New Generation Rollingstock

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsGoldCoast/status/907124125847707648

https://twitter.com/InclusionMoves/status/907127185625948160

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th September 2017

Next Generation Rollingstock a.k.a. Not Going Right trains (NGR)

Good Morning,

Day 569 today since NGR 701 first towed out to Wulkuraka!

Not looking too good is it?  Mechanical issues continue with Queensland Rail's aging train fleet? (See > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.msg197594#msg197594 ).  There are constant service cancellations, delays and reduced service as a result.

How long before the NGR trains are in passenger revenue service?  When will the importing of the remaining trains on order start up again?

So many questions, so few answers.  The biggest botch in the history of public transport in Queensland this NGR fiasco, and the bumblers bumble on ...

It is now day 346 since the first wave of cancellations associated with rail fail too by the way. First anniversary looms.  Always best to be informed.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg197688#msg197688 ]

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Queensland will honour deal to deliver problematic trains

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has ruled out cancelling the contract with Canadian company Bombardier over its problematic NGR trains, saying doing so would be a huge waste of money.

Ms Trad joined Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Maryborough Labor MP Bruce Saunders on Monday to announce local rail company Downer EDI had been awarded almost $8 million in rail maintenance projects, and preferred tenderer status for a further $62 million in coming rolling stock overhauls.

Those contracts are for regional rail services including the Westlander, Spirit of the Outback and Kuranda Scenic Railway, however major overhauls are under way on the NGR trains at a facility in Ipswich.

Fifteen of the 75 ordered have been delivered over the past year, with the government halting any more until major design faults are worked out.

Ms Trad was asked on Monday whether tearing up the Bombardier contract was an option but she said things were too far along for that to be viable..

" ... major overhauls are under way on the NGR trains at a facility in Ipswich ... " 

really?

[Stillwater]

Will these be 'quick fix' overhauls to get the 15NGR trains into active service before the Commonwealth Games, while a more elegant and proper fix will occur on the remaining trains yet to be delivered to Australia.  But who is to know.  A special ops commando unit needs to be formed to find out what's going on at Wulkuraka.  Maybe the Citytrain Response Unit will let us know...   

[#Metro]

Will these be 'quick fix' overhauls to get the 15NGR trains into active service before the Commonwealth Games, while a more elegant and proper fix will occur on the remaining trains yet to be delivered to Australia.  But who is to know.  A special ops commando unit needs to be formed to find out what's going on at Wulkuraka.  Maybe the Citytrain Response Unit will let us know...

I suspect that they might use the "three staff per train" option as a temporary measure.

Not sure about the toilet or carriage issue, but perhaps they just lock the toilet and block the passageway to be DDA compliant in the interim.

[ozbob]

>> https://edgestudio.digitalpigeon.com/msg/1AIIoJLSEee9iQbiYUDn_w/7wLbMP4QB42QIbzfXEF3jg

No mention of non-DDA compliance.  Maybe that is round two ...

[ozbob]

Will these be 'quick fix' overhauls to get the 15NGR trains into active service before the Commonwealth Games, while a more elegant and proper fix will occur on the remaining trains yet to be delivered to Australia.  But who is to know.  A special ops commando unit needs to be formed to find out what's going on at Wulkuraka.  Maybe the Citytrain Response Unit will let us know...

I suspect that they might use the "three staff per train" option as a temporary measure.

Not sure about the toilet or carriage issue, but perhaps they just lock the toilet and block the passageway to be DDA compliant in the interim.

Whilst contemplating the Not Going Right trains, I have had a crazy thought. Maybe they might break up the trains so that they can reconfigure the sets  - so that cars 3 and 4 are toilet equipped. Adopting this approach they could turn out 7 trains from the 15 presently here. This solves some of the issues but not all.  But hey, half-baked is really the Queensland way.  They might then attempt to bluff their way from there? 

The remaining units could be configured in a toilet-less mode. I volunteer the Ipswich <> Rosewood shuttle for a NGR.
[ Will not be too far to tow them to Wulkuraka should there be ' juvenile ' failures hey?  ]

[mufreight]

The only problem with that solution is that the toilet modules themselves are non compliant, there is insufficient room to move from a wheelchair on to the pedestal and insufficient room to turn a wheelchair inside the module.

[ozbob]

The only problem with that solution is that the toilet modules themselves are non compliant, there is insufficient room to move from a wheelchair on to the pedestal and insufficient room to turn a wheelchair inside the module.

Understood, but they could move the walls.  Or attempt to bluff their way, fighting off law suits with  a bottomless pit of taxpayer $$$.

[mufreight]

If they are going to move the walls of the module to gain sufficient internal room to make them compliant then moving the module 75 cm into the carriage away from the end wall would give enough room to make the gangway between carriages 3 and 4 compliant also.

