The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[James]

There are reasons why service to the Gold Coast needs to be better than that of the Sunshine Coast. Higher tourist demand, closer to Brisbane (which in turn means more people coming to Brisbane for jobs etc.), larger population etc.

However, the SC line should not have half the frequency and much slower speeds than the GC line. The demand is still there, just suppressed because the service is so terrible. The GC line has a superior express service, superior frequency and superior alignment. With so many factors in favour of the GC line, it is no surprise 5x as many people use it than the SCL.

[mufreight]

The Gold Coast line carries no revenue making traffic (freight) and while there is social benefit in improving the capacity of the Gold Coast line the disparity in funding for infrastructure between the Gold Coast line and the Sunshine Coast line is not justified when the freight tonnages carried on the Sunshine Coast line is considered.
it can be argued that the social benefit of infrastructure spending on the NCL (Sunshine Coast Line) far outweighs any further expenditure on the Gold Coast line and valid argument can be made for immediate upgrades (realignment and duplication) Beerburrum to Nambour and crossing loop extensions Nambour to Gympie North to remove the existing bottleneck on the NCL and enable more freight movements to be taken off the over stressed Bruce Highway.
This infrastructure would give a greater return for each dollar spent than the existing work being carried out on the Gold Coast line if only for freight and not the additional benefits that are long overdue for Sunshine Coast passenger services.

[SurfRail]

It's a moot point now because there is no more work required on the Gold Coast line once Coomera to Helensvale and the extra Robina stabling is done.

[Stillwater]

Are we able to find out whether the SCL duplication business case includes benefits to freight train, cattle train, Tilts and Spirit of Queensland long distance train operations, as well as scheduled passenger trains?  If the focus is Citytrain only, the outcome will be skewed.

[mufreight]

Obviously Surfrail you overlook the extension of the line from Robina to Coolangatta.

[mufreight]

The justifications for infrastructure works on the SCL have been politically skewed in favour of the Gold Coast line for many years and no doubt this will continue to be the case for many years to come regardless of the flavor of the government of the day.  It is a sad fact that passengers vote, freight doesn't and regardless of the economic or social argument passengers win every time unless it is a major new infrastructure needed for bulk export of coal or other minerals, the funding for which would come from the private sector. 

[Stillwater]

There must be some fat in the SCL timetables to allow for dances of trains etc.  For instance, the timetable has the  lunchtime Gympielander heading to Brisbane leaving Woombye at 2.31pm and getting to Palmwoods 13 minutes later at 2.44pm.  The train immediately before gets to Woombye at 1.48pm and proceeds to Palmwoods, where it arrives at 1.52pm (4 mins).  The 4.30pm Brisbane-bound train from Nambour takes four minutes between Woombye and Palmwoods too, according to the timetable.

[Fares_Fair]

Had a chat to Ch 7 Brisbane on behalf of RBoT, about the rail disruption for 6 days to allow for the commissioning of the Moreton Bay Rail Link, during the September school holidays.
A fleet of 200 buses available to transport commuters from Caboolture to Zillmere.
Express buses specifically for Sunshine Coast commuters may run from Elimbah to Toombul (to be confirmed - but has to be south of Zillmere)

Sunshine Coast will get two extra off-peak train services once the MBRL opens.

When the Woombye stabling opens in around late October (guesstimate), it will provide 4 trains southbound to Brisbane and 5 trains northbound from Brisbane for Sunshine Coasters.

This will hopefully bring an end to the ubiquitous 26 week-daily rail buses that comprise 42% of our Sunshine Coast to Brisbane trains, along our debilitated single rail track.
After the pain there will be gain.

[ozbob]

^ thanks FF.  Onwards!   

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> RAIL SHUTDOWN: Commuters face a week of disruption

RAIL services to the Sunshine Coast will be disrupted for a week in the September school holidays, putting pressure on commuters, to allow signal testing ahead of the opening of the Moreton Bay Rail Link.

A fleet of 200 buses will be used to carry passengers between Caboolture and Zillmere, the section of the North Coast Line which will be affected bore six days from September 16.

Transport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said connection of the MBRL to the system would take from 9pm on September 16 (a Friday) until early on September 23 the following Friday.

Rail commuter advocate Jeff Addison said what was telling was that while passenger services would be disrupted diesel engine freight services would not.

Mr Addison said in 2009 the line was closed for four days between Caboolture and Beerburrum but freight continued to operate.

The reason he said was found in a Freedom of Information request which showed Queensland Rail feared negative public impact if it led to food shortages in North Queensland.

Mr Addison said similarly when Nambour's Price Street rail bridge was knocked 30cm out of alignment two years ago the entire structure had been replaced within 24 hours.

He said the critical freight role played by the north coast line demanded its duplication to Nambour to meet the competing demands of commuter traffic.

Queensland Rail will offer express bus services during the six days the line is closed which may get commuters to their places of work earlier than 10.30am which had been the experience in past disruptions.

