New Timetables 2011 June

[ozbob]

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
05/04/2011

More seats and more frequent trains under new timetables

More than 150,000 weekly seats will be added to the Ipswich and Caboolture train lines from June 6, 2011 in the biggest change to South-East Queensland train timetables in almost 15 years.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the timetable had been finalised after incorporating feedback from extensive community consultation, which saw 10 information sessions, 300,000 flyers handed out to commuters, 2000 pieces of feedback reviewed.

The Bligh Government is investing $26 million in the historic timetable upgrade.

"With patronage on Queensland Rail services growing by about five per cent in the six months to December 30, the time is right to undertake a major re-cast of the timetables on two of our busiest train lines," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"This is an exciting and historic change made possible by the recently completed upgrade between Corinda and Darra, the expansion to the new Richlands stations and the 46 new rollingstock sets we have added to the network over the past three years.

"Some of the feedback we've received has been exceptional. We've listened carefully to what people have been telling us and have been able to make more than 20 major changes to the draft timetable."

The keys changes to the draft timetable as a result of the customer feedback include:

    * Four additional services between Rosewood and Ipswich to better connect with school start and finishing times;
    * An additional morning peak service from Petrie stopping all stations to meet passenger demand;
    * An additional early-bird service to Caboolture for those starting work early;
    * Changes to morning peak services from the Sunshine Coast to better align with work start times; and
    * Change to afternoon service to the Sunshine Coast to better align with work finish times.

"The new timetable will deliver more capacity, a simpler timetable based on two stopping patterns on each line and more reliability," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"In an historic step the TransLink network has aturn-up-and-go train network between Darra and the CBD, and four trains an hour between Northgate the CBD in off-peak and on weekends.

Other key changes to the existing timetable include:

·Services departing/arriving between six or 12 minute intervals at suburban stations during busiest peak times.

·Ipswich line trains stopping all stations Ipswich to Darra and express between Darra and the CBD, via Indooroopilly and Milton during the busiest peak times.

·Richland line trains stopping all stations between Darra and the CBD.

·Caboolture line trains stopping all station Caboolture to Petrie and express between Petrie and Northgate stations during the busiest peak times.

·Petrie trains stopping all stations to the CBD.

"Of the new additional weekly seats, 40,000 have been added to the morning and afternoon peak, which means customers will no longer need to rely as heavily on timetables as train times will arrive at regular intervals with fewer stopping patterns," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"I encourage all customers to become familiar with the changes before June 6.

"I want to thank all the customers, interested groups, local members and councillors who provided input into this process."

"Between now and June, TransLink will be working with all bus operators to change their timetables to continue to ensure we have a fully integrated bus and train network."

For timetable and information visit www.translink.com.au or call 13 12 30.

Media Contact: Minister Palaszczuk's office 3237 1111

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Extra seats in train timetable overhaul

Extra seats in train timetable overhaul
Daniel Hurst
April 5, 2011 - 10:41AM

About 150,000 extra train seats will be made available to commuters each week when new timetables come into effect, the Queensland government says.

Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk told State Parliament new timetables for the Ipswich, Rosewood, Caboolture and Sunshine Coast lines would come into effect on June 6.

Ms Palaszczuk said it was the first major timetabling revamp in more than a decade and would improve capacity and reliability on those railway lines.
Advertisement: Story continues below

She said the improvements would make 150,000 extra seats available on train services each week.

State opposition public transport spokeswoman Tracy Davis has previously raised concern over the impact of some of the proposed timetabling changes on rail users.

However, Ms Palaszczuk said some major changes had been made to the draft in response to public consultation.

According to the state government, main changes made following customer feedback include:

   *     Four additional services between Rosewood and Ipswich to better connect with school start and finishing times;
   *     An additional morning peak service from Petrie stopping all stations to meet passenger demand;
   *     An additional early-bird service to Caboolture for those starting work early;
   *     Changes to morning peak services from the Sunshine Coast to better align with work start times; and
   *     Change to afternoon service to the Sunshine Coast to better align with work finish times.

Ms Palaszczuk said a simpler timetable would be based on two stopping patterns allowing trains on each line to run through Brisbane's CBD stations every three minutes at the busiest times.

