Random observations around the network ...

[SurfRail]

Am I the only one who finds it insulting that the journey planner is never updated with track closure details other than the usual "check updates" notice?  If Sydney can manage this, then surely we can.

[somebody]

Am I the only one who finds it insulting that the journey planner is never updated with track closure details other than the usual "check updates" notice?  If Sydney can manage this, then surely we can.

I wouldn't say insulting, but it is pretty weak.

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.

Disagree with that.  Announcing a train as going to Beenleigh when it doesn't IS confusing.  "This train goes to Dutton Park, with a connecting bus service to Beenleigh".  Where is the confusion with that?

Arnz,
I think the 160 series IMUs should be on the Sunshine Coast line.  The 100/120s are faster on the Gold Coast line and also have more seats.

I don't know if your post was meant as a rebuttal of what I was saying, but I didn't see a rebuttal there.  Your comments about the 6:33am train seem to be missing my point.  If the IMU/ICE is not stored at Caboolture then there is another space for an SMU/EMU.  It's not that hard to eliminate the shuttles, and should have been achieved in the 6 June 2011 timetable.

[Arnz]

I think the 160 series IMUs should be on the Sunshine Coast line.  The 100/120s are faster on the Gold Coast line and also have more seats.

I don't know if your post was meant as a rebuttal of what I was saying, but I didn't see a rebuttal there.  Your comments about the 6:33am train seem to be missing my point.  If the IMU/ICE is not stored at Caboolture then there is another space for an SMU/EMU.  It's not that hard to eliminate the shuttles, and should have been achieved in the 6 June 2011 timetable.

It's possible.  But I was assuming the yardmasters at Mayne were required to give ICE some work as they will be underutilised as of June 6.  Removing/replacing the ICE from the counterpeak shuttles (by replacing it with the 6:33am all stopper ex-Roma Street) would lead to another surplus ICE unit in the yard, and a different unit will be replacing the ICE by sitting around for 5 hrs.

Sure you can replace the Caboolture based ICE overnighting with a EMU/SMU operating the 8:01am, and have the return leg from Nambour go through back to Mayne (extending the 10:13am arrival) but this would require finding crews for the Caboolture-Roma Street (limited express) section after 10:13am.

The 15:23pm departure from Caboolture could be a Mayne starter (leaving around 14:30), but this would require finding the extra crew/s for it.  The 17:33 arrival however, frees up the path/s for the extra service/s to Caboolture and Nambour (even if its only 1 extra through service).

In the end though, it would ruin the patterns even more.  Our stopping patterns will be "unhomgenised" as of June 6 with 4 stopping patterns (3 express stopping patterns (2 off-peak stopping patterns and 1 peak stopping only patterns) and a shuttle).  IMO, I don't feel the need for the stopping patterns up our way to be extended to 5 (adding a through all-stopper)

[Arnz]

Saturday afternoon observation through Beerburrum, QRNational's 2199 & 1753 hauling a Cattletrain through Beerburrum.

[somebody]

For the record, I don't really want the through all stopper either, but it is better than the present situation.  It should really run through as an express, at least express Northgate-Petrie.  Of course there is only one track available for this, so it would require careful timetabling.  Counter peak Petrie trains would make total sense to me.  Far better than specials aka out of service trains.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Disagree with that.  Announcing a train as going to Beenleigh when it doesn't IS confusing.  "This train goes to Dutton Park, with a connecting bus service to Beenleigh".  Where is the confusion with that?

They are announcing and displaying the train line, not the terminus. Beenleigh line is from Terminus-Bowen Hills-Beenleigh. Gold Coast line is from Terminus-Bowen Hills-Varsity Lakes. Dutton Park is not a line. What do you tell someone that wants to get to Woodridge? Catch the Beenleigh train. What if someone desn't usually catch trains to the Gold Coast and they rock up to Central and apon looking at the display and all they have for Southbound trains is:
Cleveland
Dutton Park
Dutton Park
Cleveland
Dutton Park
Dutton Park

How is that not confusing. If you apply that same logic to the NCL closure in June you get a mass of confusion. Gympie/Nambour/Caboolture trains displaying Northgate as the line.

