Random observations around the network ...

[#Metro]

I once heard something about Metro Trains Melbourne replacing things before they got broken in an attempt to pre-empt faults. I think they said "run to failure" was what they were trying to avoid (i.e. fix before broken) and also they are replacing track circuits etc...

[HappyTrainGuy]

Just heard SMU234-246 are doing tonight's Gympie North/Roma Street run.... LOL!

[ozbob]

Gee, that is a long way without a break, I suppose it will be on time though  ... 

Ended up at Goodna at around 3.26pm, the 524 had gone (scheduled 3.24pm).  Next bus 4pm.  So we walked home ...  what if you cannot walk?

Wait till 4pm I guess ...

[ClintonL94]

Gee, that is a long way without a break, I suppose it will be on time though  ...

Timetabled for speed limits of 120KM/h from Caboolture - Gympie North. SMU MKII only travels at 100KM/h..

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.msg52818#msg52818

[ozbob]

Afternoon coal traffic at Oxley

Main UP line






Followed shortly by train on the Suburban UP line





Photographs R Dow 13th April 2011

[Arnz]

A lot more patronage than usual on the 4pm Roma Street to Nambour express, due to students/seasonal work coming home for Hols.  Normally there are few standees beyond Caboolture, but there were Standees in most vestibules up to Landsborough (shown around the 0:20 mark)

I was sitting in the the last "quiet" carriage (6th car in IMU124 with IMU123 leading).  This shot was taken minutes before arriving at Beerwah.

[Stillwater]

Arnz, there are some who would say that all those people should live south of Caboolture, then we would not have crowded SC trains -- and the population density would justify a train every couple of minutes.  It is convoluted logic, of course.

[O_128]

Stuck on smu32 on an all stations  service robin to. Bowen hills, fml

[somebody]

Longitudinal seating is severely inappropriate in IMUs.

[Arnz]

The video of mine that I posted on Friday regarding the crowding of that Sunshine Coast train made it to No 46 most viewed (in the Travel Videos section of Youtube) yesturday (Saturday). 

Thanks guys if you watched it.  I do hope authorities were watching, though I doubt it lol 

[Fares_Fair]

well done Arnz !
I've seen an awful lot of it lately, on various SC services.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

Well, Arnz, you know that happens in Hollywood when a movie goes gangbusters -- they bring out a sequel, and then a third and a fourth.  So, if you are on a roll, go for it.  If you are so inclined, I would love you to show the interior of the morning run from Gympie North at various locations -- Nambour, Palmwood, Landsborough, Caboolture to indicate the pattern of the train filling up .... and show the kids and uni students sitting in the luggage bay shelves, on the floor etc.  It might be handy to have it formatted for rebroadcast on TV.  Little fairies might pass it on, then you would be due a spotter's fee, or royalty.   

[Stillwater]

Note alignment ... and think of all the trucks you can get off the Bruce Highway if we had a good, duplicated working railway on the SC.  The night shot shows how passenger and freight train services co-exist on the single track.



And from a bit further north.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlYaLOU9EUw&feature=related

[ozbob]

Onboard SMU264, 6.14am Goodna to town, on time too.  Bit wet out west ... glad I am not driving on  'that car park' ...

The corrugations with the track between Wacol and Darra seem to be under control now, might have been some work over the closure weekend.

Next station Darra!

[ozbob]

Wet morning at Roma St








Empty Coalie on the job at Goodna, evidence of floods still around





Photographs R Dow 18th April 2011

[ozbob]

Outbound on EMU73, Bundamba.  Just noted the Swanbank branch is very shiny.  Looks like seeing a bit of regular rail traffic.

[ozbob]

Inbound on EMU09, Milton.  Darra to Central, good load around 500 pax ...

[ozbob]

Some random photographs from travels on the rail network today













Photographs R Dow 19th April 2011

[Arnz]

The long awaited first series of sequels (from the 4pm crowded Sunshine Coast at Beerwah) is now here!  Having not much to do on a Easter Saturday, I've travelled up and down the Sunshine Coast line this Saturday afternoon, leaving 10:50am from Landsborough on the Roma Street express, operated by the 32 year old train, EMU03.  I got off at Caboolture at 11:19am and had 40 minutes for lunch.

