bcasey's Blue-sky Metro Proposal

[bcasey]

bcasey, could you draw and post a map of the network you propose?

bcasey's Blue-sky Brisbane Metro Proposal

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zMTUBuBiP5Hc.kGL3IOZuync4&usp=sharing

Hopefully you guys can see it ok, if there are any issues, please reply and I'll try to fix it.

I'll preface this by saying this is only an idea that I came up with today, in response to Quirk's announcement, I don't expect anything like this would be constructed in reality, and there are probably major issues with it with respect to the alignment of the lines and positions of the stops. I've only drawn very rough alignments, I expect the stations and alignments would be different to what I've come up with in order to improve access and allow for interchanges with buses and trains.

In coming up with the lines, I started with the idea of 3 initial lines, that are more-or-less direct. I basically picked out major POIs that would draw patronage, and connected the ones that were in direct alignment with each other.

The first line follows a north-east to south-west alignment from UQ<->West End<->Southbank<->Queen Street Mall<->Fortitude Valley<->Newstead, and would probably be the line with the highest patronage, as it connects the other two lines.

The second line connects the two QUT campuses together, along with Roma Street Station, Queen Street Mall and the Gabba.

The third line would be a short one initially, connecting the RBWH with the valley and New Farm.

I've also added in ideas for extending these lines, and tried to stay as direct as I could while still providing access to major POIs. I've also tried to avoid duplicating the QR rail alignments, although some of my extensions do follow similar alignments to the South-Eastern Busway and the Northern Busway.

Feel free to critique this proposal and tell me all the things that is wrong with it, which I imagine there are many.

Also, I will mention again, that my view is that Bus Network Reform is the highest priority, before any expensive infrastructure is planned and built.

[aldonius]

Line 2 is meant to be cohabiting with CRR through the CBD, right? Since it's already breaking off mid-tunnel, why not just send the SE extension from Wooloongabba straight down inner Logan Rd, as far as Marshall or Nursery? Then Griffith Mt Gravatt is a junction: one line to Nathan campus & Sunnybank, one to Garden City.

[bcasey]

Yeah, Line 2 would be cohabiting with CRR. I could possibly skip out the stop at PA hospital, since I think that will be covered by the CRR, if I'm not mistaken, and go straight for Greenslopes.

I prefer to avoid junctions on lines unless absolutely necessary, since it reduces frequency after the junction. However, it might not be a bad idea, if the Griffith line continued along towards Archerfield, Inala, Forest Lake, and the Garden City line continued along towards Springwood and Logan (although that might be duplicating the train line somewhat)

On another note, I didn't really make it clear in the map, but the 2 northern extensions of line 3 are a choice, either implement one or the other, not both.

[verbatim9]

bcasey, could you draw and post a map of the network you propose?

bcasey's Blue-sky Brisbane Metro Proposal

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zMTUBuBiP5Hc.kGL3IOZuync4&usp=sharing

Hopefully you guys can see it ok, if there are any issues, please reply and I'll try to fix it.

I'll preface this by saying this is only an idea that I came up with today, in response to Quirk's announcement, I don't expect anything like this would be constructed in reality, and there are probably major issues with it with respect to the alignment of the lines and positions of the stops. I've only drawn very rough alignments, I expect the stations and alignments would be different to what I've come up with in order to improve access and allow for interchanges with buses and trains.

In coming up with the lines, I started with the idea of 3 initial lines, that are more-or-less direct. I basically picked out major POIs that would draw patronage, and connected the ones that were in direct alignment with each other.

The first line follows a north-east to south-west alignment from UQ<->West End<->Southbank<->Queen Street Mall<->Fortitude Valley<->Newstead, and would probably be the line with the highest patronage, as it connects the other two lines.

The second line connects the two QUT campuses together, along with Roma Street Station, Queen Street Mall and the Gabba.

The third line would be a short one initially, connecting the RBWH with the valley and New Farm.

I've also added in ideas for extending these lines, and tried to stay as direct as I could while still providing access to major POIs. I've also tried to avoid duplicating the QR rail alignments, although some of my extensions do follow similar alignments to the South-Eastern Busway and the Northern Busway.

Feel free to critique this proposal and tell me all the things that is wrong with it, which I imagine there are many.