They announce/display the train line, where it then terminates with a bus replacing trains between A and B. Remember, not everyone knows as much as you do about trains, lines and stations.

[somebody]

Even if looked at that way, not having it displayed properly on the detailed PID page is poor.  I think the detailed PID was showing the normal all stopping to Beenleigh page, rather than having a line "Change for bus services to:".  Unless I am mistaken.

Also, the trains had destos showing "Beenleigh".  Probably not the biggest deal.

I'd also point out that trains to Yeerongpilly, Corinda via Sth Brisbane and Kuraby show that.  I think people in general are expected to work it out from the colours.  Why, in this instance is a different model followed?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Not all stations have the detailed displays like Brunswick Street, Central and Roma Street do. Some only show the time/next line train and the scheduled departure time eg Bowen Hills. Some even don't have any of that.

Petrie/Kuraby/Corinda and what not are pre scheduled and programed routes during the week. The displays show normal running times and scheduled stations at all times otherwise they'd have to reprogram the auto voice announcements for trains and stations - update the trains software, reprogram line/display schedules for each line effected during and all this every time scheduled track work has to occur. Just look at the Richlands line. Some trains can't even display Richlands in their desto let alone for other stations. Confusion could also be brought up by displaying bus interchange where stations don't actually have a bus interchange with another PT provider. What they have now works great and I don't see why it should be changed.

[Arnz]

For the record, I don't really want the through all stopper either, but it is better than the present situation.  It should really run through as an express, at least express Northgate-Petrie.  Of course there is only one track available for this, so it would require careful timetabling.  Counter peak Petrie trains would make total sense to me.  Far better than specials aka out of service trains.

There is no (very little) space to run it express on the middle road between Northgate and Petrie in the counter-peak direction, and that the middle road would be taken up mostly by the extra expresses from Caboolture and Nambour, this reason was given for why the 2x shuttle services were moved to the counter-peak timeslots.

As for forcing the all-stopper through, the EMU/SMU basically replaces the ICE by sitting at Caboolture for 5 hours (even if the ICE stored overnight is replaced by a EMU/SMU), which is a even bigger waste than the ICE that scheduled to sit there.  That EMU/SMU is best being kept busy working the other runs than sit at Caboolture for 5hrs.  

As I've pointed out before it's possible to extend the 10:13am Caboolture arrival to Roma Street and extend the 3:23pm Caboolture departure to start at Mayne at 2:30pm, but in the end you won't be able to get rid of the shuttle that has the 5:33pm arrival at Caboolture.    There is limited if no expresses paths available south of Caboolture in the afternoon peak for the 5:33pm counter-peak arrival, most are taken up by the expresses in the peak direction + the Bundaberg Tilt.

[#Metro]

What happened to the next train info at South Brisbane station. It vanished!

[SurfRail]

They are due to be replaced with proper LCD PIDS as part of the station upgrade.

[somebody]

What they have now works great and I don't see why it should be changed.

I disagree that it works great for reasons already discussed.

It also beggars belief IMO that they wouldn't think of programming the PIDs and destos with locations which the trains might be terminating at in the case of trackwork.  The train which gets a destination of "Yeerongpilly" isn't in the timetable.  Perhaps this is the one which loops back to the CBD via Tennyson and Sherwood?  At least it could display "Tennyson" or "Sherwood via Sth Brisbane".

Anyway, I guess we have to agree to disagree on this one.

There is no (very little) space to run it express on the middle road between Northgate and Petrie in the counter-peak direction, and that the middle road would be taken up mostly by the extra expresses from Caboolture and Nambour, this reason was given for why the 2x shuttle services were moved to the counter-peak timeslots.

As for forcing the all-stopper through, the EMU/SMU basically replaces the ICE by sitting at Caboolture for 5 hours (even if the ICE stored overnight is replaced by a EMU/SMU), which is a even bigger waste than the ICE that scheduled to sit there.  That EMU/SMU is best being kept busy working the other runs than sit at Caboolture for 5hrs.   

