New Generation Rollingstock

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 03:20:49 AM

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948242483359518720

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948247941923323904

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 03:21:30 AM

Sent to all outlets:

3rd January 2018

Play trains QR not politics please!

Good Morning,

Latest ' revelations ' Couriermail --> Rail fail: QR attempts to keep union pay rise emails secret

Our suggestion is that Queensland Rail should focus on improving their service standards particularly frequency rather than playing politics and legal games. They continue to waste our taxpayer funds. They are now the worst practice rail operator for the entire Oceania region, a tragic outcome for a once great rail operator. We are looking at continuing service reductions with a crisis looming for the Commonwealth Games for 2018 no doubt. This should be the focus.

The Queensland Rail Board is hopelessly compromised now as they have stood off and permitted the operator to run non DDA and non DSAPT compliant NGR trains out on the network without the legal protection of an exemption from the AHRC. Our submission re the application by the State of Queensland for a temporary exemption from the AHRC was lodged yesterday with the AHRC.

If the AHRC determines that the application exemption from the State of Queensland is not with merit, or cuts down the period of the exemption application the entire Queensland Rail Board should resign in our view.

Have a nice day now while waiting for yet another delayed train and missed connections.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

[ Attachment: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12341.msg202462#msg202462 ]

Cazza · January 03, 2018, 06:48:07 AM

Currently waiting at Roma St for the 6:32 Gold Coast train (which happens to be an NGR) and it's been cancelled at Central due to a door fault! Not looking good for the Commonwealth Games.

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 07:30:40 AM

Crikey!

Have we a ' juvenile ' failure? Appears so ...

tazzer9 · January 03, 2018, 07:58:28 AM

I saw somewhere that last night one of the NGR's had it's toilet locked off due to a door fault. What door is causing the service cancellation? is it one of the internal doors, the toilet door, or one of the external doors. BTW the buttons on the door should be red if it was locked or a fault occurred.

Cazza · January 03, 2018, 08:01:46 AM

I have now clue tazzer. I was sitting on the platform waiting for the train (which was already 10 mins behind schedule) then I heard an announcement saying it was cancelled. Just before I boarded the following service, I saw it sneak through platform 8 I believe to head back to Bowen Hills.

tazzer9 · January 03, 2018, 08:12:22 AM

Considering its had maybe 100 revenue services under its belt we should be really alarmed that its getting removed for mechanical failures.

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 08:18:25 AM

^ not a good sign I guess ... $:-\$

#Metro · January 03, 2018, 11:02:58 AM

I went past Bowen Hills on a train an hour or so ago. A whole gang is out inspecting the front of one of the NGRs which doesn't have the aboriginal art wrap. Quite a small crowd - 20 people in Hi-vis vests perhaps?

I can only wonder what they were inspecting and why so many people were needed. They seemed to be very interested in the nose cone section of the train.

techblitz · January 03, 2018, 11:20:58 AM

Quote from: #Metro on January 03, 2018, 11:02:58 AM
I went past Bowen Hills on a train an hour or so ago. A whole gang is out inspecting the front of one of the NGRs which doesn't have the aboriginal art wrap. Quite a small crowd - 20 people in Hi-vis vests perhaps?

I can only wonder what they were inspecting and why so many people were needed. They seemed to be very interested in the nose cone section of the train.

saw exactly the same yesterday afternoon around 5pmish @ bowen hills as well....and left me quite a few pax wondering as well.

red dragin · January 03, 2018, 11:35:15 AM

Quote from: #Metro on January 03, 2018, 11:02:58 AM
I went past Bowen Hills on a train an hour or so ago. A whole gang is out inspecting the front of one of the NGRs which doesn't have the aboriginal art wrap. Quite a small crowd - 20 people in Hi-vis vests perhaps?

I can only wonder what they were inspecting and why so many people were needed. They seemed to be very interested in the nose cone section of the train.

Driver/Guard school?

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 12:05:34 PM

Spotted NGR 705 UP Bundamba around 11am or so. Was this the unit with the ' mechanical issue ' this morning?

