Regional Fast Rail discussion

[Gazza]

It's basically based upon the time savings from having Albert St in the middle of the city, so they are factoring in reduced walking time compared to coming from Central.

I think that's a bit tenuous though, and a fairer comparison should base it on time to Roma St, since we can compare with the current network more readily.

[ozbob]

Yeah, tenuous spin.  Going to be a lot of disappointed punters when they realise they have been shafted ...   

[ozbob]

Gold coasters are timed for 48 minutes between Roma St and Beenleigh. Probably higher speeds between Park Road (Boggo Road) and Roma St in CRR.  Still have to find a lot of time savings which is simply not going happen. 

[Gazza]

I estimate it will get from Boggo Rd to Albert St in around 5 mins, compared with 13 mins from Park Rd to Central, so 7 mins there.

I guess that you'd save 8 mins walking time, but still when they began pushing this message, they wouldn't have factored in the new stations.

[SurfRail]

I think the upper estimate for time savings when talking about actual journey time from stations Beenleigh and south to "the CBD" is about 8-9 minutes. 

Park Road to Central is 13 min outbound and 14 min inbound.  Assume it will take approximately the same journey time from Beenleigh to Boggo Road as it would to Park Road.

The trip time from Boggo Road to the first CBD stop at Albert St is probably 5 min (I suspect 2 min to the Gabba and 3 min to Albert St).  That shaves 8-9 minutes off. 

Of the 8-9 minutes actual journey time saving, about 6 minutes of that gets wiped out by adding Merrimac, Hope Island (I refuse to use the other name) and Pimpama.  That leaves you with about a 2-3 minute saving.

There are other factors where they can quite legitimately say it saves time though:
- Albert St is much more centrally located in the CBD than Central which will reduce transit times from the station to CBD destinations.
- Higher frequencies of service will reduce average waiting times at both ends.
- They may be working on the assumption trip times in the inner city will slow further because of oversaturation meaning the time saving from Park Rd / Boggo Rd to the city is greater because it will take longer than the current 13-14 minute transit time to Central.

It's certainly not going to make the doors closing to doors opening time 15 minutes quicker though.

[ozbob]

I don't have any real issues with Mayor Tate. 

Someone has probably whispered in his ear " Tom, I know where there are some cheap shinkansen high speed trains ... "   

There is a recognition though that something has to be done, and this is good.

The present state mob is scared witless about the costs.  The backlog on the existing rail network is one thing, let alone the further costs of fast rail.

The SEQ Council of Mayors is really on board for fast rail.  They understand it.

The key is going to be the North Coast Connect business case.  What they suggest and costings will probably help clarify what is really needed.

I had a long chat with the Bulletin reporter yesterday about R1.  They have all the stuff on R!, there may be a followup article on R1 yet.

The state is wrong if they think that the present alignment between Park Road and Beenleigh will suit fast rail, even with some upgrades.
Simply too many curves, and LXs to consider.

It irritates me when they say Cross River Rail will reduce Gold Coast journeys by 15 minutes.  How?  Three new stations will add at least 6 minutes to the present 32 minutes between Beenleigh and Varsity Lakes.  So they will have reduce the present 52 minutes between Brisbane and Beenleigh by around 22 minutes?  Not going to happen ...

Here comes the cavalry ... 

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1191136653592498176

[red dragin]

"Old mate Tom Tate" as a musician/comedian that wasn't P!nk calls him (Tim Minchin when he opened HOTA instead of P!nk who Tom thought was a better choice) just found a way to get his face and voice heard on the topic.

Nothing more than that in my opinion.

[Gazza]

My options for connecting CRR to Trouts Rd

Yellow wont  happen but is the quickest, it could have allowed for a station at Kelvin Grove, but to be honest I don't think it's a major loss to not have that.
7km of tunnel would have been needed.

Red relies on surfacing after the current portal, crossing the ICB and diving. It could potentially have a station adjacent to Herston if BCC is serious about turning Victoria park into a major iconic parkland, and it could permit better access to the hospitals, but I don't think this is crucial.
5.5km of tunnel needed, with a total route of 7km from the start of Trouts Rd to the CRR portal.


Blue is the suggestion of having the portals at Mayne. This does give rise to flooding issues, on the other hand it solves the problem of maintaining service at Ekka station, and could permit a station at Stafford.
6.5km of tunnel needed, with a total route of 8.6km from the start of Trouts Rd to the CRR portal.