She said there would also be a "turn-up-and-go" train network with off-peak, weekend and public holiday services to run at least every 15 minutes between Darra and the CBD, and four trains an hour between Northgate the CBD.

"This is the Bligh Government in action," she said. "This is the Bligh Government delivering for commuters in southeast Queensland."

The new timetables are expected to be posted on the TransLink website later today.

TransLink would work with bus operators to ensure bus timetables connect with train services, Ms Palaszczuk said.

Commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the timetable changes signalled the "beginning of a transformation" of rail services.

"This has been a long time coming. We hope all lines will now see improved frequency and soon," he said.

"We are seeing more and more delays on the bus network as a result of congestion on the roads, so the rail network really needs to ramp up to provide frequent services in its place."

[Fares_Fair]

A significant step indeed.
The arrival and departure times were the number one issue with commuters,
followed closely by the time taken for journeys via express services.
This sounds promising for the critical issue of arrivals and departures.

I would be keen to see the statistics for the Sunshine Coast.
(the third highest growth region in the state, projected at 2.2% p.a. for the next 25 years!)
Gold Coast is equal third at 2.2% p.a., Brisbane at 1.8% average annual growth.

Source : Queensland Government Population Projections, 2011 Edition

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

CORRECTED Figures according to report.

[ozbob]

Courier Mail --> Overhaul of train timetables will see more seats available and a train running through CBD every three minutes

[ozbob]

--> http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/queensland-rail-timetable-changes

[#Metro]

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/queensland-rail-timetable-changes

New timetables are out!

Have to say, look at Indooroopilly in am peak! A train every 3.75 minutes in peak hour! Too bad there's no bus interchange there!

[Cam]

None of the following feedback I provided to Translink regarding the draft 2011 timetable for the Ipswich Line has been acted upon. None of it was mentioned in the 2011 Timetable Community Consultation Feedback & Response Report @ http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/service-updates/queensland-rail-timetable-changes/feedback-report.pdf

Negative Feedback:

1) There is a considerable drop in afternoon services to Redbank & Goodna. The number of Redbank services leaving Central between 4pm & 6pm drops from 15 to 10.

2) 4 minutes of fat has been added to peak & off peak services between Darra & Ipswich.  Travel time in off peak services between Central & Ipswich has increased from 54 minutes to 58 minutes. An extra minute has been added inbound between Wacol & Darra even though the track has been shortened & the speed limit has been increased between Darra station & the Centenary Highway.

3) Poor 12 minute frequency of Ipswich services outbound during the busiest half hour in the afternoon i.e. leaving Brisbane between 5pm & 5.30pm. I believe that the 5.04pm & 5.16pm ex Central will be overcrowded.

4) Absence of express services leaving Central between 3.30pm & 4.16pm. I don't think that it is fair that Translink charges a peak rate fare but provides an off peak service during this period.

5) Absence of express services to Ipswich off peak. The addition of services that start/terminate at Redbank in the future will allow for Ipswich services to run express around the clock, 7 days a week whilst maintaining the 15 minute frequency between Darra & Brisbane.

EDIT: Added "regarding the draft 2011 timetable for the Ipswich Line" to validate point 4.

[Cam]

The 2011 Timetable Community Consultation Feedback & Response Report states:

In the 2011 draft timetable, the first Monday–Friday inbound Shorncliffe service arrives Central at 5:56am. Public consultation feedback indicated this was insufficient time for commuters commencing work at 6:00am.
To resolve this issue, the first inbound AM Shorncliffe service will depart at 5:15am rather then 5:20am as in the current draft 2011 timetable.

All of the weekday AM services on the Ipswich Line are scheduled to arrive at Ipswich Station 4 minutes before the half hour.

If Translink thinks that 4 minutes is not enough time for commuters to travel between Central Station & their Brisbane CBD destination & have adjusted the timetable, then why is 4 minutes acceptable for commuters travelling between Ipswich Station & their Ipswich CBD destination?   