Cazza · January 03, 2018, 13:55:07 PM

Could have been. There was a Ferny Grove train blocking my view sitting on Platform 6 as the NGR went through Platform 8. I saw NGR 704 Airport bound at South Brisbane as I went through there.

tazzer9 · January 03, 2018, 13:58:52 PM

Quote from: red dragin on January 03, 2018, 11:35:15 AM
Quote from: #Metro on January 03, 2018, 11:02:58 AM
I went past Bowen Hills on a train an hour or so ago. A whole gang is out inspecting the front of one of the NGRs which doesn't have the aboriginal art wrap. Quite a small crowd - 20 people in Hi-vis vests perhaps?

I can only wonder what they were inspecting and why so many people were needed. They seemed to be very interested in the nose cone section of the train.
Driver/Guard school?

I would think this is the case. I have seen many medium sized groups of high viz orange near the unwrapped NGR's at mayne over the past few weeks.

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 14:40:06 PM

NGR 704 DOWN Goodna 2.38pm

verbatim9 · January 03, 2018, 15:59:40 PM

To my disappointment was awaiting an NGR this arvo at 1432 from Roma Street to Altandi according to the Translink NGR timetable but was a no show

. As I was waiting for the train I asked the QR guy on the platform if one was due? He replied "I don't know you will have to wait and see" So no help there! I called Translink after the no show, They said; "It may of been put out of service but unfortunately QR didn't advise us. The trains are still meant to be running as per the published timetable".
So no NGR test run for me

.

not_available · January 03, 2018, 16:19:49 PM

Quote from: tazzer9 on January 03, 2018, 13:58:52 PM
Quote from: red dragin on January 03, 2018, 11:35:15 AM
Quote from: #Metro on January 03, 2018, 11:02:58 AM
I went past Bowen Hills on a train an hour or so ago. A whole gang is out inspecting the front of one of the NGRs which doesn't have the aboriginal art wrap. Quite a small crowd - 20 people in Hi-vis vests perhaps?

I can only wonder what they were inspecting and why so many people were needed. They seemed to be very interested in the nose cone section of the train.
Driver/Guard school?

I would think this is the case. I have seen many medium sized groups of high viz orange near the unwrapped NGR's at mayne over the past few weeks.

About a week ago when I actually went into the city (to windsor, had to go into the city on the return journey due to frequencies etc.) I also saw a small crowd in orange crowding around (unwrapped) NGR 714 @ around 10:20am.

ozbob · January 03, 2018, 16:35:12 PM

One of the NGRs had a ' mechanical issue ' this morning. We think it might have been 705. This might be related to the no show this afternoon verbatim9.

But this highlights yet again how poor communications from TL/QR actually are at times. How hard would it have been to put out an alert that the NGR service had been cancelled? They really don't seem to care too much do they?

And they wonder why I am getting very very p%ssed off with them ...

verbatim9 · January 03, 2018, 17:27:52 PM

(Bizarre stuff a brand new tested train already having mechanical issues).

Oh is that why, Thanks

. I am so use to the poor customer service and communication to the public. I tend to ignore it now. Any suggestion of improving communication by automated announcements or push notifications seem to be shrugged off by QR and TransLink.

In NSW Automated announcements are the norm and very rarely you hear a guards voice or customer service person over the PA in a train or on the platform. It's very efficient and professional. Something that should be implemented for the Comm Games. Plus effective knowledgeable platform staff with great communication skills.

Push messaging - Translink and QR can do it now down to all PIDs, social media apps and channels.

Stillwater · January 03, 2018, 20:36:52 PM

Imagine refined ears, fresh off the plane, hearing guards calling destinations, speaking in Strine.

Next stop El-taandee

tazzer9 · January 03, 2018, 21:41:10 PM

More like the guard cutting off the automated announcement to completely mash up the station name. Then proceeding to announce which side the platform will be on, incorrectly.

I just don't want an expansion on the current QR style automated announcements. They are long, dreary and dont provide much information. The NSW announcements for platforms, and on the newer generation trains seems to be much more fluid.
On the newer generation trains in sydney, only time I hear guard announcements is to advertise trackwork or additional special services. You would never hear them announcing the next stop is strathfield and the platform will be on X side, even though they can predict that far more easily than we can in brisbane.

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 07:48:06 AM

If you are around Redbank today Thursday ~ noon the 🐻 are having a picnic.

