Article: Commuters call for fast track to city

[ozbob]

From the Queensland Times click here!

Commuters call for fast track to city

Commuters call for fast track to city

Rob Lockyear | 30th March 2009

LOCAL business leaders and frustrated Ipswich line commuters sick of life in the slow lane want express train services direct to Brisbane CBD.

An Ipswich Chamber of Commerce survey found many Ipswich commuters wanted the service because they did not disembark until Brisbane CBD.

Exhausted Ipswich commuter Rebecca Stone said she had to wake up at 4.30am to make it to Brisbane on time.

She said she had little option but to make the 55-minute train journey because driving on the choked motorway took longer than the train.

?It would almost be worth driving except it is so hard to park in the city,? she said.

?It gets you so tired.?

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said express services were absolutely essential for Ipswich but they could only come on line when the State Government completed proposed track expansion.

He said the extra services introduced this year helped alleviate the morning commuter crush but Ipswich's booming population would rapidly swallow up the space.

?It is only just coping now,? he said.

Mr Dow said instead of extra services the government should focus its attention on expanding track capacity.

?There is room to do it, it is just a question of money and doing it,? he said.

But new Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said while desirable, a dedicated express train was not likely.

?That is probably the most expensive (option) because you would have to triplicate tracks all the way,? Ms Nolan said.

Ms Nolan also said Queensland Transport data showed Ipswich commuters accessed the train at many stations on the line and an express service would exclude many rail users down the track.

Tracks between Corinda and Darra are being triplicated to allow partial express services.

[O_128]

Well the beenleigh line can cope with only 2 tracks and that is running more services than the Ipswich line. I have long believed this is necessary on the caboolture,Cleveland and  Ipswich lines beenleigh can be excluded due to it having gold coast services. the other thing is that 15 min off peak would be needed as well. Eg, all stations Caboolture to petrie  express to Bowen hills [though there is nambour i believe this should only stop at caboolture.] next All stations cleveland to manly express to park road [again a third platform at manly and a track duplication is necessary  and last extend Ipswich services to rosewood then have all stations to Ipswich and express to Roma street.

[mufreight]

Nice thought Mario but unfortunately on the Ipswich line untill such time as they have four tracks avaliable for passenger traffic to Darra and three tracks from Darra to at least Dinmore there is simply not enough track capacity,
The Gold Coast line effectively has three tracks as far as Kuraby and relatively little freight movement, (livestock trains to Holmview) as compared with the Ipswich line which has heavy freight traffic including coal and grain traffic which because of the nature of the alignment and their length and weight of the trains are slower and require longer section transit times than passenger trains.
The Ipswich line could be completed as four tracks at less cost than the road works between Darra and Goodna with a number of speed restricted curves being realigned at the same time to reduce running times, but then one must remember that this is the SMART (Ouch that hurts) State.

[Arnz]

Nice thought Mario but unfortunately on the Ipswich line untill such time as they have four tracks avaliable for passenger traffic to Darra and three tracks from Darra to at least Dinmore there is simply not enough track capacity,
The Gold Coast line effectively has three tracks as far as Kuraby and relatively little freight movement, (livestock trains to Holmview) as compared with the Ipswich line which has heavy freight traffic including coal and grain traffic which because of the nature of the alignment and their length and weight of the trains are slower and require longer section transit times than passenger trains.
The Ipswich line could be completed as four tracks at less cost than the road works between Darra and Goodna with a number of speed restricted curves being realigned at the same time to reduce running times, but then one must remember that this is the SMART (Ouch that hurts) State.

Same can be applied to the North Coast Line north of Petrie.  There isnt simply enough capacity due to continual freight trains and traveltrains on the line.  The NCL may be triplicated to Petrie, yes, but north of Petrie it is dual track, then single track north of Caboolture/Beerburrum*

*Beerburrum duplication opening not too far away.

[stephenk]

Commuters call for fast track to city

Rob Lockyear | 30th March 2009

LOCAL business leaders and frustrated Ipswich line commuters sick of life in the slow lane want express train services direct to Brisbane CBD.

An Ipswich Chamber of Commerce survey found many Ipswich commuters wanted the service because they did not disembark until Brisbane CBD.

Exhausted Ipswich commuter Rebecca Stone said she had to wake up at 4.30am to make it to Brisbane on time.

She said she had little option but to make the 55-minute train journey because driving on the choked motorway took longer than the train.

?It would almost be worth driving except it is so hard to park in the city,? she said.

?It gets you so tired.?

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said express services were absolutely essential for Ipswich but they could only come on line when the State Government completed proposed track expansion.

He said the extra services introduced this year helped alleviate the morning commuter crush but Ipswich's booming population would rapidly swallow up the space.

?It is only just coping now,? he said.

Mr Dow said instead of extra services the government should focus its attention on expanding track capacity.

?There is room to do it, it is just a question of money and doing it,? he said.

But new Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said while desirable, a dedicated express train was not likely.

?That is probably the most expensive (option) because you would have to triplicate tracks all the way,? Ms Nolan said.

Ms Nolan also said Queensland Transport data showed Ipswich commuters accessed the train at many stations on the line and an express service would exclude many rail users down the track.

Tracks between Corinda and Darra are being triplicated to allow partial express services.

Another case of people living a long way from work, and then wondering why it takes them a long time to get to work. Everyone wants an express service from their station!

