss of buffer or recovery time on the reliability of timetabling and the potential impact on the operation of other services and co-ordination with other services.
With higher frequency services the crew layover times become less of a problem with turnbacks.

[Fares_Fair]

Hello mufreight,

I note that all of the Landsborough to Nambour Rail Project information EIS is back and available to the public on the website.
It also includes the drawings. 
http://www.landsborough-nambour.com.au/project-resources/report.html

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Golliwog]

BT took delivery of 3 new tri-axle buses on the 1st of March. I've ridden one of them twice now on the 109. For those that are interested they are numbers 1711, 1712 and 1713 and are based at Garden City depot. Brisbane Transport Buses gives a seated capacity of 49 plus 2 wheelchairs but no overall capacity. The main feature I like about it though is the full size rear door.

They have now received some more tri-axle buses. According to Brisbane Transport Buses there's now 8 of them.

[somebody]

Saw a loaded coalie heading away from the port on the flyover at Park Rd.

The additional numbers of crews required for step back change overs would add quite considerable cost, funds better spent of additional services, the additional problem is the loss of buffer or recovery time on the reliability of timetabling and the potential impact on the operation of other services and co-ordination with other services.
With higher frequency services the crew layover times become less of a problem with turnbacks.

Much cheaper than infrastructure upgrades to allow for non-step back change overs.  At Shorncliffe, "step back" change overs seem a completely reasonable proposition to me.  The most reliable solution is to have no services.  Then there is no service interruptions.

What do you mean by this post?