200 new Rail Replacment Buses

[Megumi]

The Queensland Government has released a media statement detailing the basic spec information of the 200 state-owned buses.
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statement ... 6Q2OHcaOWU
Images and videos can be found in this link.

The 165 buses in this order are Volvo+Volgren, while the remaining 35 are based on Scania chassis and fitted with Bustech bodies. All 200 buses are Euro 6 diesel-powered, so none will be electric, and the chance of having hybrid ones is minimal.

[Merc1107]

I'd love to know how on earth they need 200 buses for rail replacement (some major, lengthy disruptions planned?), and who, exactly, gets to operate these - unless TMR themselves plan to do it?

Can't see this being of relevance to the TfB thread.

[Megumi]

I'd love to know how on earth they need 200 buses for rail replacement (some major, lengthy disruptions planned?), and who, exactly, gets to operate these - unless TMR themselves plan to do it?

Can't see this being of relevance to the TfB thread.

My friends and I guess these buses will be rented to bus companies for operation. Probably, the TMR doesn't want old buses to be seen for rail replacement service.

[Merc1107]

Some of what shows up on rail has definitely seen happier days, although the economics of purchasing so many buses to have them waiting for something to go wrong, is not great.

[^^__^^]

I'd love to know how on earth they need 200 buses for rail replacement (some major, lengthy disruptions planned?), and who, exactly, gets to operate these - unless TMR themselves plan to do it?

Can't see this being of relevance to the TfB thread.

Some of these buses will likely end up with TfB, with GC and W gas fleets beginning to approach the end of their life cycle, they need to begin replacing them.

[1whoknows]

Unlikely as TfB do not have any rail replacement contracts.

[Merc1107]

Add to that, the lack of Lord Mayor, presence of other Councillors or the RTBU (at least from the information given) at the press conference would tend to indicate this doesn't involve TfB.

[Megumi]

Some of what shows up on rail has definitely seen happier days, although the economics of purchasing so many buses to have them waiting for something to go wrong, is not great.

These buses will be leased to regular route operators when the rail replacement service is not required.

[Megumi]

Unlikely as TfB do not have any rail replacement contracts.

These buses are not purchased exclusively for rail replacement use.

[Merc1107]

Some of what shows up on rail has definitely seen happier days, although the economics of purchasing so many buses to have them waiting for something to go wrong, is not great.

These buses will be leased to regular route operators when the rail replacement service is not required.

That doesn't add up. If the buses are in regular service, then it is unlikely they could be spared for a weekday rail replacement scenario. Different on weekends, mind, but the big shutdowns requiring large numbers of buses are the ones that will run over several weekdays, if not weeks at a time.

[1whoknows]

Megumi, the original announcement from the Qld Government was that they were exclusively for rail replacement. Can you quote any subsequent announcement which changes that?

[1whoknows]

Thompsons have now started to receive the new buses.

[Merc1107]

They seem to do the bulk of rail work presently - I wonder if they'll get the majority of these buses (i.e. they have the rail contract and presently subcontract out?), or if it's planned to spread the buses out?

[Lachlan-Conley-102]

Thompsons have now started to receive the new buses.

if you are talking about 009GJT, 010GJT and 084GJT they are apparently from a separate order and aren't part of the new Rail Replacement fleet.

[1whoknows]

No I'm not talking about them.

[Skyblue1]

Wonder if Thomson’s will now rid itself of those white single deckers and red triaxle all from Vic? Also what spec are the new ones? Same as standard or more luggage space for scooters bikes and luggage?

[Lachlan-Conley-102]

Wonder if Thomson’s will now rid itself of those white single deckers and red triaxle all from Vic? Also what spec are the new ones? Same as standard or more luggage space for scooters bikes and luggage?

From looking at some videos and pictures of them, it seems as though they are just regular Volgren spec ones. They also have Go card readers as I'm pretty sure they want to start charging for railbuses in the future. The new buses have Hanover destos and Coachair air conditioning.

[ozbuses]

Hmmm. Interior layout looks very similar to TfB layout. I wonder where the majority will eventually end up

[1whoknows]

They will be spread around the current group of rail contractors as deliveries continue. If there is an issue, it will be the timing of the Bus Tech deliveries. Production in the Adelaide plant seems to be very slow and they also have contracts for Canberra and Adelaide to deliver. Despite the relocation of the Qld plant to Brisbane a few months back, AFAIK no bus has yet been completed there.

[Lachlan-Conley-102]

They will be spread around the current group of rail contractors as deliveries continue. If there is an issue, it will be the timing of the Bus Tech deliveries. Production in the Adelaide plant seems to be very slow and they also have contracts for Canberra and Adelaide to deliver. Despite the relocation of the Qld plant to Brisbane a few months back, AFAIK no bus has yet been completed there.

Do we know if these operators will be using these buses for urban route service while rail replacement work isn't needed?

[Merc1107]

They might be useful spare buses, but there's no way they could be relied upon to provide regular service when emergency rail replacement could run at any time (assuming this is part of why they were acquired - I don't think I've seen any replacements run during any of the semi-recent QR fails), and there are frequent track closures.

[Merc1107]

Hmmm. Interior layout looks very similar to TfB layout. I wonder where the majority will eventually end up

Probably a fairly bog-standard Volgren configuration... Brisbane's buses are the same as Perth's, which are the same as Darwin's... Etc.