As I've pointed out before it's possible to extend the 10:13am Caboolture arrival to Roma Street and extend the 3:23pm Caboolture departure to start at Mayne at 2:30pm, but in the end you won't be able to get rid of the shuttle that has the 5:33pm arrival at Caboolture.    There is limited if no expresses paths available south of Caboolture in the afternoon peak for the 5:33pm counter-peak arrival, most are taken up by the expresses in the peak direction + the Bundaberg Tilt.

I think I was pretty clear that such services wouldn't be using the middle road.  There are no intermediate crossovers, so such an arrangement would effective use the middle road for something like 20mins in peak for counter peak trains.  No way in the world is that on.

With the 5:33pm arrival at Caboolture from Nambour, it could run express Petrie-Northgate and not catch the service in front.  Please think before saying "it can't be done"!  There is also out of service movements, but these need to be reduced, if not eliminated.

The inbound tilt/sunlander do not pass Caboolture anywhere near peak hour.  You must be referring to the outbound tilt, but what has that to do with the inbound Sunshine Coast service in the PM peak?

I'm getting tired of this.  It is perfectly clear that better could be done.  They just don't want to.

[Arnz]

I think I was pretty clear that such services wouldn't be using the middle road.  There are no intermediate crossovers, so such an arrangement would effective use the middle road for something like 20mins in peak for counter peak trains.  No way in the world is that on.

You still have the issues of the counter-peak express turning into a "stopping at red signals" train.  Which in that case you might as well turn it into another all-stations, further unhomgenising the stopping patterns up here.

The inbound tilt/sunlander do not pass Caboolture anywhere near peak hour.  You must be referring to the outbound tilt, but what has that to do with the inbound Sunshine Coast service in the PM peak?

I said nothing about the inbound trains.  I was talking about the Bundaberg Tilt, the one that leaves Roma Street at 5pm daily.  

With the 5:33pm arrival at Caboolture from Nambour, it could run express Petrie-Northgate and not catch the service in front.  Please think before saying "it can't be done"!  There is also out of service movements, but these need to be reduced, if not eliminated.

I'm getting tired of this.  It is perfectly clear that better could be done.  They just don't want to.

Between 6pm and 6:30pm there are 3 expresses using the middle road (x2 CAB and 1x Gympie).  As for the 5:33pm suggestion, you've got the CAB-PET empty stabling movements as well as the all-stoppers in front.   The middle road isn't possible for a 17:33pm departure, so it'll have to trail the all-stopper and stop at red signals more often than not.

So it's possible some things can be done, but at the detriment of others.  Such as slowing down other trains at red signals (for either the counter-peak express train (which in that case you might as well run it all stations) or peak trains stopping to let the counter-peak express through in the case of a train failure or a delay blocking the middle road).  

What would be more important in this case, get only 100-200 counter-peak express customers from further out through whilst delaying thousands of peak direction commuters, or get the peak direction customers through while delaying the 100-200 counter-peak express customers.  

The schedulers did the lesser of the evils, and that's throwing the counter-peak customers onto the trains to/from Caboolture, whilst freeing up express paths in the peak direction.  They could force the train through as the next all-stopper, but that requires replacing the ICE  and finding another unit out of nowhere to work the next return all-stoppers run. 

Also, there's the toilet issue if it's a through all-stopper, 5 minutes isn't enough to run up to the northern end of the platform to the toilet and run back on the train.  Which in this case the shuttle would probably work better for the counter-peak customers, at least theres 10-15 mins to head to the toilet and board the connecting train.

IMO, the reliable way to get the counter-peak expresses through the NCL south of Caboolture without causing detriment to the other trains is getting the 3rd track between Lawnton and Narangba (at least, but preferably to Caboolture).

[somebody]

I think I was pretty clear that such services wouldn't be using the middle road.  There are no intermediate crossovers, so such an arrangement would effective use the middle road for something like 20mins in peak for counter peak trains.  No way in the world is that on.

You still have the issues of the counter-peak express turning into a "stopping at red signals" train.  Which in that case you might as well turn it into another all-stations, further unhomgenising the stopping patterns up here.

No.

If all shuttles are abolished, even if there are all stations through trains, there is no increase in the number of patterns.  I'm not really in favour of either, but if you had read my post you would be able to see that it wouldn't be running into red signals.  But you didn't.