[ozbob]

From the Parliamentary Hansard Ministerial Statements

TransLink, Train Timetables

Hon. A PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Multicultural Affairs) (10.05 am):
Today I have good news for public transport commuters in South-East Queensland. New and improved
train timetables are coming to South-East Queensland's two busiest train lines from Monday, 6 June.
These improvements will add more than—wait for this—150,000 weekly train seats, more reliability and
more frequency to the Caboolture, Ipswich, Rosewood and north coast lines on the TransLink network.

With patronage on Queensland Rail services growing by about five per cent in the six months to
30 December, the time is ripe to undertake the first major recast of the timetable on our two busiest train
lines in more than a decade. It is also one of the biggest enhancements ever to public transport in
South-East Queensland delivering many benefits including more capacity with 150,000 additional
weekly seats; a simpler timetable based on two stopping patterns allowing trains on each line to run
through Brisbane's CBD stations every three minutes at the busiest times; more reliability with delays on
one line now contained, reducing impacts across the network; and a turn-up-and-go train network with
off-peak, weekend and public holiday services now running at least every 15 minutes between Darra
and the CBD, and four trains an hour between Northgate the CBD.

This is an exciting and historic change made possible by the recently completed infrastructure
project such as the upgrade—
Mr Crandon interjected.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Coomera, you have been stretching the tolerance of the
chair. The honourable the minister has the call.
Ms PALASZCZUK: This is an exciting and historic change made possible by the recently
completed infrastructure projects such as the upgrade between Corinda and Darra, the expansion to the
new Richlands stations and the 46 rolling stock sets we have added to the network over the past three
years.

The original version of this timetable underwent extensive consultation at community sessions,
online and over the phone, during November and December. I am pleased to say that we have been
able to make a number of major changes to accommodate that feedback, particularly for commuters
wanting to arrive in the city at certain times and better connections for school students. I want to thank
all the customers, community groups and present members who provided input into this process.

The new timetable will be available on the TransLink website later today and will be introduced
from the first service on Monday, 6 June. Between now and June, TransLink will be working with all bus
operators to change their timetables to continue to ensure we have a fully integrated bus and train
network. This is the Bligh government in action. This is the Bligh government delivering for commuters
in South-East Queensland.

Honourable members interjected.

[ozbob]

It is a start. This is the first major rewrite for many years (~ 15), structurally it is better.  Yes, some degradation in absolute frequency at some outer stations but I think balanced by the express patterns, which means better balanced loading overall.

A good thing is the timetable has Richlands/Ipswich/Rosewood  all together, shows clearly the increased frequency in from Darra.

[Stillwater]

Is it possible to open a dialogue with Translink and QR about the content and appearance of the timetables themselves?  While these are rail timetables, it would be helpful to rail travellers to know that they can catch a coordinated bus at certain stations.  Could not a system of symbols and footnotes be worked up?  For example, a silhouette of a bus beside a station name indicates there is a bus interchange there.  An asterix (or other symbol) beside the outline of the bus would refer the reader to a section beneath the train timetable, or in a box off to one side, showing the route numbers of the buses that call at that bus-rail interchange.  If possible, the bus destination could be shown, but route numbers by themselves would be helpful.

* beside a picture of a bus next to the train station. ^ beside another station on the same line where there is another bus interchange.
Then a legend below:
* Petrie
123 -- Redcliffe
456 - Kallangur
789 - Dayboro

and so on.

[Stillwater]

The Community Consultation and Feedback Summary looks a bit clinical.  And I wonder how the percentage feedback allocated to each line has been arrived at?  For example, is a petition signed by 100 people one piece of correspondence or is it classed as 100 responses?

[Luke]

The complete removal of express services for stations between Lawnton and Zillmere is a big step backwards as there is no noticable improvement in frequency.  And they still can only acheive a 4 train/hour frequency to Northgate.  Once again the Caboolture line misses out. 

[Stillwater]

I am saying it is coincidence, but I note that the announcement about the new timetables wiped from the websites the RailBOT story about the need to duplicate the Doomben line.  Did the minister's office say 'get the timetable story out there' to Translink in order to kill off the bad news story?

[#Metro]

I am saying it is coincidence, but I note that the announcement about the new timetables wiped from the websites the RailBOT story about the need to duplicate the Doomben line.  Did the minister's office say 'get the timetable story out there' to Translink in order to kill off the bad news story?

