" Inlander and the Westlander, they are continuing "

[SurfRail]

The favoured terminus option for Maroochydore seems to be an elevated (Springfield Central style) terminal station.

I'm leery about going further north than Noosa simply due to the inherent cost in acquiring and building a new greenfield route for what would only be limited gain.  If you were going to do this, you would want to make it HSR friendly on the off-chance we end up with a Queensland with 3 times the population and largely spread along the coast outside SEQ, rather than locking it into QR operation with NG and tolerances which would restrict HSR's viability.

I think, getting as foamy as we can reasonably get before getting into maglev bus territory, we might see:

- Existing NCL route retained but significantly straightened, with 1,800m passing loops minimum all the way up and full duplication between Brisbane and say Cooroy.  The planning work has all been done as far as Nambour so it's just a question of ponying up the funds.

- CAMCOS built to allow direct service from Brisbane to Maroochydore via Beerwah.

- NCL between Beerwah and Gympie North as a shuttle service with half-hourly operation to Cooroy and hourly or less frequent north of here, with potential for all or some services to take over Maroochydore slots in the peak if practical (otherwise just transfer).

- The long fabled "Nautilus" route built, operating half-hourly or better from Maroochydore to Noosa via the existing identified route to the airport, then around the back of Mt Coolum and Lake Weyba to Noosa Civic.  (With a bit more effort you could get to Noosa Junction.)  A connection to Cooroy is probably fantasy but also probably not required.  You have cross-platform interchange to Brisbane services at Maroochydore, and you can just put on a half-hourly bus between Cooroy and Noosa to cover the gap (with dedicated expresses to meet the long distance runs).

- Build a new electrified route between Maryborough and Hervey Bay, and buy some more ETTs to run commuter trains from Bundaberg and Hervey Bay to Brisbane via the current route.  Possibility of using Trouts Rd if suitable facilities can be installed somewhere south of the CBD which would avert the need for these trains to have access to the Ekka Loop and Mayne (eg maybe Clapham as part of a new train stabling yard).

[riccardo]

Accessing the Ekka loop is fine, but that whole loop needs a much needed birthday.

Starting from Mayne,
- two tracks between Mayne and Ekka station
- Ekka station moved about half a station south to take off the curve and rebuilt as island platform.
- As track approach Ekka from nth, spilt into 4 tracks, inner pair back onto station, outer pair for non-stopping through traffic.
- post station inner pair have a pair of sissors and then dive into UBAT.
- Outer pair run around the diver and then storage loops for freights are built in the centre post the dive to hold freights and other trains heading to/from Roma St junction.
- Prior to the junction a freight line dives under and then heads west popping up 500-1000m further down towards Milton with access to both main lines.

Agree with focus on realignment rather than duplication nth of Corooy to West Mary as this reduces sector time and need to pass. Perhaps a few passing lanes?

Every 2nd or 3rd passing loop on NCL to Nth Gympie to Rocky (evenly spaced based on time) is progressively upgraded to 1800m with min 50km/hr turn outs. Other remaining loops would progressively be closed.

Realign any sections below 80km/hr Corooy to Rocky.

CAMCO to Noosa and thats it.

DO NOT WASTE $1 making anything HSR friendly, blatant waste of tax payers dollars.

I don't get the hostility to HSR. its not HSR that's the waste of money, but the existing railway. How many billions of dollars, no trillions, has QR wasted in current terms.

Build HSR, and shut down as much of the current system as cannot be profitable.

[Old Northern Road]

I think the goal should be to have 3 return tilt train services per day (Cairns, Rockhampton, Bundaberg) and then they can scrap all "suburban" services north of Nambour. I think this is probably their long term plan because in Connecting SEQ 2031 they had no services north of Nambour. I guess trains would stop at Cooran and Pomona only on request.

My preference would be to have Nambour trains running as an hourly shuttle to Caboolture. This way Maroochydore trains could run express from Beerwah to Caboolture saving at least 6 minutes plus obviously Caboolture makes a far better interchange than Beerwah.