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 14:47:25 PM

Quote from: ozbob on January 04, 2018, 07:48:06 AM
If you are around Redbank today Thursday ~ noon the 🐻 are having a picnic.

Understand another NGR (720) has been moved from Wulkuraka to Redbank Workshops today.

That makes three trains (701, 702 and now 720) stored at Redbank.

Does seem to be taking a while to get more trains accepted for service ( apart from non compliance ).

tazzer9 · January 04, 2018, 15:01:01 PM

Are they getting work done to them at redbank, or just using it as storage?

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 15:11:16 PM

Quote from: tazzer9 on January 04, 2018, 15:01:01 PM
Are they getting work done to them at redbank, or just using it as storage?

Understand storage. There seems to be more NGR trains yet to enter service than can be managed at Wulkuraka. So I guess they are being moved to Redbank until such time as more of the NGRs are accepted and are away from Wulkuraka. There maybe more at the Port. Not sure.

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 17:30:19 PM

Photographs R Dow 4th January 2018

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/948817057050648576

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 17:37:27 PM

There is as expected security personnel in attendance watching the trains.

Stillwater · January 04, 2018, 19:22:45 PM

Seems as though the advisors were correct. Does the state government listen to external advice?

From the Whole of Business Review of Queensland Rail Report prepared for the Citytrain Response Unit, July 2017

"It is understood that 18 NGR trains are required to service the proposed Commonwealth Games timetable (we note that the timetable is still being agreed and this number may change). There is a tight commissioning schedule for NGR trains as two to three are planned to be commissioned every month. Due to the current blockages and high risk of 'juvenile failures', a conservative view would be that 18 NGR trains will not be ready by April 2018."

QR and TMR knew seven months ago that the NGR trains will not be ready for the Commonwealth Games – and that is a conservative view.

Where is Plan B (the plan you have when you don't have ANY NGR trains in service for the Commonwealth Games?)

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 19:24:43 PM

I wonder who is responsible for the cost of the ' security ' at the Redbank Workshops for the NGRs ?

There might be a lot more NGR trains there in time the way things are going ...

This is not going well is it?

A big gamble ... only 89 days to go before the Games begin !!

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 19:26:46 PM

ozbob · January 04, 2018, 19:43:33 PM

Days since NGR 701 towed to Wulkuraka

Stillwater · January 04, 2018, 20:00:11 PM

When is the AHRC due to bring down its findings? Will we get a timetable then, or is QR holding out until its knows whether it has the okay to put the NGR trains into service, with a DDA exemption?

InclusionMoves · January 04, 2018, 20:05:32 PM

Submissions close on 15th Stillwater typically a few weeks after that for a decision. Can't see why that would be the issue for QR though now as they have already subverted the decision by running them (and getting at least 1 state and 1 federal complaint as we promised). So there is another slow down that we don't know about.

Quote from: Stillwater on January 04, 2018, 20:00:11 PM
When is the AHRC due to bring down its findings? Will we get a timetable then, or is QR holding out until its knows whether it has the okay to put the NGR trains into service, with a DDA exemption?

ozbob · January 05, 2018, 02:28:17 AM

Sent to all outlets:

5th January 2018

Please explain?

Good Morning,

NGR 720 was moved to Redbank Workshops yesterday we presume for storage. This now means that 3 of the NGR trains are now stored at Redbank Workshops. NGR 701, 702 and 720.

Photograph of the NGR trains at Redbank Workshops 4th January 2018 R. Dow

When NGRs 701 & 702 were moved to Redbank Workshops on the 22nd December 2017 we made a request for an explanation. None has been forthcoming. We again request a clear detailed explanation as to why new trains are being moved to Redbank Workshops for storage. Is there are problem with commissioning more NGRs into revenue service and the back log means no space left at the Wulkuraka Maintenance Centre?

To compound this situation we note yesterday multiple service cancellations and delays due to ' mechanical issues '. It is difficult to have confidence that Queensland Rail will be able to deliver a reliable, let alone frequent rail service for the Commonwealth Games when there is this constant failure and impacts on service.

Yesterday afternoon for example these services were cancelled due to ' mechanical issues ':

Not a good look sadly. The public has real concerns for our public transport network and with very good reason.

Best wishes,
Robert

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