Robina to Varsity Lakes

[stephenk]

Agree there are higher priorities than infill stations on the Gold Coast Line, although preserving the sites makes sense. I vote extending the light rail to Helensvale station before infill stations or any extensions beyond Varsity Lakes are implemented.

Certainly, extending the light rail to Helensvale is a no brainer, and it should have been built as part of the 1st phase. I do think that some infill stations may be soon required in areas where there is a lot of development such as Yatala. In other locations, feeder buses to existing stations could delay the need for infill stations.

[somebody]

Are trains allowed to run through platforms at 140km/h?

Pretty sure the Acela train in NE USA does it at significantly more than that, by the way.

Agree there are higher priorities than infill stations on the Gold Coast Line, although preserving the sites makes sense. I vote extending the light rail to Helensvale station before infill stations or any extensions beyond Varsity Lakes are implemented.

Certainly, extending the light rail to Helensvale is a no brainer, and it should have been built as part of the 1st phase. I do think that some infill stations may be soon required in areas where there is a lot of development such as Yatala. In other locations, feeder buses to existing stations could delay the need for infill stations.

Would extending the Beenleigh trains to Yatala make more sense?  Yatala seems to be largely an industrial suburb, with a few houses, so I doubt too many walk up pax.

[WTN]

I've seen some stations have 80-100km/h speed boards just outside the platform area, so it's not all 140km/h.  There's even a small section nowadays between Ormeau and Coomera (near an overpass) that has yellow boards saying "SLOW" with 25 under it.  I thought it was strange to have 130-140km/h trains slowing or pausing between stations.

I wonder if anyone from the Gold Coast would work at Yatala.

[stephenk]

Are trains allowed to run through platforms at 140km/h?

Pretty sure the Acela train in NE USA does it at significantly more than that, by the way.

Trains can run through platforms in the UK at 160km/h. But this is Australia. Different country, different rules, (and slower trains).

[mufreight]

V Line operate their Vlocity sets through some stations on theit network at speeds of up to 160kph

[somebody]

I assume not EVERY Gold Coast train will stop at every new station - but in-fill stations will allow many more residents to access the train line, provide new locations for car parks and bus interchanges, and generally service the strip development between Beenleigh and the coast.

The idea that everyone on the GC line is necessarily heading for Brisbane as fast as possible may be true at present, but the line should be viewed as more than a commuter route in competition with the Pacific Motorway.    If you can get locals on to the train, travelling between neighbouring TODs, for school and shopping trips as well, then this makes this 200 mile city of ours more viable than it currently is.

Infill stations are of very marginal benefit to Park and Ride & bus connecting pax.  The only people who would get much out of them are walk up pax, and there aren't too many of them.

[Derwan]

Having a look though, where a train approaches the station from what is presumably called the Up line, there is the option to remain on the Up line or switch to the Down line just before arriving at the station.

Where the train continues on the Up line and the end-change occurs, there doesn't appear to be a way for it to switch to the Down line for its journey north.  I scrolled a fair way along the line to find something - but couldn't.  I assume there's something around Robina but it seems weird that a train would travel so far on the "wrong" road before switching.

Can anyone see a means to switch from Up to Down when heading north?

I was just looking at the network diagram.  The switch from Up to Down for trains heading towards the city is over 3km from Varsity - just a few hundred metres short of Robina.

This isn't very flexible and could create issues.  (Imagine if there are delays in the evening peak and trains are queued to get to Varsity.)

Why wouldn't they just put a switch near Varsity?   

[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
13/12/2009

Gold Coast rail extension opens six months ahead of schedule

Premier Anna Bligh has joined local residents for a trip on the new $324 million Robina to Varsity Lakes rail extension six months ahead of schedule.

"This is the first rail extension on the Gold Coast since the 8.7 kilometre Nerang to Robina track extension was completed in 1998," said Premier Anna Bligh.

"The Gold Coast population has boomed and this rail line has become one of the busiest on the rail network.

"After more than two and a half years construction and one and a half million working hours, this project will open six months ahead of schedule

"My government is delivering on its commitments to the Gold Coast."

Ms Bligh said the project involved building 4.1km of new track from Robina to a new station at Varsity Lakes, including a 300-metre tunnel, three new road-over-rail bridges and 3.2 km of new roads in and around Varsity Lakes station.

The project created approximately 2300 jobs during design and construction.

Ms Bligh said the $25 million Varsity Lakes station featured some of the most modern latest train station designs in Australia.

"We have turned a wasteland into a valuable community asset, removing more than a million tonnes of waste from the former landfill site to create the station," Ms Bligh said.

"This building has an open, modern design and many environmentally sustainable elements. It is partially powered by solar energy and features natural lighting and ventilation.

"Underneath the building are two large rainwater tanks to collect roof water for use on the station's gardens and bathrooms.

"The new station has lift and stair access onto a high-level platform, which provides easy access for entering and exiting trains.

"Other features include a 300-bay commuter car park, a bus interchange with a covered walkway to the station, bike lockers, drop-off zone, taxi rank and security coverage."

Ms Bligh said the new timetable effective from tomorrow would deliver an extra 868 passenger seats each weekday.

"From tomorrow, there will be an extra morning and afternoon peak-hour service each weekday, taking the total number of inbound morning peak services to eight and outbound afternoon peak services to nine.

"Residents of the Gold Coast will reap the rewards of this magnificent new station and better public transport connections when services start tomorrow."

The Varsity Lakes station site will be the centrepiece of the future Varsity Station Village.

Minister Nolan said the 14-hectare Varsity Station Village was the first project of its kind in South East Queensland, combining the delivery of a new train station with government-led land development.

"The master plan for the village has been finalised and is being made into a local area plan by Gold Coast City Council," Ms Nolan said.