Green is the current route.

[red dragin]

Thanks Gazza,

My blue route diverged further north, in the Northern Mayne Yard to allow access for the City branches to the NWTC, but probably better to do it your way to keep things less complex approaching Albion.

[ozbob]

Interview with 7 News Gold Coast shortly.

[Gazza]

Good stuff Bob.

It didn't cross my mind about giving the city branches access...I guess the default position in my head is that CRR/Trouts Rd is just its own sector.

Depending on levels, could you do the dive just north of Oconnel terrace and the Mayne gatehouse (Next to Lanham St?)

[SurfRail]

I think the original CRR indicative connection to the NWTC would have been in between the red and blue routes, which would have been a function of the tunnel portals being closer to the Ekka. 

Now the Normanby yard is ripped up completely you can just do it along the red alignment and set it up like the connection between the Joondalup and Mandurah lines and the rest of the network around the back of Perth Arena (ie line ascends to allow connection to surface system then descends again into trench/tunnel).  The normal mode of operation would be trains come up and go down again, except where trains are going to the Ekka Loop which would not be the majority of trains.

NWTC stations I would put at Alderley, Everton Park (north side of Stafford Rd), McDowall (between Rode Rd and Stafford Rd), Aspley (north side of Albany Creek Road) and Bridgeman Downs (somewhere around Roghan and Linkfield Rds).  Alderley would have underground platforms, Everton Park probably open but sub-surface, then between Felstead and Flockton St the line would rise up onto a viaduct and probably stay elevated until it hits the existing NCL south of Strathpine.

I'm thinking the network needs to look something like the following when NWTC and R1 are in place:

Sector "A" (9 car trains via CRR).  All trains would run all stations because the NWTC and R1 alignments would only have minimal stations and good geometry.
- Coolangatta to Caboolture with every second train running further north to Caloundra.
- Yatala to Kippa-Ring.  This is to facilitate the tie-in between R1 and the existing line, which would involve demolishing the motel at Exit 38 and building a park and ride station with 4 platforms (up-up-down-down islands with R1 trains on the outside and terminating trains from Beenleigh on the inside).
- Upper Mt Gravatt to Exhibition (this would provide additional capacity on the inner stretch and ensure Exhibition is not left unserved although it would mean loss of service from the north - unless you had limited sharing with the Sector B services as far as Albion and built a fifth platform face to 9-car length on the western side)

Sector "B" (6 car trains via mains).  Ipswich trains would run express from Milton using current pattern but everything else would run all stations.
- Strathpine to Ipswich
- Shorncliffe to Ripley

Sector "C" (6 car trains via subs and Merivale Bridge).
- Ferny Grove to Cleveland
- Airport to Yatala
- Hamilton to Flagstone

Longer term, I'd be looking at CRR Mark 2.  That might be something like connecting the Springfield/Ripley corridor to the Cleveland line, maybe on these lines:
- Line from Roma St to Ipswich gets split into Redbank all stations and Ipswich/Rosewood express (and ultimately Toowoomba services) - one paired with Strathpine, the other with Shorncliffe
- Springfield line is operationally segregated from the Ipswich line by building a proper quad track from Darra to Corinda and 4th platform at Oxley
- Dives south of Corinda
- Underground route provides stops at UQ, South Bank, Albert St, Fortitude Valley, Newstead (Skyring Tce / Gasworks area), Bulimba (Oxford St somewhere) and then links up with the Cleveland line at Cannon Hill
- Line from Park Road to Cannon Hill is all stations and terminate
- Trains coming from Bulimba continue to Cleveland
- Longer term, further options for the Cleveland line
-- investigate a more direct alignment from Cannon Hill to Thorneside via Tingalpa so Thorneside is the terminus of the via Manly route and the Cleveland outer end hooks into a faster route to town
-- extend the Cleveland line from Ormiston to Victoria Point or beyond and decommission existing Cleveland station

[SurfRail]

It didn't cross my mind about giving the city branches access...I guess the default position in my head is that CRR/Trouts Rd is just its own sector.

I'd set it up so that normally that is the case, but Exhibition remains open and connected to Roma Street by extending one of the short-working patterns there.  In case of weekend shutdowns you can send trains to platform 10 and rack up multiple trains like they do over on platforms 2 and 3 - or in theory you could route trains from the direction of Albion to CRR if the mains and subs are shut down.