Mr Addison said QR would not charge for the bus component of the journey from the Coast to Brisbane during the six days the line is closed.

This would result in a 3-4 zone saving which he said was appropriate compensation.

Mr Hinchliffe said problems with an inadequate signalling system which had caused delays to the opening of the $1 billion MBRL had been overcome.

"To connect this line we will need to close the Caboolture line for six days which will be one of the largest rail line closures to ever take place in south-east Queensland," he said.

"We know that this will be a major disruption for commuters who travel between Caboolture and Zillmere on the train line, but it is absolutely critical work to allow us to make this historic rail line a reality for the people of the Moreton Bay region."

Extra station staff will be available at stations and bus connections to assist passengers and temporary timetables will be set.

"We have taken measures to limit the inconvenience for customers however we ask that regular Caboolture line customers take note of this substantial closure and have alternative options in place where possible," Mr Hinchliffe said.

[SurfRail]

Obviously Surfrail you overlook the extension of the line from Robina to Coolangatta.

Nope.  There really isn't much noise being made about that at all.  The focus has moved to expanding the light rail network, which is going to do a lot more for the city economically than heading further south than Varsity Lakes.

I don't want a skerrick of extension further south built unless Cross River Rail and Beerburrum to Nambour happen first. 

The only metropolitan extension I am prepared to support prior to both of these happening is Springfield further towards Ripley, because that doesn't require any extra capacity closer to the CBD.

[Stillwater]

New megacities with no new public transport 

From the Domain website:

Two new mega-suburbs on Sunshine Coast in 12 months as population swells

A new master-planned $3 billion community for 12,000 to 15,000 Sunshine Coast residents was launched on Wednesday as the next step in coping with south-east Queensland's population growth.

Harmony will create 9000 jobs, both full-time and shorter-term contract jobs during its construction and afterwards as the centre is established.

"It's not every day that a $3 billion project commences in the region," Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said
"One that will provide homes to more than 12,000 of the total of 17,000 people who will live in the overall master-planned community at Palmview.  The Coast will benefit hugely from the 9000-plus jobs that will come online as a result."

It is the second-largest new master-planned residential estate for the Sunshine Coast in 12 months meaning homes for an extra 62,000 to 65,000 residents on the Sunshine Coast in a collective $8 billion investment by two property developers.

The former Caloundra South project – now Stockland's $5 billion Aura development – was started in October 2015.

Aura, on Caloundra's southern shoulder, is hoped to eventually be home to 50,000 residents – the size of Gladstone.

It follows comments by respected social geographer Bob Stimson in 2015 that "12 Springfields" were needed to cope with south-east Queensland's population growth, which will add 2.2 million people over the next 25 years.

Springfield is a master-planned community south of Ipswich that was launched in 1992 and now has about 30,000 residents in five suburbs.
Wednesday's announcement by property developers Avid Property Group and the Sunshine Coast Council that the Palmview development would begin after 10 years of talks means new homes for a further 12,000 to 15,000 people.

Another 5000 residents will live in a separate, private development next to Harmony.

The first onsite work will be building Peter Crosby Way into Harmony at Palmview, beside Sippy Downs, Cr Jamieson said on Wednesday.
Building Peter Crosby Way off Claymore Drive at Sippy Downs will take about 12 months.  Peter Crosby is the name of the Palmview farmer whose estate sold 212 hectares of land to allow two Palmview developments to proceed.

"Harmony's main entry road – Peter Crosby Way – will not only service future Harmony residents and those in neighbouring communities, but also pays homage to the site's Crosby family history," he said.

The Queensland government has put in $5 million as a loan, Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said.

"The $5 million committed in loan funding from the state will accelerate the delivery of water and sewerage infrastructure to the development," she said.

Sunshine Coast Council will put in $9 million towards the $18 million to build Peter Crosby Way and a bridge by extending Claymore Drive over Sippy Creek leading into the large new suburb.

What the Harmony development includes
•   4800 to 5000 homes for 12,000 future residents;
•   100 hectares of open space within the 385 hectare site;
•   the Sunshine Coast Environment Council questioned the impact on Eastern Grey kangaroos;
•   a future delivery of a 15,250 square metre "town centre", with higher density living, with mixed retail and small business;
•   a department store in preliminary planning;
•   a future pool is considered.

Avid Property Group general manager Bruce Harper said the property developers aimed to have the development unfold over 15 to 20 years.
Mr Harper said Avid, previously Investa, had taken 10 years to plan the Harmony development and was "thrilled" the project was under way.
The display village for the site would begin in early 2017.

It also adds pressure on state and federal governments to keep pace with infrastructure needed on the Sunshine Coast – as much as the Gold Coast – as the population swells.

The pair of master-planned residential developments are the first two large residential communities in south-east Queensland since the announcement made by former premier Anna Bligh in 2010 of new mega-cities in Ripley and Yarrabilba and Greater Flagstone between Ipswich and Logan.

