Article: Traveston rail stop on death row

[ozbob]

Just leaving Caboolture, a minute or so adrift ..

Good number of pax aboard.

[ozbob]

Made it to Traveston just a couple of minutes late. Welcoming media, and also ABC FM Coast conducted interviews.

Had the 'No More Bottleneck' Tshirts on.  Now just leaving Nambour ICE 154.

Work proceeding on the restoration of the station building. The termites really went to town.

A couple of tilts down and up went through whilst we had lunch.

And there are two go card readers at Traveston. 

[colinw]

The termites really went to town.

I hope they remembered to touch off when they got there ... 

[Gazza]

Pic of the shirt? 

[ozbob]

Pic of the shirt? 

Coming, later this evening when I get home.  Look great!

[Stillwater]

Ozbob's interview with ABC Coast FM to go to air at 5.25pm

[cartoonbirdhaus]

Sorry, just started work experience today, so I couldn't make it.

[Stillwater]

Good interview:

Ozbob said decision to restore historic Traveston station building and augment facilities with proposed new parking spots showed the government's resolve to suppport the Mary valley reconstruction post Traveston Dam.  He mentioned new roadworks on the Bruce Highway that will provide a faster road link between the valley and Traveston station.  He touched on the history of the station, including it being the scene of a major derailment in the 1920s.  Also mentioned the desire, in future, of having Nambour-Gympie North shuttles linking into a duplicated track between Beerburrum and Nambour.  He said RailBOT was pushing for immediate duplication to Landsborough.  He thanked Gympie Regional Council and the local community for their support in having the Traveston station retained.

[Fares_Fair]

 

[ozbob]

Roma St



'Dance' at Mooloolah



Traveston

































Fortitude Valley



Photographs R Dow 22nd November 2011

[#Metro]

Two Go Card readers!

[Fares_Fair]

Two Go Card readers!

Yep, it was tough ... we had to queue !
and I had posted that there would be a sole go card reader.
How wrong was I.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

Photos from our Traveston tour today.

[Fares_Fair]

More pics ...

[ozbob]

Media release 22nd November 2011

Sunshine Coast:  Traveston railway station to remain open!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) is a web based community support group for rail and public transport. Today, a number of members travelled on the day Gympie North Queensland Rail service to Traveston (1).  We wanted to celebrate the good news that TransLink and Queensland Rail now intend for Traveston railway station to remain open and operational.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Queensland Rail and TransLink had intended closing down the Traveston railway station (2).   The local community and the Gympie Regional Council, the Member for Gympie David Gibson and RAIL Back On Track all sought a stay of execution and reversal of that decision."

"We would like to thank the Queensland Government, TransLink and Queensland Rail for agreeing to keep Traveston railway station in service."

"Restoration work has now commenced on the station building which has been damaged by termites.  Plans for a possible car park mean that with the new road works in the area access to the station will be improved and rail becomes more of an option for the community"

"We feel that Traveston station is a crucial part the Mary Valley Recovery Plan - the government's commitment to rebuilding the Mary Valley following cancellation of the Traveston Crossing Dam."

"The people of Traveston welcome the action in keeping this railway station at the heart of the hamlet and maintaining services to it, including the new daytime Gympie North train that RAIL Back On Track also sought to have introduced. We saw on the inaugural run back in June just how much the communities of the Noosa hinterland appreciated their new public transport link (3)."

"RAIL Back On Track will continue to work constructively with the government of the day to improve passenger rail services between Brisbane and Gympie North."

References:

1.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7027.msg76438#msg76438

2.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3633.msg23833#msg23833

3.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5795.msg58963#msg58963

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Media release 22nd November 2011

Sunshine Coast:  Traveston railway station to remain open!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) is a web based community support group for rail and public transport. Today, a number of members travelled on the day Gympie North Queensland Rail service to Traveston (1).  We wanted to celebrate the good news that TransLink and Queensland Rail now intend for Traveston railway station to remain open and operational.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Queensland Rail and TransLink had intended closing down the Traveston railway station (2).   The local community and the Gympie Regional Council, the Member for Gympie David Gibson and RAIL Back On Track all sought a stay of execution and reversal of that decision."

"We would like to thank the Queensland Government, TransLink and Queensland Rail for agreeing to keep Traveston railway station in service."

"Restoration work has now commenced on the station building which has been damaged by termites.  Plans for a possible car park mean that with the new road works in the area access to the station will be improved and rail becomes more of an option for the community"

"We feel that Traveston station is a crucial part the Mary Valley Recovery Plan - the government's commitment to rebuilding the Mary Valley following cancellation of the Traveston Crossing Dam."