The two videos I took was various patronage on Sunshine Coast trains beyond Caboolture on a Saturday afternoon after lunch.  The train operating both services was IMU176.

The first video, I took was from the 11:11am Roma Street - Nambour service (leaving Caboolture at 12pm), patronage on this 3-car service had standees on the doorways up to Landsborough.  This shot was taken prior to arrival at Landsborough.

The second video, is the Saturday Afternoon Nambour-Caboolture shuttle, patronage on that one is a lot higher than the midday express from the City to Landsborough.  There were a lot more standees in all doorways and there was people sitting on inter-carriage doorways of IMU176.

Judging by the patronage, I'd have to say let's see what the June 6 timetables will do for weekend passengers.

[Fares_Fair]

Hello Arnz,

Looks like these extra services are well and truly required ...

SOUTHBOUND (Sat-Sun)
We have 14 services on Saturday [including 2 Gympie North services].
We have 12 services on Sunday [including 1 Gympie North service].
The vast majority of these through services are spaced at 1 hour 30 minute intervals.

NORTHBOUND (Sat-Sun)
We have 11 services on Saturday [including 1 Gympie North service].
We have 12 services on Sunday [including 2 Gympie North services].
These through services are spaced at varying intervals from 1 to 2 hours.

The substantial increase in week-end services provided are very much welcomed.
This to be compared to the meagre 8 new weekday services.
Currently we have 27 week-end services and under the new timetable implemented on June 6, we will have a total of 49 week-end services !

[somebody]

Currently we have 27 week-end services and under the new timetable implemented on June 6, we will have a total of 49 week-end services !

Even so, there is room for improvement.  You don't need to all stop Northgate-Roma St off peak, they should have abolished the Caboolture shuttles and the Sat/Sun timetable should have been made as similar as possible.  These things weren't done.

[Arnz]

Currently we have 27 week-end services and under the new timetable implemented on June 6, we will have a total of 49 week-end services !

Even so, there is room for improvement.  You don't need to all stop Northgate-Roma St off peak

Agree with that, then theres the "train paths" excuse for freights (as they need to use the mains to access the Exhibition loop).

they should have abolished the Caboolture shuttles and the Sat/Sun timetable should have been made as similar as possible.  These things weren't done.

I was told at the information session why some of the Sunday runs are shuttles is due to depot positioning for the Monday morning runs ex-Caboolture (eg those runs are operated by SMUs).  They've done all they can to make the weekend timetables as similar as possible (differences being the Gympie runs and the shuttle positioning runs).

So unless if they do upgrades to stabling and/or build new stabling areas, weekend shuttles will still exist unfortunately.

[ozbob]

The latest 'showpiece' of the network is arguably Corinda to Darra, with the branch to Richlands.  I boarded the 8.21am service ex Richlands at Darra this morning for the run into town.  Platform 2 Darra (down sub), at Pannard cross in turn, main up then main down for the run to Corinda. Leave Corinda cross back from the main down to the sub down.   How typical of Queensland?  The fundamental issue is the failure to electrify the 4 line (up sub) and make it a continuous extension of the subs ex Corinda.  The coalies are more often than not running on the mains still (with the crosses at Corinda).  Why is it so?  Well the basic track layout causes issues with the up Richlands services and freight paths. Does it qualify for a half baked upgrade?

Darra would have been better as two island platforms with a 5th freight line clear of everything. There was ample room to do that.  The 5th line would have been continuous with the loop. Richlands (Springfield) trains clear. Imagine how much worse the criss-crossing will be once Springfields in full steam.  Maybe we need to get the 4th line electrified and make continuous  with the subs at Corinda.  At least that would stop the crossing conflicts.

[somebody]

I was told at the information session why some of the Sunday runs are shuttles is due to depot positioning for the Monday morning runs ex-Caboolture (eg those runs are operated by SMUs).  They've done all they can to make the weekend timetables as similar as possible (differences being the Gympie runs and the shuttle positioning runs).

So unless if they do upgrades to stabling and/or build new stabling areas, weekend shuttles will still exist unfortunately.

