RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Brisbane Times claims that the trip between Maroochydore CBD and Brisbane will take 70 mins. That means trains are likely to run express from Eagle Junction to Caboolture then all stops from Calbooture to meet those proposed times.

I have been invited to discuss the CAMCOS rail announcement with ABC Sunshine Coast 'Mornings Show' presenter tomorrow just after the 8:30am news and regular reports.

QuoteBrisbane Times claims that the trip between Maroochydore CBD and Brisbane will take 70 mins. That means trains are likely to run express from Eagle Junction to Caboolture then all stops from Calbooture to meet those proposed times.

Any chance we can run express a bit further and reduce the time to at or below 60 minutes? Hopefully they can build the new corridor to high speed standards at least 130 km/hr and ideally 200 km/hr standards.

Kuraby to Beenleigh does have a business case in progress, it was a part of the Brisbane to the Gold Coast Faster Rail Business Case.
It is expected to be completed by late 2022 - so I take your point.

https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=100489-18QLD-MRL


Project Description
The project will investigate options to provide faster passenger rail services from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. The project will be undertaken in two parts. The first part will develop a detailed business case for the Kuraby to Beenleigh Rail Capacity Improvement Project. The second part will develop a corridor strategy that will identify existing constraints and determine future demand and operational requirements. The corridor strategy will include a planning and investment program that will identify potential projects, cost and staging options, including an extension from Varsity Lakes to the Gold Coast Airport.
The project commenced on 10 February 2020 and is expected to be completed in late 2022.

The $1 billion Gabba upgrade is a prime example of the hypocrisy of it all.

Bipartisan support a must for faster rail to Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast

30th March 2022

RAIL Back On Track welcomes funding in the Federal budget for both a rail extension to Maroochydore ($1.6 billion), and for the Logan to Gold Coast Faster rail project ($1.1 billion).

We urge all parties to commit to funding both of these projects at the coming federal election.

Rail to Maroochydore will be a game changer. For years the Sunshine coast has seen proportionally less public transport investment than Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

Currently the main rail stations on the Sunshine coast are a significant distance inland at Nambour, Landsborough and Beerwah, well away from the bulk of the population on the booming coastal strip. The rail project long known by the acronym 'CAMCOS' will thread right through the centre, putting new stations on the doorstep of hundreds of thousands of residents at places like Caloundra, Birtinya and Maroochydore. It will also support the growing Aura development, ensuring the new city grows sustainably around the rail line.
The new line will be built to fast interurban standards, potentially achieving speeds of 140 km/h or more.

Also significant is the Logan to Gold Coast faster rail project. The rail line south of Kuraby is only one track in each direction, with many slow curves. Gold Coast Express trains have no way to overtake all stops Beenleigh trains.
The current setup slows down maximum speeds and limits the total number of trains that can be run. The faster rail project will expand the corridor from two tracks to four, and straighten out some of the slow curves.
This will ultimately segregate Gold Coast trains and give them a clear run through Logan and into Brisbane.

These projects will better connect the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to Brisbane, will relieve pressure on the overloaded Bruce and Pacific Highways, support the shift to net zero emissions and aid the movement of people across SEQ for the 2032 Olympics.

Finally, its important to acknowledge the need for Toowoomba to also be included in this 'faster rail fever' to complete the regional vision.
The coming inland rail project will provide new tunnels bypassing the currently slow range sections up to Toowoomba.
With careful design, freight trains and regular passenger services could share these tunnels, slashing the journey time, potentially meaning Toowoomba and Brisbane could be linked in under 90 minutes.