I doubt we will ever see rail north of the Maroochy River. I think all that is needed is 2 bus routes connecting Maroochydore to Noosa, the existing bus that runs via David Low Way and a faster express bus that runs via the Sunshine Motorway.

[dancingmongoose]

I think the goal should be to have 3 return tilt train services per day (Cairns, Rockhampton, Bundaberg) and then they can scrap all "suburban" services north of Nambour. I think this is probably their long term plan because in Connecting SEQ 2031 they had no services north of Nambour. I guess trains would stop at Cooran and Pomona only on request.

Actually no, SEQ2031 still had Gympie North services
http://www.ppt.asn.au/pubdocs/connecting_seq2031+(1).pdf

[dancingmongoose]

New consist
http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/the-westlander/Westlander%20Fact%20Sheet_JAN14-15.pdf

[pandmaster]

New consist
http://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/RailServices/Documents/the-westlander/Westlander%20Fact%20Sheet_JAN14-15.pdf

So what are the meal options going to be? "Complimentary snack packs" do not sound very filling for an overnight journey. I wonder if the M series cars will be shipped off or scrapped before the election so there is no chance of reviving them.

[Stillwater]

Scrumptious pre-packed sandwiches in your choice of filling, delicious muffin in cellophane bag pumped with preserving gas, compressed cereal biscuit and reconstituted orange juice, wrinkly apple.... chips and peanuts and robot-produced tea and coffee in plastic cups from the dispensing machine at the rear of the carriage. mmmmmm

Probably no beer or wine.  What happens between meals?  Obviously no scone and jam with a hot cuppa from a friendly staffer.  It will have all the service convenience of a supermarket self-serve checkout.

(Mechanical voice): Thank-you-for-travelling-with-Queensland-Rail

[SurfRail]

This is why I got in and did my Westie and Inlander trips while you could still buy a freshly assembled hamburger on board (and have somewhere to sleep...)

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times

YOUR SAY: QR must open up staff sleeping berths

17th Jan 2015 3:00 AM

QUEENSLAND Rail announced that after the last Sunlander reached Brisbane on January 1, the sleeping cars that were used on that train, plus the other long distance trains in Queensland, would be withdrawn.

However, some of the stainless steel cars would be rebuilt for use on the Spirit of the Outback train, which operates from Brisbane to Longreach.

There was some frustration and even anger that long overnight train trips such as from Townsville to Mt Isa would have only sitting cars.

What QR did not reveal though, is the fact that a 14-berth sleeping car is operated on that train for onboard staff. How many staff? Perhaps two, I would think, so in that case, 12 sleeping berths are running vacant on every trip.

QR is therefore refusing revenue from passengers!

The Brisbane to Longreach Westlander train also has a sleeping car running basically empty.

I am calling upon Queensland Rail to 'open up' the sleeping berths that are running empty, at present.

If QR says that they are concerned about safety, using the old sleeping cars, 'that' would be very interesting.

So, a safety concern for the public, but quite OK for rail staff to use?

I have contacted Queensland Rail and suggested that the Westlander train be operated from Brisbane to Roma as a day train, with bus connections to Cunnamulla via St George and Quilpie via Charleville.

QT readers may not know that QR is the only rail operator in the civilized world that operates long overnight train services that have no sleeping cars.

Even the much discussed replacement train for the Sunlander, has no sleeping cars.

Passengers sit in an open car, and then at night time, a bed comes out from under the seat.

Then they cough and snore, throughout the night.

Also, to my amazement, the menu offered to so-called Rail Bed passengers is very limited.

I have suggested that passengers be provided with free meals from the buffet if they prefer that, rather than the meals on offer in the Rail Bed, cars.

What other train operator in the world would run a sleeping car for a couple of train staff that is otherwise empty?

JOHN COYLE, Bundamba

[SurfRail]

John Coyle is to be taken with a grain of salt, having read his other various pronouncements over time.  I sincerely doubt what he is claiming is actually true to start with.

[petey3801]

He hasn't seem to have gotten it through his head yet that the M cars on the Lander trains as staff cars are limited. Basically there only until the rest of the L cars are refurbished, at which time they will be gooooooone as soon as each L Staff car is finished.

