Caravan, Camping and Leisure Holiday Show Ekka Loop Services

[ozbob]

http://www.translink.com.au/event.php?id=208

Free loop service will be running from Roma Street, Central and Fortitude Valley stations to the Exhibition station.

Wednesday 9 June to Friday 11 June

9am to 12pm - every 15 minutes
12pm to 3pm - every 30 minutes
3pm to 6pm - every 15 minutes

*last service to the City stations departs at 6.10pm

Saturday 12 June

9am to 6pm - every 15 minutes

*last service to the City stations departs at 6.10pm

Sunday 13 June and Monday 14 June

9am to 6pm - every 15 minutes

*last service to the City stations departs at 6.10pm

Tuesday 16 June

9am to 4pm - every 30 minutes

*last service to the City stations departs at 4.10pm

[ozbob]

Been mentioned before I know, but it is possible to run regular loop services, this is another example.

Note free travel, but past years with the Ekka rail pax slugged extra.

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2316.0

Just change the date to 2010 below ...  

Media Release 23 May 2009

SEQ:  Make travel seamless for all from Brisbane CBD to the 2009 Ekka!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users highlighted in 2008 and 2007 the fare cost discrimination against rail travel to the Ekka (1,2,3,4).  Travel by bus was free effectively but rail passengers were required to pay an additional fare.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Why was it that for the recent Ekkas QR Citytrain TransLink passengers who held regular tickets had to pay for an additional ticket cost; an add on fare, to travel to the Ekka, and bus passengers who held regular tickets did not? This was clearly indicated on the TransLink web site at the time."

"The apparent justification for this discrimination against rail passengers was that the Exhibition station is in a special stand alone zone. We said then that was 'spin' and nonsense and it still is.  It complicated the travel of regular ticket holders who had to fuss around and buy an additional ticket."

"Will Go card users be debited with an extra fare on bus and rail whilst other ticket holders on bus travel free?"

"Can the TransLink Transit Authority please make a timely statement as to what the public transport ticketing arrangements will be for the 2009 Ekka?"

"RAIL Back On Track calls for travel to the Ekka on bus and rail to be free from additional ticketing costs from the CBD to the Ekka bus stops and Exhibition station for anyone who has a ticket that covers zone 1!  This would encourage maximum use of public transport and help avoid road congestion and gridlock."

"Further more, the Exhibition loop line should be operated 52 weeks of the year, with an additional rail station at Normanby! (5)".

References:

1. 30 Jul 2008: SEQ: Make travel seamless for all from Brisbane CBD to 2008 Ekka!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1194.msg5318#msg5318

2. 20 Jul 2008: SEQ - Make travel free for all from Brisbane CBD to 2008 Ekka!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1161.0

3. 2 Aug 2007: Stop cost discrimination against rail commuters for Ekka travel
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=179.0

4. 18 July 2007: QR Citytrains and Ekka 2007!
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=165.0

5. Brisbane: Call for Inner South West Rail Loop service
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=990.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[#Metro]

Wednesday 9 June to Friday 11 June

9am to 12pm - every 15 minutes
12pm to 3pm - every 30 minutes
3pm to 6pm - every 15 minutes

It IS possible. And its free- why don't they do this for Ekka, and make it free (maybe costs can be recouped back from the increased pax going to the RNA?) They might not need the buses then.

It must be a big camping thing. I might go myself.

[longboi]

Wednesday 9 June to Friday 11 June

9am to 12pm - every 15 minutes
12pm to 3pm - every 30 minutes
3pm to 6pm - every 15 minutes

It IS possible. And its free- why don't they do this for Ekka, and make it free (maybe costs can be recouped back from the increased pax going to the RNA?) They might not need the buses then.

It must be a big camping thing. I might go myself.

I'm only going out on a limb here but I would say the loop services for the caravan & camping expo are being paid for by the organisers whereas Ekka loop services are run and funded by QR.

[stephenk]

Been mentioned before I know, but it is possible to run regular loop services,

It is possible, but only anticlockwise, in a loop (otherwise there will be conflicting moves), and to the complete detriment of being able to increase northbound pm peak services on the mains (as loop services eat up 4-6tph).

