‘Sort of Guantanamo Bay style treatment’

Mike Melzer with the stabling facility at Woombye in the background.

Mike and Kath Melzer have lived adjoining the railway line, just south of the Woombye Station since 1986. They have grown accustomed to the normal sounds of railway operations for over 30 years. 

Despite their objections they accept that the stabling facility is a new part of life. What they object to now is being driven round the bend by constant noise from air-conditioning units left running night and day for “operational reasons”. And being given the run-around by the powers that be.  

“Our right to unbroken sleep was taken away last night as at least one train in the Woombye Stabling facility was not in stabling mode,” Mr Melzer said last week. “In addition to the constant background hum of the stabled trains we had to endure a louder, pulsating roaring all night. Well until 5am when the usual klaxon (train horn) and brake system testing now regularly wakes us. This is unacceptable and inhumane. 

“Our Mothers’ Day lunch on our back veranda with our son was serenaded by the background hum of four unused trains.”

There seems to be no reason to leave the
AC units running. 

“Surely operational procedures can be revised to prioritise the human residents of Woombye over the inability of Bombadier to shut down a train for two days and restart it on Monday morning.

“We have constantly been in touch with QR before, during and after the construction of the stabling facility,” Mr Melzer said. “Since it began operating fully in February we have been constantly pleading with QR and (State Member for Nicklin) Marty Hunt to do something about the noise of the air conditioning units being left running over the weekends and long weekends. 

“We also requested QR review their early morning testing of klaxons (train horns) and brake systems before the trains move out.”

Mr Melzer said he and his wife were woken every morning at 4.40am, when the first klaxons were tested. Testing continues intermittently until 6.30am.

“So every time we doze back off to sleep we are again awoken — sort of Guantanamo Bay style treatment.”

Mr Melzer said he was also concerned at the noise and apparent waste of electricity from a fourth train left at the facility which hasn’t moved since February.

“This train is unused,” he said. “It goes nowhere. Hasn’t moved since February. Yet its air conditioner is left on all day, every day. In our opinion, this one unit makes as much noise as when there are four units parked for the weekend. During the day, there is no silence. Just a constant buzzing and humming coming from the stabling yard. We go to bed and of course, there it is, still going, with four units running their air cons.” 

Mr Melzer said one unit was bad enough, but when a number of units were left running together, the sound resonated and pulsated making sleep even more difficult.

QR Community Engagement’s response to Mr Melzer’s questions about leaving airconditioning units running when the trains are not being used for several days follows:

“The New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) fleet is owned by the Department of Transport and Main Roads and maintained by Bombardier. Any changes to the stabling of the fleet would need to be agreed by both these organisations, as well as by Queensland Rail. We are currently having discussions with TMR and Bombardier about the issues you have raised.

“This includes examining whether there is any flexibility to change the requirement to leave the air-conditioning on when there are longer periods between services, including Easter and long weekends.”

A frustrated Mr Melzer said it was a typically disappointing response.

“It seems QR can’t control their own fleet in the stabling facility without getting approval from other parties,” he said.