[ozbob]

I managed to spot the down Westy at Goodna on Saturday morning.

Single DEL with 3 carriages.    A sad remnant of greater days ..




http://www.railsnw.com/images/aus_the_westlander_main.jpg

^ The Westlander when it provided an excellent freight service in conjunction with a memorable passenger journey (even if timetable not optimal). c. 2010




http://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/sites/queenslandplaces.com.au/files/imagecache/watermarked/exhibits/slides/PAC137.jpg

^ "Westlander" passenger-train leaving Roma pulled by two steam-locomotives (diesel-locomotives were too heavy for the bridges west of Roma) 1959

[Stillwater]

Bus on steel wheels -- reality for Westlander and Inlander.

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> We still have regional rail services?

... In Queensland the future is not quite so rosy. While passengers on the coastal route continue to be well served with shiny and expensive new tilt trains, inland dwellers have seen the guts ripped out of their rail services in recent months.

The previous Queensland Government failed miserably when it came to the future of these services. Faced with the choice of either investing in upgrades and marketing, or biting the bullet and cutting services altogether it chose the fence sitting option of cutting facilities such as dining and sleeping cars from the services making them all around less attractive.

Given the reportedly very low patronage on most of these services, the new changes are unlikely to enamour more people to use these services, consigning them no doubt to a long lingering death. Never mind, that will be someone else's problem. ...

[dancingmongoose]

The only hope I can see for their survival beyond the forseeable future is to run as a mixed service... don't see that happening though.

[ozbob]

Queensland Rail Travel September 2015 update

This -->

At the end of last year, the 60 year old sleeper and dining carriages on the Inlander and Westlander service were retired as they had reached the end of their life. Since this change was made, we have listened to feedback from our customers which showed a self-service, break-out area where passengers could socialise and stretch their legs would be welcome.

Customers travelling aboard The Inlander and The Westlander service from early September will be able to take in the western Queensland outback from a newly introduced lounge area. Customers will also continue to receive complimentary snack boxes as part of their travel and additional food and beverage items will be available for sale onboard from 1 October 2015.
The Spirit of the Outback also received a refresh to the sleeper and lounge carriages this year which we are delighted to advise are now implemented.

The Spirit of the Outback has introduced four Economy Single Sleepers for those customers who want to sleep for the long journey in a bed but don't want to take the full first class experience. Limited to only four Single Sleepers so book early to avoid disappointment.

For Economy Sleeper and Economy Seat customers the Spirit of the Outback now also has a dedicated Economy Lounge where you can relax with other travellers.

[ozbob]

FYI

[ozbob]

Feedback received.  Thanks.

Of interest to rail enthusiasts, I believe. I was told not to quote the person. . . . which of course, I am not. . . . however, she said that once the TILTLANDER stops running, which should be next weekend, there will be spare dining cars and yes, sleeping cars, available for the WESTLANDER and INLANDER trains. The sleeping cars that were said to have been condemned as of the 1st of January 2015. . . are used as crew cars, to this day! It is also quite possible that some sitting cars will be converted into RAIL BED cars, for the above mentioned trains. However, having said the above, I am cautious in the extreme, but I am reporting it is any case.

Just ONE sleeping car on each of the two trains, can and should, run until the suggested RAIL BED cars are ready. VERY little work is requited to convert the required cars and the concepts are viable and cost effective.

[tazzer9]

About 2 months ago I caught the westlander just to do it before it dies.   
The other day I got a phone call from a market research company on the behalf of QR about the Inlander and westlander.   rather annoyingly I couldn't give feedback on whatever their questions were as the first time time they called I was driving and couldn't speak and the second they called just as I entered the boggo road bus tunnel and it cut out.  z
But the point I want to make is that since they called twice, QR really want the publics opinion on the westlander.   

[ozbob]

The Westy at Toowomba this morning.  Stabled there because of the track closure over the weekend.

https://twitter.com/darthcaligula66/status/922215840501571585

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/DannMallet/status/1012153201808760833

[ozbob]