I said nothing about the inbound trains.  I was talking about the Bundaberg Tilt, the one that leaves Roma Street at 5pm daily. 

Apparently, but it was the topic under discussion when we are talking about the 17:33 Caboolture arrival from Nambour.  What you just did was introduce some irrelevancies to distract from the point.

Between 6pm and 6:30pm there are 3 expresses using the middle road (x2 CAB and 1x Gympie).  As for the 5:33pm suggestion, you've got the CAB-PET empty stabling movements as well as the all-stoppers in front.   The middle road isn't possible for a 17:33pm departure, so it'll have to trail the all-stopper and stop at red signals more often than not.

Empty movements can wait.  Especially this late in the peak when they cannot be proceeding to form an outbound peak service.

Exactly what train are you referring to which would be delayed by such a system?  The 17:22 train ex-Caboolture arrives at Central at 18:26, if the 17:33 arrival at Caboolture continued to the city, running express Petrie-Northgate, the 57 minute run time of other inbound trains on this pattern would see it arrive at Central at 18:30.  4 minutes after the 17:22 train, so there.

IMO, the reliable way to get the counter-peak expresses through the NCL south of Caboolture without causing detriment to the other trains is getting the 3rd track between Lawnton and Narangba (at least, but preferably to Caboolture).

??

Odd numbers of tracks do not help counter peak services!!

I for one am completely confused by your problem.

Are you trolling?

[Arnz]

I think I was pretty clear that such services wouldn't be using the middle road.  There are no intermediate crossovers, so such an arrangement would effective use the middle road for something like 20mins in peak for counter peak trains.  No way in the world is that on.

You still have the issues of the counter-peak express turning into a "stopping at red signals" train.  Which in that case you might as well turn it into another all-stations, further unhomgenising the stopping patterns up here.

No.

If all shuttles are abolished, even if there are all stations through trains, there is no increase in the number of patterns.  I'm not really in favour of either, but if you had read my post you would be able to see that it wouldn't be running into red signals.  But you didn't.

Even getting rid of all shuttles won't be possible.  Some weekend shuttles are "effectively stabling movements" between Caboolture and Nambour on the weekends which requires stabling at Caboolture, due to lack of space at Nambour.   More useful to operate them as shuttles than empty movements.

I said nothing about the inbound trains.  I was talking about the Bundaberg Tilt, the one that leaves Roma Street at 5pm daily.  

Apparently, but it was the topic under discussion when we are talking about the 17:33 Caboolture arrival from Nambour.  What you just did was introduce some irrelevancies to distract from the point.

The middle road is relevant to a degree.  It's used by the expresses, freighters and Traveltrains.  It is required to get them to pass the other trains.  Sure you can run the expresses behind the all-stopper, but it'll be either subject to speed or signal restrictions to ensure that it doesn't catch up (even if the train in front is delayed).

Between 6pm and 6:30pm there are 3 expresses using the middle road (x2 CAB and 1x Gympie).  As for the 5:33pm suggestion, you've got the CAB-PET empty stabling movements as well as the all-stoppers in front.   The middle road isn't possible for a 17:33pm departure, so it'll have to trail the all-stopper and stop at red signals more often than not.

Empty movements can wait.  Especially this late in the peak when they cannot be proceeding to form an outbound peak service.

Exactly what train are you referring to which would be delayed by such a system?  The 17:22 train ex-Caboolture arrives at Central at 18:26, if the 17:33 arrival at Caboolture continued to the city, running express Petrie-Northgate, the 57 minute run time of other inbound trains on this pattern would see it arrive at Central at 18:30.  4 minutes after the 17:22 train, so there.

Peak direction trains in the case of a failure somewhere down the line.  In the case of a failed train, either trains have to switch lines to get around the failed train, or in case of signal failure, the counter-peak express catches up close to the all-stopper and effectively becomes a "all-signals" stopper train.

Counter-peak direction trains has less customers than those in the peak direction, so they'd likely be most effected by the delays to minimize the delays (either signal failure or failed train blocking a track) in the peak direction.

IMO, the reliable way to get the counter-peak expresses through the NCL south of Caboolture without causing detriment to the other trains is getting the 3rd track between Lawnton and Narangba (at least, but preferably to Caboolture).