Before this, only Springfield – which now includes residents in Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Brookwater, Brookwater and Augustine Heights – had been planned for greenfield population growth.

[#Metro]

Ideally, we would have the line in before the people were there. Often this is not the case.

However, more people in an area does strengthen the future case to build PT in that area.

South East Queensland is going the way of the Bay area in California or LA - decentralised region, where multiple city centres are present.

[ozbob]

The case for the rail duplication is now a very strong one.  It should be started tomorrow. 

Sunshine Coast councils and elected political representatives really need to look past the gold plated shovels and at the real infrastructure requirements - is not only transport, but other basics such as water sewerage utilities generally. 

It is a delusion dream world of idealism and fantasy. 

[ozbob]

Two new mega-suburbs for Sunshine Coast in 12 months > https://t.co/ABRM9szbbc via @Domaincomau#qldpol pic.twitter.com/miIzBpdsjR

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 17, 2016

[Stillwater]

Read it and weep ... the sad tale of the SCL duplication

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/aura-new-city-for-50000-on-sunshine-coast-will-rely-on-single-rail-line-20151005-gk1rp5.html

Is it possible to prosecute politicians under he Trade Practices Act for false and misleading advertising?  We can contemplate suing a soap powder manufacturer for not getting our clothes 'whiter than white' (or similar claim), so  why not a pollie who says something will happen yet it doesn't?

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Aura, new city for 50,000 on Sunshine Coast, will rely on single rail line

This single rail line is all that now exists to provide trains to the new city of 50,000 people announced south of Caloundra last week by deputy premier Jackie Trad.

And while those 40,000 to 50,000 residents for the new city of Aura on 2360 hectares are not yet living there, neither are two crucial pieces of Sunshine Coast rail infrastructure promised by three successive governments since 2005.

Those two crucial projects are; adding a second track to the single line between Beerburrum and Landsborough (promised for 2009); and an actual rail line to Caloundra (promised for 2015).

The Sunshine Coast is one of Australia's fastest-growing regions but, despite promises, Southeast Queensland's two newest rail lines went to Richlands (2011); then to Springfield (2013) and out to Kippa-Ring (late 2016).

Not to the Sunshine Coast, despite those promises in 2005 in 2008 by Labor, and 2015 by the LNP.

Anna Bligh's Labor Government in 2009 had promised to add a second line to the rail line between Beerburrum and Landsborough. That never happened.

And in 2005 - before Ms Bligh - Beattie Government's transport minister Paul Lucas promised to build a new rail line to Caloundra – through the new city of Aura – and have it open in 2015.

That never happened either.

And last week deputy premier Jackie Trad confirmed what everyone had known about Stocklands' massive Caloundra South project for 11 years.

"We are witnessing the birth of a new city," Ms Trad said last week.

"There is no doubt this will change the landscape of the Sunshine Coast forever."

This map shows Landsborough train station is adjacent to the new city of Aura, south of Caloundra, on the opposite side of the Bruce Highway.

What do population figures show comparing Sunshine Coast and Springfield?

Rail Back on Track's Sunshine Coast lobbyist Jeff Addison said population growth figures suggested the Sunshine Coast's position for rail projects should have gone ahead before Springfield or the Gold Coast.

"The Sunshine Coast population at the 2013 Census was 335,000 people and it is predominantly a single line track," Mr Addison said.

"The Gold Coast has dual track to service its population and Greater Springfield Area had a population of 24,000 when they built a dual track for it," he said.

"And here we have the population of the Sunshine Coast relying on a predominantly single track from Beerburrum north."

What do residents say?

Gai McFie from Beerburrum says she and grandson Damon can wait for three hours for a train at Beerburrum outside the morning and afternoon peak hours.

Behind the pair, the single rail line runs north to Landsborough and then on to Nambour; ultimately ending in Cairns.

"It simply reduces the number of trains, so we don't get catered for after this (Beerburrum)," Ms McFie said.

"So we are without trains for a significant time.

"In Brisbane the trains are every 15 minutes; here you are waiting half an hour - and in the afternoon - it can be three hours."

Passenger trains north of Beerburrum have to sit and wait on rail sidings for freight trains to pass. It makes services slow, infrequent and interferes with rail freight.

To the immediate east of Landsborough – as this map shows across the Bruce Highway - is the planned city of Aura.

Why isn't the rail infrastructure in place yet?

Andrew Powell has been the state MP for Glasshouse - the state electorate where the extra train line should be added to the single line between Beerburrum and Landsborough – since 2009.

Mr Powell won the seat when Labor's previous MP Carolyn Male shifted to the seat of Pine Rivers because a redistribution made Glasshouse too hard for Labor to win.

Labor had promised the work would go ahead at the 2009 election and the decision not to fund the project still rankles Andrew Powell.

