Caboolture line peak gaps and suggestions on how they could be solved.

[Arnz]

I've originally posted this in the Caboolture Line rate thread, but I thought I might cross-post it here for any other people's thoughts.  There are gaps of up to 20 minutes at Caboolture, whilst those at stations south of Petrie enjoy a better peak service courtesy of the "gap" trains inbetween the Caboolture-City and v.v expresses.

The suggestions posted below are pretty a cut/paste job from my other post in the Caboolture line rating thread.

*First up the 0640-0700 gap in the morning peak.  The #1924 which starts at Petrie at 7:05am stopping all stations to Roma Street, should now start at Caboolture at 6:50, and depart Petrie 5 minutes later at 7:10.  This service will continue to stop all-stations.

*Second the 0745-0812 gap, the gap train is the #1D14 to Darra.  A new morning peak train departing Caboolture around 7:52ish, running express from Petrie to Bowen Hills, stopping Northgate and Eagle Junction, then all-stations to Roma Street could plug the gap.

*Third the 1642-1705 gap in the afternoon peak.  The #1181 which currently departs Central @ 16:46 to Petrie, should depart at 16:51 stopping an extended all stations to Caboolture.  This puts a 15 min gap between the 16:36 and 16:51 for Caboolture all-stoppers.

*Fourth, the 16:06-16:36 services including #1L09 to Nambour.  Currently it's a mess, and theres a 17 min gap between 16:06 (all-stations) and 16:23 (express).  Or it could be said its a 19 minute gap if you take the 16:25 (Petrie all-stations) into account.  This can be solved by.
-A new afternoon peak Petrie all-stations train inbetween 16:06 and 16:23, say departing Central around 16:15ish.
-The (#1175) 16:25 Petrie all-stations is extended to Caboolture, stopping all-stations.
-The (#1L09) 16:34 Nambour express, is renumbered (#TL09), will now run express from Bowen Hills to Caboolture non-stop, and is to be serviced by a 6-car IMU (Northgate, Petrie stops removed from this service).
-The Northgate/Petrie passengers on the #1L09 will have many alternative options of catching either the 16:06, 16:15 (suggested new train), 16:23 (express), 16:25 and 16:36.

Edit: I know this may require changes to peak-hour stabling at Petrie/Caboolture yards, but I'm sure this could be worked out by the timetable planners and/or dispatching.

[stephenk]

  There are gaps of up to 20 minutes at Caboolture, whilst those at stations south of Petrie enjoy a better peak service courtesy of the "gap" trains inbetween the Caboolture-City and v.v expresses.

Whilst I believe that good frequency makes public transport more attractive, it should be remembered that the rule of thumb for suburban rail operations across the world is that the further from the city you live, the less trains yet get! Unfortunately the rather spread out nature of South East Queensland makes planning public transport services more difficult.

In fact for trains arriving at Central between 07:30 and 08:30am, Morayfield gets the same number of services as Geebung (5tph). The gaps could be evened out, but I don't see much inner/outer suburban bias here.

*First up the 0640-0700 gap in the morning peak.  The #1924 which starts at Petrie at 7:05am stopping all stations to Roma Street, should now start at Caboolture at 6:50, and depart Petrie 5 minutes later at 7:10.  This service will continue to stop all-stations.

*Second the 0745-0812 gap, the gap train is the #1D14 to Darra.  A new morning peak train departing Caboolture around 7:52ish, running express from Petrie to Bowen Hills, stopping Northgate and Eagle Junction, then all-stations to Roma Street could plug the gap.

*Third the 1642-1705 gap in the afternoon peak.  The #1181 which currently departs Central @ 16:46 to Petrie, should depart at 16:51 stopping an extended all stations to Caboolture.  This puts a 15 min gap between the 16:36 and 16:51 for Caboolture all-stoppers.

*Fourth, the 16:06-16:36 services including #1L09 to Nambour.  Currently it's a mess, and theres a 17 min gap between 16:06 (all-stations) and 16:23 (express).  Or it could be said its a 19 minute gap if you take the 16:25 (Petrie all-stations) into account.  This can be solved by.
-A new afternoon peak Petrie all-stations train inbetween 16:06 and 16:23, say departing Central around 16:15ish.
-The (#1175) 16:25 Petrie all-stations is extended to Caboolture, stopping all-stations.
-The (#1L09) 16:34 Nambour express, is renumbered (#TL09), will now run express from Bowen Hills to Caboolture non-stop, and is to be serviced by a 6-car IMU (Northgate, Petrie stops removed from this service).
-The Northgate/Petrie passengers on the #1L09 will have many alternative options of catching either the 16:06, 16:15 (suggested new train), 16:23 (express), 16:25 and 16:36.