References:

1. Budget 2022-23 https://budget.gov.au/index.htm

2. Rail Express Budget boost for rail infrastructure https://www.railexpress.com.au/17-9-billion-budget-boost-for-australian-infrastructure/

3. Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study  https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/caboolture-to-maroochydore-corridor-study

4. Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/logan-and-gold-coast-faster-rail

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

Interview with Andrew Wallace MP for Fisher re CAMCOS on ABC Sunshine Coast Radio 29th March 2022

Here > https://backontrack.org/docs/abcsc/abcsunnyaw29mar22.mp3 MP3 9MB

He gets confused with Kuraby in the interview, calls it ' Muraby ' 

Quote from: Fares_Fair on March 29, 2022, 18:30:51 PMI have been invited to discuss the CAMCOS rail announcement with ABC Sunshine Coast 'Mornings Show' presenter tomorrow just after the 8:30am news and regular reports.

I did some more research last night.
I have a bombshell to announce this morning in my ABC radio interview.

I love  ' bombshells ' do you    ?



You can listen live here > https://www.abc.net.au/radio/sunshine/live/

Interview with Jeff Addison Sunshine Coast Rep RBoT on ABC Sunshine Coast Radio 30th March 2022

https://backontrack.org/docs/abcsc/abcsunnyja30mar22.mp3 14.8 MB

In this interview it is revealed the then Government actually commenced the process of construction of the CAMCOS railway. 

Information can be found in part on page 248 of this RTI Document
[South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005 - 2026]

>

https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/22627/released-documents-rti1920-061.pdf

This is a large document ~ 40 MB in size (891 pages).

E.g.

"CAMCOS extension studies

Planning and acquisition for the CAMCOS rail corridor from
Beerwah to Caloundra to Maroochydore has been identified
in the Infrastructure Plan as a priority for the 2005-06 to
2008-09 period, with construction to commence in the
following period. This study will examine the benefits of
extending the rail, initially to Maroochy Airport. "

Hello?  Anyone home Mr Bailey?  There is a railway to build ..



From South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005 - 2026

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1508954852080041984

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1508959106509402112

Thank you Robert.
I was gob-smacked last night when I discovered this information.

The Qld Government's infrastructure plan titled: SEQIPP 2005-2026 - had to be retrieved under a right to information request!
Hiding documents to conceal their inaction. Another integrity issue in my opinion. No ethics.

State Budget 2006–07
Queensland
Budget Paper No. 3

In 2006-07, they allocated $5 million towards the start of this project.

$5 million, as part of a $2.6 billion commitment provided under SEQIPP, to
construct the Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (CAMCOS) rail link
between the North coast line (at Beerwah) and the high growth area of the
Sunshine Coast.

Bombshells
SEQIPP plan 2005-2016 was hidden away. It had to be retrieved by an RTI.
Qld Budget papers prove money was allocated to build this rail line in 2006-07.

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1508971890664423426

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1508972681022283777

Parliamentary Debate on Sunshine Coast rail at 5pm this afternoon.

Notice on Facebook, see link.
https://www.facebook.com/jarrod.bleijie

Other States have received budget funding for rail ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=256949 ).
None of them, as far as I can determine, is carrying on like school children in the way the Palaszczuk Government and some of its Ministers are hey?

I have lost what little confidence I had in this outfit setting up public transport for the Olympic Games.

With the anti-rail camp in TMR, and incompetent fools in Government, the IOC would be better off pulling the Queensland pin and going to Perth.

 

We get what the people vote for   . This has been the worst State Government (and the most corrupt) I can remember for a long time.

From the top down, it's bad. Only 2 and a half more years of damage to be done before we really see if the people will learn and wake up!!

Quote from: Fares_Fair on March 30, 2022, 11:40:04 AMParliamentary Debate on Sunshine Coast rail at 5pm this afternoon.

Notice on Facebook, see link.
https://www.facebook.com/jarrod.bleijie

On now ...

Alternate to Facebook > https://tv.parliament.qld.gov.au/

Hansard will be interesting reading.

As Queensland Parliamentary debates go, this is an interesting one.

I think I heard right that Minister Bailey did confirm his November 2021 comment that the project is viable.

If nothing else, it is certainly on the agenda now.

I will post the Hansard tomorrow.