Thankfully Rachel Nolan's latter comments are sensible.

A revamped timetable and sufficient trains/crew could provide the best of both worlds, making use of the 4 tracks from Corinda to Milton. The main tracks could be used to run regular Ipswich/Redbank to City trains running express from Corinda(ish), stopping only at key stations such as Indooropilly. The suburban tracks could run regular all stations services from Richlands/Darra/Corinda.

An example would be Ipswich/Redbank - City expresses every 8 mins, and Richlands/Darra/Corinda-City all stations every 8 mins. The services would alternate through the city, at combined 4 min frequency/15tph. I doubt the main tracks through the city would be able to handle much more than 15tph.

Well the beenleigh line can cope with only 2 tracks and that is running more services than the Ipswich line.

Actually during the am peak the Beenleigh/Gold Coast Line runs 12tph, and the Ipswich Line runs 13tph.

[ozbob]

Yes, two tier timetables are the way to go (see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1942.0 )

I actually stressed limited express services in this pattern but didn't come through in the article.

Still we got in the need for track capacity ...

Triplication from Darra to Redbank is on the SEQIP.   It might be better to go through to Dinmore, and extend the quad from Darra to Wacol.

[david]

I believe that there should be more express services running express from Darra to Roma Street, like the 7:05am ex Ipswich, in peak hour. This would provide a much quicker service for Ipswich commuters and has proven to be popular, with the aforementioned service always near capacity leaving Darra.

Stations between Darra and Roma Street can be serviced by either Redbank/Darra to City all-stations services. However, a major reworking of the current timetable would be needed and that's something I can't see happening anytime too soon (at least until Richlands opens...).

[skippy]

There is capacity to introduce some semi-express services on the Ipswich line. Firstly some ground rules regarding level of service for all stations.

In the peak suggest
?   15 minute max interval at all stations (except max 30 mins beyond Ipswich to Rosewood)
?   Passengers transferring from express to all stations eg. Redbank waiting less than 5 mins 
?   One express stopping pattern
?   Consistent clockface ?memory? timetables

Government would like to see
?   12 trains an hour (matching existing a.m. peak hour)
?   No additional train operating costs
?   Express trains stopping enough stations to fill the train
?   Best use of the existing track configuration
?   A service pattern that could be increased to say 18 trains an hour

Using the above, there could be 3 types of service

Type 1 (every 15 mins during peak, alternate services commence from Rosewood)
Ipswich / Rosewood all stations to Redbank
then stopping only at
Darra (Springfield interchange)
Oxley (Bus transfers)
Corinda (Sth Brisbane interchange + private schools)
Indooroopilly (private schools + shopping centre)
Toowong (Uni of Qld transfers)
Roma St, Central, Fortitude Valley, Bowen Hills

Runs on express tracks between Darra and Milton

Service Type 2 (every 15 mins during peak)
Redbank to city all stations
Runs on suburban tracks between Darra and Milton

Service Type 3 (every 15 mins during peak)
Richlands / Springfield to city all stations
Runs on suburban tracks between Darra and Milton

The timetable is an example of what could be implemented, arriving CBD say between 6:45 and 8:45am once the Corinda to Darra project is completed.

Rosewood     6:56               
all stations to                  
Ipswich        7:16         7:31      
all stations to                  
Redbank        7:30       7:35   7:45      7:50
Goodna         exp       7:38    exp      7:53
Gailes         exp       7:41    exp      7:56
Wacol         exp       7:43    exp      7:58
      Richlands                Richlands   
Darra        7:40      7:40    7:47   7:55   7:55   8:02
Oxley        7:43      7:43    7:50   7:58   7:58   8:05
Corinda        7:46      7:46    7:53   8:01   8:01   8:08
Sherwood      exp      7:48    7:55    exp   8:03   8:10
Graceville         exp      7:50    7:57    exp   8:05   8:12
Chelmer         exp      7:52    7:59    exp   8:07   8:14
Indooroopilly 7:52      7:54    8:01   8:07   8:09   8:16
Taringa         exp      7:56    8:03    exp   8:11   8:18
Toowong        7:56      7:59    8:06   8:11   8:14   8:21
Auchenflower exp      8:01    8:08    exp   8:16   8:23
Milton         exp      8:03    8:10    exp   8:18   8:25
Roma St        8:02      8:06    8:13   8:17   8:21   8:28

repeated every half an hour.

Advantages are:
?   Around 10 mins shorter journey time for passengers beyond Redbank
?   All stations services inside Darra departures at 7 / 8 min frequency (At Taringa I currently can wait 10 mins around 8am)
?   4 express services / hour from Ipswich
?   15 min service provided  including Wacol, Gailes, Richlands etc
?   Clockface timetables
?   Ability to increase the service to every 10 mins, giving 18 services per hour

The disadvantage is Ipswich would lose a few services, however passengers would be compensated by the improved journey time. E.g. The 7.24 service from Ipswich (arriving Roma St 8:21) would be deleted, however a person could sleep-in and take the new 7.31 express and arrive 4 minutes earlier than before!

[ozbob]

Welcome Skippy! 

Thanks for your comments.  I will take them along to the next IPSWICH  LINE CRG.

Yes, we have been highlighting the possibility of more limited express services as you outline.  Once the work is finished between Darra and Corinda, and associated works on the main western line, and the Richlands comes into play we are in for some exciting times! 

Regards
Bob