Edit: I know this may require changes to peak-hour stabling at Petrie/Caboolture yards, but I'm sure this could be worked out by the timetable planners and/or dispatching.

I've only had a look at your first two ideas, but they are both flawed.

The first idea would:
1) Create a longer gap for passengers from Petrie, especially worse for those who travel in from Bald Hills to Virginia.
2) The addition of extra passengers could overcrowd this service
3) It would delay the 07:00 ex-Caboolture by 5 mins.

The second idea:-
1) Would arrive at Petrie around the time that 08:11 ex-Petrie would be departing.
2) Merging it into the same service may cause overcrowding depending on the services existing loading. Making the additional ex-Caboolture train run later would mean that it couldn't run express. Running the additional ex-Caboolture train earlier would only be able to run express for shorter distances as it would catch up with the all-stations ahead of it.

[stephenk]

I've had a look at the other ideas...

*Third the 1642-1705 gap in the afternoon peak.  The #1181 which currently departs Central @ 16:46 to Petrie, should depart at 16:51 stopping an extended all stations to Caboolture.  This puts a 15 min gap between the 16:36 and 16:51 for Caboolture all-stoppers.

Whilst this would narrow the gap for stations Petrie to Caboolture, it would increase the gap for travellers to Petrie. However the gap would only be 15mins (which personally I think is the max acceptable gap for inner suburban services). If it does not cause overcrowding from the additional passengers this may be a workable option.

*Fourth, the 16:06-16:36 services including #1L09 to Nambour.  Currently it's a mess, and theres a 17 min gap between 16:06 (all-stations) and 16:23 (express).  Or it could be said its a 19 minute gap if you take the 16:25 (Petrie all-stations) into account.  This can be solved by.
-A new afternoon peak Petrie all-stations train inbetween 16:06 and 16:23, say departing Central around 16:15ish.
-The (#1175) 16:25 Petrie all-stations is extended to Caboolture, stopping all-stations.
-The (#1L09) 16:34 Nambour express, is renumbered (#TL09), will now run express from Bowen Hills to Caboolture non-stop, and is to be serviced by a 6-car IMU (Northgate, Petrie stops removed from this service).
-The Northgate/Petrie passengers on the #1L09 will have many alternative options of catching either the 16:06, 16:15 (suggested new train), 16:23 (express), 16:25 and 16:36.

The 16:34 Nambour express usually has most seats full, and few standing passengers. Pretty much optimum loading. By running it express to Caboolture it would be moving more air than passengers, and would be increasing the passenger load of the other services around that time. The other problem is that the now super express 16:34 would get stuck behind the 16:25 now extended to Caboolture, and trundle rather slowly between Petrie and Caboolture - a bit pointless really!

[Arnz]

I've had a look at the other ideas...

*Third the 1642-1705 gap in the afternoon peak.  The #1181 which currently departs Central @ 16:46 to Petrie, should depart at 16:51 stopping an extended all stations to Caboolture.  This puts a 15 min gap between the 16:36 and 16:51 for Caboolture all-stoppers.

Whilst this would narrow the gap for stations Petrie to Caboolture, it would increase the gap for travellers to Petrie. However the gap would only be 15mins (which personally I think is the max acceptable gap for inner suburban services). If it does not cause overcrowding from the additional passengers this may be a workable option.

I'm aware I've slightly enlarged the gap a bit for Virginia to Petrie, it would narrow the gap beyond Petrie.  Besides, the current Petrie all-stoppers in the 16:30-17:00 is really a fully seated load with little to no standees (less standees than the 16:25, 16:34 and the 16:36)  Having rode on a few of those services, the train usually starts emptying from Zillmere onwards.  I'm sure the extra extended Caboolture service may bring a few extra standees, but won't be that crammed at first.

*Fourth, the 16:06-16:36 services including #1L09 to Nambour.  Currently it's a mess, and theres a 17 min gap between 16:06 (all-stations) and 16:23 (express).  Or it could be said its a 19 minute gap if you take the 16:25 (Petrie all-stations) into account.  This can be solved by.
-A new afternoon peak Petrie all-stations train inbetween 16:06 and 16:23, say departing Central around 16:15ish.
-The (#1175) 16:25 Petrie all-stations is extended to Caboolture, stopping all-stations.
-The (#1L09) 16:34 Nambour express, is renumbered (#TL09), will now run express from Bowen Hills to Caboolture non-stop, and is to be serviced by a 6-car IMU (Northgate, Petrie stops removed from this service).
-The Northgate/Petrie passengers on the #1L09 will have many alternative options of catching either the 16:06, 16:15 (suggested new train), 16:23 (express), 16:25 and 16:36.