[Arnz]

Will these be 'quick fix' overhauls to get the 15NGR trains into active service before the Commonwealth Games, while a more elegant and proper fix will occur on the remaining trains yet to be delivered to Australia.  But who is to know.  A special ops commando unit needs to be formed to find out what's going on at Wulkuraka.  Maybe the Citytrain Response Unit will let us know...

I suspect that they might use the "three staff per train" option as a temporary measure.

Not sure about the toilet or carriage issue, but perhaps they just lock the toilet and block the passageway to be DDA compliant in the interim.

Well the QR Authorised Officers (Grey Shirt officers) could do with some extra jobs outside just hanging around at Roma Street or Central when not accompanying the QPS Rail Squad or the TL SNOs on revenue protection. 

With 25 of those officers, many of the QR Authorised Officers could be allocated on NGR duties to meet the temporary "three staff per train" option.  This leaves the Revenue Protection jobs on the railway network entirely to the QPS Rail Squad or TransLink's SNOs.

[ozbob]

>> https://edgestudio.digitalpigeon.com/msg/1AIIoJLSEee9iQbiYUDn_w/7wLbMP4QB42QIbzfXEF3jg

No mention of non-DDA compliance.  Maybe that is round two ...

The ' NGR ' attack ad can be viewed here > https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/labor-releases-attack-ad-targeting-nicholls-and-train-contract-20170912-p4yvvv.html

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

13th September 2017

Next Generation Rollingstock a.k.a. Not Going Right trains (NGR)

Good Morning,

Today is 571 days since the first NGR train was towed out to Wulkuraka.

What a monumental botch this project is.  The Queensland LNP signed off on this botched design, the present Government were slow to come to terms with the issues with the trains, particularly the non-compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.  In fact the DG of TMR said last year the issues were fixed!  The issues, including the non-compliance are not fixed!

The Labor ' NGR Attack ' ad does have some truth to it (can be viewed at https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/labor-releases-attack-ad-targeting-nicholls-and-train-contract-20170912-p4yvvv.html ).  Is this ad setting the stage for more delays before these NGR trains are in service?

Requests to the Queensland Audit Office by us for an audit into this shambolic project, declined.  Requests for an inquiry by Government, ignored.

Not hard to work out why is it?

Best wishes,
Robert

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


[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg197776#msg197776 ]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907648561533272066

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907649578610049024

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QLDLabor/status/907525388519092224

[ozbob]

FYI

From https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg196340;topicseen#msg196340


Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2017/2017_08_08_DAILY.pdf

Questions without notice

Queensland Rail, New Generation Rolling Stock

...

Mr POWELL: My question without notice is to the Premier. Given the statement by the transport
director-general last year about the NGR trains that 'the design problems aren't really problems' and
'Oh yeah, I fixed them', why are commuters facing more delays every day because of Queensland's
ageing train fleets, with some trains now nearly 40 years old, due to Labor's inability to commission the
new trains? ...

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907688259769081856

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/907683885223251968

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QldOppMedia/status/908179276679176193

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908182350281949185

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908182943893356546

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908186646205554689

[ozbob]

LNP Statement

http://www.betterqueensland.org.au/labor-lying-about-new-trains

Labor lying about new trains

    Labor resorts to lies and attack ads to cover up their own train disaster
    Annastacia Palaszczuk knows the facts and yet chooses to lie to Queenslanders
    No Australian company bid for the contract to supply new trains for SEQ and Labor contracted the same company they are now criticising – Bombardier – to build trams for the Gold Coast Light Rail

Annastacia Palaszczuk and her part-time Transport Minister Jackie Trad have continued their campaign of outright lies about new passenger trains for Brisbane.

LNP Shadow Transport Minister Andrew Powell said Labor's attack ad claiming New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) delivered by Canadian company Bombardier were sub-standard was a blatant lie.

"Just as they always do, Labor gets down in the gutter because they have no record to run on and no positive polices to offer Queenslanders," Mr Powell said.

"The ad proves that Annastacia Palaszczuk will say and do anything to cling to power.

"Not only that, she will try to blame everyone but herself for the massive rail fail that's crippled southeast Queensland train services under Labor's watch.

"Quite frankly, Queenslanders deserve better than a blatantly untrue scare campaign.

"For the record, Australian manufacturing company Downer pulled out of the tender process for the NGR under the Anna Bligh Government when Annastacia Palasczuk was Transport Minister (see Hansard excerpt below).

"The Premier well knows that there was NO Australian company bidding for the NGR contract when, through an independent tender process, the Department of Transport awarded the contract to Bombardier.

"She knows this and yet still lies to Queenslanders to protect her own job – it's disgusting.

