Queensland Rail network fails again with service cancellations and delays

BRISBANE’S brittle train network has been hit again, with 50 service cancellations or delays since it was gripped by a series of “Freaky Friday” failures on Friday the 13th last week. And there’s no end in sight.

• Gravy train’s on track even if the NGR isn’t
• Taxpayers slugged $10m for rail fail fix
• A new rail fail to make anyone cross
• No end on horizon for rail fail

QUEENSLAND’S ongoing “Rail Fail” has bitten commuters once more as waves of service cancellations and delays trigger major disruptions across the state’s brittle train network.

Still recovering from the October 2016 timetable meltdown, Queensland Rail has recorded 50 service cancellations or delays since it was gripped by a series of “Freaky Friday” failures on Friday the 13th last week.

Another three issues on Sunday were caused by congestion and “heavy passenger loading”.

Some services were delayed up to 45 minutes, TransLink’s Twitter notifications show.

Queensland Rail is under fire for another “Rail Fail” with major disruptions to train services.

The rolling disruptions follow a July 7 incident in which one of the state’s newly commissioned New Generation Rollingstock trains damaged overhead lines, triggering 20-minute network-wide delays.

Sixty passengers were trapped in another train for an hour in a tunnel due to the power issue.

QR yesterday said the problems on Friday were caused by multiple separate issues, most notably an electrical fault, a mechanical fault and two separate medical issues.

Chief executive Nick Easy said six NGR trains had also been removed from service as a precaution to be inspected by the manufacturer as a result of an earlier mechanical fault.

He said the trains were returned to service yesterday morning.

Mr Easy said the disruptions equated to only 2.11 per cent of the 1192 services on Friday.

But Rail Back on Track advocate Robert Dow said the latest problems reinforced the need for an inquiry into the heavily delayed $4.4 billion NGR contract to buy 75 new trains.

Rail Back On Track’s Robert Dow outside the Fortitude Valley Train Station. Picture: AAP/Josh Woning

“I understand a lot of it’s to do with the aged trains that should have been replaced in 2016 but because of delays with the NGR project they are still up and running,” he said.

“We are seriously concerned because it seems the NGR trains are still being very slow to be introduced into service and this is having an impact in terms of increases in mechanical issues, rollingstock issues and unreliability. The root problem is that the NGR trains are late.”

He said frustrated commuters were “abandoning the rail network” because of its unreliability.

The NGR trains are to be modified at a cost to taxpayers of at least $150 million to fix design issues, including a failure to comply with disability access legislation.

QR stated in September the trains were “urgently required to replace an ageing fleet”.

Both the Palaszczuk Government and State Opposition have committed to releasing secret Cabinet papers in a bid to show how the NGR project hit problems.