7.41 express from Oxley ? Friday 29.02.08

[Mozz]

Arrived at the station promptly at 7.38 and joined the group of eager commuters waiting to travel to Brisbane central, 7.41am came and went, 7.46am came and went, 7.51am came and went, 7.56 came and went. Commuters continued to stream onto the platform with hundreds of people waiting for the missing 7.41am. No messages forthcoming from QR.

I checked my email and my phone SMS as I am signed up to receive notifications about disruptions on the Ipswich line. No nothing. Logged onto the QR site to see that there was an issue with a single train the 7.03 to Bowen Hills which I then remembered went express through Oxley Platform 1 a few minutes prior and delays of up to 10 minutes could be expected as a result.

2 x Ipswich bound trains pulled into Oxley and departed, then a nice coal train thundered past in the direction of Ipswich. Still no idea on what is happening.

Then the automated message that a train was 2 minutes out came across the speakers.

Just before 8.00am a train appears, packed to the rafters, a 5 on the Derwan scale, trying to brave the crowds I stepped forward to open the doors only to be presented with a ?door locked? sticker ? no entry to this train via this door for me (Seinfeld soup scene playing in my head). Then I did the scurry up and down the platform, found a working door, took a run up and dived in, securing a few cm of floor space and leaving a few hundred people still stranded on Oxley station platform.

Driver was apologetic telling us to do the best we can and that QR is sorry but there was an incident at Ipswich causing the delay. Usual story followed, stopping and starting on a slow trip into the city. Lots and lots of less than gruntled commuters on this train using their mobile phones to make and receive calls advising their workplaces the reason for their non appearance. Arrived at Central 8.26am.

Once again, we understand trains do run late from time to time but commuters want communication. There should have been advice on the Oxley platform both on the issue causing the problem, the time of the next train and the following 2 trains so that people could plan and address the issue. The train drivers should be telling passengers when they expect to arrive, particularly the larger stations rather than it being one big guessing game.

[ozbob]

I was on the 6.44am from Oxley this morning, no worries other than the normal congestion although being a Friday not quite a 5 on the Derwan scale  (see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=557.0 ).

Thanks for your comments Mozz.  I have forwarded them on to Citytrain. 

I know Citytrain is working hard to improve communication with some success too,  but I guess circumstances are not always clear and sometimes there are communication breakdowns.  IMHO informed commuters are more patient commuters.

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