Keperra to Ferny Grove Rail Upgrade

[ozbob]

It looks like the plans might be to do away with the express services, introduce two more morning and am peak services and do nothing else.

Shocker ...  so much for the forth coming timetable consultations  ... lol

[Golliwog]

I missed that part of the article when I read it the other day. I can only hope its a miss quote or something. I understand that in peak units are stretched a bit thin so wasn't really expecting anything massive, but I was expecting them to spread the services a bit more evenly, plus 4tph off peak.

[aldonius]

I'm intrigued by the 399 capacity quote in the article [NW News 29/06]. How on earth are they getting a capacity of 1575 - assuming the bus fills and empties entirely at each stop?
250 pax is actually pretty good, given that it's four (feeder) services per day.

[somebody]

I'm intrigued by the 399 capacity quote in the article [NW News 29/06]. How on earth are they getting a capacity of 1575 - assuming the bus fills and empties entirely at each stop?
250 pax is actually pretty good, given that it's four (feeder) services per day.

79 pax on each of 4 weekday tips over the week would reach 1576.

It's 50 pax per day.  Still not that bad given the service.

[colinw]

It looks like the plans might be to do away with the express services, introduce two more morning and am peak services and do nothing else.

Shocker ...  so much for the forth coming timetable consultations  ... lol

Just like Salisbury to Kuraby.  We got sod all extra trains, and a service minutes slower than in the 1990s.  All with beautiful shiny new stations and extra tracks, even some increased speed limits (e.g. the 80km/h on the curve at Runcorn near Bradken became 100 km/h).

[aldonius]

Oh, brain fail. I read "per week" as "per day".

[somebody]

Carries on the 'tradition' of grand structures but very little in the way of service improvement ... LOL

Is it a suitable topic for a media release?

[O_128]

With 2 tracks there is no excuse for not running 5 minutes in peak and 10 minutes off peak.. Where else but Queensland.

[Golliwog]

Carries on the 'tradition' of grand structures but very little in the way of service improvement ... LOL

Is it a suitable topic for a media release?

I think maybe, but before going in guns blazing I'd want to clarify things a bit first. Is it actually only a small peak service improvement? Is it only a small improvment because there aren't enough units to do better, or is it actually just that they can't be bothered?

[somebody]

With 2 tracks there is no excuse for not running 5 minutes in peak and 10 minutes off peak.. Where else but Queensland.

There aren't enough CBD paths for 5 minutes peak.  Even if there were, there aren't enough trains.

[BrizCommuter]

Carries on the 'tradition' of grand structures but very little in the way of service improvement ... LOL

Is it a suitable topic for a media release?

I think maybe, but before going in guns blazing I'd want to clarify things a bit first. Is it actually only a small peak service improvement? Is it only a small improvment because there aren't enough units to do better, or is it actually just that they can't be bothered?

But who are you expecting to get one of those answers from? The Queensland Government, TransLink, and QR are not known for their transparency. Even writing to relevant Government ministers results in replies with little information.

With 2 tracks there is no excuse for not running 5 minutes in peak and 10 minutes off peak.. Where else but Queensland.

Due to inner city capacity constraints, the FG line unlikely to get more than 8tph peak anyway (probably every 6-9mins). At this time asking for any better off-peak than every 15 mins would be asking too much. Unfortunately, it's increasingly looking like we are not even going to get that.

[Golliwog]

Today, Project Update No.5 was delivered, with lots of artist's impressions of the new station building. Not online yet.
It's cool architecture and all, but I'd still prefer not having to wait there.

It's online now. http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/NetworkServices/SEQIP/CurrentProjects/KeperratoFernyGrove/Documents/K2FG_Newsletter_5%20FINAL%20JUNE%2011.pdf

[p858snake]

Not liking the idea of the tavern backing to arbor street, although has here been to the tavern (when it was around) and know what it was like at closing time?

[O_128]

The station names a bit contradictory, After all that parking has gone in I dont think there will be many ferns left  , hopefully in the future highrise can go ontop of it.

[p858snake]

The station names a bit contradictory, After all that parking has gone in I dont think there will be many ferns left  , hopefully in the future highrise can go ontop of it.

Has ferny ever been that ferny? the only leafy plant I know that was growing around there was that of a illegal nature that was growing in/around the creek bed behind the school a few years ago.....

[Golliwog]

The station names a bit contradictory, After all that parking has gone in I dont think there will be many ferns left  , hopefully in the future highrise can go ontop of it.

Has ferny ever been that ferny? the only leafy plant I know that was growing around there was that of a illegal nature that was growing in/around the creek bed behind the school a few years ago.....

It's always been down in that creek bed or up on the hill behind it. Hell, I remember finding some back in 03 or 04.

[aldonius]

I once heard that the area was named for a picturesque gully, which contained real, actual ferns... and became part of the (former) tip.

[mufreight]

I once heard that the area was named for a picturesque gully, which contained real, actual ferns... and became part of the (former) tip.

Right on the mark young fellow. 

[Golliwog]

Mitchelton to Ferny Grove track closure from 7.30pm tomorrow until last service Sunday. As part of this, the level crossing on Arbor St is again going to be closed, with the usual diversions going around past the police station.

[Golliwog]

Came home on the train not too long ago. There were announcements on my train to and from the City about the closure. There were also two track machines parked at Mitchelton on the siding next to the platforms. At least one of them was a tamper.