"When I was first elected there was a commitment – including dollars in the budget – for stage two of the Caboolture to Nambour duplication to continue," Mr Powell said.

"That would have seen Beerburrum to Landsborough be worked on – in fact work was continuing in the first couple of weeks after my election," he said.

"They had purchased the corridor through to Nambour and they had contractors on the ground in Beerburrum ready to continue stage two.

"And in a matter of weeks of my election (2009), the project stopped."

"Other than it being on a list of priority infrastructure projects by the Palaszczuk Government, my understanding is that it is not going anywhere at this state because of a lack of state funding commitments," Mr Powell said.

Federal MP Mal Brough has held either Longman (1996 to 2007) or Fisher (since 2013) for almost 15 years, yet he has not been able to apply enough concerted pressure for the project to be finalised.

As the Turnbull Government's new Special Minister of State, he recommended Queensland approach the Turnbull Government's new minister for Cities, Jamie Briggs.

"I believe the new Minister for Cities and the Built Environment, Jamie Briggs, would be interested in understanding the project and the State Government's plan," he said.

What do experts say?

Jeff Addison has met deputy prime minister Warren Truss, Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and former premier Campbell Newman to press the case.

"Certainly the priority is to duplicate the rail corridor for Beerburrum through to Landsborough," Mr Addison said.

"The main overall benefit of duplicating the rail line – and ultimately - through to Nambour would be it would take semi-trailers off the road.

"(Then infrastructure minister) Anthony Albanese in his (2009) Economic Stimulus Report said one 1500-metre freight train can take 100 semi-trailers off the road, making the road safer and the air cleaner."

The upgrade of the Beerburrum to Landsborough section is already eligible for federal funds because it is an important freight line, Mr Addison said.

He added the work completed by the LNP before the last state election shows the project is designed, costed and ready to go; what politicians call "shovel ready."

"There is nothing to stop the government from building it, aside from money," he said.

Mr Addison does not decry other regions being able to promote rail improvements for their region, but said blunt facts should now override emotion.

And even in 2016 Springfield (population 8709) and Springfield Lakes (population 22,933) have a population of around one-tenth (31,600) of the Sunshine Coast (340,000), according to Queensland Government statistics.

What does the Queensland Government say?

At the January 2015 state election Campbell Newman's previous state government promised to spend $532 million from the pool of money the LNP hoped to raise by offering to lease ports and power plants to the private sector to extend the new 17 kilometre line from Beerburrum to Landsborough.

The LNP lost the 2015 election largely because most Queenslanders opposed asset sales.

Today the Palaszczuk Labor Government has its eye on the project. The rail upgrade from Beerburrum to Nambour is one of three Queensland existing projects in September 2015 sent to Infrastructure Australia for "prioritisation".

It has listed the Beerburrum to Landsborough section as scheduled to be done by 2021.

Fairfax Media asked the office of Transport Minister Jackie Trad if it was true Brisbane's Cross River Rail – a new link from Brisbane's north side (to and from the Sunshine Coast) to its southside (to and from the Gold Coast) - was needed so extra trains can run from the Sunshine or Gold Coasts to avoid "dead running" ie running without passengers.

Ms Trad's office declined to comment on this issue, pointing out previous governments postponed rail projects north of Beerburrum and, while protecting the rail corridor from Beerwah out to Caloundra, stalled building a rail line.

"The department is currently reviewing the CAMCOS corridor from Beerwah to Caloundra South to ensure the most efficient and effective corridor alignment is protected in light of recent development and land use changes," Ms Trad's office said.

"Former governments decided not to proceed with the project and the previous government did not allocate any funds to improve rail infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast."

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21st August 2016

Sunshine Coast Line rail duplication

Good Morning,

Excellent article in the Brisbanetimes today that tells the sad story of the Sunshine Coast railway line and the failure to duplicate and improve the overall reliability and capacity.

Brisbanetimes --> Aura, new city for 50,000 on Sunshine Coast, will rely on single rail line

We are just enabling even more transport poor car centric dependent modern day slums disguised by development rhetoric and spin, rather than reality.

An earlier media release below, nothing has changed.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

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



Media release 9th May 2016 re-released 21st August 2016

SEQ: Sunshine Coast Line rail duplication
Doing nothing not an option yet that is the plan

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web-based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has called on the State and Federal government to jointly fund Sunshine Coast Line rail track duplication from Beerburrum to Landsborough north in the first instance, then continue onto Nambour.

Jeff Addison, Sunshine Coast Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said;

"There is an imperative for the Federal and Queensland Governments to act swiftly towards construction of dual railway tracks between Beerburrum and Landsborough North, and then onto Nambour."

