Thursday, September 8, 2016

Redcliffe Sardine Line?

Queensland Rail 3-car unit train
As predicted by BrizCommuter over a year ago, it looks like Queensland Rail's (QR) ongoing lack of trains, delays to the Next Generation Rollingstock (NGR), and the opening of Moreton Bay Rail Link will create the perfect storm for more train overcrowding misery for unlucky commuters.

Since the January 2014 timetable, there have not been enough trains to run an optimal peak service on many lines. This has resulted in overcrowded Ferny Grove, Cleveland, and Shorncliffe Line services where only a 3-car unit is used, and also unacceptable 15 minute gaps between pm peak services on the Ferny Grove and Cleveland Line.

The lack of trains at the inception of the 2014 timetable was due to the Bligh government failing to purchase an add-on order of trains at the end of the run of class 160/260. The NGR train order was then delayed doing the Newman government era. Some poor procurement decisions by the Newman government are rumoured to be behind the delays in the NGR trains entering service.

As there are not enough trains, it is highly likely that when the new Redcliffe Peninsula Line (previously known as Moreton Bay Rail Link or Kippa-Ring Line) opens, that some existing 6-car services will be reduced to 3-car units. This may result in overcrowding, and possibly even passengers being unable to board trains. If this eventuates, it is likely that this will generate very bad publicity for QR and the Palaszczuk government, even though neither are at fault for the lack of trains.

BrizCommuter knows of many commuters who have been indefinitely put off from using public transport due to overcrowded 3-car services, and the Inner Northern Busway overcrowding a few years ago. In the latter case, 0% have gone back to using public transport.

It is also concerning that QR have not yet informed commuters which train services will be "cut in half" to 3-car units.  Thus it is likely that on the 4th of October 2016, whilst some commuters may be using trains for the first time, some unlucky commuters are going to have a very nasty surprise!

Friday, September 2, 2016

Redcliffe Peninsula Line - very POSH!

Coming soon to Kippa-Ring
In a reasonably surprise mood the Moreton Bay Rail Link / Kippa-Ring Line which will finally open in October, will be called the Redcliffe Peninsula Line. This is not surprising as not many people have ever heard of Kippa-Ring, and who wants to name a train line after a smelly fish anyway? The Redcliffe Peninsula sounds rather POSH, and BrizCommuter is sure that first class passengers will travel Port Out Starboard Home.

As Queensland Rail (QR) have obviously gone upmarket with their line naming, here is a few suggestions for renaming the rest of QR's train lines:

  • Ferny Grove Line to be renamed to Hinterland Mountain Railway  (useless fact: Keperra is the highest point on QR's CityTrain network). 
  • Caboolture Line to be renamed to Pine Rivers Odyssey.
  • Sunshine Coast Line to be renamed to Sunshine Narrow Gauge Railway.
  • Shorncliffe Line to be renamed to Trans-Swamp Express.
  • Airport Line to be renamed to Airport Limousine Line.
  • Doomben Line to be renamed to Thoroughbred Line.
  • Cleveland Line to be renamed to LotaLand Line.
  • Gold Coast Line to be renamed to Golden Bullet Express.
  • Springfield Line to be renamed to Magical Forest Railway.
  • Rosewood Line to be renamed to On The Way To Grandchester Line. 
  • Ipswich Line to be renamed to Brisbane Valley Scenic Railway.
  • Beenleigh Line to be renamed to The Line for Everyone Else.