The 16:34 Nambour express usually has most seats full, and few standing passengers. Pretty much optimum loading. By running it express to Caboolture it would be moving more air than passengers, and would be increasing the passenger load of the other services around that time. The other problem is that the now super express 16:34 would get stuck behind the 16:25 now extended to Caboolture, and trundle rather slowly between Petrie and Caboolture - a bit pointless really!

The reason why the 1634 Nambour is altered to a larger express is for a few reasons, one of them is to re-allocate a IMU (with toilets) to a interurban peak run, and also to spread the Petrie loading out to other services.  I'm aware that many passengers get off at Petrie, but the 16:25 Petrie service before, and the 16:36 Caboolture all-stoppers are also of the same load as the 1634 Nambour service (full seated-few standees), it wouldnt hurt moving the 1634 Petrie load off this train to a extended-1625 or 1636.   As a compromise I'd suggest to keep the Northgate stop on the 16:34, setting down/picking up Northgate passengers and/or picking up any ex-Shorncliffe passengers (if any at all).

Also regarding the 16:25 and 16:34 clashing between Petrie and Caboolture, there is already partial triplication at Narangba, the 1625 may have to be slightly delayed at Narangba for the 16:34 Nambour express to pass. 
(Edit: Also to add, the track between Petrie and Caboolture are both bi-directional, and 'wrong' road running is common in the afternoon peak, with the 17:16 Nambour 'super express' service (which is generally scheduled as a 6-car IMU) overtaking a Caboolture suburban service on the wrong road at Burpengary every weekday evening)

Seeing the Nambour 6-car EMU service cross a Redbank train which is a 6-car IMU seems wrong.  Hence, a re-allocation of the IMU to the 16:34, since the current service turns back as a return revenue service to Brisbane before stabling at Mayne (as suggested before, The evening return service from Nambour could continue as a late night Robina service and stable overnight at Robina before doing Airport services the next day).

*I'll have a review over the 2 morning runs suggestions later when i go over the current scheduling.

[Arnz]

Hi Stephen, getting onto your replies of the morning suggestions.

The first idea would:
1) Create a longer gap for passengers from Petrie, especially worse for those who travel in from Bald Hills to Virginia.
2) The addition of extra passengers could overcrowd this service
3) It would delay the 07:00 ex-Caboolture by 5 mins.

Acknowleged that extra passengers by extending the train could cause crowding issues.  In regard to the 640-700 gap at Caboolture, a suggestion could be done by introducing the extra service at 6:50, but this service would be operating express Strathpine to Bowen Hills, stopping Northgate and Eagle Junction.  The suggested new 0650 train would take a bit of pressure off the 0657 express from Nambour.  The 0650 ex-Caboolture express would overtake the 0705 ex-Petrie all-stops service after Bald Hills on either the middle or down tracks.

The second idea:-
1) Would arrive at Petrie around the time that 08:11 ex-Petrie would be departing.
2) Merging it into the same service may cause overcrowding depending on the services existing loading. Making the additional ex-Caboolture train run later would mean that it couldn't run express. Running the additional ex-Caboolture train earlier would only be able to run express for shorter distances as it would catch up with the all-stations ahead of it.

Secondly my mistake regarding the second morningpeak gap ex-Caboolture. The gap is actually 743-807 (24 minutes). 

The altered suggestion - The extra 'gap train would leave Caboolture at 755, arrive Petrie at 815.  Run express Petrie to Northgate (overtaking the 811 ex-Petrie on the middle or down tracks around Zillmere).  This train will then stop all-stations Northgate to Roma Street.

The earlier 0743 ex-Caboolture (stopping pattern altered) would run express Northgate to Bowen Hills stopping Eagle Junction, so to arrive just a few minutes earlier than the 0755 ex Caboolture train and not have the 0755 overtake them after Northgate.  The 0755 Caboolture train will service pax between Nundah and Albion, and also that there are already many other peak trains ex-Shorncliffe/Airport/Doomben on the Eagle Junction-Albion corridor.

[stephenk]

the track between Petrie and Caboolture are both bi-directional, and 'wrong' road running is common in the afternoon peak, with the 17:16 Nambour 'super express' service (which is generally scheduled as a 6-car IMU) overtaking a Caboolture suburban service on the wrong road at Burpengary every weekday evening)

Whilst this is very useful, as soon as 15min off-peak and reverse peak services start running, then overtaking using the second track will be rather difficult.