[somebody]

It is possible, but only anticlockwise, in a loop (otherwise there will be conflicting moves), and to the complete detriment of being able to increase northbound pm peak services on the mains (as loop services eat up 4-6tph).

True, mostly.  But my count is that there are only 8tph through Petrie between 4:30pm and 5:30pm (time at Central).  So there is some scope to increase services even if this were done.  Shorncliffe can use the suburbans.  But it is to the detriment of a possible Kippa-Ring line.

[O_128]

It is possible, but only anticlockwise, in a loop (otherwise there will be conflicting moves), and to the complete detriment of being able to increase northbound pm peak services on the mains (as loop services eat up 4-6tph).

True, mostly.  But my count is that there are only 8tph through Petrie between 4:30pm and 5:30pm (time at Central).  So there is some scope to increase services even if this were done.  Shorncliffe can use the suburbans.  But it is to the detriment of a possible Kippa-Ring line.

you could just extend petrie trains to kippa ring

[somebody]

you could just extend petrie trains to kippa ring

Don't know about "just".  You would still need to run more trains overall than present, otherwise they would be very overloaded.  If the 2016 CRR tunnel happens, I can't see a likley scenario that there is a problem with trains from the north.  Highest demand would be if Trouts Rd attaches to Ferny Grove and Kippa Ring is also built.  There would still be enough CBD capacity unless some of it is not able to be used.

[ozbob]

Exhibition Station









Photographs R Dow 10th June 2010

[ClintonL94]

Bob, those photos were taken near the Old Museum right? on the bowen bridge road?

[ozbob]

Yes, just on the bridge.  Plenty of room for a new station closer to the bridge ...

[stephenk]

It is possible, but only anticlockwise, in a loop (otherwise there will be conflicting moves), and to the complete detriment of being able to increase northbound pm peak services on the mains (as loop services eat up 4-6tph).

True, mostly.  But my count is that there are only 8tph through Petrie between 4:30pm and 5:30pm (time at Central).  So there is some scope to increase services even if this were done.  Shorncliffe can use the suburbans.  But it is to the detriment of a possible Kippa-Ring line.

Some Shorncliffes can use the suburbans, but not all, as the suburbans can be quite busy at times with the Ferny Grove, Airport, Doomben, and some North Coast expresses (6tph in 16mins between 16:29 and 16:45 at Bowen Hills being a good example).

Between 16:40 and 17:39 there are 12tph on the northbound mains departing Central. 18tph when the Ekka Loop is running. The max capacity of the mains through Central is 19tph (according to the ICRCS), leaving just 1tph! 3 of those services are Shorncliffes, but they would need to be rescheduled by a minute or two, and add a conflicting move at Roma Street across Ipswich bound services if they were to run on the suburbans. There is also a Tilt which gets added to the mix north of Bowen Hills just after 5pm.

you could just extend petrie trains to kippa ring
[/quote
As Somebody mentioned, running services to Kippa-Ring would increase demand on the extended Petrie services, many of which are already overcrowded. Thus more Petrie/Kippa-Ring services would need to be run, putting more pressure on the current limited infrastructure. I cannot see Petrie/Kippa-Ring being realistically possible before the 1st CRR tunnel.

The ICRCS recommends a 5th track between Bowen Hills and Northgate. This would allow a Petrie peak track (all stations ish), Caboolture peak track (expressish), Caboolture/Petrie counter-peak, and two tracks (one in each direction) for Shorncliffe/Airport/Doomben.

Oh dear, heading off-topic again  

[somebody]

Some Shorncliffes can use the suburbans, but not all, as the suburbans can be quite busy at times with the Ferny Grove, Airport, Doomben, and some North Coast expresses (6tph in 16mins between 16:29 and 16:45 at Bowen Hills being a good example).

The part about only some of them fitting sounds highly annoying.  Not quite sure what you are getting at with the 6tph though.
At 16:28 there is a Corinda-Cab via Tennyson and at 16:31 there is a Redbank-Shorncliffe, both on the mains
The suburbans have a:
16:30 to Ferny grove
16:36 to Airport
16:41 to Ferny Grove
16:45 to Airport

The Shorncliffe train could be moved by 2 minutes to slot in.