[ozbob]

Interview with 7 News Gold Coast shortly.

Done, I think there will be a short item on 7 News Brisbane, with a longer story on 7 News Gold Coast.


Been booked for an interview with 2GB/4BC at around 4.10pm this afternoon.  Apparently Karl Stefanovic is doing the show this afternoon in place of Ben Fordham.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Northgate is quite a fast route. So not the end of the world. And there are work arounds to running 9 car trains via Northgate. Biggest issue to slowing them is actually signalling Mayne  junction (pretty much the entire Albion-Bowen Hills section as you trundle at 35-40kph over the various junction shops - this is why inbound services take the same time as a all stopper does between Eagle junction-Bowen hills as they don't slow down) and into the cbd, triple Northgate-petrie (Zillmere could be sped up a lot with a realignment) and dwell times.

[SurfRail]

Or we could just give up on alignments that literally go the wrong direction in places (eg between Wooloowin and Eagle Junction) and focus on new lines free of any such limiting factors, and where you don't have to work in an active rail corridor.  Keep the existing lines for the inner city routes and give up trying to get meaningful journey time improvements out of the Beenleigh and inner NC lines given how comprehensively compromised they are.  Same goes for track amplifications - instead of putting a fourth road in between Northgate and Strathpine or a third road south of Kuraby, keep powder dry and plumb the funding into better routes full stop.

Increasingly I don't think spending a cent on substantive realignment of the existing lines is justified, with only very limited exceptions.  I wouldn't have a problem with the kink between Trinder Park and Kuraby being flattened out, or with selective alignment improvements on the Caboolture line to achieve better than 100kph running times, or (in future) realigning the SG corridor south of Acacia Ridge to straighten it where feasible.  Other here and there adjustments I can't see as being worth the effort any more.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Also a heads up most of the caboolture line to Northgate has had speed reductions to 100kph (removing the express 120 boards) in the mid 90's. So track still has more potential. But let's be realistic. NWTC is ages away from anything.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1191199786747101184

[ozbob]

RACQ --> Better infrastructure needed before bullet train

RACQ has dismissed a proposal to use retired Japanese bullet trains for high speed rail between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, and instead called on governments to get on with delivering current projects.

Gold Coast Bulletin reported there were new calls to lobby for Japan's old trains and tracks to be used to help ease congestion on south east Queensland roads.

RACQ Head of Public Policy Rebecca Michael said while it was an interesting concept, it could bring more problems than any good.

"Retrofitting bullet trains is likely to be extremely expensive and may cause further up and down stream issues, with commuters unable to easily connect with other transport options," Dr Michael said.

"What we really need are frequent, reliable and interconnected public and active transport options to help get everyone where they need to be."

Dr Michael said the proposal highlighted the need for critical projects to be delivered and a public transport authority to be established.

"We need to see other projects progress across the entire south east, including the Stage 3A of the Gold Coast light rail, the Beerburrum to Nambour rail duplication, Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro," she said.

"Once again, this illustrates why a single public transport authority is critical to planning long term projects and integrating advanced technologies, so we have a network that meets our needs now and into the future."

RACQ's full list of transport priorities were detailed in Mobility Matters.

[aldonius]

SurfRail: hold up, in the same post you've posited 5 NWTC station locations, but then only two stations with Sector A. Perhaps you didn't finish listing them the second time?

I'm also unsure how you'd start/finish at Mt Gravatt, but the core concept of not stranding Exhibition is a good one.

Do you have proposed service levels? I've more or less assumed 8tph per pairing in peak as the default.

With your Sector C, I assume Beenleigh actually gets replaced with Airport - Yatala? Or perhaps some ex-Beenleigh trains terminate short of the Airport?

[Arnz]

Also a heads up most of the caboolture line to Northgate has had speed reductions to 100kph (removing the express 120 boards) in the mid 90's. So track still has more potential. But let's be realistic. NWTC is ages away from anything.

Only north of Petrie on the Petrie-Caboolture stretch. 

I remember the 120m/h boards at spots between Dakabin and Burpengary in the early 2000s before they were downgraded to 100km/h around 2005/2006ish.  The only units that were able to operate at the signposted 120km/h board on those stretches at the time were the ICEs and the IMU100/120s.