Also, I will mention again, that my view is that Bus Network Reform is the highest priority, before any expensive infrastructure is planned and built.

I like it. Its a out time Kenmore got a line 👍🚈

[bcasey]

I like it. Its a out time Kenmore got a line 👍🚈

Main reason why I put the line out to Kenmore was because its on a straight line from St Lucia to Indooroopilly. That being said, there is not much more in that direction, so it might be better to turn south before then and go towards Jindalee/Mount Ommaney. I'm not really familiar with that region of Brisbane, so I welcome all suggestions in what the best alignment would be here.

[verbatim9]

Kenmore is good idea
makes sense.

[Gazza]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zu-pvgqZc2U0.k7jZgM5XRLAQ&usp=sharing
(Note that I mucked up and forgot the station at South Brisbane)

Here's a fantasy map I did for an EW line running from Bellbowrie to Carindale.

At 34km long, it would be a similar length to the NW Rail Link in Sydney.

From an elevated P&R terminus at Bellbowrie, it runs over the river (Bridge would have a fenced bikeway and walkway), and along the surface under the transmission corridor at Riverhills, with a large park and ride there too.

Next stop would be an underground station at Middle Park.

From there, the line would run in a cut and cover tunnel (Think what the inner northern busway does around victoria park), rising up to an elevated station at Mt Ommaney.

The line would continue above ground along the Centenary highway, with stops at Jindalee and Fig Tree Pocket Rd.

At moggil rd, the line dives underground to a new station under station road, with exits at both ends, to Indooroopilly station, and the shopping center.

The line continues underground to a new stop at the heart of the road network in St Lucia.

Next stop...Chancellors place.

The line curves north to West End...Ideally if the terrain was a bit flatter you might have a stop at Hill End, but it would be a very deep station, and would only work with lifts....thoughts?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Glen_station#/media/File:Forest_Glen_station_elevator_hall,_train_level.jpg

The line then runs under boundary st and Russel st, stopping at West End and South Brisbane, beneath the convention center, with entrances on Merivale St and Grey St.

The line then crosses into the CBD, where stop density would be at the highest, with stops at George St, linking with CRR, Riverside, linking with CityCats, and Central.

The line then presses north to Spring Hill. stopping on Boundary St.

Continuing on, the line surfaces and parallels CRR, stopping at Exhibition, before peeling off and interchanging with Bowen Hills underground.

The line then heads east, stopping at Newstead, passing under the river to a Bulimba station in Oxford St.

The line then continues underground to a stop on Thynne Rd, then to Cannon Hill to interchange with the Cleveland line, and allow a faster journey for those passengers to the northside.

the line swings south to Follow Creek Rd, stopping at Cannon Hill plaza. The line then surfaces, skirts around carina through open land, then runs elevated along Creek Rd to Carindale, providing interchange with the eastern busway.

[SurfRail]

In the last few days I've gone into full-blown foam mode and came up with the following (amongst other things)

- Permanent Ipswich express with Redbank all stations
- Springfield extended to Ripley Town Centre
- Springfield tracks dive somewhere between Darra and Oxley
- Redbank service takes over the Springfield service inbound of the dive
- Underground interchange at Corinda
- Station at UQ
- Underground platforms at South Bank
- Interchange at Queens Wharf with CRR lines
- Underground station at Riverside
- Underground station at New Farm (Merthyr Rd/Brunswick St)
- Interchange at Morningside with line to Thorneside (see below)
- Underground station somewhere in the vicinity of the Camp Hill Bowls Club
- Station at Carindale in the northern carpark.  This is a junction station with 2 branches.
- First branch goes to Gumdale, then links to the existing Cleveland line at Thorneside (which would be relocated to the other side of Thorneside Road).  Thorneside would be the terminus for the existing line inbound of here, and the Thorneside to Cleveland section would become on of the outer branches of this new sector.
- Second branch goes to Chandler, Capalaba, Alexandra Hills and Victoria Point.

The whole thing would be devoid of LXs and so would be suitable for converting to automatic operation.

This does not preclude the construction of more classic metro-type lines further into the city (eg the Toowong to Hamilton concept, which I would run via Bulimba and extend to Skygate).