I'm afraid that can only be partly true.  There is the 10:13am & 17:33 weekday Caboolture arrivals from Nambour.  On Saturday there is the 11:13am, 14:19 and 20:13 and on Sunday there is 8:13am, 11:13am, 14:19, 15:43 and 20:13 arrivals at Caboolture.

I presume there are equivalent outbound trains for most of them.

[Arnz]

The 2 weekday "counter-peak" shuttles are done to make more space for an extra peak service between Brisbane and Nambour (1 in each direction), thus freeing up a path to and from the City.  The late afternoon and late evening arrivals on Sunday If I recall from the information session gets stowed in the Caboolture yard afterwards.  

I know 2 of the other shuttles on the weekends are inbetween express runs (Brisbane-Nambour-Caboolture-Nambour-Brisbane)

[Arnz]

On a related note, one of my sequels (The video heading northbound) made it to No 56 on the Travel videos section of Youtube today.   

Though half my traffic on the recent videos are from this site, thanks guys for watching   

[somebody]

The 2 weekday "counter-peak" shuttles are done to make more space for an extra peak service between Brisbane and Nambour (1 in each direction), thus freeing up a path to and from the City.  The late afternoon and late evening arrivals on Sunday If I recall from the information session gets stowed in the Caboolture yard afterwards.  

I know 2 of the other shuttles on the weekends are inbetween express runs (Brisbane-Nambour-Caboolture-Nambour-Brisbane)

That doesn't at all follow in the case of the 10:13am arrival at Caboolture.  It may follow in the case of the 17:33 arrival.

[Arnz]

The 2 weekday "counter-peak" shuttles are done to make more space for an extra peak service between Brisbane and Nambour (1 in each direction), thus freeing up a path to and from the City.  The late afternoon and late evening arrivals on Sunday If I recall from the information session gets stowed in the Caboolture yard afterwards.  

I know 2 of the other shuttles on the weekends are inbetween express runs (Brisbane-Nambour-Caboolture-Nambour-Brisbane)

That doesn't at all follow in the case of the 10:13am arrival at Caboolture.  It may follow in the case of the 17:33 arrival.

The 10:13am arrival is formed off the 7:58am departure from Caboolture.  This ICE is based at Caboolture (which also sits around and does nothing at Caboolture for 5 hrs before leaving again at 15:23), and I suspect that ICE is a backup for the 2 Gympie trains (in case one of them fails).

[Arnz]

On a positive note, IMUs are starting to appear on a semi-regular basis (every 2-3 days) on the midday Roma Street-Nambour and the return 3:08pm Nambour to Roma Street express, combined with a random mix of SMUs and EMUs inbetween.  This run was famously known as home of the "long distance EMUs", where every day was guaranteed a EMU until recently.

IMU177/IMU178 operated the 3:08pm afternoon run back to Roma street this week. (Thursday and Friday).

I've decided not to list this general observation of IMU177/178 publicly on youtube,  so it's only accessible through here on Railbot and/or if you have the link to it. 

[Otto]

Nice to see that Queen St Bus Station still has a very large billboard urging passengers to buy Off-Peak tickets on weekends for cheaper travel !!

[ozbob]

Beenleigh service platform two Central.  Track closure this weekend Dutton Park to Beenleigh.

Photograph R Dow 30th April 2011

[somebody]

Beenleigh service platform two Central.  Track closure this weekend Dutton Park to Beenleigh.

Is the trackwork cancelled?  Seems that Beenleigh trains are still running as per normal.

The 10:13am arrival is formed off the 7:58am departure from Caboolture.  This ICE is based at Caboolture (which also sits around and does nothing at Caboolture for 5 hrs before leaving again at 15:23), and I suspect that ICE is a backup for the 2 Gympie trains (in case one of them fails).

The 7:53am train is also a shuttle.  I assume this train has been retimed by 5mins in the new timetable.

Death to shuttles!  I'd much rather have the 6:33am train ex-Roma St run all stops to Nambour than have to endure an all stopping service and then also endure an interchange.

[ozbob]

Beenleigh service platform two Central.  Track closure this weekend Dutton Park to Beenleigh.

Is the trackwork cancelled?  Seems that Beenleigh trains are still running as per normal.

