RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Quote from: ozbob on June 11, 2015, 14:01:57 PM
Judging by the last 10 years they have to be joking about the Olympics?  Place will be a total cluster f%%k come 2028 ...

Well matbe not, by then some sanity may have prevailed and someone might have actually built another cross river rail line, have duplicated the Comera to Hellensvale link and duplicated the NCL north of Burpengary.

Sorry folks I must have taken my wrong medication and been hallucinating.

Brisbanetimes --> 2028 Olympic bid: I am Brisbane's Sebastian Coe 

We need a Lord Adonis 50 times more than we need a Lord Coe.

Skift --> Los Angeles Wants to Improve Public Transit in Order to Attract the Olympics

Fast rail linking Gold and Sunshine coasts a legacy if southeast hosts 2028 Olympics
Tom Snowdon, The Courier-Mail
July 26, 2016 8:16pm

A HIGH speed train linking both the Sunshine and Gold Coast to Brisbane in under 45 minutes – would likely be one of the legacies from hosting the 2028 Olympic Games.

A new or revamped entertainment and sports precinct in Brisbane would be another lasting benefit for the region, a pre-feasibility study has found.

more,
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/fast-rail-linking-gold-and-sunshine-coasts-a-legacy-if-southeast-hosts-2028-olympics/news-story/ca8e8bf8c30fe9fe9254c77b5f77dbda

Sent to all outlets:

27th July 2016

SEQ: Regional Rapid Rail

Good Morning,

Interesting piece in today's Courier Mail:

Fast rail linking Gold and Sunshine coasts a legacy if southeast hosts 2028 Olympics
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/fast-rail-linking-gold-and-sunshine-coasts-a-legacy-if-southeast-hosts-2028-olympics/news-story/ca8e8bf8c30fe9fe9254c77b5f77dbda

We have long suggested, as have previous Governments, that there are two significant opportunities for Regional Rapid Rail in SEQ - Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

Regional rapid rail was first flagged in the Connecting SEQ 2031 study (2011) as fast CoastLink services.

It will take a bit more than just duplication the Sunshine Coast Line from Beerburrum to Nambour, it will also need the activation of the North West transport corridor for rail as well to enable a fast rail service to and from the Sunshine Coast.  In the case of the Gold Coast, the existing rail line south from Beenleigh is suitable for a fast rail service (achieves that now in effect) but a new alignment between Brisbane and Beenleigh would be needed.  This would involve a direct extension from Cross River Rail to a new alignment of tunnel and elevated rail perhaps in the M1 transport corridor.

Linking these possible projects to a possible Olympic Bid in 2028 is just a measure of the desperation that surrounds failing transport policy in Queensland. These projects need to happen independently of the any Olympic bid.

SEQ faces transport failure unless we start acting now.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

North West Transport Corridor

>> http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Community-and-environment/Planning-for-the-future/Planned-transport-corridors/North-West-Transport-Corridor

History

    The corridor's origins date to the 1960s in the landmark Wilbur Smith and Associates Brisbane Transportation Study. The study recommended a North West freeway between the Brisbane CBD and Aspley via the suburbs of Grange and Everton Park.
    While the freeway concept was abandoned in the 1970s, this section of the original freeway corridor was kept for future use as an arterial road.
    The corridor was preserved in the early 1980s based on current planning standards for a 4-lane median-divided road.
    In recent years, the corridor has evolved from a motorway project to an integrated transport corridor that caters for walking, cycling, rail and road.

Location

The corridor originates near Gympie Road and Strathpine Station in the northern extent and continues south through Bridgeman Downs, McDowall and Everton Park to connect with Alderley Station and Shand Street in Alderley.

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane to announce feasibility of 2028 Olympics bid

From Connecting SEQ 2031 page 49. Available here > http://backontrack.org/docs/tmr/connecting_seq2031.pdf PDF 5.9MB

Rail network sectorisation

Modernise and restructure the region's rail network to provide three new tiers of service.

UrbanLink – high frequency, all stops services all day (6 am–9 pm), seven days a week.