??

Odd numbers of tracks do not help counter peak services!!

It doesn't, though a third track between Caboolture and Petrie does enable the counter-peak express to bypass the all-stopper in front on the way to Petrie, then run express uninterrupted on the main road without trailing the all-stopper by a few minutes.

There is a Nambour train arriving at Caboolture around 5:28pm, and the next Nambour bound train from Petrie leaves after 6pm.  Both trains would save a few minutes if the 3rd track can be used, and enough buffer so a counter-peak express can leave after 5:33pm (and run express Caboolture-Northgate, stopping Petrie with little to no signals).

I for one am completely confused by your problem.

Are you trolling?

I'd have to side with Brizcommuter on your trolling (and I've disagreed with him in the past).  Beenleigh 15 min expresses on top of the Gold Coast expresses on current infrastructure for example seems to be a bit of trolling.

[somebody]

I'd have to side with Brizcommuter on your trolling (and I've disagreed with him in the past).  Beenleigh 15 min expresses on top of the Gold Coast expresses on current infrastructure for example seems to be a bit of trolling.

I said that was a bad idea.

[somebody]

Actually, when did I ever suggest 15 minute frequency expresses for the Beenleigh line off peak on current infrastructure?  I might have suggested such a thing for peak hour, of course.

[Fares_Fair]

excuse me for the interruption, but what exactly is "trolling" ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

excuse me for the interruption, but what exactly is "trolling" ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Found it on Google:
When a user posts or responds with an obvious incorrect answer in the attempt to upset, aggravate, or cause an argument to confuse others for self entertainment.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

Actually, when did I ever suggest 15 minute frequency expresses for the Beenleigh line off peak on current infrastructure?  I might have suggested such a thing for peak hour, of course.

I'll concede I don't recall you in the off-peak threads on that.  

Though Peak-hr had chokepoints further down the line past Kuraby pointed out, when accounting for the 15 min peak direction Gold Coast expresses.  

GC trains are lucky that the 3rd track from South Bank to past Yeerongpilly is dedicated for them in peak periods, At off-peak/weekend times, the freighters use the third track.  A similar use of maximising the track on the Beenleigh/Varsity lines would be required in the next timetable re-write as well (e.g Beenleigh expresses become "less" express in peak, and possibly the off-peak/counter-peak GC trains become "less" express as well due to freighters and peak direction GC trains on the third track).  

The later (GC) would require either Airtrain negotiation (or payment/compensation if necessary) for maximisation on the Southern lines to occur.

[somebody]

excuse me for the interruption, but what exactly is "trolling" ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Found it on Google:
When a user posts or responds with an obvious incorrect answer in the attempt to upset, aggravate, or cause an argument to confuse others for self entertainment.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Thanks for posting that!

I'd like to know when I have done so.  

Actually, when did I ever suggest 15 minute frequency expresses for the Beenleigh line off peak on current infrastructure?  I might have suggested such a thing for peak hour, of course.

I'll concede I don't recall you in the off-peak threads on that. 

Though Peak-hr had chokepoints further down the line past Kuraby pointed out, when accounting for the 15 min peak direction Gold Coast expresses.   

GC trains are lucky that the 3rd track from South Bank to past Yeerongpilly is dedicated for them in peak periods, At off-peak/weekend times, the freighters use the third track.  A similar use of maximising the track on the Beenleigh/Varsity lines would be required in the next timetable re-write as well (e.g Beenleigh expresses become "less" express in peak, and possibly the off-peak/counter-peak GC trains become "less" express as well due to freighters and peak direction GC trains on the third track).   

The later (GC) would require either Airtrain negotiation (or payment/compensation if necessary) for maximisation on the Southern lines to occur.

The most disappointing limitation here is the lack of a crossover from the "Up Main" to the "Down Main" at Coopers Plains to allow both the Beenleigh expresses and Gold Coast trains to use the normal tracks rather than the third road and avoid conflicting moves.  Completely doable.

