Article: It's on the buses as trains' power at fault

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It's on the buses as trains' power at fault
Sunshine Coast Daily online
August 20, 2011
by Janine Hill

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/08/20/its-on-the-buses-as-trains-power-at-fault/

ANOTHER day, another public transport hassle on the Sunshine Coast.

Train services on the north coast line were disrupted for 10 hours yesterday by a powerline fault near Eudlo. The fault, which related to a supporting structure, was reported about 4am.

Passengers were forced on to shuttle buses between Nambour and Landsborough and stations further south but many of them still arrived in the city an hour or so late.

A furious Lesley Graham, who was trying to travel from Torbanlea, north of Maryborough, to Brisbane, said she was unlikely to take a train again after the latest in a series of poor train experiences.

"I'll never ride Queensland Rail again because every time there's a problem," she said.

"I used to live in Brisbane and used to go to Gladstone a lot and every time I'd get on that Tilt Train, it'd get stuck somewhere.

"It's always between Caboolture and Nambour that seems to be the problem," she said.

"It'll be a long time before I get on a train again."

Eddie and Dianne Hasselbach, who were trying to travel from Maryborough to Brisbane for doctors' appointments, were more forgiving, saying that Queensland Rail had done what it could to get people to their destinations as quickly as possible.

"These things shouldn't be happening, though. And they seem to be happening more and more," Mrs Hasselbach said.

Regular travellers on the north coast line are used to, but less than satisfied with, frequent delays, faults and breakdowns.

Rail Back On Track member and Palmwoods commuter Jeff Addison will discuss issues on the line and put the case for continued duplication of the track from Beerburrum to Nambour to Queensland Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk in a meeting on Thursday.

An online petition for duplication of the rail line has also been started at www.parliament.qld.gov.au/en/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petitions (number 1712-11).

Yesterday's train problems followed ongoing disruption to Sunbus services on the Sunshine Coast as drivers take industrial action in attempts to secure a pay rise.