Gympie North Services - discussion

[ozbob]

I have received some feedback which raises the issue of restricted services to and from Gympie North.
It is perhaps time to look at the options for increased services on this route.

I recently noted in Qld Rail initiative, for more people to use the suburban network.  The fare from Gympie North to Brisbane, is to be reduce from $18 to $6. (Admin:  this refers to the go card fare after the 10 trip discount)

I also understand as far as the Brisbane network is concerned, there is only one train service in each direction between Gympie and Brisbane on a daily basis.  Ie 6.00 am from Gympie and 5.30 pm from Brisbane. 

Is there any discussion at this stage, about increaseing the frequency of this service? 

As a side comment, I believe it shows poor planning, that there is no Friday Afternoon Service from Gympie, when on Sunday Afternoon, there is such a service.  I live 200Klms North West of Gympie, and often use the Brisbane - Gympie Sunday service, which I then use Motor Vehicle to travel the remaining distance to home.  If there was a Friday afternoon service from Gympie, I would use such a service and believe other would too.

And ...

Please find below a time table from Bus service from Hervey Bay to Brisbane
and more importantly, the inconsistency of the travel times when travelling
by Bus.

This in in response to comment in one of your fours, when the contributor
believed that it was easier to travel by bus then take a forty minute trip
by bus and then change onto a train to get to Brisbane.

Should you join the bus at Gympie, most services travel to Matilda, south of
Gympie and then have a substantial break before travelling on to further
points.

Hervey bay   Brisbane   6hr, 5min
06:50 (6:50 AM)   12:55 (12:55 PM)

Hervey bay   Brisbane   7hr, 30min
08:00 (8:00 AM)   15:30 (3:30 PM)

Hervey bay   Brisbane   5hr, 5min
09:25 (9:25 AM)   14:30 (2:30 PM)

Hervey bay   Brisbane   7hr, 30min
10:30 (10:30 AM)   18:00 (6:00 PM)

Hervey bay   Brisbane   5hr, 20min
13:10 (1:10 PM)   18:30 (6:30 PM)

Any comments please?

[Derwan]

Just on the buses....  the ones that take longer travel via the Sunshine Coast.  I believe the "substantial break" at Matilda is a requirement for the driver, not the passengers.  This came in a few years ago after fatigue-related accidents.  Travel trains seem to just switch drivers so they don't have the huge breaks.

[Huggies]

Maybe the Cooroy service (#X403) could be extended to Gympie North ?

[Arnz]

The current Cooroy service would have to leave slightly earlier than the current 11am-ish departure to get to Gympie North, and back in time for the 5:40pm-ish peak service back to Gympie.

Its a good suggestion, but would probably depend on the crew rosters at the depots and the like.

[ozbob]

Gympie North and similar situations could be candidates for hybrid rail motor services feeding into higher frequency/capacity rail services. In the case of Gympie North run regular hybrid rail motors to connect with services at Nambour. 

Some information on hybrid rail motors can be found here --> http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/press/20051102/index.html

Toowoomba, Gatton, Helidon, Rosewood another possibility?

[Arnz]

Seems an okay idea for low patronage lines such as Doomben-Tennyson, Rosewood, and maybe (Gympie to Nambour shuttle) services.

I'd however, be more concerned with the cost of fuel to run them however.

[Fridge]

How about extending the 649 Caboolture-Nambour Railbus, maybe only 2-3 a day each way as a 6-month trial

[Arnz]

How about extending the 649 Caboolture-Nambour Railbus, maybe only 2-3 a day each way as a 6-month trial

North of Nambour is already covered by Sunshine Coast Sunbus. It is Route 630/631 Link to Noosa via Yandina, Eumundi and Cooroy. 

Also to add there are connections at Cooroy for the Route 632 to Cooran as well.

[Fridge]

That is true about the 630/631/632 (something I forgot to mention so thankyou), but they are only limited services.  My point is that the railway towns north of Nambour are not serviced to the same standard as those south of Nambour.  For example the 630 and 631 are timetabled to meet the train services only not the Railbus (except for 2 morning conections at Nambour; travelling between Nambour and Caboolture, the Railbus almost doubles the number of passenger services for this line) and the 632 only operates 4 services in both directions a day.  Therefore extending the Railbus will help to plug the gaps when the 630/631 aren't operating and provide more travel options for those living north of Nambour. 

In a different thread someone mentioned about demand for more rail services to go to Cooroy, I sometimes catch the 2.10pm train at Nambour to the city from Cooroy and each time the seats were at least half full, so there is obviously some demand for those 3 stations (Cooroy, Eumundi & Yandina).
 

[Arnz]

Route 649 is contracted to Kangaroo Bus Lines operating on behalf of QR, which is based in Morayfield. 

Your idea of 649 being extended for 2-3 services (in the route 630-631 gaps) has some merit, but would probably increase dead-running and/or driver working hours (I have no knowledge on the driver agreements what so ever). 

What I'd probably suggest is to split the contract for Route 649 (KBL co-operating Route 649 with Sunshine Coast Sunbus) and have the extended 649s operated by Sunshine Coast Sunbus.