ExpressLink – transform outer suburban express rail services to provide faster travel times with a consistent stopping
pattern all day.

CoastLink – fast, express rail services will operate from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast,
with a travel time of about one hour.

So, the plan is for a fast train to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in 'about 45 minutes'- and in 2028.  But only if we get the Olympic Games.  Most people would settle for the Bligh Government promise of a quick train on duplicated track to Nambour in 'about an hour'.  So long as the promises remain theoretical, it is almost as though they defy the laws of Physics.  For the SCL, a 45-minute trip could be achieved only if new track was laid in the Trouts Road Corridor (North-West Transport Corridor) and Tilts were used.

And, when mention is made of swift, fast, or quick trains these days, the definition of 'Sunshine Coast' is Landsborough, not Nambour or Maroochydore.

The business case for the SCL duplication is being re-written and will be ready, we are told, in June 2017.  It relates to the current alignment, with improvements, and duplication.  Are we to believe that this work will proceed almost immediately, to be followed by the Trouts Road Corridor line and a new order of Tilts lodged to allow a 45 minute journey by train to the Sunny Coast?  And all within a decade or thereabouts?  What of competing priorities – Gold Coast versus Sunshine Coast?  Money?

The Courier-Mail article states the reality: "it is understood the State Government would need to commit to duplicating the North Coast rail line between Beerburrum and Landsborough, which has previously been indicated as being low on the Palaszczuk Government's priority list."

Successive governments have promised it, but never delivered.

Here are the modelled trip times for a Gold Coast Regional Rapid Rail service.

SEQ Regional Rapid Rail - Gold Coast         
   Station      
1   Roma Street (T)   0   min
2   CBD Albert Street   5   min
3   W'Gabba   9   min
4   Park Road   13   min
5   Garden City   17   min
6   Beenleigh    27   min
7   Ormeau    33   min
8   Coomera    37   min
9   Helensvale    42   min
10   Nerang    47   min
11   Robina    52   min
12   Varsity Lakes    55   min
13   Palm Beach   58   min
14   Coolangatta Airport (T)   64   min

45 min is possible with 160 km/hr narrow gauge trains on QR infrastructure, but only if you are very technical and ignore waiting time, timetable fat and only consider stations as far as Helensvale.

Side note: I don't really buy the whole "The Olympics will promote our city, thus there is a benefit" argument. You could get the same effect by spending a few billion on running lotteries in cities all over the world for tickets giving $1.00 holiday packages (flights, hotel, food etc) to various cities in Australia.

There is some serious fat in the inner city in that model.  I can't imagine it would take 13 minutes to get from Park Road to Roma St when the current alignment produces a journey time of 10 minutes, including crawling through low speed turnouts and curves.

QuoteThere is some serious fat in the inner city in that model.  I can't imagine it would take 13 minutes to get from Park Road to Roma St when the current alignment produces a journey time of 10 minutes, including crawling through low-speed turnouts and curves.

Models are projections of something that does not yet exist and thus they are neither true nor false, only less or more appropriate.

The model uses 25 km/hr as the station to station speed within the core section. This is based on the time it takes to travel between South Bank and South Brisbane stations currently.

Queensland Times 27th July 2016 page 3

Mayor's Olympic vision

Collectively, our SEQ Mayors are a good bunch IMHO.  They are in touch with the people at a grass roots level.  They know that the transport future for SEQ is rather bleak.  I do not blame them for linking significant transport upgrades to an Olympics Games bid.  It is very desperate stuff now.

We have had a series of very mediocre governments that have done nothing much in terms of real transport future proofing.  Isolated bits and pieces but no real big vision stuff.  Lots of glossy brochures and nice video animations (even if the music is crappy ..  ) but that is not actually delivering in the end.

Good luck to the Mayors I say!!

Quote from: LD Transit on July 27, 2016, 06:57:50 AM

QuoteThere is some serious fat in the inner city in that model.  I can't imagine it would take 13 minutes to get from Park Road to Roma St when the current alignment produces a journey time of 10 minutes, including crawling through low-speed turnouts and curves.

