-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 January 2018 2:58 PM
To: 'transportdownunder@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: daily digest, Wed.17.1.18

For those formerly relying on web viewing: photos are variously at
<www.westonlangford.com>, <www.hcvc.com.au/forum/index>, https://tdu.to,
<www.paddleducks.co.uk>, Metro Twitter online, Age at the links, and
<www.flickr.com/photos/13175590@N00>.

Attached:

180115M 'Brisbane Times' - new trains.

180116Tu Metro Twitter - tram works.

Roderick.

Metro Twitter, Tues.16.1.18
14.26: Route 70 & 75 trams in both directions are diverting via La Trobe St
& Spencer St between Stop D2 Central Pier & Stop 1 Flinders St (a
collision). Docklands passengers, consider route 11 & 48 trams along
Collins St. 14.42, normal routing has resumed.
Changes to St Kilda Road, a new tram stop - there is a lot planned for the
Domain area this year! Pop in to our pop up, 17.30-19.30 at 402 St Kilda
Rd.
When the tunnel is operational, passengers will also be able to access
Flinders Station directly from Town Hall Station without even needing to
touch off.

The government's new gas deal will ease the squeeze, but dodges the price
issue 17 Oct 2017. with tdu.
<http://lawnewsroom.deakin.edu.au/articles/the-government-s-new-gas-deal-wil
l-ease-the-squeeze-but-dodges-the-price-issue>

In Commuter, Neeson plays Michael MacCauley, an ex-cop turned life insurance
salesman who has taken the same train to work for 15 years from his house in
the New York suburbs...
<www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/same-train-wrong-day-for-liam-neeson
-in-action-film-the-commuter-20180105-h0dwc9.html>

Queensland's new trains struggling to cope with summer heat 15 January 2018.
Talking points:
...Airconditioning was a problem identified in Queensland's new trains last
March.
...The new trains have been collecting passengers for one month.
...Passengers say the poor airconditioning leaves carriages feeling hot and
humid.
Rail commuters have complained the airconditioning in south-east
Queensland's new trains is not coping with hot, steamy summer temperatures.
Months after problems with the airconditioning on the Indian-built trains
was identified, commuters have been leaving posts on the Facebook page of
public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Track, prompting a response
from TransLink.
Doubts about the airconditioning in Queensland's new trains are re-emerging.
Photo: Supplied.
The New Generation Rollingstock trains began to collect passengers last
month.
Rail Back on Track's Robert Dow said the passenger carriages on the 23 NGR
trains now in south-east Queensland were stuffy and humid.
Five of those trains have been approved and are running on the CityTrain
network.
"We have been getting some feedback and complaints for quite a while," Mr
Dow said.
"People are saying that it is just hot and humid inside the new trains. It
has come up enough times now and for long enough for us to think this could
be a bad problem.
"We think the temperature needs to be turned down a few degrees."
Commuters seem to agree.
Damian Jones posted on Rail Back on Track's website that the airconditioning
in the new trains could not handle Queensland's heat.
"Another air-con system from overseas that can't handle Queensland's
humidity and high temperatures," he posted.
Another commuter, Imran Isawi, agreed.
"Why can't QR have decent, reliable (airconditioning) when other states
can?" he asked.
"Sydney's trains put ours to shame. Queensland is sub-tropical, mostly warm
to hot and frequently humid. Proper air-con is just a basic necessity on
public transport.
"You see business professionals in, or others, in collar and tie/uniforms,
running to the platform to catch a train that isn't even there yet. Then get
on board and it's stuffy and sweaty."
Others said the airconditioning temperatures in the new trains varied
between carriages.
A TransLink spokesman confirmed a trial to improve airconditioning on the
new trains had started.
"The New Generation Rollingstock project team has taken note of feedback
from some customers regarding the temperature of the airconditioning system
in the NGR trains, and is actively investigating the issue," he said.
"A trial is under way which involves a slight lowering of the
airconditioning temperature, which includes a detailed analysis of the
temperature across the carriages to ensure customer comfort.
"Early feedback from this trial has been positive. If this adjustment to the
temperature resolves the issue, it will be made on all NGR trains in
passenger service by the end of this week."
The TransLink spokesman said the airconditioning issue was not stopping the
new trains from being added to service.
"This issue is not a fault with the units and is not affecting the
introduction of new trains into service," he said.
Queensland Rail hopes to have between 10 and 15 new trains in place by the
Commonwealth Games in April. Overall, 75 new trains have been ordered.
Problems with the airconditioning on the Indian-built trains was one issue
identified in March 2017, when delivery of the new trains was halted.
Mr Dow said the airconditioning in the new trains contrasted with the rest
of the trains in south-east Queensland's train fleet, nicknamed EMUs, which
stands for electrical multiple units.
"The EMUs, which the NGR trains are destined to replace, have, in our
opinion, the best airconditioning of the entire train fleet," Mr Dow posted.
"There is a marked difference between the cool environment on an EMU,
compared to the hot, humid environment on a NGR train."
Commuters say the airconditioning in Queensland's new trains leaves the
carriages 'hot and humid'. Photo: Supplied
One comment suggested airconditioning problems were delaying QR's formal
acceptance of the NGR trains.
This was denied by Queensland Rail's TransLink.
Mr Dow said he travelled on one of the new trains to test the
airconditioning after hearing complaints.
"It seems to be variable," he said.
"It seems to vary from carriage to carriage and it depends on where you sit
in the carriage but, as I say, it is coming up enough times now to suggest
this could be bad problem."
Maximum south-east Queensland temperatures were above 30 degrees last week,
with Brisbane topping 37 degrees on Sunday.
Brisbane's maximum temperatures are this week were predicted to be between
30 and 32 degrees.
<www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-s-new-trains-strugg
ling-to-cope-with-summer-heat-20180115-p4yyic.html>
* Oh so true. I travelled down the coast on Saturday morning from Beenleigh
and the new train was the 850am one, by the time...
* I'm sure the LNP will stay quiet about this one because the orders were
made for the trains on their watch as I recall.

Loy Yang B to offer cheap coal power for 30 years, says Alinta Energy. with
tdu.
Herald Sun January 15, 2018.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/business/loy-yang-b-to-offer-cheap-coal-power-for-30-y
ears-says-alinta-energy/news-story/e53b349147e497bb61bb181746e4b4c9>

January 17 2018 Energy costs for business. with tdu.
<www.theage.com.au/small-business/businesses-face-power-price-hikes-of-up-to
-200-per-cent-20180116-h0j01t.html>