"Rail freight and long-distance passenger services are right now under threat. The North Coast Line corridor that meanders through the Sunshine Coast is considered to be 'severely under-capitalised' according to a report commissioned for the State Government in February 2015 (2). An accompanying document from the TransLink Infrastructure Investment Committee dated 23 September 2015 (3) says; 'The results of the project identified that there is NO "DO NOTHING" APPROACH if rail is to have a future in this corridor.' "

"The economic benefits of these infrastructure projects are profound! Landsborough to Nambour works would generate $4.57 billion in output generation to the South East Queensland economy over the 7 year construction period, and create 2786 jobs at any one point in time."

"Clearly, it is time the State Palaszczuk government and the Federal Turnbull government prove that they are governing for all Australians. The federal seat of Fairfax in which some of these works occur, was the most marginal seat at the 2013 Federal election (53 vote margin)"
"Upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Line has twice been promised by the State, but the Sunshine Coast is yet to see it built."

"We are also concerned that rail construction standards are being reduced which will further disadvantage rail over road freight. Current duplication completed in April 2009 to Beerburrum, was designed for 160kph speeds. We now know that the intention is to reduce design speeds back to just 100kph, and that's not very competitive against an increasingly congested 110kph Bruce Highway."

"The time for taking the Sunshine Coast for granted is over; the time for action is here."

Contacts:

Jeff Addison
Sunshine Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6647.0

2. North Coast Line Capacity Improvement Study – Final Report by TransLink and the Department of Transport and Main Roads
February 2015 (p100)

3. TransLink submission to the Infrastructure Investment Committee
Submission No. 5.1 (p1) 23 September 2015

[ozbob]

#SunnyCoast Line rail duplication
> https://t.co/sq72ZNWLmt#qldpol
Urgent need @QLDLabor @LNPQLD @QldGreens pic.twitter.com/iRhpjPQFJ6

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 21, 2016

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> LETTER: Forecast gridlock on highway a nightmare

IN REGARDS to your article on the predicted increase in congestion on the Bruce Hwy from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane over the next two years as upgrades are carried out (Daily, August 24) - I commute from Noosa to Brisbane several times a week for work and would love to use public transport.

However, I would need to take one bus and two trains, the trip would last between three-and-a-half to five hours each way and cost me $20.33 each way.

I can drive in 90 minutes for $7.50 in fuel. In peak hour, my trip is 10-30 minutes longer.

I would love Translink to increase express services and drop the cost, not only for the two years of upgrades, but into the long term.

Better for commuters, the environment and the congestion.

CAROLYN STEVENS

Noosa Heads

I WAS stunned to see your front page warning about the future for commuters on the Bruce Hwy.

I know this work is important but surely someone can come up with a way to do it at night or in a way that has least impact.

I drive to Brisbane for work every day and am terrified about what the future holds.

ALLAN JOHNSON

Buderim

[ozbob]

Note well. A 2 track railway used properly can move = 30 lanes of car traffic pax. But need #2tracks #qldpol

>> https://t.co/VQlEiBlOk1

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Media: #2tracks
Doing nothing not an option yet that is the plan ..
> https://t.co/sq72ZNWLmt#qldpol @AnnastaciaMP pic.twitter.com/we3PfZ5oEa

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 27, 2016

[ozbob]

Hey Tim @TimNichollsMP this has to be sorted cobber hey? #2tracks@LNPQLD #qldpol
>> https://t.co/Hf2IBwIpN3

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) August 27, 2016

[Stillwater]

The SCL duplication political debate has become confused because that is where politicians want to take the matter.  It allows everyone to abrogate responsibility.

The state government argues that smaller numbers of travellers use rail on the Sunshine Coast.  Those who do are heroes, for putting up with the inconvenience.  It is a chicken and egg argument.  Their inaction (or action to keep numbers down) allow politicians the comfort to do nothing, even though the advice of the experts is that 'doing nothing is not an option.'  'Build it and they will come' doesn't apply here.  Clearly many more people want to catch the train than are able to, conveniently.

As the letters to the editor show, there is massive pent-up desire and need to use rail back and forth to Brisbane and this will be exacerbated as the cities of Aura and Palmview come on stream.  The jobs for residents of those super-suburbs will not be available on the Sunshine Coast.  That is why doing nothing is not an option.  The trade-off is higher unemployment on the Sunshine Coast.  But, hey, the unemployment benefit is paid by the federal government.  The federal government (i.e we) pays a cost due to state government inaction.

Because people are FORCED to drive, or face journeys of up to five hours, they take to their cars (repeat: they have no alternative) and so they clog the highway.  The solutions government take involve addressing the highway congestion (not rail), as the Bruce Highway works attract federal government funding.  That is money a cash-strapped state government doesn't have.  The incentive is to build more road capacity, not rail capacity.

The argument is more perverse.  The key to unlocking the benefits of faster, more efficient rail travel on the SCL lies with freight rail, not passenger rail.  It is time for the freight and logistics sector to step up here and push the case.  Even the RACQ says SCL duplication is needed.  The QCCI supports it -- the logistics sector must start a publicity campaign to address the imbalance and move the politicians from their 'do nothing' comfort zone.