[verbatim9]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Gold Coast fast rail: Coast to lobby for Japan's old bullet trains and tracks

Retired Japanaese bullet trains should be bought to become the new Brisbane to Gold Coast fast rail system under a bold proposal to decongest the M1.

MAYOR Tom Tate wants to speed up the Gold Coast-to-Brisbane fast-train proposal by buying retired - or "hand-me-down" - Japanese bullet trains and tracks.

The first fast-train journey between the Gold Coast and the state capital is at least a decade away as the State and Federal Governments work together on a business case.

But Cr Tate says time is of the essence and cheaper, faster methods should be considered to help with decongesting the Gold Coast's fast-growing roads.

He wants Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to send him to Japan to make the pitch in person.

Cr Tate told the Bulletin a "hand-me-down" system, including the train stock and tracks would be less expensive than waiting another decade to build a slower train system.

"Countries which already have fast trains are going to be upgrading to the latest generation so I say, give us the hand-me-downs," he said.

"They'll have to do something with the existing bullet trains so we could go cap in hand because this would be perfect for the Gold Coast-to-Brisbane connection.

"The machine, the tracks, whatever they can give us, it would be a great running start.

In asking, we may even be given it as a goodwill gesture.

"If the state is too shy to ask, give me the nod and I'll go cap in hand or otherwise it will go somewhere else."

Cr Tate discussed the idea with Department of Transport and Main Roads director general Neil Scales late last month at a Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce transport forum.

Fast rail, which would slash the 74-minute trip between the Gold Coast and Brisbane to 32 minutes, is not expected to be a reality until at least the late 2020s.

A high-speed train network championed by the Federal Government in the lead up to this year's election would go up to 160km/h compared to an existing average of 69km/h - more than halving the trip time.

An $8 million business case has been committed to but serious talks will not begin until other rail projects, including the Cross-River Rail are completed in 2024.

State Government says its Cross River Rail will cut 15 minutes off Brisbane-Gold Coast travel and take 47,000 vehicles off the road.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Cr Tate's proposal was "colourful" but the government's focus remained on Cross-River Rail.

"Cross River Rail is the big priority which will bring faster rail to the Gold Coast," he said.

"Cr Tate's suggestions are colourful and they will provoke debate.

"The reality is if we are going to do faster rail we have to straight up the tracks between Kuraby and Beenleigh.

"This is a very old line with lots of curves and there will need to be work done there."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made an election pledge for a business case for a new fast rail line between the Gold Coast and the state's capital with an extension to Gold Coast Airport.

RAIL Back on Track's Robert Dow dismissed Cr Tate's idea, saying its cost would be unfeasible: "What he is talking about is high-speed rail and the cost would be considerable.

"What we need is a fast train which is compatible with the existing infrastructure and if we were to get the Japanese trains you wouldn't be able to have any stations. The cost of it would be just extraordinary."

This is pure rhetoric. The best way forward is just new alignment from the inner core to Beenleigh. Existing trains can still make significant time savings on new alignment. Mid decade they also need to think of what new rolling stock could also be beneficial. My guess is that they would need to obtain new trains that can run up to 160kph which can be intergrated into the existing network.  Alstom or Bombardier

They might want to also think of Standard gauge to see if it's beneficial in the long term. Gauge convertible rolling stock etc....
Maybe dual mode rolling stock as well. NSW is considering this but I don't think it's needed in Qld as we have one standard for electrification 25kv no need for extra  transformers between catenary runs like in NSW. Hence the dual mode idea in NSW. The only benefit that I can see if they don't electrify all the way up to Toowoomba and stop at Helidon.  Then again with purchasing different rolling stock and speed reductions with climbs and inclines may not be beneficial.  Electrification all the way up to Toowoomba probably more economical in the long term.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Also a heads up most of the caboolture line to Northgate has had speed reductions to 100kph (removing the express 120 boards) in the mid 90's. So track still has more potential. But let's be realistic. NWTC is ages away from anything.

Only north of Petrie on the Petrie-Caboolture stretch. 

I remember the 120m/h boards at spots between Dakabin and Burpengary in the early 2000s before they were downgraded to 100km/h around 2005/2006ish.  The only units that were able to operate at the signposted 120km/h board on those stretches at the time were the ICEs and the IMU100/120s.