Models are projections of something that does not yet exist and thus they are neither true nor false, only less or more appropriate.

The model uses 25 km/hr as the station to station speed within the core section. This is based on the time it takes to travel between South Bank and South Brisbane stations currently.

The tunnels are likely to have at least an 80kph speed limit so it is not clear how it can take longer than it takes now factoring in the Merivale Bridge curves at both ends, curves approaching Park Road and the like.  The model needs some work in my view.

Analysis Report into SEQ 2028 Olympics

http://seqmayors.qld.gov.au/project/seq-mayors-release-findings-of-pre-feasibility-analysis-report-into-seq-2028-olympics/


Publication

Pre-feasibility Analysis of a potential South East Queensland bid for the 2028 Olympic Games

>> http://seqmayors.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FINAL_Pre-feasibility-Analysis-of-a-Potential-SEQ-Bid-for-the-2028-Olympic-Games.pdf

Page 16

Quote
5. Transport Plan

The potentially distributed nature of accommodation across the region will require
strengthened transport connections, particularly from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts
to Brisbane. This aligns well with the transportation challenges of the SEQ region,
regardless of an Olympic Games.

It is recommended the SEQ region examines the feasibility of this strategy. Potential
approaches to be examined in order to address expected demand include the following:

• Maximise rail use
○ minimum headways to be achieved in certain lines
○ longer trains (and rail platforms)
○ maximum use of existing rolling stock (delay retiring some stock which is
currently under replacement)

• Expansion of the busway network beyond the 2031 plans
• Examine the Metro plans and the likely Games value of the system
• Park and Ride coupled with special Games shuttles
• Explore the role of other Games bus services. Clearly bus has to play a very
substantial role, beyond venue shuttles. Trunk services (of high frequency,
high capacity) may be developed. To this end, leveraging the experience of the
Commonwealth Games shuttle bus network is highly recommended.

5.2.2 Spectators and Workforce Accessing the
Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast from Brisbane

Under the concept of a regional Olympic Games, the transport links between
Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and (to a lesser extent) Ipswich are significant
and need to be tested and possibly strengthened. Significant topics in these areas
include (see also Section 5.1):

• Rail connectivity between Brisbane and Gold Coast
• Rail connectivity between Brisbane and Sunshine Coast
• Road connectivity for bus transport.

5.2.3 Olympic Family Transport

Olympic Family transport is driven by the final Master Plan and by the traffic
situation in Brisbane and the SEQ region. Based on the current scenarios considered,
travel times are likely to be reasonable.

In order to achieve reduced travel times, significant priority management measures
will be necessary for the period of the Games. Such measures need to be studied
and may include:

• Dedicated lanes at some parts of the Games Route Network
• High occupancy vehicle lanes
• Strong travel demand management initiatives to displace traffic from sensitive areas
• Traffic and parking restrictions around venues
• Other measures.

Beyond travel times, other significant attributes of client experience need to be considered:
• Superior vehicle fleets
• Maximised use of electric vehicles, hybrids, fuel cell buses, etc.
• Client-oriented management structures
• Fleet facilities (depots, hubs, malls, etc.)
• Fleet technology.

I note that the Mayors acknowledge and reiterate the need for transport upgrades throughout the SEQ region, despite the demand created by an event like the 2028 Olympics.
Well done SEQ Mayors !


Excerpt from p15
5.1 Transport Infrastructure and Systems

Transport infrastructure and systems have been identified as key enablers of the SEQ
region through the next 10 to 20 years and beyond. While there are a number of
initiatives currently being planned and delivered in the region, there is still significant
scope for improvement.
This is an area of improvement for the region that will be required regardless of an
Olympic Games. However, planning for these improvements would benefit from a
unified focus of all tiers of Government and the community through the lens of a
potential Olympic Games bid and hosting opportunity.
The timeline for the delivery of these planned projects may be accelerated by the focus
on an Olympic Games deadline, and ensure the benefits associated with better transport
connections in the region are realised by our communities in a more timely manner.