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2022/2022_03_30_DAILY.pdf

Pages 798 to 810

Motion as put:

Sunshine Coast, Rail Infrastructure

Mr BLEIJIE (Kawana—LNP) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (5.07 pm): I move—

That this House notes:

1. that the federal government has committed $1.6 billion to the No. 1 Sunshine Coast infrastructure priority, bringing heavy passenger rail from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, connecting the hinterland and our coastal communities from Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana and terminating at Maroochydore;

2. Minister Mark Bailey's comments on 17 February 2022 that Sunshine Coast's heavy rail was 'an important part of the
equation'; his remarks that 'not just with the Olympic Games coming and the need to move people around, but its
population growth well before that, which is driving the need for heavy rail', and his statement reported on 6 December 2021 that the project 'is absolutely viable into the Sunshine Coast in the future'.

And calls on the members for Caloundra and Nicklin to support this rail project and on the state Labor government to immediately match the federal government commitment to ensure the Sunshine Coast heavy passenger rail from Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana to Maroochydore is delivered.

This motion calls on the state Labor government to support heavy passenger rail to the Sunshine
Coast. It also calls on the state Labor government to match the $1.6 billion that the federal Morrison
government has committed to the Sunshine Coast. We saw a disgraceful set of circumstances this
morning when Treasurer Dick stood up in parliament and said the $1.6 billion promised by the federal
government was fake money.

[Debate ensues]

Motion, as agreed—

1. that the federal government has announced $1.6 billion for heavy passenger rail from Beerwah to the Sunshine Coast of which $1.35 billion is beyond the forward estimates more than four years away from 2026-27 onwards;

2. the Minister for Transport and Main Roads is on the record as supporting a future heavy rail connection to coastal
communities and has said it 'is absolutely viable into Sunshine Coast in the future' and is committed to delivering transport projects needed for population growth and to support a successful Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games via a collaborative governing state and federal framework;

3. a $6 million Sunshine Coast rail business case is underway, jointly funded by the Queensland and Commonwealth
governments, and any costings before completion are speculative;

4. conflicting versions of where the $1.6 billion costing was sourced from based on public statements of the federal MPs for Fairfax and Fisher and calls on them to clarify the source of the costings they are using to inform Sunshine Coast residents;

5. of the $1.6 billion pledged by the federal government in their election eve cash splash, only $50 million will be available before the next federal election due in 2025;  and congratulates the members for Caloundra and Nicklin for their ongoing support and effective advocacy for critical transport projects needed for the Sunshine Coast.'

Sent to all outlets:

Commentary:

Has the Federal Government used dodgy costings for heavy rail Beerwah to Maroochydore?

31st March 2022

The most recent new double track heavy railway line in SEQ was the 12.6km long Redcliffe Peninsula line, built for $1 billion in 2016, which works out to $80 million per km. This included a bridge over the M1.

The commonwealth has estimated $3.2 billion cost for the double track heavy railway line Beerwah to Maroochydore (a 50-50 funding split, $1.6 billion from the Federal Government with $1.6 billion to be contributed by the Queensland Government)

The proposed double track railway line to Maroochydore will be 35km long, so at $3.2 billion would work out to $91 million per km.

More recently, the Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project was costed at $2.24 billion for 18km ($124 million per km) This project will involve an additional two new tracks in a brownfield environment, so will be fairly complex and hence involves a higher per km cost.

RAIL Back On Track considers $3.2 billion is a reasonable estimate for the heavy rail double track from Beerwah to Maroochydore. There would be some increase in costs since 2016, and there is some additional complexity in terms of the Bridge over the Mooloolah River and a short tunnel at Little Mountain. The longer project would benefit from some economy of scale and like the Redcliffe Peninsula line is greenfield construction.  The CAMCOS project was costed at $1 billion in 2006 (SEQIPP 2005-25).

Previously, an extension to Maroochydore has been hamstrung by the lack capacity in the network and a failure to carry out the planned rail upgrades in a timely manner as originally proposed. In 2005 the then Transport and Main Roads Minister Paul Lucas committed for the State to build to Caloundra by 2015 and to Maroochydore by 2020 in a statement made on the 30th August 2005.

