Random observations around the network ...

[ozbob]

Oxley, Saturday morning 9th July 2011

DOWN from Richlands and UP trains Ipswich and Richlands all using platform one Oxley.

Stairs to platforms one/two closed for work.  Lift operational or access via the footbridge.



UP Richlands with RICHLANDS desto





Photographs R Dow 9th July 2011

[somebody]

Correct me if I am wrong, but Enoggera station has no timetable information?

[ozbob]

The UP main, down SUB closed from Milton through to Corinda.

Work proceeding at Taringa on the station, and overhead wiring at Corinda/Sherwood.

Rail laid out between Roma St and Taringa, presumably for replacedment during closure next week (track closure Rosewood <-> Sherwood).

Photographs from UP Ippy service on the UP sub, windows weren't real clean .. lol












Interesting track vehicles on main down, this consist was running immediately behind a DOWN suburban service ..





















Photographs R Dow 10th July 2011

[Arnz]

IMU183 was put into service early this week.  Spent the first few days operating Brisbane-Nambour runs, and on Thursday replaced the ICE on the counter-peak Nambour shuttle services.

QRNational's 2501D in the 'Bronco' livery leads "old" loco 1745 in the original Blue and White livery hauling a empty Cattletrain.

[O_128]

Anyone see the bombardier ad in today's MX, almost looks like a cgi of what they will propose for the next gen trains.

Also seeing as EDI  has dropped out is there anychance if bombardier wins that they will be built in maryborough.

After the sydney A set problems I doubt that the gov will want to outsource seeing as it hasn't been much cheaper and is overdue.

[Derwan]

Anyone see the bombardier ad in today's MX, almost looks like a cgi of what they will propose for the next gen trains.

There is a billboard at Central as well. 

[Derwan]

So I head to Central Station after a dentist appointment.  I couldn't plan when to arrive.  It's peak hour.... and there's no Shorncliffe service in sight...



Fortunately I'd driven to Northgate and just jumped on the Nambour train. 

[HappyTrainGuy]

4.51 is the next Shorncliffe service

[Stillwater]

Many of the stations on the network have platforms signed as 'To City'.  Now, this means 'to Brisbane', but, in future, the term 'To City' is likely to mean different things to different people.  Gold Coast and Ipswich are cities in their own right.  Should this term be reconsidered?   

[SurfRail]

Many of the stations on the network have platforms signed as 'To City'.  Now, this means 'to Brisbane', but, in future, the term 'To City' is likely to mean different things to different people.  Gold Coast and Ipswich are cities in their own right.  Should this term be reconsidered?   

The term has no relevance to the Gold Coast - there is no "city" here except in the sense of the entire LGA.  However, I think "To Brisbane" is more illustrative anyway.  There is plenty of signage at Gold Coast stations which says "Brisbane" rather than "City" already.

Interestingly, Adelaide and Perth don't seem to use the term "City" on destination boards in the way it is seen in Brisbane and Sydney (and to a lesser extent in Melbourne).

[HappyTrainGuy]

If they ever get 'proper' cities on the rail line then maybe. Its the same everywhere you go. If your in Ipswich and someone says city its Queen Street/Brisbane CBD/high rise office buildings/mass amounts of people that comes to mind and not the dead tree, the crazy old man, maccas and a newsadgent. Its just how everybody grows up here. If you start saying Gold Coast City some people might start to second guess the train that they are on as they look at the high rise buildings going past in the distance while speeding into swamp land. The 'Welcome to Logan City' sign is right next to the railway line and people know that's a different country when they go past thinking where are the tall buildings.... where's the rest of that fence... where's the rest of that burnt out car...

[PollyWouldLikeASeat]

5.50 Nambour to City train ran express from Northgate to Bowen Hills this morning.  They announced the change to our stopping pattern just before we got to Northgate.  We had an older (but refurbished) EMU (I think that's what the older trains are?) for something different this morning as well. 

[BribieG]

Spotted 450 BC on the Thermopylae line - typical bloody Gen-Ypsylon student browsing (at least they had WiFi) while lady (obviously virginal) is forced to stand. Continuing problem to this day 

[Arnz]

Random Landsborough sightings this week.

Gympielander.

Tilt Trains 303 and 304 - Sunday.

[Fares_Fair]

I saw the brand spanking new SMU 290 (with no red roof paint or other markings) in front of SMU 272, leaving Caboolture this morning at 7:11am.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

EDIT: correction to train type fom IMU to SMU, thank you Arnz.

[Arnz]

FF, 261-296 (260 series) are SMUs.  160-188 (161 series) are IMUs.  

Both the new IMUs and new SMUs are almost the same (on the outside), the differences being the interior with the toilets and the luggage rack (at most doors) being provided on the IMUs, whereas the new SMUs has no toilet.

[Golliwog]

Rode on EMU06 (I think) this morning. Look recently refurbished. Big fan of the larger vestibule near the doors. They have removed the 4 pairs of lateral seating that used to be next to the doors and replaced them with a rail at about waist height. Much more room for standing passengers.

On the downside, I caught but then missed my train this afternoon. It was late into Park Rd but was still advertised as the Ferny Grove express service when I boarded, but upon leaving Roma St the guard apologised and announced that due to the late running the service was now all stations to Shorncliffe. The next FG service was only a few minutes later at Central, but still annoying.

[SurfRail]

Just ferreting around on the governments eTender website, I have found that there are invitations to tender currently open for the design and installation of ATP on the IMU 100s, and on various long-distance trains.

[O_128]

Track work on the cleveland line this weekend, Maybe we should just convert the rail line to a busway as morning side got rail buses to the city in half an hour. 

