Add an 8:52pm Gold Coast service!

[somebody]

The main reason that I can see why this service doesn't exist is that it would use an extra space in the Robina stabling which is not presently available.  Given that 30 minute Airport frequency seems to be here to stay, I think an alternative proposal is in order: removing fat from the timetable would free up a space! Trimming 5 minutes in each direction should be pretty achievable.  That would make the Varsity Lakes dwell 42 minutes, so they can turn around to meet the previous service.  Doing so would mean that the 5:10am ex-BH could be moved to this new evening time.

I suppose it could be argued that another peak service might be more of a priority.

[SurfRail]

Yes, yes and yes.  30 min bidirectional until 10pm would be excellent - there are still plenty of drivers on the M1 after 7pm.

[somebody]

Looking at the timetable, saving 3 minutes Coomera<->Eagle Junction means that the single track constraint is actually missed by a bigger margin in the off peak.  The downside is that the counter peak services will both occupy the single track over the Coomera River at the same time as the additional peak services.  Doh!

International Terminal	:01	:16	:31
Eagle Junction	:09	:24	:39
Coomera	:20	:35	:50
Helensvale	:26	:41	:56
-
Helensvale	:37		:07
Coomera	:43		:13
Eagle Junction	:52		:22
International Terminal	:00		:30

I guess the question is: would this be acceptable, or should we find a different solution?

[STB]

I've got no problems with this idea.  It really should be half hourly services everyday after 7pm till last service on every line IMO.

[somebody]

I think I haven't explained this very well.  Counter peak the above timetable doesn't quite work, without the northbound train in the PM peak moving to 4 minutes later. 

However, looking at the timetable it seems that all that is really required for the AM peak is to move the 6am departure from Domestic station to be 10-15 minutes earlier and all is well.  There probably needs to be a fuller solution in the PM peak, moving the northbound trains though.

[SurfRail]

The main reason that I can see why this service doesn't exist is that it would use an extra space in the Robina stabling which is not presently available. 

It should be made available.  I can't imagine this would be a very expensive project, and I am really surprised all of the western yard at Robina was not built in one hit.  The design capacity is (I believe) 6 or 7 roads, while only 2 were actually constructed.

[somebody]

The main reason that I can see why this service doesn't exist is that it would use an extra space in the Robina stabling which is not presently available. 

It should be made available.  I can't imagine this would be a very expensive project, and I am really surprised all of the western yard at Robina was not built in one hit.  The design capacity is (I believe) 6 or 7 roads, while only 2 were actually constructed.

Phasing this project is a counter point to the theory about doing half the project to then go back and finish it is to get a photo op.  There's no photo ops in stabling.

[Golliwog]

Pretty sure its just one example of a stretched budget.

[SurfRail]

The really galling thing is that the whole yard has been levelled and graded.  It really is just a case of putting the track, stanchions, wiring, buffers, crew gantries and red signals in.  No expensive bulk earth moving or drainage works, just a few weeks with track machines.

[somebody]

Looking at the PM peak timetable, the current 5:24pm ex-Varsity Lakes train would need to be moved forward to less than 30 minutes after the previous train.  That would require the 18:07 Beenleigh->Ferny Grove train to be retimed, and the train between the retimed 17:24 and the earlier train would need to become express, probably Kuraby-Park Rd and have a Kuraby starter.  This shouldn't be too hard.  Subsequent trains would need to be at 30 minute intervals, with another sub 30 minute gap to return to the normal clock face cycle.  This extra northbound train would allow a 9:52pm southbound Gold Coast train.

[somebody]

Checking the line diagram, in the AM peak there would be a conflicting move north of Kuraby.  In the PM peak there are two options:
- have the Gold Coast trains use the DG and third road.  Kuraby trains reverse on Kuraby which has no particularly nice way of doing things.  So conflicting moves at South Brisbane and Kuraby
- have the Gold Coast trains use the UP and send the Beenleigh/Kuraby trains to the central road.  Kuraby trains reverse at #2.  Conflicting move at Kuraby between Kuraby terminators and northbound trains.

However, there are options.  The line diagram shows no limitations to such a move.