[HappyTrainGuy]

It also beggars belief IMO that they wouldn't think of programming the PIDs and destos with locations which the trains might be terminating at in the case of trackwork.  The train which gets a destination of "Yeerongpilly" isn't in the timetable.  Perhaps this is the one which loops back to the CBD via Tennyson and Sherwood?  At least it could display "Tennyson" or "Sherwood via Sth Brisbane".

There aren't any Sherwood services/terminators.

Not all trains have the ability to program in all the stations unless their software and displays are all upgraded (EMU's, ICE's are an example).

Solve this. I'm a deaf person that has to catch the Beenleigh all station service home to Fairfield at night from Park Road station. There is trackwork Beenleigh-Varsity Lakes that weekend so all Gold Coast services now terminate at Beenleigh. As I'm walking towards the station I notice a train with Beenleigh on the desto pulling into the station. There are no Beenleigh express trains on the weekend besides the Gold Coast train but they display Gold Coast on the desto. I can't see any display screens due to obstructions or lack of. This must be my train. Do I quickly swipe my go card and jump on? or do I miss the train, wait a possible 30 minutes or maybe risk missing that train which was the last service. The same can be applied to Nambour/Gympie services.

During weekday services. If I want to go to Caboolture do I get on a Petrie service or wait for the Caboolture service? If I want to go to Cleveland do I get on a Manly service or wait for the Cleveland service? Adding Dutton Park, Northgate, Cannon Hill, Helensvale, Gailes and what not on destos and displays just adds more confusion to passengers travelling about which services to catch when they don't match up with printed timetables.

[Golliwog]

If the station has the LCD screens (like Central) then it wouldn't take much to have a message pop up notifying everyone of the track closure. If not, then would it be hard to put an A-frame at each of the station entrances along that line (even the ones that aren't closing) about it? They put them up at Central in the weeks leading up to a track closure, even if Central isn't effected. It probably wouldn't be cheap to get them in the first place, but if you did it right, you would just have whiteboard sections to write in the dates of the closure, and which stations would be effected.

[somebody]

If the station has the LCD screens (like Central) then it wouldn't take much to have a message pop up notifying everyone of the track closure. If not, then would it be hard to put an A-frame at each of the station entrances along that line (even the ones that aren't closing) about it? They put them up at Central in the weeks leading up to a track closure, even if Central isn't effected. It probably wouldn't be cheap to get them in the first place, but if you did it right, you would just have whiteboard sections to write in the dates of the closure, and which stations would be effected.

Good point.  HTG was also assuming that the deaf user didn't know that Dutton Park was on the Beenleigh line IMO.

There is no train which terminates at Sherwood, but for the train which does a loop, I'd suggest that Sherwood would be a more logical display than "Bowen Hills" or whereever that train ultimately goes.  CityRail do stuff like this all the time.  Destination is displayed as "Town Hall" for example, even though the train continues after that.  Doesn't normally apply in Brisbane because we don't normally have loop trains.

[Derwan]

Nice clear day at Mt Coot-tha yesterday.

[HappyTrainGuy]

HTG was also assuming that the deaf user didn't know that Dutton Park was on the Beenleigh line IMO.

Huh? That was never assumed. Read what I said again Mr Troll.

I'm a deaf person that has to catch the Beenleigh all station service home to Fairfield at night from Park Road station. There is trackwork Beenleigh-Varsity Lakes that weekend so all Gold Coast services now terminate at Beenleigh. As I'm walking towards the station I notice a train with Beenleigh on the desto pulling into the station. There are no Beenleigh express trains on the weekend besides the Gold Coast train but they display Gold Coast on the desto. I can't see any display screens due to obstructions or lack of. This must be my train. Do I quickly swipe my go card and jump on? or do I miss the train, wait a possible 30 minutes or maybe risk missing that train which was the last service.

The person was walking to Park Road station.
Due to track work past Beenleigh Gold Coast services now terminate and are now renamed to Beenleigh on the train desto.
The person saw a service arriving at the station displaying Beenleigh (It was the Gold Coast service displaying Beenleigh instead of Gold Coast).
Because the person was deaf they couldn't hear any announcements describing what train it was arriving at the station.
The person knew only Beenleigh and Gold Coast services operate that part of the line on the weekend with the only express train being Gold Coast services.
Due to not being able to see the displays at the station or lack of displays how was this person supposed to know it was an Gold Coast express.
Does this person get on the train that says Beenleigh which on all printed timetables says and to the persons knowledge stops all stations or do they wait or the next service 30 mins later.