[ozbob]

Track work on the cleveland line this weekend, Maybe we should just convert the rail line to a busway as morning side got rail buses to the city in half an hour. 

Train, even at peak takes 25 minutes ...   

[ozbob]

Down ballast train climbs up from Goodna following a signal check.
Between Goodna and Gailes.  Locomotives also at rear of train.

Photograph R Dow 31st July 2011

[O_128]

Track work on the cleveland line this weekend, Maybe we should just convert the rail line to a busway as morning side got 6 rail buses to the city in half an hour. 

Train, even at peak takes 25 minutes ...   

Haha I missed the most important part of my post, what I meant was the frequency was better than with rail. 

[ozbob]

Christmas in August?

Spotted IMU 108 UP Goodna 6.21am express desto 'SANTA'S EXPRESS'  

[Arnz]

Christmas in August?

Spotted IMU 108 UP Goodna 6.21am express desto 'SANTA'S EXPRESS' 

Meanwhile lucky GC bound passengers leaving just after 10am had the comfort of EMU23/EMU8x for the non-toilet journey down to Varsity Lakes this morning

[ozbob]

Riverview, UP platform 2 - together with Goodna are the reverse of the normal platform numbering east of Ipswich and Ipswich.  West of Ipswich all stations platform outbound is platform 2.



Photograph R Dow 2nd August 2011

[Arnz]

Very late Sunlander passes through Landsborough Platform 1 on a Sunday afternoon.  2190D+2202D are the locos hauling the train on Sunday.

[ozbob]

Ipswich services platform one Darra






Inbound ex platform 4





Photographs R Dow 7th August 2011

[p858snake]

Bowen Hills: The mounts for the new PIDS are in place.

[Sunbus610]

The old maroon coloured QR >Central Station< signage was being replace with new red Queensland Rail >Central Station< signage at the main Ann Street (cnr Edward St) entrance to Brisbane Central Station this morning.

[Arnz]

Sighted IMU101 leaving on the daytime Gympielander this morning.  First time I've seen it outside of the usual 3-car scheduled Brisbane-Nambour runs, or the morning counter-peak Bowen Hills-Cleveland.

[WTN]

A few observations from a Sunday lunchtime bus trip:

175 inbound was standing room only approaching Stones Corner. Only then a few seats were available on this hourly bus. Got off at Buranda and went to the Busway station. I saw 2 SNOs leave an inbound bus and got on the next outbound bus (555). They checked go cards with handheld readers before getting off at Greenslopes station, and waited for the next outbound bus.

Later I discovered a missing transfer on my next bus (120 from Garden City) because the 555 thought I got on and off at Southbank 

[Golliwog]

So the driver left it manually logged at Southbank. Perhaps they should look at adding a software patch to fix it. IIRC, where it connects to is GPS based, so surely if its a manual connection there can be a check for the program to do and if it notices the GPS location of the bus change (ie: the bus starts moving again) then it will revert to its usual state.

[ozbob]

Travelled Goodna to BNE this morning. Some signal issues at Roma St, IMU 106 commenced platform 7 Roma St, cross from mains to subs after Bowen Hills.









Photographs R Dow 12th August 2011

[somebody]

Travelled Goodna to BNE this morning. Some signal issues at Roma St, IMU 106 commenced platform 7 Roma St, cross from mains to subs after Bowen Hills.

Platform 7 is the subs.  Did you mean 9?

[Stillwater]

Rosewood Station got its old, faded signs replaced today.  It would seem that the new signs consist of two components -- a white plastic sheet with the station name embedded and a clear plastic sheet to cover the first; the idea being that if vandals scratch or spray the sign, the outer clear plastic sheet is replaced and there is no need to manufacture a new nameplate.  Something popped into my head as I watched the operation -- do the work crews include an electrician or someone who is able to check the flourescent tubes and starters behind each of the plastic covers as they are replaced?  It would seem to be an excellent opportunity for the inner workings to be checked over the same time as the signs are updated.

[Stillwater]

Popped into letterboxes around Shorncliffe today:

In the interests of Public Safety, the footbridge at the end of Gowen Street end of the Shorncliffe station will be closed to the public on the weekend of 27-28 August 2011.  The footbridge will be permanently removed in October 2011.  Customers, please note that access to Shorncliffe station will still be available via Railway Parade.

[Derwan]

The footbridge will be permanently removed in October 2011.

I'm starting to wonder if they're planning to shut Shorncliffe Station down and terminate trains at the upgraded Sandgate Station.  It would be cheaper than upgrading Shorncliffe and duplicating the line.

[somebody]

That sounds heaps annoying for the people affected.

I hope they keep Shorncliffe station going.  Feeder buses would be a poor replacement.  And it does get reasonable patronage.

[Arnz]

If Shorncliffe Station does close in the future, then you'd likely to see Traveston Station (tiny 1-car platform station in a small town) close a lot earlier before Shorncliffe. 

The Traveston shelter is "heritage" listed, so supposedly they only have to disassemble the 1-car demountable platform.

[SurfRail]

The footbridge will be permanently removed in October 2011.

I'm starting to wonder if they're planning to shut Shorncliffe Station down and terminate trains at the upgraded Sandgate Station.  It would be cheaper than upgrading Shorncliffe and duplicating the line.

You would still need to duplicate the track for turning back trains with reasonable frequency and for stabling.  I do think the line should be closed 24/7 while the duplication happens to get the amplification installed ASAP, as the number of people put out would be minuscule and nowhere near what people in Adelaide are going through.