25 May 2011: SEQ: State Budget should include a rail ‘small projects’ funding ..

[ozbob]

Media release 25 May 2011

SEQ: State Budget should include a rail 'small projects' funding program

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org), a web-based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers, wants the Queensland Government to include a 'small rail projects' funding program in next month's state budget.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The State Government's focus on the 'big fix' for rail in South-East Queensland means that inefficiencies due to much smaller problems often go unrectified for decades until they are incorporated into major infrastructure improvements such as the Cross River Rail (CRR) project, or further duplication of the Gold Coast Line."

"The lack of simple and cost-effective 'small project' rail upgrades, such as better signalling that allows more trains to follow each other in busy sections of track, more crossover points to improve scheduling flexibility and even new, short sections of extra track at choke points in the rail system is holding back rail's potential to help solve increasing transport congestion."

"There is ample evidence in the new timetable from 6 June 2011 that trains are being forced to follow the same stopping pattern as the unit in front, or that trains are being prevented from crossing momentarily to the opposing track to overtake or to take advantage of the extra track capacity afforded by the gaps in the counterflow during peak periods."

"Road traffic planners think nothing about installing overtaking lanes, extra traffic lanes around intersections to cater to traffic movements, flyovers at critical points and counterflow traffic measures such as existed on the Houghton Highway to Redcliffe before it was duplicated recently.  Yet our rail system lacks the same flexibility in its operational performance and in the thinking behind how it can be improved."

Some 'small scale' improvements that could be made now include:

1. New crossovers between Salisbury & Coopers Plains. Objective: quarter hourly service to Kuraby without needing to slow down Gold Coast services.

2. Duplicate the railway from Sandgate to Shorncliffe, plus 2nd platform at Shorncliffe.  Objective: quarter hourly Shorncliffe service.

3. Remedial works to commission Park Road platform number 4.  Crossover from Platform 3 road to Dual Gauge between Dutton Park & Park Rd. Objective: all Gold Coast services to stop at Park Road (interchange with UQ & PA hospital via busway services), greater operational flexibility at Park Road.

4. Crossover at Northgate from number 4 to Virginia. Objective: to remove PM peak (and freight) conflicting moves.

5. Commencement of a train stabling facility at Clapham.  Objective: improving operational flexibility and remove inefficiency and pressure at Mayne and moves at Roma St that reduce capacity and reliability, and increase counter peak service to Park Road.

"Direct funding to TransLink is also needed for increases in counter peak train frequencies generally and to allow Richlands trains to run through to Petrie, and in so doing provide an effective out of peak around the clock 15 minute frequency between Petrie and Darra."

"The June state budget should set aside money for a 'small rail projects' fund year on year for the next five years – say, an annual sum of $100 million, to address network constricting issues that are otherwise not fixed."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Feedback received, thanks.

Very good.  You are right, these smaller things do get lost.

Examples:

Third road over North Pine Bridge at Petrie (probably a bit larger than most) would remove many operational problems at morning and afternoon peak.
A set of crossovers just after leaving Toombul going towards Eagle Junction would allow trains to use the Suburban lines between Northgate and Toombul and crossover to stay clear of the Airport trains.

Strengthening work on South Pine River Bridge to allow increased speeds ( currently 60 km/hr) track work either side allows for 80 or 90 km/hr.
Proper signalling of the extra road between Mayne and Albion - This road had been used in the past to provide a path for freight services and some passenger services. Track has steel sleepers and can be accessed from both directions (this signalling is already in place)  Currently two stop boards facing opposite directions require verbal authority to proceed along the track.

An additional bi-directional third road between Burpengary and Morayfield would allow Nambour trains which run express to leave or arrive closer to the Caboolture services and go past them on the opposite track which is already signalled for running in either direction. These options cannot be used because of the long distance (13 minutes) between Caboolture and Narangba.

[#Metro]

"electrified freight 4th track" hahah

[somebody]

Received some info about Park Rd platform 4:

[SurfRail]

Received some info about Park Rd platform 4:

[ozbob]

Bring it on!   

[Stillwater]

Well, don't keep us in suspense, Simon.   

[ozbob]

The attachment was hidden from view due to a permissions setting.  It is now viewable, and is very interesting information as well!

[somebody]

Well, don't keep us in suspense, Simon.   

Can you see it now?

[Stillwater]

   Thank you.   A very worthy inclusion in a 'small rail projects' program.

[O_128]

Not surprising, when I read the CRR design book last year I was very surprised that park road would be neglected.

[Golliwog]

While making platform 4 usable is definately good enough, I hope they look at Park Rd station as a whole and see if they can upgrade it completely (raised platforms, new ticket office up on the walkway, widened walkway, etc). I doubt they will, but it really is quite an interchange station with the Busway and actually a number of people switching from Beenleigh/Cleveland lines to go counter peak on the other. The Ecosciences building is also attracting a number of people.