Excerpt from p16
5. Transport Plan

The potentially distributed nature of accommodation across the region will require
strengthened transport connections, particularly from the Gold and Sunshine Coasts
to Brisbane. This aligns well with the transportation challenges of the SEQ region,
regardless of an Olympic Games.

ABC News --> High-speed rail in south-east Queensland could be legacy of potential 2028 Olympics

Would this revitalise the CAMCOS corridor concept ahead of Landsborough North to Nambour upgrade, which now would appear not to be duplication, but realignment and additional/longer passing loops?

Ahh, promises, promises .....

MEDIA RELEASE

Making tracks on the Sunshine Coast

A $480 million project to boost northern rail services and provide the vital first link in the CAMCOS high speed service to the Sunshine Coast was launched today by Transport and Main Roads Minister, Paul Lucas.   The Minister said the project would give the green light to the Beattie Government's commitment of a high speed rail service between Brisbane, Caloundra and Maroochydore.

"When the project's completed, the community will reap real benefits in reduced travel times. 

"The project will be constructed in two stages, starting from today.   

"The rail line between Caboolture and Beerburrum will undergo a major upgrade, cutting travel times by 30 percent for all travellers using the line.

"Funding of $262.4 million has been provided for a new rail corridor for that 14 kilometre section. It will be completed by mid 2009," he said.

Mr Lucas also released for public comment the government's preferred rail corridor - an upgrade of a further 17 kilometres from Beerburrum to Landsborough.

To deliver both these important projects, the Beattie Government has made a total commitment of $480 million.

"The upgrade of the entire section between Caboolture and Landsborough seals the Beattie Government's promise to build a $1 billion fast passenger rail service along the CAMCOS corridor," he said.

"We will establish the line from Beerwah to Caloundra by 2015, and up the coast to Maroochydore by 2020, bringing rail to the Sunshine Coast.

"The upgrade between Caboolture and Beerburrum will iron out the sharp curves and duplicate the line, providing faster, more efficient services for the 400,000 people living in the Caboolture and Sunshine Coast areas," Mr Lucas said.

"Average trip times along this section of track will be cut by around three minutes per journey - an annual saving of 30 hours on a journey to and from work.

"It also means faster, more efficient rail services for all other parts of the state from Caboolture north.

"All the land owners affected between Caboolture and Beerburrum are being contacted personally from today by Queensland Transport officers to discuss their individual needs," Mr Lucas said.       

"The Caboolture to Landsborough section of line is one of the weakest links in the Queensland rail network. It is a single winding track, forcing all trains to slow and severely restricting the capacity of rail services.

"The Sunshine Coast needs a rail service that will keep pace with population growth and provide a swift, efficient link to Brisbane.

"The Caboolture and Sunshine Coast areas will have a combined population of about 604,500 by 2026. Rail services must keep pace with that population growth," he said.

Mr Lucas said the preferred rail corridor for the further extension of the upgrade from Beerburrum to Landsborough would provide a safer and more efficient rail service, with further time savings for travellers.
.
"The corridor is slightly outside the existing one in some places, but provides a much better long-term planning solution," he said.

"The new corridor does impact on some landowners, and those people will be consulted about their individual needs.

"This preferred rail corridor will provide substantial long term benefits and has room for future expansion within it.

"We need to adopt the best solution possible to provide the service improvements needed for the Sunshine Coast now, and for generations to come," Mr Lucas said.

State Member for Glass House, Carolyn Male, said the preferred rail corridor provided a solution that limited impacts on the local community.

"Local people are grateful to the Government for having such an extensive consultation process, and for listening to and acting on the feedback from the community," she said.

Mr Lucas said public comment on the preferred corridor between Beerburrum and Landsborough was sought from today until October 21, 2005.

Details of the corridor, including maps, are available at http://www.arup.com.au/clrs or at Queensland Transport customer service centres, local council administration centres, libraries, selected Australia Post offices and sub-agents throughout the study area.

Further information is available on freecall 1800 221 991.
Media Inquiries:  3237 1947 or 0438 768 734

The CAMCOS Report:

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Caboolture-to-Maroochydore-Corridor-Study/Caboolture-to-Maroochydore-Corridor-Study-publications

Brisbanetimes --> First look at south-east Queensland's possible Olympics 2028 bid

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Coast has what it takes to host Olympics

I think QLD can pull it off as a region, that would spread the risk and costs too.