"We expect to go to the market in the first quarter of 2010 to obtain expressions of interest for development of the site."

Ms Nolan said the project included improving access from the Pacific Motorway to the suburb of Varsity Lakes, as well as the local road network around Varsity Lakes Station.

"By building the road and rail works together, construction impacts on local residents were minimised," Ms Nolan said.

"Exit 85 of the Pacific Motorway has been upgraded to provide safer and easier access to Varsity Lakes. A new road called Stapley Drive from Exit 85 allows residents direct access into the area or to the station. The new road includes a pedestrian and cycle path so people can also walk or cycle to the new station.

"This is a great example of government agencies cooperating to improve infrastructure for the community's benefit."

QR staff will be welcoming commuters with a free breakfast and live radio broadcast tomorrow at Varsity Lakes Station to celebrate the launch of the new services.

The Robina to Varsity Rail Extension Project is part of the Queensland Government's $124 billion South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program 2009-2026.

"This infrastructure plan will manage growth and protect our lifestyle. As part of the plan, more than $30 billion has been committed to plan and build a better rail network over the next 20 years," Ms Nolan said.

==============================================================

[O_128]

Its dissapointing no pedestrian bridge was built over the highway which means a huge iconvienience for resisdents living only 200m away

[somebody]

What planet is Anna Bligh from?  The Gold Coast line is one of the least busy lines on the network, if peak patronage is anything to go by.  Only the Doomben line has less pax.

[mufreight]

No doubt a pedestrian bridge will be built if there is enough angst expressed but that will be years down the track and by then the set up costs to build it will in all probability be at least double what it would have cost to build it now as part of the current works and the actual cost of the bridge will have blown out by at least a further 25% per year on what the actual cost of construction would have been to have done it now.
So much for the future planing of the current government.
As for the statement by Premier Bligh that the Gold Coast line is one of the most heavily patronised, can anyone name anything else that the Premier's spin doctors have got right, out of touch and uninformed would best describe the knowledge of the Premier on public transport issues, methinks she would be more concerned with a mutiny on the sinking ship of state having sold off all the lifebelts.

[Arnz]

What planet is Anna Bligh from?  The Gold Coast line is one of the least busy lines on the network, if peak patronage is anything to go by.  Only the Doomben line has less pax.

GC Line would still be ahead of Nambour-Gympie, Rosewood, Doomben and Tennyson (in that order).  Tennyson and Doomben would be at the bottom 2 if i recall correctly.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Robina-Varsity Lakes rail extension state's most expensive

Robina-Varsity Lakes rail extension state's most expensive
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Greg Stolz

December 14, 2009 12:00am

QUEENSLAND'S newest rail link, which has opened on the Gold Coast, is also the state's most expensive - costing a staggering $300 million for 4.1km of track.

The Robina to Varsity Lakes rail extension, which includes a new $25 million station, cost only $50 million less than the entire Brisbane-Gold Coast line which opened in 1998.

Opening the Varsity Lakes station yesterday, Premier Anna Bligh talked up her controversial asset sell-off as a possible way of fast-tracking the long-awaited Robina-Coolangatta rail extension.

But she refused to commit to a firm timetable for the project, which has been estimated to cost at least $1.8 billion, or $86 million a kilometre.

Ms Bligh said the Varsity Lakes station, which opened six months ahead of schedule, had been expensive due to geotechnical issues. The project included a 300m tunnel.

She said the Coolangatta extension was scheduled for "the middle of the 2020s" but would not give a timetable for the next stage, to Elanora.

"Over the next 15 years, we will see the rail line, in phases, go all the way to the border," she said.

"If we can bring it forward, that's what I'll be doing."

Ms Bligh said the sell-off of assets including Queensland Rail's freight operations, which has enraged unions, would allow the Government to focus on passenger rail projects like the Robina-Coolangatta extension.

[somebody]

What planet is Anna Bligh from?  The Gold Coast line is one of the least busy lines on the network, if peak patronage is anything to go by.  Only the Doomben line has less pax.

GC Line would still be ahead of Nambour-Gympie, Rosewood, Doomben and Tennyson (in that order).  Tennyson and Doomben would be at the bottom 2 if i recall correctly.

I suppose not counting the Sunshine Coast line would be particularly unfair.  Still, it just shows how ignorant and apathetic our premier is about rail.

[Jon Bryant]

Forgive my scepticisim but I think the TMR and Treasury need to conduct a benchmarking exercise to make sure that the construction of these rail lines is providing value for money, using leading practice procurement techniques and learning form all rail line contruction around Australia/globally as a whole.

EDIT: This link provides a good run down on various construction costs. http://melbpt.wordpress.com/rail-construction-costs/ A quick read says that something is not right with $300M for 4.1km.

Is it more cost effective ($ per kilometre) to do longer extension/new lines?  If it is then longer contruction projects should be catered for.

Lots of other questions?

[O_128]

Forgive my scepticisim but I think the TMR and Treasury need to conduct a benchmarking exercise to make sure that the construction of these rail lines is providing value for money, using leading practice procurement techniques and learning form all rail line contruction around Australia/globally as a whole.

EDIT: This link provides a good run down on various construction costs. http://melbpt.wordpress.com/rail-construction-costs/ A quick read says that something is not right with $300M for 4.1km.

Is it more cost effective ($ per kilometre) to do longer extension/new lines?  If it is then longer contruction projects should be catered for.

Lots of other questions?

i would guess that to go elanora would have only added a few months to the total and maybe an extra 200million

[longboi]

^^

That is prime example of why the next stage should be all the way to Coolangatta.

[ozbob]

Opening day of revenue service to Varsity Lakes click --> here!