The duplication of the Sunshine Coast line to Beerwah (ideally through to Landsborough), and completion of Cross River Rail will allow for an increase in network capacity. With both of these projects underway, it makes sense to start construction of the heavy rail to Maroochydore as soon as practicable, to take advantage of the new network capacity.

$3.2 billion is a good cost estimate.

References:

1. South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005 - 2026
https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/22627/released-documents-rti1920-061.pdf

2. Caloundra South CAMCOS Realignment Study 2007
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=206015

3. Queensland Parliament Hansard 30th March 2022 Pages 798 to 810
Sunshine Coast, Rail Infrastructure
https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2022/2022_03_30_DAILY.pdf

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

Quote from: ozbob on March 30, 2022, 00:38:03 AMBipartisan support a must for faster rail to Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast

30th March 2022

RAIL Back On Track welcomes funding in the Federal budget for both a rail extension to Maroochydore ($1.6 billion), and for the Logan to Gold Coast Faster rail project ($1.1 billion).

We urge all parties to commit to funding both of these projects at the coming federal election.

Rail to Maroochydore will be a game changer. For years the Sunshine coast has seen proportionally less public transport investment than Brisbane or the Gold Coast.

Currently the main rail stations on the Sunshine coast are a significant distance inland at Nambour, Landsborough and Beerwah, well away from the bulk of the population on the booming coastal strip. The rail project long known by the acronym 'CAMCOS' will thread right through the centre, putting new stations on the doorstep of hundreds of thousands of residents at places like Caloundra, Birtinya and Maroochydore. It will also support the growing Aura development, ensuring the new city grows sustainably around the rail line.
The new line will be built to fast interurban standards, potentially achieving speeds of 140 km/h or more.

Also significant is the Logan to Gold Coast faster rail project. The rail line south of Kuraby is only one track in each direction, with many slow curves. Gold Coast Express trains have no way to overtake all stops Beenleigh trains.
The current setup slows down maximum speeds and limits the total number of trains that can be run. The faster rail project will expand the corridor from two tracks to four, and straighten out some of the slow curves.
This will ultimately segregate Gold Coast trains and give them a clear run through Logan and into Brisbane.

These projects will better connect the Gold and Sunshine Coasts to Brisbane, will relieve pressure on the overloaded Bruce and Pacific Highways, support the shift to net zero emissions and aid the movement of people across SEQ for the 2032 Olympics.

Finally, its important to acknowledge the need for Toowoomba to also be included in this 'faster rail fever' to complete the regional vision.
The coming inland rail project will provide new tunnels bypassing the currently slow range sections up to Toowoomba.
With careful design, freight trains and regular passenger services could share these tunnels, slashing the journey time, potentially meaning Toowoomba and Brisbane could be linked in under 90 minutes.

References:

1. Budget 2022-23 https://budget.gov.au/index.htm

2. Rail Express Budget boost for rail infrastructure https://www.railexpress.com.au/17-9-billion-budget-boost-for-australian-infrastructure/

3. Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study  https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/caboolture-to-maroochydore-corridor-study

4. Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/logan-and-gold-coast-faster-rail

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

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1509261219848343556

Quote from: ozbob on March 31, 2022, 00:30:50 AMQueensland Parliament Hansard

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/events/han/2022/2022_03_30_DAILY.pdf

Pages 798 to 810

Motion as put:

Sunshine Coast, Rail Infrastructure

Mr BLEIJIE (Kawana—LNP) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (5.07 pm): I move—

That this House notes:

1. that the federal government has committed $1.6 billion to the No. 1 Sunshine Coast infrastructure priority, bringing heavy passenger rail from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, connecting the hinterland and our coastal communities from Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana and terminating at Maroochydore;

2. Minister Mark Bailey's comments on 17 February 2022 that Sunshine Coast's heavy rail was 'an important part of the
equation'; his remarks that 'not just with the Olympic Games coming and the need to move people around, but its
population growth well before that, which is driving the need for heavy rail', and his statement reported on 6 December 2021 that the project 'is absolutely viable into the Sunshine Coast in the future'.