"The people of Traveston welcome the action in keeping this railway station at the heart of the hamlet and maintaining services to it, including the new daytime Gympie North train that RAIL Back On Track also sought to have introduced. We saw on the inaugural run back in June just how much the communities of the Noosa hinterland appreciated their new public transport link (3)."

"RAIL Back On Track will continue to work constructively with the government of the day to improve passenger rail services between Brisbane and Gympie North."

References:

1.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=7027.msg76438#msg76438

2.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3633.msg23833#msg23833

3.  http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5795.msg58963#msg58963

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[Fares_Fair]

Hear hear.

To Queensland Rail, TRANSLink, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Gympie Regional Council, the member for Gympie Mr David Gibson, Mr B. O'Connor, RBoT and the State Government, thank you for renewing hope to this region with the restoration of this historic rail station shelter.

Well done.



Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Golliwog]

Two Go Card readers!

I'm thinking that if you went through the standards for a station from QR/Translink, there would probably be a minimum number of go card readers allowed at a station. Can you think of any station on the network that only has one reader over the entire station?

[SurfRail]

Two Go Card readers!

I'm thinking that if you went through the standards for a station from QR/Translink, there would probably be a minimum number of go card readers allowed at a station. Can you think of any station on the network that only has one reader over the entire station?

It would be a redundancy issue.  Eumundi has 2, I'm pretty certain.

[Fares_Fair]

Two Go Card readers!

I'm thinking that if you went through the standards for a station from QR/Translink, there would probably be a minimum number of go card readers allowed at a station. Can you think of any station on the network that only has one reader over the entire station?

It would be a redundancy issue.  Eumundi has 2, I'm pretty certain.

I'm all for redundancy, that shows good forethought. 

If only they would provide a second one at the Landsborough exit where the buses pull in (north end), the queue stretches around the corner of the lifts and causes pax to have to walk behind the yellow line to get past the queuers.

So zero harm only applies where convenient?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Arnz]

Two Go Card readers!

I'm thinking that if you went through the standards for a station from QR/Translink, there would probably be a minimum number of go card readers allowed at a station. Can you think of any station on the network that only has one reader over the entire station?

It would be a redundancy issue.  Eumundi has 2, I'm pretty certain.

I'm all for redundancy, that shows good forethought. 

If only they would provide a second one at the Landsborough exit where the buses pull in (north end), the queue stretches around the corner of the lifts and causes pax to have to walk behind the yellow line to get past the queuers.

So zero harm only applies where convenient?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Some folks have lately taking the extra 2 or so minutes to walk to the Go Card reader at the front of the Station Building.  But I do agree with you, needs to be another reader where the lifts are.  Preferably facing the stairs/lift, alongside the one facing the platform.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Translink are responsible for how many GoCard readers are installed at each station.

[Fares_Fair]

Translink are responsible for how many GoCard readers are installed at each station.

Thanks HTG,

You're right and QR are responsible for safety (viz. Zero Harm), I wonder if they have raised this with TL?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

From the Gympie Times click here!

Historic station saved

Historic station saved

24th November 2011

A DECISION to repair the most under-utilised station in southeast Queensland's rail network signifies the region's future growth and an improvement to rail services.

The historic railway station shelter at Traveston had been condemned by Queensland Rail, which announced its intention of excluding the stop from future train trips and bulldozing the dilapidated shelter.

Plans changed once rail advocate group Rail Back On Track, together with State Member for Gympie, David Gibson, sought a reversal of the decision, siting the station as crucial to the Mary Valley Recovery Plan.

"We see here today the refurbishment of the historic waiting shelter (after) it was very nearly lost to termites," Rail Back On Track's Rob Dow said after hopping off the train at Traveston.

"I commend Queensland Rail for the restoration. It's good news the station will remain open and operational."

As people move back into the Valley, the little station is expected to become more important to the community, especially after the completion of the Bruce Hwy interchange and high-level bridge linking Traveston to Kandanga and Amamoor.

Mr Dow said the station also had historical significance - it was the location of a serious rail crash in 1925, in which people perished - essential for the future of a rail-based tourism industry.

"Gympie has the historic railway so why not develop a rail-based tourism industry that links with the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane?"

Visitors could stay overnight at Cooroy, Pomona, Cooran or Gympie and take a scenic trip on the Mary Valley Heritage Railway onboard the historic Valley Rattler steam train.