Hahahah


Funny how rapidly it went up. And it's not even active until June!

[ozbob]

The timetable announcement was planned for this week.  On 612 ABC Radio Brisbane Drive Show host Kelly Higgins-Devine this afternoon gave me the opportunity to comment on the timetables, but also wider range of topics including the Doomben line and possible extension into Hamilton North Shore.

Thanks 612!

[david]

None of the following feedback I provided to Translink regarding the draft 2011 timetable for the Ipswich Line has been acted upon. None of it was mentioned in the 2011 Timetable Community Consultation Feedback & Response Report @ http://translink.com.au/resources/travel-information/service-updates/queensland-rail-timetable-changes/feedback-report.pdf

Negative Feedback:

1) There is a considerable drop in afternoon services to Redbank & Goodna. The number of Redbank services leaving Central between 4pm & 6pm drops from 15 to 10.

2) 4 minutes of fat has been added to peak & off peak services between Darra & Ipswich.  Travel time in off peak services between Central & Ipswich has increased from 54 minutes to 58 minutes. An extra minute has been added inbound between Wacol & Darra even though the track has been shortened & the speed limit has been increased between Darra station & the Centenary Highway.

3) Poor 12 minute frequency of Ipswich services outbound during the busiest half hour in the afternoon i.e. leaving Brisbane between 5pm & 5.30pm. I believe that the 5.04pm & 5.16pm ex Central will be overcrowded.

4) Absence of express services leaving Central between 3.30pm & 4.16pm. I don't think that it is fair that Translink charges a peak rate fare but provides an off peak service during this period.

5) Absence of express services to Ipswich off peak. The addition of services that start/terminate at Redbank in the future will allow for Ipswich services to run express around the clock, 7 days a week whilst maintaining the 15 minute frequency between Darra & Brisbane.

EDIT: Added "regarding the draft 2011 timetable for the Ipswich Line" to validate point 4.

I also wrote in regarding the seemingly large gaps of 18 minutes at Corinda between the 6:40am and 6:58am service, as well as the large 12 minute gap between the 7:10am and 7:22am service. I envisage that these services may become overcrowded, despite only starting from Richlands station. Hopefully as time passes, Translink will realise that these service gaps are just pathetic, considering the loadings of train services at these times.

Did anyone also notice the bustitution of the 4:52pm Nambour service? This leaves a peak hour "train" service gap of 48 minutes! An outrage!

Sorry to be so negative, but I would've thought that after the consultation process, there would be positives rather than negatives...

[petey3801]

My biggest peeve with the new timetable in regards to Ipswich line is that the Ipswich line is still yet to have a train that gets to the City by (or even around!) 5am. First train to the city from Ipswich (0437) doesn't get to Central till 0535 and Bowen Hills at 0541. This is in contrast to the Caboolture line which sees the first train from Caboolture arriving at Bowen Hills at 0452 and Central at 0456!

[Stillwater]

Thanks David for highlighting the 'busification' of the 4.52pm train from Central to Nambour (operates as a bus beyond Caboolture to arrive at Nambour at 7pm).  The next SC service from Central leaves at 5.22pm - 30 mins later than the 4.52pm service.  It is a train all the way - 30mins later starting, but arriving at Nambour at 7.15pm, just 15 minutes after the 4.52pm service gets people to Nambour. 

[Arnz]

Thanks David for highlighting the 'busification' of the 4.52pm train from Central to Nambour (operates as a bus beyond Caboolture to arrive at Nambour at 7pm).  The next SC service from Central leaves at 5.22pm - 30 mins later than the 4.52pm service.  It is a train all the way - 30mins later starting, but arriving at Nambour at 7.15pm, just 15 minutes after the 4.52pm service gets people to Nambour.  

That railbus also runs express from Landsborough to Nambour, which still leaves a 48 min gap for those beyond Landsborough.