"For the record, Jackie Trad then changed the design of the trains in response to demands from the unions who wanted a little cubbyhole added so that guards could sit down on their shift instead of doing their job of patrolling trains and looking after Queenslanders.

"This retro-fitting of what were perfectly operational trains delayed their delivery and caused new problems relating to disabled access to carriages which then had to be fixed, further delaying their rollout.

"Ten of the 15 trains that have been delivered have had zero on-track testing because Labor are dragging their feet.

"For the record, Labor's Director-General of Transport Neil Scales publicly said last November 2 that there were no design problems with the NGR trains. Further, Neil Scales said that the right trains were ordered.

"For the record, Labor awarded contracts to the same company, Bombardier, to deliver trams for the Gold Coast Light Rail, begging the question – why, all of a sudden, is Bombardier not appropriate to deliver other train infrastructure in Queensland?

"This is a Labor mess that they're trying to blame everyone else for."

FACT: Australian company Downer pulled out of the running to build new trains under the Bligh Labor Government, leaving no Australian company bidding for the contract.

FACT: Labor Transport Minister Jackie Trad changed the new train designs, causing lengthy delays to the order and further design issues that caused further delays. Ten of the 15 trains delivered have had ZERO on-track testing.

FACT: Director-General of Transport Neil Scales – on Steve Austin's 612 ABC morning program on November 2, 2016 – said: "All I can say is that, as far as the New Generation Rollingstock trains are concerned, all the issues in the cab have been ironed out."

Later, in the same interview:

NS: We got five trains delivered. We dismantled the first one in Wulkaraka which is what we intended to do all the time to make sure it all works – and because the trains are manufactured and then delivered – once you actually get them out on a particular track, we've got different track geometry, we've got different stations, different inclines – so you've got to test it dynamically – and that starts again today. So this is just a normal process Steve.

SA: So this is all normal?

NS: This is all normal process. In my previous life I used to be a manufacturer – this is a normal process.

SA: Alright so when the trains were ordered, did we order the right trains?

NS: Yes, we did.

SA: You have no doubt about that?

NS: No doubt about it at all.

FACT: Labor awarded the contract to deliver Gold Coast Light Rail trams to the same company that they are now attacking – Bombardier.

[ozbob]

It was the design done in Queensland that was the major issue.  Bombardier are building to the botched design, not their fault.

Would have been great if the former LNP Government had set up a local consortium with Bombardier to build the trains here.  As is done in Victoria with Bombardier for the Vlocity VLine DMUs (they have built 200 odd now at Dandenong by the way).

Mr Scales was clearly wrong.  There are design issues with the NGR trains, a fact recently acknowledged by TMR. 

If there wasn't they would be in service ... ho humm ...  LNP you are going to have do better.

[mufreight]

Distinct from the botched design the NGR train sets have a number of defects that have only come to notice with the testing program, many of these defects still have to be rectified before they can even be considered to enter service, the problems with the DDA compliance the current government has been aware of since the first trainset was in the country.
The performance of current government is no better than that of the LNP who approved the botched design with the government having taken almost two years to do nothing to rectify the problems with the DDA non compliance.
Unless the government takes steps to address the DDA non compliance within the next couple of weeks there is no possibility that any of the NGR sets will be avaliable for the Games.

[#Metro]

Seriously, who am I going to vote for? Both parties are stupid. 

[ozbob]

Seriously, who am I going to vote for? Both parties are stupid. 

Both the former LNP Govt and the present mob have no doubt relied heavily on the TMR. 

Clearly TMR has been out of their depth on this NGR project and RPL. 

It is now one year and ~30 weeks (572 days)  since NGR 701 hit Wulkuraka.  This is a mess, and it is still not resolved! 
Remember they just advertised for a NGR Project Director (temp)  hello?  Bit late in the day hey??

Total clusterfuk!

[Stillwater]

What is the design life of the NGR trains built in India?

What would have been their design life if built in Australia?

Assuming both lots of specifications would be the same.

[mufreight]

had the NGR sets been built in this country the defects in design would have become apparent in the early days of the build and the required changes to rectify these defects could have been rectified.
It is obvious to all bar the government that the incompetence of the staff at TMR is the base cause of the problems, very much a case of a lack of expertise in TMR and a culture of cover up rather than resolve problems, the extent of the lack of competence and leadership in TMR is the undeniable cause for this botched project and government should move control of the NGR project from TMR and hand it to Queensland Rail and remove those responsible for this botch up from the public service.

[InclusionMoves]

What is the design life of the NGR trains built in India?

What would have been their design life if built in Australia?

Assuming both lots of specifications would be the same.