And calls on the members for Caloundra and Nicklin to support this rail project and on the state Labor government to immediately match the federal government commitment to ensure the Sunshine Coast heavy passenger rail from Beerwah to Caloundra to Kawana to Maroochydore is delivered.

This motion calls on the state Labor government to support heavy passenger rail to the Sunshine
Coast. It also calls on the state Labor government to match the $1.6 billion that the federal Morrison
government has committed to the Sunshine Coast. We saw a disgraceful set of circumstances this
morning when Treasurer Dick stood up in parliament and said the $1.6 billion promised by the federal
government was fake money.

[Debate ensues]

Motion, as agreed—

1. that the federal government has announced $1.6 billion for heavy passenger rail from Beerwah to the Sunshine Coast of which $1.35 billion is beyond the forward estimates more than four years away from 2026-27 onwards;

2. the Minister for Transport and Main Roads is on the record as supporting a future heavy rail connection to coastal
communities and has said it 'is absolutely viable into Sunshine Coast in the future' and is committed to delivering transport projects needed for population growth and to support a successful Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games via a collaborative governing state and federal framework;

3. a $6 million Sunshine Coast rail business case is underway, jointly funded by the Queensland and Commonwealth
governments, and any costings before completion are speculative;

4. conflicting versions of where the $1.6 billion costing was sourced from based on public statements of the federal MPs for Fairfax and Fisher and calls on them to clarify the source of the costings they are using to inform Sunshine Coast residents;

5. of the $1.6 billion pledged by the federal government in their election eve cash splash, only $50 million will be available before the next federal election due in 2025;  and congratulates the members for Caloundra and Nicklin for their ongoing support and effective advocacy for critical transport projects needed for the Sunshine Coast.'

My assessment of the proposed motion put to the Queensland Parliament.
I will address each point raised.

Point 1: Yes, the project would be built within a 5 to 10 year timeframe, so this is expected.

Point 2: This is good that he says he supports it. I note the Minister continues to carefully avoid the use of the word Maroochydore when discussing the project.

Point 3: The $6m business case that he refers to is not a business case per se, but was funded as an investment planning study.
The Morrison government is chipping in $3m for an investment planning study on extending a rail line from Beerwah to the Maroochydore CBD, with the State Government expected to match the funding.
Courier-Mail December 17, 2021

Point 4: This point is a load of rubbish as it is purely based upon Speaker Andrew Wallace MP's incorrect naming of the Kuraby - Beenleigh rail as being 'Muraby'. The Qld Govt know this was a mistake by the MP but present this in a motion as a valid point. This is purely trash politics.

Point 5: Yes. Correct as the project has not yet begun and red team are clearly not keen to start it (again) with joint funding.
As to thanking the local MP's for their support, they have not achieved anything with their 'effective support'. That's not a standard for success, it's a failure to date. Let's hope that changes.

^ thanks Fares_Fair. Don't disagree at all.

The reality is that unless some of the rail network deficits are addressed promptly,
the Olympic Games in 2032 will be an almighty fizzer! 

Let alone the transport problems the community will be faced with.

I look around at the other states.  They are all doing multiple things to improve their rail networks.

It is not based on one major project as is the case here in Queensland. 

There is more to our rail network than CRR.

Sunshine Coast News --> Transport minister blasts Morrison government's Coast rail pledge as 'smoke and mirrors'

Quote... Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien, who spruiked the budget announcement, said the State Government was avoiding the real question — would it match the funding 50:50?

"The Federal Government's $1.6 billion commitment is there in black and white in budget papers, with payments staged across the project's lifetime as per normal practice," said Mr O'Brien

"Detailed design, planning and approvals will take place over coming years, with the bulk of construction in the second half of the decade, in time for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games."

He accused the State Transport Minister of trying to "sabotage" the CAMCOS project. ...

QuoteIn a statement, State Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the announcement was all "smoke and mirrors".