I've also noticed a railbus and a ICE train shuttle leaving within 8 minutes of each other.  The 3:23pm Caboolture-Nambour afternoon ICE shuttle leaves 8 minutes after the 3:15pm railbus.  What's the point of that railbus? when theres a 14 minute gap between the Caboolture all-stopper and Nambour ICE shuttle.  :conf :conf

I'm still looking over the timetable, so more comments to come later.  Good to see the departure times has been resolved so far, but running times for some services (namely the 9 skipped stations services) are still too long due to the minimal changes in stopping patterns.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/04/june-2011-timetables-caboolture.html
A review of the Caboolture/Sunshine Coast timetable. (Ipswich/Richlands coming later in the week).

[somebody]

Basically no real change in these timetables.  A few tinkers at the edges for the outlying regions, but still a p%ss poor effort on the:
fat
counter peak frequency
off peak service Virginia-Lawnton.
first/last services
Sunday hourly services/early finish


I'm sorry, maybe I should take a chill pill, but I am not impressed here.

Never let it be said that they didn't do the least they could do.

[O_128]

Im really underwhelmed, still no word on the express trains stopping at toowong, no realy off peak improvements, the election really cant come soon enough

[ozbob]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/04/june-2011-timetables-caboolture.html
A review of the Caboolture/Sunshine Coast timetable. (Ipswich/Richlands coming later in the week).

Good points!

[somebody]

Did anyone ever suggest:
4tph Shorncliffe running express Bowen Hills to Eagle Junction
4tph All to Airport
Cab/NBR trains to miss A/W/T/Nundah

Means 15 minute gaps at Albion and Wooloowin until something is done about Doomben.
Reduction in frequency at Nundah and Toombul is partly made up by the express service.

2009 Patronage figures would be:
Shorncliffe-Bindha 3561
Nundah 757
Toombul 594
1/4 of Northgate & Eagle Junction 604

Total: 5516

Compared to Gold Coast:
Robina-Ormeau 3430
90% Beenleigh 874

Total: 4304

Given that the Gold Coast trains have few standing passengers, a 50% greater loading on the Shorncliffe trains as compared to the Gold Coast trains would be acceptable, and we aren't suggesting that much.  Main limitation with that calculation is that such a timetable would almost certainly promote patronage on the Shorncliffe line and that would increase congestion.  Not exactly a bad problem.

I would argue that 90% Beenleigh & 1/4 Northgate and Eagle Junction are fair fractions.  Who would use a Beenleigh line train from Beenleigh to the CBD?

This does require negotiations with Airtrain.

I wonder how even QR or BrizCommuter can hate on this plan!

[petey3801]

Im really underwhelmed, still no word on the express trains stopping at toowong, no realy off peak improvements, the election really cant come soon enough

If you want to get off at Toowong, change trains at Darra or Indooroopilly. Simple. Having the Express stop at more stations than they already are (Indro and Milton), you might as well have them stop all stations and be done with it.

[Arnz]

Really thought that the 1652 (4:52pm) to Caboolture could probably be extended to Glasshouse Mtns with the bus for the rest of the way.  Assuming the crewing hours and the paths can be provided (the only issue is potentially crossing a counter peak service on the Beerburrum to Glasshouse single track).

It's not the ideal solution, but it closes the 48 min gap for stations beyond Landsborough (since a connecting railbus would serve all stations Glasshouse to Nambour instead of the proposed service running express Landsborough to Nambour)

[Cam]

Im really underwhelmed, still no word on the express trains stopping at toowong, no realy off peak improvements, the election really cant come soon enough

If you want to get off at Toowong, change trains at Darra or Indooroopilly. Simple. Having the Express stop at more stations than they already are (Indro and Milton), you might as well have them stop all stations and be done with it.

I agree with petey3801 on this. The 8 stations that are skipped is IMO the minimum to make a significant difference to the travel time. Commuters from Rosewood & Ipswich who travel to Brisbane would appreciate skipping more stations.

Hopefully, a second express pattern skipping more stations is introduced when terminating services at Redbank begin - similar to the current 5.21pm Rosewood service from Central but without the several minutes wait at Redbank when it is on time.