The people of Traveston welcomed the action in keeping this railway station at the heart of the hamlet and maintaining services to it, including the new daytime Gympie train that Rail Back On Track sought to have introduced.

"These are simple, practical solutions that support community connectivity while ensuring people have reasonable public transport access to such things as medical treatments in Nambour and Brisbane," Mr Dow said.

[ozbob]

Hard copy, Gympie Times 24th November 2011 page 5

Historic station saved

[ozbob]

Gympie Times 24th November 2011 page 5

Historic station saved

[Set in train]

Hard copy, Gympie Times 24th November 2011 page 5

Historic station saved

Fantastic effort, actually good reporting by the Gympie Times, not any major errors. I like the breakout story, hopefully more residents will sign up to RBOT in the area.

The shirts look fantastic, Fares Fair looking great!

[ozbob]

Traveston station refurbishment has now been completed.

Some photographs --> here!

[Fares_Fair]

Traveston station refurbishment has now been completed.

Some photographs --> here!

Will there be an official opening? 

It looks great, well done to the Queensland Rail carpentry crew on a splendid job. 
No chance for a white ant infestation this time around.
Looks great.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

The Traveston station refurbishment appears completed, EXCEPT that the roof has not been painted (paint is flaking off) AND, there is no seat.  The old plank seat has not been replaced.  In fact, there is no seating at all, not even a bench seat.  Anyone waiting for a train at Traveston will need sturdy legs or a good varicose vein removal medical plan.  Could the QR budget be stretched to include a bit of roof paint and a bench seat surplus to requirements at another station?

[Stillwater]

Traveston station may not have got its wooden bench back for passengers to sit on following the station restoration, but some wag has plonked a fully made-up bed, complete with pillow, beside the station.  That person didn't count on the rain this past week!

[Jonno]

But they did represent the frequency of service perfectly

[Fares_Fair]

lol, beat me to it ..

Any pics?

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[mufreight]

A perfect political statement   

[Fares_Fair]

Hello SW,

Any movement on this at all ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

Roof has been painted, the bench seat inside the refurbished shed has not been replaced.

[Stillwater]

Good news.  While the old wooden bench seat has not gone back into the refurbished Traveston station, a shiny metal passenger seat with curved back has been clamped to the shed floor.  A four-seater.  Looks lovely!

[Fares_Fair]

 

Great news, and a big 'well done' to QR for refurbishing the historic station shelter.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Traveston Station averages four passenger movements a week but cost $128,000 last year to maintain

Traveston Station averages four passenger movements a week but cost $128,000 last year to maintain

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    May 26, 2012 12:00AM

QUEENSLAND Rail is being forced to shell out $2500 a week to maintain a train station which only four people use.

Traveston Station north of Nambour remains open, despite repeated requests by Queensland Rail to close it.

Translink confirmed to The Courier-Mail the station averaged only four passenger movements a week between February and April this year.

"Traveston is the only station in the Translink network to record an average of less than five passengers a week," a spokesman said.

A Queensland Rail spokesman said they had approached the former government and Translink several times since 2009 requesting the station be closed because of low patronage and safety and amenity concerns.

Although Translink supported the recommendation, former transport ministers Rachel Nolan and Annastacia Palaszczuk insisted it remain open and ordered work be undertaken to improve safety.

As a result "Queensland Rail spent $128,546 on the maintenance of Traveston Station in the last year", a spokesman said.

"This included carpentry work in the waiting area of the station, to ensure the facilities were compliant with safety regulations."

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said it was ridiculous the Labor Government spent $128,000 upgrading a station for just a few people.

"While I won't be closing Traveston, the LNP Government will ensure spending on the Queensland Rail network ensures better value for money for taxpayers," Mr Emerson said.

Despite its infrequent use, The Courier-Mail found two people who used Traveston station, albeit irregularly.

Jamee-Lee Penman, 19, of Traveston, said she sometimes caught the train home from university in Brisbane to visit her mother Jo.

"It does seem like a big deal for the crew to stop here and let me off," said Miss Penman.

Local Councillor Julie Walker said her son used the station "four or five times a year".

"All we need is the platform to get on and off," Cr Walker said.

[ozbob]

The costs were for repairs following the termite attacks, the result of shoddy placement of the go card equipment.

Remove those costs and the ongoing maintenance is trivial.  As the re-population of the Mary Valley proceeds it will be a most useful station, particularly with the new road works.  I note  "While I won't be closing Traveston, the LNP Government will ensure spending on the Queensland Rail network ensures better value for money for taxpayers," Mr Emerson said. "