Gold Coast Service:
Displayed desto: Beenleigh
Stops at Fairfield: No
Runs Express Park Road-Coopers Plains

Beenleigh Service:
Displayed desto: Beenleigh
Stops at Fairfield: Yes
Runs all stations

[#Metro]

Nice clear day at Mt Coot-tha yesterday.

Which station is that? Must be on the Ips. Line.
Look at the awful curves on the outermost platforms...

[#Metro]

Let's not get our knickers in a knot about a screen flashie.

Who cares. It's such a minor thing it is not worth arguing about.
The frequency is so bad, nobody uses QR off-peak or on weekends anyway. 

[ozbob]

Nice clear day at Mt Coot-tha yesterday.

Which station is that? Must be on the Ips. Line.
Look at the awful curves on the outermost platforms...

Graceville.  The long distance nature of the photograph (lens) distorts the curves a bit. In reality the curves are not at all bad and trains do and can run through at speed.

[somebody]

Ok HTG, I would agree that "Beenleigh" would be an inappropriate desto in that case.  Although it would be OK on the PIDs as even the most basic PIDs allow for "EXP" to be listed next to the destination.

Not exactly relevant to the Dutton Park terminators though is it?

[HappyTrainGuy]

Not really for Dutton Park in this case but its not a regular terminating station. I was pointing out problems that arrise if you try to impliment it on other lines with conflicting implications. Even if your at a station that has a basic line screen it may not provide all the information your after. You have to remember not all stations even have the basic line information screens. I'm pretty sure Dutton Park doesn't have any electric displays anyway. Having a train pull into a station showing one line but displaying a random station on the station displays would confuse some people. I've been onboard one Ipswich service when it was arriving at Bowen Hills and one passenger got up and started asking other passengers what train is this? Does it stop at so and so? Are you sure the screen outside says Roma Street which worried other passengers around him that looked outside and saw Roma Street on the display. A couple people got off and as the train was leaving the guard announces that the train would be terminating at Roma Street and another service replacing this one following shortly behind. I've even seen some people on a terminated Gold Coast train at Central pressing the emergency intercom button with a timetable in hand asking whats happened to their Gold Coast service even with announcements approaching the station that a new service is following/waiting across the platform.

As much as some would perfer to see the terminating station on the screens and train destos they aren't meant for that. They are meant to display the service line (Gympie, Cooroy, Nambour, Caboolture, Petrie, Shorncliffe, Ferny Grove, Mitchelton, Airport, Doomben, Bowen Hills, Roma Street, Southbank, Manly, Cleveland, Kuraby, Beenleigh, Gold Coast/Varsity Lakes, Yerongpilly, Corinda, Darra, Richlands, Redbank, Ipswich, Rosewood) and not the terminating stop. It just so happens QR refer to lines as station names which the service terminates at. In this case the train terminates earlier but a bus continues the service.

[skippy]

GC trains are lucky that the 3rd track from South Bank to past Yeerongpilly is dedicated for them in peak periods

[/quote]

Not true. The 3rd track from South Bank to Yeerongpilly is unfortunately reserved for the XPT at the worst possible time - between 7.30 and 7.50 am every day. This forces the GC train onto the mains, therefore restricting the operation of inbound Cleveland / Beenleigh trains at this time.

[Arnz]

GC trains are lucky that the 3rd track from South Bank to past Yeerongpilly is dedicated for them in peak periods

Not true. The 3rd track from South Bank to Yeerongpilly is unfortunately reserved for the XPT at the worst possible time - between 7.30 and 7.50 am every day. This forces the GC train onto the mains, therefore restricting the operation of inbound Cleveland / Beenleigh trains at this time.