[Mozz]

I have mentioned in previous threads the importance of Toowong being a stopping station - some of the rationale being:

1. I understand outside of Milton and Indooroopilly it is has the next highest number of commuters.
2. It is the only connection to the Citycat ferry network on the Ipswich line.
3. It has a much more direct and speedy travel time from the Bus stop across the road from the station to UQ (around 25,000 people travel to and from the Uni every day)
4. it is a major retail and business precinct
5. It actually has a bus connection at the train station/shopping centre.

If we could go back in time maybe not spend gazillions of dollars on ancillary support around Gailes train station including the massive pedestrian bridge structure and decommission it as a train station .... then include Toowong as a destination.

[O_128]

Also any word on getting rid of that extra 5 mins it takes to get to ipswich, Im sure there could easily be 10mins of fat cut off.

[petey3801]

Also any word on getting rid of that extra 5 mins it takes to get to ipswich, Im sure there could easily be 10mins of fat cut off.

What were you smoking when you wrote that??? An all stations Ipswich train currently runs approx. 3 minutes late (on average) by the time it gets to Ipswich on the current timetable. The extra time in the new timetable will make the timetable a lot more reliable. I may not agree with some of the places the extra time has been put in, but in general, it was needed.

Before anyone talks about the deviations around Darra and the raised speed limit, the speed limit from Darra to Wacol straight have been reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h after it was opened. Also, between Darra and Oxley, the 100km/h straight was reduced to 80km/h also. Both these speed reductions add about a minute each to the timetable alone.


Once again, as for Toowong being added as an express station, CHANGE TRAINS! If Toowong was added, there would be calls for Corinda to be added. Then calls for Oxley to be added (all of which have happened on these boards). Might as well make all trains stop at all stations. Then there will be complaints about lack of express!
The simple matter of it is the express trains will run express Darra - Indooroopilly - Milton. Simple. Passengers for any stations between Darra and Milton (exc. Indooroopilly) can quite easily change at Darra or Indooroopilly. There won't exactly be a huge wait for the connecting train either! Connection times range from 1 minute to 7 minutes at Darra. Not an outragous waiting time by any means.
As it is, the express trains on the Ipswich line will be saving 6 minutes over an All Stations train. To reduce this by even one stop (another minute) basically makes it a waste of time to have any express at all.

[mufreight]

Im really underwhelmed, still no word on the express trains stopping at toowong, no realy off peak improvements, the election really cant come soon enough

If you want to get off at Toowong, change trains at Darra or Indooroopilly. Simple. Having the Express stop at more stations than they already are (Indro and Milton), you might as well have them stop all stations and be done with it.

I agree with petey3801 on this. The 8 stations that are skipped is IMO the minimum to make a significant difference to the travel time. Commuters from Rosewood & Ipswich who travel to Brisbane would appreciate skipping more stations.

Hopefully, a second express pattern skipping more stations is introduced when terminating services at Redbank begin - similar to the current 5.21pm Rosewood service from Central but without the several minutes wait at Redbank when it is on time.

A quite considerable number of commuters on the Ipswich line whose home stations are between Darra and Ipswich use rail to Toowoong then bus to UQ St Lucia, their seven minute wait for a conection to an all stations train is every bit as much important to them as the one minute saving for commuters to Milton, if the change trains at Darra and the service then runs express then those vacated seats will remain mostly empty tfor the rest of the journey while the all stations services to the city will become overloaded.
Sorry I forgot that it is probably the intention of Translink to deter sufficen numbers of commuters to the University from using Public Transport and so curtail the increasing demand for capacity.  a most definate   

[Gazza]

Corinda to be added. Then calls for Oxley to be added (all of which have happened on these boards).

Agreed that any idea to add those stations on the express pattern is stupid.
The point of express trains is to speed up journey times for people travelling long distances. No different to the Gold Coast line or whatever.
Any stops these trains do make should be in locations where people ex Ipswich need to get off...(So Indro and Milton), these stops don't exist so that people in Indro or whatever get a speedy ride in to the city.

So therefore, Corinda and Oxley are pointless, because they aren't even important suburbs, no heavy commercial development and no major trip generators.
A big RSL at Corinda doesn't count as commercial development by the way.
(And if anything, Sherwood has more office space)

I do think Toowong should be on there, BUZ connections to UQ and the Wesley, Ferry to West End, Plenty of office space, jobs etc.