If the political imperative is to prevail, as it does now, then maybe a conservative government in Canberra could offer some funding to kick-start Beerburrum-Landsborough North duplication, because that would make state Labor feel very uncomfortable.  So, that is in the interests of Tim Nicholls and would help shore up LNP seats on the Sunshine Coast during the approaching state election.

Mr Nicholls needs to act and petition Canberra to commit say $300m to SCL duplication provided the sum is matched by the state government.  Such a federal commitment is entirely consistent with the arrangements applying to the management of the National Transport Network, of which the SCL and the Bruce Highway are components and have equal status.  Since that network has been proclaimed, the railway line north of Caboolture has not received any federal funding.

Labor is going to proclaim sympathy, but won't do anything.  Its position is that the business case is being prepared, albeit slowly.  It will continue to push back the completion of the business case until after the next election, most probably, just so that it can say it would be foolish for the state to commit until such time as the business case is done.  The LNP in Queensland does not have to do anything because it holds the seats on the Sunshine Coast (although Glass House is vulnerable).  It is in Opposition, so can just keep criticising Labor for being a 'do nothing' government without itself committing to doing anything either.  The conservatives in Canberra can say it is a state matter, not requiring federal intervention.  Besides, their priority is Melbourne-Brisbane inland rail.

The big end of town must act, linking its donations to the LNP with action on the SCL.  Pressure on Tim Nicholls locally will cause him to seek help from his Coalition mates in Canberra to put some money on the table which, in turn, will embarrass state Labor to act, and to heed the persistent, coherent and loud advice from transport experts within government that 'doing nothing is not an option'.  Why?, because doing nothing is harming the state economy and threatens to make rail an irrelevancy for all of the state south of Mackay.  Why?, because massive investment in the Bruce Highway is skewing the movement of freight to road, away from rail.

It is so much easier to do nothing, isn't it.

[ozbob]

A real crisis looms.

And still they dance  ....

[ozbob]

Thx @ShannonFentiman @RACQOfficial We just want Fed Govt to co-fund M1 upgrades as per their own policy right here pic.twitter.com/QvJooHQT0W

— Mark Bailey MP (@MarkBaileyMP) September 6, 2016

[ozbob]

^

. @MarkBaileyMP @RACQOfficial Good luck. Look forward to the Sunshine Coast Line upgrade delegation next! ping @Jeffrey_Addison #2tracks

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) September 6, 2016

[Stillwater]

Just in case governments have forgotten, here is the National Transport Network (rail component) in Queensland.

http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/whatis/network/images/QLD_National_Land_Transport_Network_Rail_Corridors_update_2014.pdf

Good policy and good politics for federal government to part fund SCL duplication to Nambour (outside the metropolitan area as per Mr Truss' stipulation).

Re M1 works, the sticking point will be around whether the locations concerned are inside the "metropolitan area".

[tazzer9]

With regards to the woombye stabling yard, Why wasn't the woombye-nambour section realigned and duplicated in the same project. Seems stupid to build something, then rebuild the connection at a later date for a greater cost.   
It also means that alot of the NCL congestion isn't removed because of the single line, and most importantly single platform at woombye has. 

Just the small duplication here might have allowed a counter peak revenue service to get through.

[ozbob]

We tried, believe me, we tried .... for years ... 

[Stillwater]

The state government admits it:  (Quotes from North Coast Line Action Plan).  Like most of these things, there is a plan, but no desire, or money, to implement it.  The following refers to the line north of Nambour mainly.

"The absence of an upgrade strategy for the North Coast Line has been a contributor to its loss of rail volumes and market share.

"The core North Coast Line alignment remains essentially as per its original low developmental standard alignment, with extensive sections of sharp curves restricting train speeds down to 40 kph in places.  The impact of sharp curves on freight trains is magnified due to the braking distance, plus the distance required to accelerate heavy freight trains back up to line speed, in addition to the length of the train. For example a short 300 metre long curve limiting train speeds to 50 kph can have an impact on the speed of a freight train over a distance up to 5 km.

"Freight train scheduling is severely restricted during the passenger peak periods within the Brisbane region Citytrain network, and by the infrastructure maintenance closures required for this network.  The bulk of the signalling and telecommunications equipment along the route is of 1980s and 1990s vintage, and increasingly subject to technical obsolesence and potential for reduced reliability. A program to progressively replace this equipment is required to ensure on-going reliability of the essential train control and communications functionality of the train network.

"If further upgrade of the North Coast Line is not undertaken, it will continue to lose freight volumes, with extra heavy trucks on the Bruce Highway."

Damned by their own words.

See more:

http://www.ranbury.com.au/work/north-coast-line-capacity-improvement-project

SOUTH-EAST QUEENSLAND CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT CONCLUSIONS

Additional peak passenger services are required to meet demand, with the suggested introduction of Landsborough peak period starting services to cater for the predominant demand from the southern Sunshine Coast region and the Maleny region. This would require the extension of the duplication north of Beerburrum to at least Glasshouse Mountains, and desirably to Beerwah or Landsborough.