Bald hills-carseldine and strathpine-Lawnton had 120 express boards (diamond e speed boards) above the standard round speed boards but they went during the triple I recall.......

[SurfRail]

SurfRail: hold up, in the same post you've posited 5 NWTC station locations, but then only two stations with Sector A. Perhaps you didn't finish listing them the second time?

I'm also unsure how you'd start/finish at Mt Gravatt, but the core concept of not stranding Exhibition is a good one.

Do you have proposed service levels? I've more or less assumed 8tph per pairing in peak as the default.

With your Sector C, I assume Beenleigh actually gets replaced with Airport - Yatala? Or perhaps some ex-Beenleigh trains terminate short of the Airport?

I've amended post to clarify / correct.

For the R1 intermediate termini, you just have a centre turnback like Cockburn Central.  I think you'd end up with something like this:

- 8tph Coolangatta to Helensvale stopping at Tugun (possibly), Elanora, Varsity Lakes, Robina, Merrimac, Nerang and Helensvale (and continuing all stations further north)
- 8tph Helensvale to Upper Mt Gravatt stopping at Hope Island, Coomera, Pimpama, Ormeau (relocated to Eggersdorf Rd), Yatala, Loganholme, Springwood and Upper Mt Gravatt
- 4tph Mt Gravatt non-stop to Boggo Rd (there being no intermediate stations) then Gabba, Albert St and Roma St, then Exhibition.  In the peak I expect a good chunk of the other services would also end up at or start from the Ekka because of the North Mayne stabling, but you would still want a decent level of counter-peak.

That leaves some slots free to add trains where needed.

You'd want additional stabling along the somewhere around Ormeau, reconfigure Beenleigh to allow access to the yard from the south for the trains still going via the old route, and also stabling somewhere south of the Hyperdome where there is room for it.

There would be 18 stations in-between Coolangatta and Roma St exclusive, which averages at one every 5km or so over about 90km as the crow flies.  Using R1 it should be possible to achieve that in less time, with an all stops pattern, than the current Central to Varsity Lakes limited stops.

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Gold Coast fast rail: Lobby group calls for 'skyrail' line to run between Brisbane and Gold Coast


Proposed fast rail route backed by RAIL Back on Track group. Picture: Supplied

An elevated "skytrain" is the answer to the M1 traffic jam according to a leading rail transport lobby group who have put a detailed proposal forward about the route it should take.

AN elevated "skytrain" is the answer to the M1 traffic jam according to a leading rail transport lobby group.

RAIL Back on Track has unveiled its own plans for how fast rail should run between the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Mayor Tom Tate this morning proposed buying up Japan's retiring bullet trains and tracks as part of a cut-price solution to fast-tracking the project, which is not expected to be completed for a decade.

RAIL Back on Track's Robert Dow dismissed Cr Tate's proposal, saying it was unfeasible but said other plans would be more suitable for the city.

"The Gold Coast line does not currently reach its potential because trains are forced to slow down north of Beenleigh and follow a winding route through Logan and the southside, that was established over 100 years ago, averaging a speed of only 50km/h," he said.

"Capacity constraints caused by having to share tracks with trains to Beenleigh and Coopers Plains mean trains can only run half hourly most of the time.

"RAIL Back on Track believes the best long term solution is to divert Gold Coast trains onto a new dedicated express route that runs directly along the M1 from Beenleigh to Dutton Park, allowing trains to reach speeds of at least 160km/h, slashing travel times and providing an option well and truly faster than driving.

"The line would be built as an elevated "skytrain" along the industrial service roads fronting the M1 for much of its length through Logan, before tunnelling under Mt Gravatt/Toohey forest to avoid steep inclines."

Mr Dow said the train line would surface after Mt Gravatt and run down the middle of the M3 through Holland Park, with a final short connector tunnel allowing trains to connect with Cross River Rail.

He said stops would be limited, potentially at new stations located at Hyperdome, Springwood and Garden City, to allow people to reach key employment hubs and to allow connections with busway services for intermediate destinations.

Fast rail, which would slash the 74-minute trip between the Gold Coast and Brisbane to 32 minutes, is not expected to be a reality until at least the late 2020s.

A high-speed train network championed by the Federal Government in the lead up to this year's election would allow for speeds of up to 160km/h compared to an existing average of 69km/h – more than halving the trip time.

