SEQ's Low Speed Rail Network

[ozbob]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2406888706366051

SEQ's Low Speed Rail Network.

A cornerstone of Brisbane's 2032 Olympics bid (and the reason for support by local councils for the bid) was the prospect of a fast rail network to connect Coolangatta, Maroochydore and Toowoomba.

The idea has huge support from the public, with respondents voting if their top priority for the future in a recent sentiment survey by the Courier Mail.

But, progress has stalled, and there is an apparent disconnect between what the public wants from their transport system and what the government is serving up.

In the meantime, take a ride on our current "low speed rail network". First riding on an express train from Beenleigh to Roma Street, and then another express train from Roma Street to Nambour, taking the better part of 3 hours to travel 140 km.

It comes down to outdated infrastructure.

The main rail corridors into Brisbane are full of low speed turns, and trains spend a significant amount of time trundling along at 50-60kmh.

In recent decades new motorways have been built that bypassed old sections of road (Take a drive on the old Pacific Highway to see how far roads have come).

But rail has been ignored. Most projects have focused on adding additional capacity to existing corridors, but we are still locked into the same low speed routes.

There is currently no government program looking at how to lift rail speeds across the state.

Video: https://backontrack.org/docs/SEQlsr/SEQlowspeedrail.mp4 9.5MB

Thanks to Gazza for putting this together.

SEQ's Low Speed Rail Network A cornerstone of Brisbane's 2032 Olympics bid (and the reason for support by local...

Posted by RAIL - Back On Track on Saturday, 6 January 2024

[verbatim9]

This would be so good if they could cut down travel times.

They should have point to point travel time targets comparable with driving. That way they can design and improve a bus route, tram and train line appropriately.

Very easy to do just go to Google maps and check out the comparisons to get started. 😃👍

[verbatim9]

My brother was here recently from HKG and I said I went to the Sunny coast recently with PT. He asked me, "How long did it take you to get there?" I said, "over two hours". He then said "Not for me, as it's far easier and faster to drive".

[ozbob]

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1743810829215310204?s=20

[#Metro]

Well done.   

Would be great to have the RBOT logo on future videos.

[verbatim9]

^^One good thing is that you always get good pictures of the Glasshouse Mountains due to the slow nature of the train through that section. 😃

[verbatim9]

When are they starting construction on the Beerburrum to Beerwah section anyway? (Duplicating and realigning to 160kph standards)

Surely, sometime in the first half of this year to have it ready when CRR is commissioned.

Same goes with that Trinder Park section? This year?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

SEQ's Low Speed Rail Network

7th January 2024

A cornerstone of Brisbane's 2032 Olympics bid (and the reason for support by local councils for the bid) was the prospect of a fast rail network to connect Coolangatta, Maroochydore and Toowoomba.

The idea has huge support from the public, with respondents voting it their top priority for the future in a recent sentiment survey by the Courier Mail

But, progress has stalled, and there is an apparent disconnect between what the public wants from their transport system and what the government is serving up.

In the meantime, take a ride on our current "low speed rail network". First riding on an express train from Beenleigh to Roma Street, and then another express train from Roma Street to Nambour, taking the better part of 3 hours to travel 140 km.

It comes down to outdated infrastructure.

The main rail corridors into Brisbane are full of low speed turns, and trains spend a significant amount of time trundling along at 50-60km/h.

In recent decades new motorways have been built that bypassed old sections of road (Take a drive on the old Pacific Highway to see how far roads have come).

But rail has been ignored. Most projects have focused on adding additional capacity to existing corridors, but we are still locked into the same low speed routes.

There is currently no government program looking at how to lift rail speeds across the state.

Video: https://backontrack.org/docs/SEQlsr/SEQlowspeedrail.mp4  MP4 9.5MB

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

[#Metro]

Regional trains on the SEQ network could do 160 km/hr if the tracks were designed for it. Trains really can travel faster than cars, if the design allows it.

Just maintaining 120 km/hr would knock off 20 mins from the GC express trains to Beenleigh. Which would make it similar to driving.

The faster speed is needed to make up for both the frequency penalty and access penalty that you get using PT.

Sunshine DSCL will probably be nice and fast, the GC line is the problem. Only opportunity for speed up is between Park Road and Beenleigh.

Other sections in either the CBD or south of Beenleigh cannot be sped up significantly because trains must make stops in these sections and station spacing becomes speed determining.

Ipswich trains could also be looked at, speed has been falling since the 1980s, express trains now take the same time as all stoppers back then.

[timh]

When are they starting construction on the Beerburrum to Beerwah section anyway? (Duplicating and realigning to 160kph standards)

Surely, sometime in the first half of this year to have it ready when CRR is commissioned.

Same goes with that Trinder Park section? This year?

Neither is planned to line up with CRR. Beerwah section maaaybe, Trinder park absolutely not. As many people have told you before, there's not a chance this will be open before CRR.

[ozbob]

4BC News followed up on this:

Sent to all outlets:

SEQ's Low Speed Rail Network

7th January 2024

A cornerstone of Brisbane's 2032 Olympics bid (and the reason for support by local councils for the bid) was the prospect of a fast rail network to connect Coolangatta, Maroochydore and Toowoomba.

The idea has huge support from the public, with respondents voting if their top priority for the future in a recent sentiment survey by the Courier Mail

But, progress has stalled, and there is an apparent disconnect between what the public wants from their transport system and what the government is serving up.

In the meantime, take a ride on our current "low speed rail network". First riding on an express train from Beenleigh to Roma Street, and then another express train from Roma Street to Nambour, taking the better part of 3 hours to travel 140 km.

It comes down to outdated infrastructure.

The main rail corridors into Brisbane are full of low speed turns, and trains spend a significant amount of time trundling along at 50-60km/h.

In recent decades new motorways have been built that bypassed old sections of road (Take a drive on the old Pacific Highway to see how far roads have come).

But rail has been ignored. Most projects have focused on adding additional capacity to existing corridors, but we are still locked into the same low speed routes.

There is currently no government program looking at how to lift rail speeds across the state.

Video: https://backontrack.org/docs/SEQlsr/SEQlowspeedrail.mp4   MP4 9.5MB

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

[Gazza]

When are they starting construction on the Beerburrum to Beerwah section anyway? (Duplicating and realigning to 160kph standards)

Surely, sometime in the first half of this year to have it ready when CRR is commissioned.

Same goes with that Trinder Park section? This year?

Should read the project websites before posting lol.

[SurfRail]

Beerburrum to Landsborough should be mostly done by CRR, but not a chance in hell for any part of the LGCFR project area.  The thing is still being scoped out and designed.

(I think scope creep is a bad thing generally but I would be pretty happy if LGCFR got extended from Kuraby to Fruitgrove which would allow a Warrigal Road grade separation to be packaged in, and give us a few more km of quad track.)