Article: US company offers to fund $250m elevated rail on Coast

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> US company offers to fund $250m elevated rail on Coast

A US company is offering to commit $250 million to privately fund an elevated rail public transport system on the Sunshine Coast.

American Maglev Technology Inc has pledged to fully fund stage one of the route, which would link the Maroochydore CBD with the Sunshine Coast University Hospital by late 2016 - provided it has the co-operation of Sunshine Coast Council and the State Government.

Maglev, which is derived from magnetic levitation, uses the power of opposing magnetic fields to raise and propel vehicles rather than using wheels.

Maglev system trains already operate in Japan, South Korea and China.

The Sunshine Coast system would be five metres off the ground and use existing road corridors. It would be driverless and low noise.

The trains would travel at less than 100kmh and would run every five minutes.

In later stages the plan is to connect Caloundra, Mooloolaba, the university, Sippy Downs and the airport.

American Maglev Technology representative Dick Rowe said a study undertaken by a Brisbane firm showed a sufficient level of

"The Coast market was seen by the company as an attractive market for development as it met a number of preferred project criteria," he said.

This included the fact that it was at a relatively early stage of traffic congestion, meaning the new infrastructure could be built before the need became critical.

The plan was unveiled at an Urban Development Institute of Australia breakfast yesterday.

UDIA Sunshine Coast president Andrew Stevens said the project showed confidence in the region.

"This is very exciting to have private investment that is prepared to spend a quarter of a billion dollars in a piece of infrastructure that has been lacking on the Sunshine Coast," he said.

[ozbob]

Ozbob <--- makes mental note to seek out maglev icon ...   

[ozbob]

[#Metro]

[ozbob]

 

[#Metro]

Maglev to doomben!

[Fares_Fair]

Speechless, this is awesome.

If it can link to the heavy rail it is THE answer for Sunshine Coast public transport - no question about it.

Links the Airport, University, CBD's ...

HUGE   HUGE   HUGE

[#Metro]

As long as they pay for it, why not?

[minbrisbane]

I think the same, as long as they pay, and link it to heavy rail, it's a good idea. 

Newman can't say no, it's not labor trying to fund sth.

[ozbob]

I reserve judgement until a bit more detail I think. 

The cost estimate @ $250M  seems rather light on to me ...  I can't get past the fact that the Ipswich Hwy / Carpark cost $250M per km.

DDA compliance will also need to be built in.

I am sure a more realistic cost / plan will surface ...

[Stillwater]

LOL, just waiting for the gaggle of politicians to claim they have created the 'right business environment for the private sector to invest confidently in this innovative project', or some other nonsense.  And a train every five minutes - beats 15 min service on the FG line into a cocked hat.

If it gets up and running (or gliding), it probably will be operating long before Sunny Coasters will see CAMCOS to Maroochydore.  But how will it work?  The council is proposing light rail snaking out from Kawana and back to Caloundra.  To get to Maroochydore from Brisbane, assuming CAMCOS is in place, would someone catch heavy rail to Kawana and then Maglev it to Maroochydore?  Or bus from Landsborough and Maglev it over the last leg?

Sounds like this pitch from the Maglev company is to set up a demonstration project, in the same was as a builder builds a display home to attract custom.  No doubt, they are putting a foot in the door should Australia want to go down the High-Speed Rail route and must decide between Maglev and conventional TGV technology.

In which case, the Sunshine Coast should be the HST maintenance depot for a Maglev to Melbourne (really foaming now), with lots of new jobs.  How about it, Mayor Jamieson?

Initially, if I was the council, I would try and swing a deal with the state government to have the state kick in the cost of a Maglev bridge over the Maroochy River so that the Maglev could operate between an expanded SC Airport and Kawana, then I would lean on Clive Palmer, who has made noises about light rail to his Coolum Resort and dinosaur park, to fund the next leg to Coolum.

Coolum to Kawana via Maglev would be awesome.  The ride might be better than the ICE sets, and much faster, of course.

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Earth Techling --> American Maglev Trains Still Stuck At The Station

[Stillwater]

More at this link: http://www.newaustralia.net/ma.html

[huddo45]

This company has already offered a similar deal to Orlando, Florida. You get what you pay for I reckon.
Report from Orlando Sentinel including engineer's assessment:
http://tinyurl.com/lb46erl
They already have their test train up to a stunning 17 mph!
Somehow I can hear the Simpsons' Monorail song playing in the background.

[Fares_Fair]

I thought it was cheap too, but then the $250 million only covers just the initial Maroochydore CBD with the Sunshine Coast University Hospital leg.
Every 5 minutes would be awesome, but it would need to expand quickly so it doesn't become a white elephant like the Sydney monorail e.g. (now defunct).

[HappyTrainGuy]

[Derwan]

*Checks the date*

No it's not April 1st!

[Gazza]

The same guy has proposed a system in Orlando, Florida:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-27/business/os-maglev-train-returns-20120427_1_sunrail-american-maglev-technology-train

[Old Northern Road]

Sunshine Coast doesn't have anywhere near the population to support a mass transit system like this. The NIMBYs would never allow anything like this to be built anyway.

[Stillwater]

The Orlando Sentinel newspaper reported that the maglev system on offer there would cost $12 one-way for casual users, much less for those who bought a monthly ticket.  Presumably, there would be no G0-card discounts on a privately-funded maglev train Maroochydore to Kawana.  Train for free is the offer, not travel for free.

[Stillwater]

Wondering where the offer of Maglev for the Sunshine Coast is at?  SCRC seems silent on the matter while it is big on the rhetoric of light rail for the Coast.

[ozbob]

3031 Mr Stillwater, 3031 ...

[SurfRail]

I genuinely believe light rail is unsuited to the Sunshine Coast.

The Sunshine Coast is far too dispersed and the pattern of settlement militates against it.  You need heavy rail to get people around quickly.  There is nowhere except arguably the bit between Maroochydore and Kawana which has anywhere near the population density for it.  A heavy rail service every 15 minutes with connections to Brisbane is a different proposition, particularly when the build cost is likely to be fairly similar for both.

[Gazza]

^Exactly....Tell me, what is the difference:

http://goo.gl/maps/jkLfn

http://goo.gl/maps/oDRQr

[Arnz]

I would have to say the cheaper option is rail to Caloundra, then bus lanes/busway from Caloundra Station via the Nicklin Way, or alternatively a simple extension of the Route 600 by extending the terminus to the Caloundra Station.  12-15 min wait during the day and early evening for the next 600 since it's a HF route.

Aside from that, rail to Caloundra would have to come "after" the duplication to Landsborough at the very least, though from a personal preference, duplication the whole way to Nambour before CAMCOS to Caloundra. 

Bus Lanes won't be necessary from Landsborough, though 4 laning the Steve Irwin Way from Glenview to Landsborough turnoff (Caloundra St) would be very handy to cover for the occasional Bruce Highway close downs whenever the occasional major highway accident occurs.

TBH, unless if the Clowncil and/or investors actually make this proposal a serious one, this one goes down in the same direction as the "Maglev Bus to Maroochydore (TM SSC)  " scorning by the SSC forum regulars.

[Gazza]

though from a personal preference, duplication the whole way to Nambour before CAMCOS to Caloundra. 

Really? I mean I'd like to see sufficient duplication to Nambour to allow passenger and freight to coexist, but surely Caloundra is where the real patronage actually is...I mean if it has a 5bph service then clearly the PT demand is there.