No, they just announce to the punters that buses are running between Dutton Park and Beenleigh, the trains run through to Dutton Park on the normal timetable eg. ex FG.

[somebody]

Ah, so in spite of being announced as Beenleigh trains they are really Dutton Park trains.  I didn't know Dutton Park reversing was even possible.  There you go.

[Arnz]

The 7:53am train is also a shuttle.  I assume this train has been retimed by 5mins in the new timetable.

Death to shuttles!  I'd much rather have the 6:33am train ex-Roma St run all stops to Nambour than have to endure an all stopping service and then also endure an interchange.

There is "no" 7:53am train.  This Caboolture based ICE train departs at 7:58am.

As for the 6:33am Roma Street to Caboolture service, it arrives Caboolture at 7:39am and it forms the 8:01am service back to City and Ipswich (the 7:43am departure is formed off the 7:09 arrival from Rosewood, and the ex-Gympie ICE departs Caboolture for Brisbane at 7:55am).  So that won't be possible.

 

[somebody]

Firstly, the 6 June 2011 has the train at 7:53am.  Link: http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-sunshine-coast-line.pdf Not sure what you are looking at???

You don't have to do very much lateral thinking at all to make it possible.  Store an interurban train at Mayne instead of Caboolture (doesn't necessarily need to be an ICE), and have it operate the 6:33am to CAB, and then extend to Nambour.  The spot freed up at Caboolture can be used by an SMU.  Simple really, although there would need to be some retimings to prevent the service just waiting at CAB.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Ah, so in spite of being announced as Beenleigh trains they are really Dutton Park trains.  I didn't know Dutton Park reversing was even possible.  There you go.

I assume they use the two cross overs on approach to Dutton Park.

[Arnz]

Firstly, the 6 June 2011 has the train at 7:53am.  Link: http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/services-and-timetables/timetables/110606-sunshine-coast-line.pdf Not sure what you are looking at???

My mistake  , mixed the times up with the 8:28am Railbus.

You don't have to do very much lateral thinking at all to make it possible.  Store an interurban train at Mayne instead of Caboolture (doesn't necessarily need to be an ICE), and have it operate the 6:33am to CAB, and then extend to Nambour.  The spot freed up at Caboolture can be used by an SMU.  Simple really, although there would need to be some retimings to prevent the service just waiting at CAB.

Most if not all interurban trains will be used up in the morning peak.  GC<>Airport utilising most if not all of the IMU160s, whilst the SC will "likely" get IMU100/120 "hand-me-downs" mixed with SMUs and the Gympie ICEs.  

The 6:33am SMU as pointed out previously will be required for the 8:01am service back, no point replacing that ICE for another SMU if it's going to continue through.  The ICEs are already being underutilised as of June with 2 of the 4 ICE consists on at any given time (the 3rd train being Caboolture based for the 2 counter-peak weekday shuttles and the 4th one stored at Mayne - can't use the 4th ICE on all-stoppers.).

I refer the IMU100/120 as "hand-me-downs", as they will likely be surplus to GC requirements, if the sectorisation of units also apply (eg most IMU160s being based at Robina or Mayne, whilst the IMU100/120s are based at either Mayne or Nambour).  Meaning IMU100/120s will still likely head to Ipswich/Richlands/Rosewood in the afternoon peak in the new timetables, as well as doing Petrie/Caboolture runs on top of the Nambour commitments.  2 morning trains from Nambour continue to Ipswich and Richlands respectively.  The Richlands through train turns back for Nambour.

I will assume 1 or 2 spare IMUs will likely be on standby in peak/in maintenance in the case of one (or more) IMUs fail somewhere.

[Golliwog]

Ah, so in spite of being announced as Beenleigh trains they are really Dutton Park trains.

They did the same thing with the FG line for the long weekend when they were all terminating at Mitchelton. On one hand I get why they do it, as there is the connecting bus replacement, but I would much prefer them to be announced as a train to wherever they actually terminate, then make mention of the connecting bus.

[HappyTrainGuy]

but I would much prefer them to be announced as a train to wherever they actually terminate, then make mention of the connecting bus.

All that does is add confusion as to what line train it is as not everyone would know where every station is. Better to leave it and announce the line then say where it terminates with busses running to as they currently do.