Hmm if that's the case with the 3rd track being reserved for the XPT only, I can probably see 2 of the morning inbound GC peak trains being forced to stop all-stations closer to the City in the timetable rewrite towards the end of 2011 in that case (like the 9 skipped stations for 2 of the Sunshine Coast peak services)

[somebody]

GC trains are lucky that the 3rd track from South Bank to past Yeerongpilly is dedicated for them in peak periods

Not true. The 3rd track from South Bank to Yeerongpilly is unfortunately reserved for the XPT at the worst possible time - between 7.30 and 7.50 am every day. This forces the GC train onto the mains, therefore restricting the operation of inbound Cleveland / Beenleigh trains at this time.

I thought the SG/NG crossing locations at Sth Brisbane and Moorooka were utilised so GC trains and the XPT could do opposing moves on the effective single track?

There are also crossovers at Yeerongpilly to access/leave the DG.  Not sure if these would be used.

[ClintonL94]

I thought the SG/NG crossing locations at Sth Brisbane and Moorooka were utilised so GC trains and the XPT could do opposing moves on the effective single track?

There are also crossovers at Yeerongpilly to access/leave the DG.  Not sure if these would be used.

Yeah I think that is what happens..
The South-bound XPT meets the inbound expresses at the South Brisbane Crossover and Moorooka Crossover

only a few ways to find out! One day I'll find out.

[Otto]

I often see the XPT pass through SB on the journey back to Sydney.. Never seen the GC city bound train at SB at the same time..

[Gazza]

Wasn't quick enough to capture the moment with a photo (Well, I did, but they were too far away by the time I took the photo, so you couldn't see the numbers), but witnessed a 88 meters behind a 444 on Coro Drive...FAIL!
The 444 pulled over at the stop ahead and the 88 sailed past.

Efficiency 

[SurfRail]

Not really for Dutton Park in this case but its not a regular terminating station. I was pointing out problems that arrise if you try to impliment it on other lines with conflicting implications. Even if your at a station that has a basic line screen it may not provide all the information your after. You have to remember not all stations even have the basic line information screens. I'm pretty sure Dutton Park doesn't have any electric displays anyway. Having a train pull into a station showing one line but displaying a random station on the station displays would confuse some people. I've been onboard one Ipswich service when it was arriving at Bowen Hills and one passenger got up and started asking other passengers what train is this? Does it stop at so and so? Are you sure the screen outside says Roma Street which worried other passengers around him that looked outside and saw Roma Street on the display. A couple people got off and as the train was leaving the guard announces that the train would be terminating at Roma Street and another service replacing this one following shortly behind. I've even seen some people on a terminated Gold Coast train at Central pressing the emergency intercom button with a timetable in hand asking whats happened to their Gold Coast service even with announcements approaching the station that a new service is following/waiting across the platform.

As much as some would perfer to see the terminating station on the screens and train destos they aren't meant for that. They are meant to display the service line (Gympie, Cooroy, Nambour, Caboolture, Petrie, Shorncliffe, Ferny Grove, Mitchelton, Airport, Doomben, Bowen Hills, Roma Street, Southbank, Manly, Cleveland, Kuraby, Beenleigh, Gold Coast/Varsity Lakes, Yerongpilly, Corinda, Darra, Richlands, Redbank, Ipswich, Rosewood) and not the terminating stop. It just so happens QR refer to lines as station names which the service terminates at. In this case the train terminates earlier but a bus continues the service.

Surely you could just avoid all this by doing what Perth do and having the stopping patterns rigidly defined with alpha characters (eg Whitfords W) and displayed prominently at every station?  It will be even easier here once the peak hour rationalisation happens systemwide by 2012, as Perth will probably have more stopping patterns than us!  The new displays being fitted to our Adtranz era sets (100s, 120s, 220s and eventually 200s) are perfectly capable of displaying these, given they are the same as the screens in the A-sets, and the Bombardiers surely can as well.  If the EMUs can't show this, a software upgrade should be obtained, or the Alcatel/Southport screens replaced, or a manual supplementary screen* fitted.

* knowing QR, read for screen: "blu-tac mounted A4 sheet"

[Golliwog]

* knowing QR, read for screen: "blu-tac mounted A4 sheet"

Who needs technology?

[somebody]

I often see the XPT pass through SB on the journey back to Sydney.. Never seen the GC city bound train at SB at the same time..

I think it would only be used when a delay happens.  It's not really far from Roma St, so not that useful.

Moorooka is the main one.