It would also require an extra turn-back platform at Landsborough, or a separate freight passing loop provided to the north of the Gympie Street level crossing (eliminating the restriction of this level crossing on freight train crosses). Any duplication would likely include re-alignment to at least a 100kph standard, if not to a previously designed 160kph standard. A thru-running freight train time saving of approximately 5 minutes is estimated with this re-alignment, plus time savings associated with not having to use a loop for any train crossings.

Second platforms are desirable at Eudlo and Palmwoods to provide operational and timetabling flexibility. A stabling depot in the vicinity of Nambour is required to reduce impacts of dead-running on corridor capacity on the single line sections. This is currently planned to be located just to the south of Woombye, due to constraints in the Nambour area.

A new stabling depot is also planned at Elimbah to provide additional stabling capacity for growth in Caboolture services and proposed new Landsborough services. The provision of stabling at Kippa Ring as part of the Moreton Bay Rail Link project will also reduce current dead-running pre- and post the weekday peaks, which currently occurs between Mayne and Petrie for the current Petrie services.

These upgrades will help with freight path scheduling and day-of-operations robustness for freight trains on this section, and contribute to the provision of additional usable freight paths on the North Coast Line.

[ozbob]

SEQ: Sunshine Coast Line rail duplication - Doing nothing ... https://t.co/EVUWFAhYqE #qldpol@QLDLabor @LNPQLD pic.twitter.com/bTsJxKreX2

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) September 17, 2016

[Stillwater]

Help please.  Does any member have info about upgrading works on the NCL, specifically regarding crossing loops?  The 2016-17 Queensland Budget includes "$25 million in 2016-17 out of a $100 million total spend to upgrade the capacity of the North Coast rail line to increase the productivity and efficiency of freight transport on the corridor and facilitate growth in demand."

The State Infrastructure Plan, issued March 2016, lists, for the Wide Bay area ... "$31 million for Queensland Rail works at the North Coast Line (South) and Tamaree-Parana re-railing." (Tamaree is north of North Gympie railway station.)

What's all that about?

Reference here: https://www.railpage.com.au/forums?mode=post.single&id=2018239 (line item 6)
Reference here: https://www.railpage.com.au/forums?mode=post.single&id=2018239 (page
Reference here: http://www.udiaqld.com.au/News-Publications/News/Queensland%E2%80%99s-2016-17-budget-outlines-Moreton-Bay-a (item 7)
Reference here: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2016/5516T888.pdf (page 118)

[ozbob]

From QRIG March 2016

From QRIG

FYI

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

News from Queensland's $500-million State Infrastructure Fund announced last week included $95-million for crossing loop capacity upgrades on the North Coast Line...

This upgrade appears to be based on a 2014 report completed by the Ranbury Management Group for running two daily 1350m intermodal services between Brisbane and Townsville in each direction. Crossing loops identified for extensions to 1730m are Mooloolah, Nambour, Pomona, Harvey's Siding, Littabella, Flinders, Baffle, Netley, Benaraby, The Caves, Glen Geddes, Kunwarara, St Lawrence, Mackay, Thoopara, Mookara, Guthalungra and Pioneer. Estimated cost is between $10-million to $12-million per loop.

There are currently 103 CTC controlled crossings loops between Beerburrum and Nome (end of double track from Townsville), 2 0 of which are considered too short or constrained (level crossings) for current 650m freight meets. The North Coast Line currently moves 6-million gross tonnes of intermodal between Brisbane, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, with actual intermodal volumes sitting at 2.972-million tonnes (down from the 2007/2008 peak of 3.8-million tonnes caused by export growth out of the Port of Townsville). Based on rail retaining it's current modal share intermodal tonnages will increase to 4.572-million tonnes in 2026 and 6.065-million tonnes in 2036. Existing single track used capacity varies between 29% and 48% Nambour to Giru, and 62% between Giru and Nome.

The parallel Bruce Highway carries 15-million tonnes of freight between Brisbane and Rockhampton, 10-million tonnes between Rockhampton and Ingham and 5-million tonnes between Ingham and Cairns.

[Stillwater]

  One wonders whether the crossing loop extensions will proceed in the order listed above.  Surely, QR would not extend the Mooloolah loop and then realign the track with duplication, bypassing the extended loop.  Nambour makes sense, but why hasn't that work been scheduled at the same time the railway station is being upgraded?  Pomona station is due for an upgrade too, but only for the platform (together with replacement of existing station platforms at Cooran and Eumundi).

[ozbob]

. @MarkBaileyMP Real shame @QLDLabor stopped the rail duplication Beerburrum to Landsborough in 2009 hey what? #qldpol too little too late?

