Wide Bay 2050+ Maryborough/Hervey Bay Light Rail Connection

[SteelPan]

   Goal Kicker for the Region.....on Multiple Fronts!

[minbrisbane]

I wonder if it'd be feasible to build it as 1067mm and have a connection for long distance trains from Brisbane.

[SurfRail]

Absolutely agree there should be rail to Hervey Bay.

I would be looking to do a proper upgrade of the NCL between Nambour and Bundaberg.  I don't see duplication being particularly relevant north of Nambour.

Curve easing, improving line speeds and getting more crossing loops in, and all to accommodate longer trains.  Might also look at reinstating Tiaro as a stop.

Few options
- Just add a branch after the existing Mary West station to a single stop at Hervey Bay that is reasonably easy to get to (say the north-east corner of the intersection of Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road and Urraween Road).
- Same but extend further north following Boat Harbour Drive (elevated single track with passive provision for 2 tracks later on), and potentially as far as Urangan by following the old rail alignment / rail trail to perhaps Elizabeth Street.
- Reinstate the line into Maryborough proper (ie to Station Central) for local Hervey Bay to Maryborough services
- Run hourly or half-hourly trains with suburban stock on top of the long distance trains.

I'd like to see something similar to Yeppoon in the long run but I think the critical mass will definitely be there for Hervey Bay even now, and anything not directly adjacent to a station would be relatively easy to service by bus.  The road layout up there is not terrible, just the bus network is underresourced.