🤮

OMG B-O-R-I-N-G!!

Nobody is interested in pulling games from the political playbook. Just find the matching funding and build it!

RAIL Back On Track Urges Commonwealth to Mint More 5c pieces to Fund Sunshine Coast Rail Line

1st April 2022

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called for the Commonwealth Government to fund the Sunshine Coast Rail line by minting more five cent pieces.

RAIL Back On Track welcomes the Commonwealth Government's firm $1.6 billion commitment to build rail to Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast. As one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia it is a no-brainer to build this rail line to Maroochydore.

We urge the Commonwealth Government to speed up the minting of 5 cent pieces urgently, so that the project can go ahead.

A Queensland Government Minister – speaking to reporters in Brisbane today - confirmed that funding the Sunshine Coast rail line was a low priority, and could not at all be compared to other projects in and around Brisbane which also had no business cases such as a $450 million bus stop at Woolloongabba, The Gabba Stadium rebuild, or Line 3 of the Brisbane Metro.

"That's different - Brisbane starts with a letter B, and the Sunshine Coast starts with the letter S."
"The Letter S is lower down in the alphabet, so clearly it is a much lower priority project." The Minister said.

The Minister declined to give their name as their birth certificate had been submitted to and discussed in Cabinet, and as such, these details were now protected by Cabinet-in-Confidence secrecy provisions.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Treasury also confirmed that the Queensland Government simply had no cents to fund the project.

"The instructions to us are to pay for the Sunshine Coast Rail Line construction project in many bags full of 5c pieces, and unfortunately we don't have enough cents in Queensland to fund our share of this $3.2 billion project."

"The Commonwealth is responsible for the Mint in Canberra, and so this shortage of 5 cent pieces is a Commonwealth matter."

A spokesperson said that any further informal queries about the Sunshine Coast Rail line project should be directed to a government-associated e-mail address ' avocadotriangle6@chillimail.co.uk '

Reference:
1. Heavy passenger rail on track for Sunshine Coast

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/fletcher/media-release/heavy-passenger-rail-track-sunshine-coast

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

Facebook ...

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1509544803763060742

ABC Sunshine Coast News --> Federal budget pledge for Sunshine Coast rail line an 'election stunt', Mark Bailey says

QuoteA $1.6 billion federal budget allocation to a heavy rail project on the Sunshine Coast amounts to an election bribe, Queensland's Transport Minister says.

Key points:

    The CAMCOS project has been in the works for 15 years
    The rail connection is slated to be finished before the 2032 Olympic games
    Queensland's transport Minister says people have "reason to be cynical" about the budget announcement

The Morrison government earmarked $3.2b for the building of a rail corridor from Beerwah to Maroochydore, to be split equally with the state government.

Ahead of the 2032 Olympics, the state and federal governments have agreed to jointly fund a number of infrastructure projects.

The CAMCOS, or Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study, has been included in state government plans for more than a decade.

Queensland set aside $5 million in the 2006/07 budget to connect the existing rail line at Beerwah to Maroochydore.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the $1.6b allocated in the federal budget amounted to a hoax.

"Most of the money is beyond the forwards [planning], which means it's beyond four years away," he said.

"This has been an election stunt by the government.

"Their costings — we don't know where they come from.

"Ted O'Brien said it was the north coast connect study, Andrew Wallace said it was the Kuraby to Beenleigh, which is an entirely different project.

"So the costing is an invention of the Morrison government — it just shows they aren't serious about the project and have plucked a figure out of the sky.

"What they are doing here is an election bribe, they have had a decade in power to do this and then suddenly in the last minute they're saying it's all going to happen.

"I think people have got a reason to be cynical and sceptical of this kind of thing."

'Doesn't stack up'

Rail advocate Jeff Addison said the state government had been sitting on the project for more than 15 years and that many promises had been broken during that time.

"I'm just tired of the excuses that any rail work can be done on the Sunshine Coast," he said.