EDIT:
Meant to also add that works are going well between Keperra and FG. They're widening the flat part of the corridor starting at either end and working in. Some massive half buried granite boulders at the Keperra end. I think you would need to close the line to get them out. The culvert/retaining walls are coming along nicely as well. One looks to have most of the reo in place and the other seemed to further progressed with some cladding still inplace and some with cladding removed.

[Golliwog]

Went to have a sticky beak a little while ago. They've got the 2nd track across the Arbor St crossing, it ends just before the bus interchange. Couldn't quite make it out but I think they have put in the diamond crossing and a bit of track past it. Not sure when the next closure is, but that should get them across Samford Rd.

[railguy83]

Yes, the diamond is in! Progress on the duplication is very promising currently, however when is work going to start on the station?

[Golliwog]

Meant to put this up earlier. Of the two culverts+retaining walls between Keperra and FG one is now all but finished. They were filling in behind it with the spoil they have collected in the corridor from various excavations. Some of the big boulders have been shifted as well, but theres still one that must have a large portion of it still buried.

[Golliwog]

They have now finished up the culvert between Samford Rd and Arbor St with ballast having been put on top, ready for the tracks being put across Samford Rd.

Within the corridor itself they're now shifting the soil they've been storing in it around. Some is going in behind the two culverts which look nearly finished, and some is being piled higher up ontop of the rest of it to provide space for the extra track/site access.

As yet, still no work has proceeded at the station itself, though a number of signs have now gone up with the artists impressions of the new design. They've also added a sign reminding passengers to touch on and off above the go card readers.

[Golliwog]

Much of the corridor between Keperra and FG is prepared for ballasting and track laying. Theres still some work going on in the middle of the section with some sparkies digging a trench.

They've now placed in a number of the posts for the overhead wires, and the track has been laid right up to the edge of Samford Rd. They also have assembled (at least mostly) a set of points near Keperra, and from the look of them it means they will be setting it up to have a crossover just past Keperra. There is still some rocks and soil to be shifted from within the corridor, but most is gone.

I suppose we'll see what they get done this weekend, but they certainly seem to be pushing to get the duplication finished ASAP. Still no work has started on the new platforms.

[ozbob]

Thanks for the updates Golli.  The platforms can be constructed very rapidly these days, platform 3 at Oxley was virtually built over one weekend, similarly platform 4 Darra.

[colinw]

The platforms can be constructed very rapidly these days.

Unless they happen to be at Ellen Grove.    In which case they can't be built and will have to be retrofitted later at great expense.

[SurfRail]

Thanks for the updates Golli.  The platforms can be constructed very rapidly these days, platform 3 at Oxley was virtually built over one weekend, similarly platform 4 Darra.

Is that an endorsement or an indictment Bob?  I've seen platform 3 at Oxley... 

[ozbob]

Neither, just a statement of fact ...   

[p858snake]

Is there a reason the closure is starting at 7:30 compared to last service? I would have imagined that services around that time are still busyish with business people and those going out.

[ozbob]

Is there a reason the closure is starting at 7:30 compared to last service? I would have imagined that services around that time are still busyish with business people and those going out.

Not sure definitely but probably is based on the projected works during the closure and the estimate of time needed.  Some weekends on the Ippy when  Corinda / Darra etc was being done it could be from say 7.30pm on the Friday, other times from first service Saturday AM.  Just depends on what they have planned to do during the closure and time estimates to safely complete.

[somebody]

I can't remember the last time CityRail did a close down affecting Friday evening trains.  FWIW.

[Golliwog]

As far as I can remember, all the recent FG line shut downs have started at 7.30pm on a Friday. May just be something to do with the project?

[Golliwog]

Thanks for the updates Golli.  The platforms can be constructed very rapidly these days, platform 3 at Oxley was virtually built over one weekend, similarly platform 4 Darra.

True. To be honest though, I'm not overly concerned about when they start on the upgraded platform, they should be able to run the stage 2 timetables (if they ever organise them) without the new platforms once they do the duplication, the only single track section that would remain until the station was completed would be across Arbor St, which would be easily manageable.

[somebody]

As far as I can remember, all the recent FG line shut downs have started at 7.30pm on a Friday. May just be something to do with the project?

I think more to do with the culture of QR/TMR.

[Golliwog]

As far as I can remember, all the recent FG line shut downs have started at 7.30pm on a Friday. May just be something to do with the project?

I think more to do with the culture of QR/TMR.

How do you figure? None of the other recent line shutdowns for other lines have started at 7.30pm on a Friday night.

[somebody]

There have been several shutdowns on Friday nights though.  CityRail would be more likely to do a 3 week close down, which is the sort of thing that they have done starting Boxing Day.

[Golliwog]

In my opinion though, shut downs that are not in off-peak periods should be avoided like the plague, and only done if absolutely necessary.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Maybe they were moving and positioning equipment ready to be in place for deliveries during the night so they can maximise the available daylight and to knock out the smaller jobs quicker before focusing resources on the bigger projects

iirc the track was loaded and stored in the Clapham yards on Friday. Track machines moved onto the Ferny Grove line during the night. Prepping and setting up for track and sleeper placement started. Rails were moved first to the Ferny Grove line very very early Saturday morning through the inner city. Left and returned to Clapham via Tennyson at 7 in the morning. Track balast from Clapham was then moved. More track machines followed.

[Golliwog]

They also already had 2 track machines out at Ferny Grove on Friday morning, stored on the short section of duplication.