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) September 18, 2016

^

. @MarkBaileyMP @QLDLabor the Sunshine Coast rail line upgrade has had many business cases .. more delays, more transport failure .. #qldpol

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) September 18, 2016

[Stillwater]

Advice from TransLink to Queensland Infrastructure Investment Committee re North Coast Line:

"There is no 'do nothing' approach if rail is to have a future in this corridor."

www.tmr.qld.gov.au/-/media/aboutus/rti/disclog/2015/135-03794-release_Part1.pdf?

Union submission to State Infrastructure Plan preparation:

"The north-south spine of Queensland's rail freight network is at risk from becoming commercially uncompetitive and collapsing unless it receives urgent investment from the Queensland and Federal Governments, according the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU)."

http://www.rtbu.org.au/urgent_investment_needed_to_keep_north_coast_line_viable

It makes you wonder just how plain the language must be before the state government will act on the Sunshine Coast Line and North Coast Line.     :conf

This is what a key union is telling a Labor Government, and still the government won't listen:

Much of the rail infrastructure on the NCL is becoming near asset life expired infrastructure needing replacement, renewal or upgrading.

The availability and positioning of passing locations seriously impact on the movement and frequency of  services that can operate at any given section as a result single track sections impose significant operational limitations on the railway.

Because of the importance of the North Coast Line in the state and national economy and its vital role in serving Queensland's coastal communities, there are considerable and quantifiable risks which would result from not addressing the deficiencies detailed in this plan.

These are:

continued deterioration of the rail assets;
continued loss of freight on rail to road;
continued decline in rail's competitiveness;
continued decline in the performance of rail
compared to road; and
loss of reputation by governments deemed responsible for railway maintenance and upgrading.

Queensland intermodal freight movements shifting on to the road network would be significant, the union says. Transferring 400,000 TEU movements per year to road would require an additional 370 B-Doubles movements (assuming there is 3 TEU's per B-Double truck) per day, which would be 15 B-Doubles an hour or about a B-Double every 4 minutes on the Bruce Highway (one in either direction every 8 minutes). In reality, however, the extra trucks would not be evenly distributed over a 24 hour cycle, so the concentration of additional trucks would be considerably greater than this estimate.

The Draft SIP Program includes a case study outlining a 10-year Action Plan for the North Coast Line. No funding, however, is listed in the rest of the document to implement this Action Plan. Furthermore, the Action Plan has not been fully released, so there is no accountability or transparency around plans for this vital piece of transport infrastructure. 

The state government response?  Spend more money on the Bruce Highway because 80 per cent of the cost of extra highway capacity will be met by the federal government.

[ozbob]

Dan is rolling in it at present ... it is a long shot 

Hey Dan @DanielAndrewsMP
if you have any spondulicks left want to invest in the Sunshine Coast LIne? Very sunny hey!#springst #qldpol

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) September 19, 2016

[Stillwater]

APPROACHING ANNIVERSARY

Next year (February 2017) marks 10 years since the state government of the day was first warned of the dire consequences for the Sunshine Coast if it did nothing about improving the capacity of the Sunshine Coast Line through duplication to Nambour.  There was action on the Caboolture-Beerburrum section, which was commissioned in 2009.  That's where duplication works stopped – now known to have been a political decision.  Latest bureaucratic advice to governments is that 'doing nothing is not an option.'  What's the government doing?  Nothing.

The warning about the consequences of inaction was contained in a 2007 report that examined the need for duplication between Landsborough and Nambour, the authors (Arup) assuming that the commitment to duplicate to Landsborough would be honoured.  It wasn't.

This is what the state government was told in 2007:

2.3.2.1 "Do nothing" Option
It is likely that the region would experience adverse socio-economic effects should the NCL between Landsborough and Nambour not be upgraded. Increases in demand are likely to
significantly challenge the ability of the current infrastructure to support an acceptable level of rail service in the future.

From this report:
http://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/resources/project/landsborough-nambour-railway/mp-landsborough-nambour-rail-ias.pdf

The level of service now, officially, is unacceptable.  Through their inaction on the SCL, successive state governments, knowingly and wantonly, have made a conscious decision to inflict adverse socio-economic effects on the people of the Sunshine Coast.

SCOPE CHANGES?

Also, can anyone with greater knowledge of these things state whether the scope of the duplication project to Nambour has been reduced back to 2 tracks (duplication) only between Landsborough and Nambour.  Original scoping was to build two tracks, but to plan and allow for four eventually.

With the scoping of the project changed so that trains can operate at 100kph, and not 160kmh as first envisaged, could it be said that we are seeing 'negative inaction' taking place ... i.e. not only doing nothing, but scaling back what will be done, when it is done?

[#Metro]

Pollies ignore the lobbying. People need to run for office (and take the balance of power) , and the Sunshine Coast needs to become marginal. Nobody is going to pay attention when seat margins are in double digits.

Room for mass public tactical voting.