"[Queensland Treasurer]Cameron Dick said the government are trying to shore up LNP seats on the Sunshine coast.

"Well, the Treasurer has to realise the seats of Nicklin and Caloundra are held by state Labor, and this train corridor runs right through Caloundra."

Mr Addison said he was sick of state and federal governments playing politics with the project.

"[The state is] still complaining about the money and making excuses not to build it — I mean it just doesn't stack up," he said.

"I find it very hypocritical."

The planned CAMCOS passenger line will connect Caboolture with Caloundra, Kawana and Maroochydore.

Mr Addison said Mr Bailey had deemed the project viable after years of planning schemes.

"They put $5m to building it in 2006/7 in their budget papers," Mr Addison said.

"Why do they have to be dragged kicking and screaming to fund any proper rail work to the Sunshine Coast?

"It was promised to be to Landsbrough by mid 2012, the CAMCOS link was promised to be done to Caloundra by 2015 and Maroochydore by 2020.

"The federal government put down $1.6b and now the state is still arguing about cost or making excuses not to build it."

The 2022-23 budget papers included spending on a rail connection to the Sunshine Coast, which will host some Olympic events in 2032.(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Budget bluster?

The rail link funding was promised during a $3.9b pre-budget infrastructure announcement by the federal government.

Australian National University analyst Andrew Hughes said the $1.6b figure was designed to be "talked about in local media" but likely had "no planning behind it".

"It hopes to get the headline, then fix it up later on and hope that people don't look into it," he said.

"It does come across that they are trying to buy their way out of the mess they are in — their polling numbers are still pretty ugly.

"It might be a soil turning announcement where they turn up, turn the soil, and then five years later they maybe get around to building the thing.

"But people are wise enough now that it's only a matter of time to the next election — they are wise enough their vote could be getting purchased."

Money on the table

The federal Member for Fisher, Andrew Wallace, said the funding was pledged in good faith because the rail connection to the Sunshine Coast was much needed when looking at the future growth of the region.

"We don't have a lot time, and that is why we are pulling out the stops to get this project underway, because in 2032 we have the Olympics," he said.

"This is the largest infrastructure project that the Sunshine Coast will ever see.

"The planning and build time is eight years and we really needed to get this announced in this budget.

"We've confident we can do it for the price we estimate – $3.2b – and we just need the state to jump onboard.

"I just hoping they don't play politics with this."

Mr Dick said the federal government plucked the cost of the corridor from the sky, but Mr Wallace said it was calculated using the Kuraby to Beenleigh rail duplication project figures.

"They can't have it both ways," Mr Wallace said.

"They can't say we aren't using the right calculations, because we are using the same ones they're very happy about for the Kuraby extension."

This is a map of what was planned for the Sunshine Coast.

From South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005 - 2026
https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/22627/released-documents-rti1920-061.pdf

To view in higher resolution > https://backontrack.org/docs/sc/sunnycoast2005map.jpg



To view in higher resolution > https://backontrack.org/docs/sc/sunnycoast2005map.jpg

There is no record of any further budget measures towards CAMCOS rail after the 2006-07 state budget allocation of $5 million.
Therefore I conclude that the project was stopped by the Queensland Government in 2007.
There is no record of it in the 2007-08 Queensland budget papers.


PS For the lurkers   
Please note that I have downloaded and saved every Queensland budget paper since 1999.
You're welcome.

Thanks Fares_Fair for your continued efforts for improved rail for the Sunshine Coast.

It is an appalling state of affairs.  The 2005 map above shows what should have been achieved by now, duplication to Landsborough, long completed.  Rail into Caloundra operating and extension to Maroochydore  well under way.  Duplication through to Nambour progressing.

Even improved train frequency to Nambour has not been achieved. Improved service between Nambour and Gympie North still not achieved.  There is an anti-Sunshine Coast rail bias that runs deep in the Labor Queensland Governments and its roads agency TMR.  Until we get a heavy rail division as part of a proper public transport authority, away from the TMR anti-rail bias it is going to difficult to get real gains.  Just have a look at the other states to see what is being achieved.  Contrast that to the failure that is Queensland.