The ICRCS recommends a 5th track between Bowen Hills and Northgate. This would allow a Petrie peak track (all stations ish), Caboolture peak track (expressish), Caboolture/Petrie counter-peak, and two tracks (one in each direction) for Shorncliffe/Airport/Doomben.

Which would make sense if the configuration could be gotten right.  2 tracks heading to Shorncliffe, with 3 heading through Virginia.  I don't think we have enough detail to pass judgement on this one though.

I cannot see Petrie/Kippa-Ring being realistically possible before the 1st CRR tunnel.

I see it as being possible, although it would stress the network a bit more.  And it may be necessary to bustitute service to (not from) Exhibition in the PM peak.

[stephenk]

Some Shorncliffes can use the suburbans, but not all, as the suburbans can be quite busy at times with the Ferny Grove, Airport, Doomben, and some North Coast expresses (6tph in 16mins between 16:29 and 16:45 at Bowen Hills being a good example).

The part about only some of them fitting sounds highly annoying.  Not quite sure what you are getting at with the 6tph though.
At 16:28 there is a Corinda-Cab via Tennyson and at 16:31 there is a Redbank-Shorncliffe, both on the mains
The suburbans have a:
16:30 to Ferny grove
16:36 to Airport
16:41 to Ferny Grove
16:45 to Airport

The Shorncliffe train could be moved by 2 minutes to slot in.

There is also a Doomben and Nambour service with that period on the suburbans. I suggest looking at the inner-city timetable.

[somebody]

There is also a Doomben and Nambour service with that period on the suburbans. I suggest looking at the inner-city timetable.

Good suggestion.  I like the part about how the journey planner and timetable disagree by 1 min in many instances.  Also the journey planner dropping off the Doomben service (http://jp.translink.com.au/TransLinkExactEnquiry.asp?ToLoc=Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station~~;Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station;Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station~~LOCATION+NO+WALK~~ONS&FromLoc=Central+Railway+Station~~;Central+Railway+Station;Central+Railway+Station~~LOCATION+NO+WALK~~ONS&Vehicle=Train&Advanced=&WalkSpeed=67&WalkDistance=0&Priority=504;-1&IsAfter=A&JourneyTimeHours=4&JourneyTimeMinutes=20&JourneyTimeAmPm=PM&Date=11/6/2010&FromRailStation=&FromLandmarkType=&ToRailStation=&ToLandmarkType=&PageFrom=TransLinkStationTimetable.asp&UseTranslink=)

I also like that the Nambour train comes on a platform which is inconsistent with other Nambour trains, and the CQD-CAB via Tennyson service blocks 3 tracks to access platform 9 at Roma St.

[stephenk]

There is also a Doomben and Nambour service with that period on the suburbans. I suggest looking at the inner-city timetable.

Good suggestion.  I like the part about how the journey planner and timetable disagree by 1 min in many instances.  Also the journey planner dropping off the Doomben service (http://jp.translink.com.au/TransLinkExactEnquiry.asp?ToLoc=Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station~~;Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station;Bowen+Hills+Railway+Station~~LOCATION+NO+WALK~~ONS&FromLoc=Central+Railway+Station~~;Central+Railway+Station;Central+Railway+Station~~LOCATION+NO+WALK~~ONS&Vehicle=Train&Advanced=&WalkSpeed=67&WalkDistance=0&Priority=504;-1&IsAfter=A&JourneyTimeHours=4&JourneyTimeMinutes=20&JourneyTimeAmPm=PM&Date=11/6/2010&FromRailStation=&FromLandmarkType=&ToRailStation=&ToLandmarkType=&PageFrom=TransLinkStationTimetable.asp&UseTranslink=)

I also like that the Nambour train comes on a platform which is inconsistent with other Nambour trains, and the CQD-CAB via Tennyson service blocks 3 tracks to access platform 9 at Roma St.

There seems to be a lot of inconsistencies between arrival and departure times from Bowen Hills depending on which timetable/planner is viewed. That Nambour service uses the suburbans, I assume so that it can overtake an all stations service between Bowen Hills and Northgate.

[somebody]

I would suggest that getting on to the middle road Virginia-Lawnton without conflicting trains on the mains might also be a reason.

AARRGGHH!!  Who designed that track layout Northgate-Virginia?  I don't like you!!