1. I understand outside of Milton and Indooroopilly it is has the next highest number of commuters.

In fact, Toowong is higher in the afternoon (Or is it the morning...one of the two anyway according to the last load survey) The two are neck and neck.

If we could go back in time maybe not spend gazillions of dollars on ancillary support around Gailes train station including the massive pedestrian bridge structure and decommission it as a train station .... then include Toowong as a destination

Agree with this too. I like to think of it in terms of "If we were building a line along here from scratch, would we put a station there?"
In the case of Gailes...Heck no!
In the long term, I'd close both Gailes and Wacol, build a single replacement station, ease the curves, and grade sep the crossing at Wacol as a result.

[O_128]

I might be sounding car pro here but what will happen with the level crossing in Sherwood and other ones where there will be a train every 3 or 4 min travelling through??

[Gazza]

I might be sounding car pro here but what will happen with the level crossing in Sherwood and other ones where there will be a train every 3 or 4 min travelling through??

Rat running along Honour avenue 
I feel sorry for the GCL though.

[ozbob]

Oxley is actually a heavy loading station. Heavy park and ride and locals, with 467/468, 101/102 and 106. Surprising how busy it gets at times, but enough all stoppers to do the job.  And of course Oxley is a big winner with 15 minute frequency out of peak around the clock essentially.  The Oxley crowd will generally get a seat now, something which didn't happen pre-Richlands.

[ozbob]

I might be sounding car pro here but what will happen with the level crossing in Sherwood and other ones where there will be a train every 3 or 4 min travelling through??

Easily avoided. The line to Ipswich only has the two level crossings, Sherwood and Wacol.  Wacol is a dangerous mess, and there are some distant plans for overhead road crossing.  Sherwood road, know nothing.  Ipswich line has a lot of bridges ... (as we know, bridge strike capital of the world ..)

Another characteristic of metropolitan railway systems generally in Australia is the general lack of pro-active work to separate road/rail crossings.  Murrumbeena  is a classic.  Gates can be down for 30 or 40 minutes at a time during peak.  Sherwood is a minor irritant behind those ...

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/04/june-2011-timetables-ipswich-rosewood.html
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-2011-timetables-shorncliffe-line.html
Review of new Ipswich/Rosewood/Richlands, and Shorncliffe timetables.

[david]

Once again, as for Toowong being added as an express station, CHANGE TRAINS! If Toowong was added, there would be calls for Corinda to be added. Then calls for Oxley to be added (all of which have happened on these boards). Might as well make all trains stop at all stations. Then there will be complaints about lack of express!
The simple matter of it is the express trains will run express Darra - Indooroopilly - Milton. Simple. Passengers for any stations between Darra and Milton (exc. Indooroopilly) can quite easily change at Darra or Indooroopilly. There won't exactly be a huge wait for the connecting train either! Connection times range from 1 minute to 7 minutes at Darra. Not an outragous waiting time by any means.
As it is, the express trains on the Ipswich line will be saving 6 minutes over an All Stations train. To reduce this by even one stop (another minute) basically makes it a waste of time to have any express at all.

If I had it my way, all trains would be express Darra to Roma St, maybe a stop at Indooroopilly at the MAXIMUM. Definitely not Milton though. A simple backtrack from Roma St would've been fine for Milton passengers.

Oxley is actually a heavy loading station. Heavy park and ride and locals, with 467/468, 101/102 and 106. Surprising how busy it gets at times, but enough all stoppers to do the job.  And of course Oxley is a big winner with 15 minute frequency out of peak around the clock essentially.  The Oxley crowd will generally get a seat now, something which didn't happen pre-Richlands.

Yes I'm also surprised how heavy loading Oxley (and Darra) still is, despite the opening of Richlands. A lot of people are choosing the train because of the major traffic jams on the Centenary Highway. The jam starts all the way back at the Sumners Road exit these days. Wise choice in my opinion. I expect a lot of these people might consider diverting to Darra once the new timetable commences though.

[ozbob]

Yes David, the Centenary Highway is terminal north of the Ipswich car park.  The Springfield <-> Richlands Rail bus should have been operating from the 24th January ...