35 years Stillwater hence I am being a bit of a stickler for detail :-)

[Stillwater]

 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908370603656200192

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908375938299158528

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/908376824551432193

[SteelPan]

I hereby move, this thread be closed and a NEW thread be opened, known as the "Next-Next Generation of Trains" Or, as "The Generation of Trains AFTER the Next Generation Trains"    :conf

[ozbob]

I hereby move, this thread be closed and a NEW thread be opened, known as the "Next-Next Generation of Trains" Or, as "The Generation of Trains AFTER the Next Generation Trains"    :conf

Ha!  It has been a long wait, and we might well be waiting a bit longer too!

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

19th September 2017

Next Generation Rollingstock a.k.a. Not Going Right (NGR) trains

Good Morning,

Any updates on progress with the Not Going Right a.k.a. New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) trains?  Be nice if the public is told the truth for a change hey?

Less than 200 days before the start of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and we are still uncertain how the rail network will be able to deliver adequate reliable services to ALL lines.  Poor service frequency will result in a very much disconnected public transport network for SEQ which will dissuade people from using public transport as the first option,  and most likely result in chronic gridlock on roads to and from the Gold Coast.

Now day 577 since the first NGR, 701 was towed out to Wulkuraka.
You can check out the video here as it passed Goodna on the tow: 



First anniversary of rail fail approaches (30th September).  Rail service reductions continue, train fleet reliability a major issue.
SEQ has now the worst rail service frequency of any suburban rail operation in Oceania.  Even Wellington NZ, 1/10th the population of Brisbane can manage better frequencies.  This is a measure of how grave rail fail actually is, and the impact on citizens.

Have a great day!

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg197843#msg197843 ]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/909820104749092864

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/909823975429070848

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/909825529632645120

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

22nd September 2017

Next Generation Rollingstock a.k.a. Not Going Right (NGR) trains

Good Morning,

Day 580 since NGR 701 was towed to Wulkuraka.  Time flies hey?

We understand that there might have been some progress with ' fixing ' the NGR trains?   Of course, the public does not know.  The NGR botch is a ' state secret '.  It might not be so secret as those in the halls of failure think   You cannot bury this biggest botch in the history of public transport in Queensland for ever, no matter how much you hope. Come clean.

The failure to have these NGR trains in revenue service is an extremely grave concern. BrizCommuter has updated his concerns with the rail service for the Commonwealth Games. See Commonwealth Games - which train lines will see services axed? > https://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/commonwealth-games-rail-fail-which.html

What a mess this is.  Our request for an audit into this botched project by the QAG declined.  Requests for a Commission of Inquiry ignored.

When will the NGR trains be in service?  When will the rest of trains be imported?  We have a major crisis on our hands, and the bumblers bumble on hey?

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3706.msg198055#msg198055 ]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/910910446177214464

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/910911578655961088

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/910912889334009856

[ozbob]

Days since NGR 701 towed to Wulkuraka

[Stillwater]

You can sense a quick and nasty Queenslander patch job being hatched.  Outwardly, lots of grand statements, visions, glossy brochures and fly-throughs.  In reality, a gritty day-to-day existence.  The focus will be on hiding the truth from Games visitors and the world while maintaining the façade of a 'world class' transport service.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/jessvanvonderen/status/911044270819119105

https://twitter.com/mark_zita/status/911049010194006016

Mr Easy is there with the DP ... 

[ozbob]

[verbatim9]

^^Does that mean the Government is going to throw another 100million to the project? I assume that's for the trains still to be built in India not the ones already here?

The assumption is that the trains already here will have assisted boarding as they cannot be modified in time prior to service. But I guess will be taken out of service at a later stage for modifications? (After the games)?

[ozbob]

I am waiting for some statements or whatever, but as far as I work out it is possible that they make up the trains to run some with two toilets and others without.  I speculated this previously and thought it was a possibility.  Still to be confirmed.

Whilst contemplating the Not Going Right trains, I have had a crazy thought. Maybe they might break up the trains so that they can reconfigure the sets  - so that cars 3 and 4 are toilet equipped. Adopting this approach they could turn out 7 trains from the 15 presently here. This solves some of the issues but not all.  But hey, half-baked is really the Queensland way.  They might then attempt to bluff their way from there? 

The remaining units could be configured in a toilet-less mode. I volunteer the Ipswich <> Rosewood shuttle for a NGR.
[ Will not be too far to tow them to Wulkuraka should there be ' juvenile ' failures hey?  ]

[mufreight]

Ok Minister, so what, get the work needed started and get these trains into service, the current government has had almost two years of knowing that the NGR trains were not disability compliant and has to this time done nothing to remedy this problem.  Fix it and then the blame game can commence with the LNP who signed off on these trains and the Government can sack the incompetent idiots in TMR ( clear your desk Mr Scales) who made such a botch of the design and hand control of the project back to Queensland Rail to manage, at least the staff at Queensland Rail know something about trains and railways.