Olympics are generally financially ruinous and not worth it if you only want the money.

But, if you want to host it for reasons other than financial, such as getting more money spent in your state over other states, then

yes, it is good to piggy back off it.

Regional Rapid Rail to the Gold Coast is viable and will result in a faster, more efficient service that will reduce operational costs massively (if done as DOO) and attract massive patronage.

A 60 000 seat stadium is also possible next to the Brisbane CBD if the Queensland Government is willing to build it at the Woolloongabba site with Cross River Rail. Athletes village could perhaps go down at the Parmalat / Kurilpa site.

Cross River Rail is central to all of this - people going to and from events during peak hour won't work - the extra trains to and from the Gold Coast physically can not be accomodated in the timetable. 

QUOTE: "The 11 mayors, presuming they all back the bid, would collectively spend between $2 million and $2.5 million of their ratepayers' money on a detailed feasibility study that would crystallise a case study for infrastructure in south-east Queensland."

Don't these feasibility studies exist already, such as Connecting SEQ 2031?  Are we not re-doing the SEQ Regional Plan?

Perhaps they can save $$ by ' cutting and pasting ' from the volumes of earlier works including Inner city rail capacity study, Cross River Rail #1 #2 #3, Bus & Train (BaT) tunnel, Connecting SEQ 2031, The ' Rail Revolution ', Sunshine Coast Line studies ( a number ) and others ...   

I hope the ' video ' has nice music ...

Footnote: BaT is NOT an acronym .. OK?   

Maybe they could get a licence for this one ... 

1.6 billion seems like a drastic underestimate.

Much like the Czar, God Keep The Olympics... well away from us!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/10/02/ioc_demands_oslo_drops_bid_after_over_the_top_list_of_requirements.html

Quote from: SurfRail on July 27, 2016, 06:37:06 AM
There is some serious fat in the inner city in that model.  I can't imagine it would take 13 minutes to get from Park Road to Roma St when the current alignment produces a journey time of 10 minutes, including crawling through low speed turnouts and curves.

you are forgetting that in order for CRR (version 5 or 6)  to get built, they have to make design cuts like single tracks and have trains setting back on running lines.


The council of mayors are really jumping the gun here.  While Sydney mayhave hosted the best Olympics we probably can't follow up.   
They should be waiting until after the commonwealth games to see if they have a remote chance of pulling the olympics off.  Because the transport solutions for the commonwealts games are more last minute than a high school novel essay.

Brisbanetimes --> Gold Coast (CC) to vote on 2028 SEQ Olympic Games bid on Tuesday

QuoteGold Coast City Council will be the first of south-east Queensland's councils to make a decision whether or not to join a regional bid to host the 2028 Olympic Games.

The Council of Mayors (South East Queensland) released a "pre-feasibility" report last month, which showed south-east Queensland had the capacity to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028 ...

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Gold Coast tells Brisbane to pay for the proposed south east Queensland bid for 2028 Olympics

Good!

The Olympics for SEQ will be the only way of guaranteeing infrastructure gets built and not just talked about in this state. All councils and state need to work as a team which is easier said then done!!

tom tate for state politics? Yes plz....

FiveThirtyEight --> Hosting The Olympics Is A Terrible Investment

These games have the potential to bankrupt Queensland. I think local councils understand that, and they are acutely aware of that because their revenue is tied to property values. Screw it up and they will devalue every house in SEQ. I can already see angry mobs of residents balking at having rate increases to pay for it.

On the other hand, as bad as the track record for the Olympics are, it is not a fixed destiny for it to be expensive. We do have a choice. Many venues already exist due to hosting previous games and events. They could be repurposed.

It also gives SEQ a funding advantage for Federal funds as it is an International Event that affects people across state borders, and even national borders. A key question is whether we trust the Queensland Gov't to pull that off. It hasn't organised something that big since 1982.