An $8 million business case has been committed to but serious talks will not begin until other rail projects including Cross River Rail are completed in 2024.

The State Government says Cross River Rail will cut 15 minutes off Brisbane-Gold Coast travel and take 47,000 vehicles off the road.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made an election pledge for a business case for a new fast rail line between the Gold Coast and the state's capital with an extension to Gold Coast Airport.

[ozbob]

Interview with 7 News Gold Coast shortly.

Done, I think there will be a short item on 7 News Brisbane, with a longer story on 7 News Gold Coast.


Been booked for an interview with 2GB/4BC at around 4.10pm this afternoon.  Apparently Karl Stefanovic is doing the show this afternoon in place of Ben Fordham.

Interview completed.  Was a bit rushed but I managed to get the key points across, although more time would have been better.
Not sure if I can get a recording later.

[verbatim9]

The Mayor says buying retired bullet trains from Japan is the answer to getting Coast commuters out of their cars and onto rail services to Brisbane, But it seems no one else agrees. https://t.co/tIEQ9K5sus @TamraBow #7NEWS https://t.co/QE53DzODXp

https://twitter.com/7NewsGoldCoast/status/1191258320453062656

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1191268246046920704

[Gazza]

Where did It come from that it would cut the trip to 30 minutes?

[verbatim9]

Where did It come from that it would cut the trip to 30 minutes?

I guess from Helensvale to Albert Strert it would be about 30 mins or a tinge more?

[#Metro]

I feel sorry for Mayor Tom Tate. The man is under siege for his enthusiasm.

He is a motorist, and it shows.

He shouldn't go to Japan. Spain has an excellent regional train network around Barcelona, high speed and limited stops.

Visit that.

[verbatim9]

I feel sorry for Mayor Tom Tate. The man is under siege for his enthusiasm.

He is a motorist, and it shows.

He shouldn't go to Japan. Spain has an excellent regional train network around Barcelona, high speed and limited stops.

Visit that.

He should visit the Alstom rolling stock manufacturing plant in Madrid Bring back some productive ideas for State LNP. Steve Minnikin must have his head down in embarrassment. How one person can make it so difficult for the whole party in relation to the transport portfolio.

[Gazza]

Have any lnp members commented about this by the way?

[verbatim9]

Have any lnp members commented about this by the way?

Steve Minnikin should speak up and end this rubbish from Tom Tate. Especially in an election year.

^^Fixed  up a typo re Minnikin

[#Metro]

He should visit the Alstom rolling stock manufacturing plant in Madrid  Bring back some productive ideas for State LNP. Steve Minnikin must have his head down in embarrassment. How one person can make so difficult for the whole party in relation to the transport portfolio.

Does Queensland even have an opposition party? Where are they?

Gives a new meaning to 'shadow' ministry - barely ever seen!

[ozbob]

Interview on radio 4BC/2GB 4 Nov 2019 Ben Fordham Live with host Karl Stefanovic and Robert Dow RAIL Back On Track

Topic: Fast rail with particular reference to the Gold Coast

Here --> https://backontrack.org/docs/4bc/4bc_rd4nov19.mp3 MP3 5.8 MB

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1191428693211508736

[Gazza]

So here's how you might do Beenleigh without having to do a station at Yatala.

-Red option is new subsurface platforms, then tunnelling under Alamein St to the M1

-Yellow option is having The GC platforms running north south Next to the marketplace, with old Beenleigh station shifted about 300m east and potentially elevated to provide interchange with the new platforms. You could also just have dead end platforms at ground level built on the current yard....Basically the goal with this option is to allow interchange, without having the station too far outside the commercial area.
The green area is land that could be redeveloped....Beenleigh stabling would be shifted or reconfigured, eg having stabling on the site of the old station and bus interchange.

[aldonius]

I think having a station at Yatala is perfectly fine given the massive amount of engineering work required to put a faster line through Beenleigh. Stanmore Rd has just been upgraded to 2 lanes each way, presumably for a reason.

[SurfRail]

I'm leaning towards a parkway station simply because there isn't enough redevelopment potential in Beenleigh to off-set the cost of doing so much work there.  Yatala would be fairly easy and getting the corridor tied into the new route would also be pretty simple as there's plenty of open room along Nyholt Drive to put the necessary structures in (plus it's a faster trip).