QuoteHe gets confused with Kuraby in the interview, calls it ' Muraby '

Muraby, that's the suburb right next to HillGate, right??

On a more serious note, I think RBOT should consider the value of preserving the rail corridor all the way into Noosa Junction.

Preserving the corridor has many benefits:

- Signalling to developers where the corridor is so that they plan accordingly
- Reduces demolition and resumption costs in the future
- Reduces pressure to have a station everywhere, which slows down the entire service, as station locations can be decided well in advance
- Increases the probability of TOD as station locations can be outlined and developers can plan around that (or at least model scenarios and calculate project viability)

Rail to Noosa Junction
If rail is built on the Sunshine Coast is absolutely must be no-compromise rapid transit with:
- Very wide station spacing and designed similar to the Perth Model (ideally 5-6 km apart) to cover the long distance of 50 km effectively.
- Bus pax as the main source of passengers, so interchanges, as per the Perth model and designs so that stations are next to or intersect main roads where buses can drop off easily.
- It should be built to the highest speed standards for QR (I assume 130 km/hr but better more like 160-180 km/hr or 200 km/hr). Maybe different trains need to be purchased to reach the higher speeds above 130 km/hr. We need to stop building slow railways and then wonder why people don't catch them.

Notes:
To travel a distance of 50 km, roughly one end of the SC to the other at 130 km/hr would take about 50 km/hr x (60 min/130 km) = 23 minutes. Then throw in 10 stations (one per 5 km) at a minute dwell and deceleration/acceleration each = 33 minutes. Then add station access on a bus or walk and exit time as well, plus waiting around for the train due to timetables, plus penalties for inconvenience vs car, you will look at about 45 minutes to one hour from one end of the Sunshine Coast to the other in the best case.

If there are any more stations than this or the line is built to a slower standard, it might just take too long to be attractive to use for passengers vs driving on a motorway at 100 km/hr non-stop.

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1509883782295597060

^

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1510092797839560704

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Ha ha ha ha ...

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1511120289585049602

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1511219348366839808

Quote from: Fares_Fair on April 05, 2022, 09:16:11 AMhttps://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1511120289585049602

There is no $1.6B on the table. It is another announcement designed to be digested in 24hr news cycle with the truth very little money will ever be produced.  Like the car parks, the bushfire fund, the tree planting, the list goes on.  Believing anything the Federal Govt says is having the wool pulled over your eyes.

It is in writing - in the budget.
Yes, the $1.6 billion is worded in there.
It, and the $1.1 billion for the Kuraby to Beenleigh Faster Rail project were announced (together) by the Treasurer in his Budget speech.

The amounts in this budget ($250 million) were confirmed in Senate Estimates on 31 March 2022.
I have tweeted those Hansard accounts.
A letter was sent to the Queensland Transport Minister with the details of the offer.
Once that offer is accepted the budget details get updated on line.

There is no argument over the Kuraby to Beenleigh $2.24b rail project and funding because it was accepted by the state government.
In fact it was the state that asked for the Federal matched funding.
The Federal government acceded to that request.

But with this wretched state government there is no reciprocity.
They choose to use it to their advantage in the run up to a Federal election.
The ball is well and truly in their court as to whether this project proceeds.
The state only want to start negotiations on this project AFTER the Federal election.

The only party that has lied to the people on a state rail infrastructure project is the Labor party, on two occasions and both for the largest rail projects ever to occur on the Sunshine Coast.

Quote from: Jonno on April 05, 2022, 16:22:51 PM

Quote from: Fares_Fair on April 05, 2022, 09:16:11 AMhttps://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1511120289585049602

There is no $1.6B on the table. It is another announcement designed to be digested in 24hr news cycle with the truth very little money will ever be produced.  Like the car parks, the bushfire fund, the tree planting, the list goes on.  Believing anything the Federal Govt says is having the wool pulled over your eyes.