The Sunshine Coast Case : Rail duplication Beerburrum to Nambour

[ozbob]

Landsborough is undergoing a bus station upgrade.  It is a key interchange station and will increasingly be so.

It will be many many years before CAMCOS if ever is done IMHO.  It is a shame that they are not doing the final section of duplication into Landsborough, the cost would not be great it would be just an upgrade in the existing corridor.  Operationally it would be better.  Queensland Rail were keen to have the duplication through to Landsborough North.

Beerburrum to Beerwah + is better than not of course.

[ozbob]

It's ridiculous they are not duplicating at least to Landsborough and fixing the LX at the same time.

Agree.

[Arnz]

It will be interesting to see the pushes and pulls within the state and federal governments over the priority sequencing for rail duplication to Nambour versus construction of a rail line Beerwah-Aura-Caloundra-Kawana-Maroochydore and whether the latter will be built as a Private-Public Partnership or, indeed, part funded by the feds as part of any SEQ City Deal.

As I have said previously, a rail spur to at least Caloundra should take precedence over Landsborough to Nambour.

Remember, once you get north of Landsborough, its not just some low key diversions here and there, we're talking essentially a full rebuilt of the line, with extensive tunnelling and earthworks. It's not a $550m project, its a $2-3b project

-If we are justifying it on freight then those upgraded passing loops should allow for longer trains and a hourly service to the town of Nambour (Population 12,000)

-If we are justifying it on line speed for passengers, then you'd save more time for most people by just building the spur and eliminating the need to muck around with a cross country bus....And you'd be putting rail to suburbs with much higher population.

-If we are justifying it on line speed for freight, there is lower hanging fruit elsewhere on the NCL where you could more cheaply save minutes.

My personal view is that once this duplication is done, QR should start a 30 min service to Beerwah, with hourly to Nambour.
This would condition passengers to focus on using Beerwah instead of Landsborough, since once the Camcos branch goes in, Landsborough will only get half the trains anyway.

The fact that they're upgrading the P&R and relocating/creating the new bus interchange on the east side of Landsborough station suggests that CAMCOS would be put off again, if ever. 

There's a better chance of the Maglev Bus to Caboolture than any form of CAMCOS at this rate.   CAMCOS is basically the new Redcliffe and if we go by those dates, it'll be 2045 at the earliest. 

[Gazza]

Nambour / Burnside population was 18,895 as at 30 June 2019

Fair enough, I guess what I'm getting at is that no terminus of similar population in Australia gets billions spent on passenger rail, nor do they get much more than an hourly service.

To duplicate and realign to Nambour would be 2-3 billion and would benefit a catchment of 30,000 people or so id say.

To build a spur to Caloundra would likely be sub 1 billion, but would benefit a catchment of around 60,000 people today within a 4km radius of the station alone.
(Plus whatever Aura adds)

Youre basically serving double the number of people for half the cost.

Landsborough is undergoing a bus station upgrade.  It is a key interchange station and will increasingly be so.

What was the reasoning for camcos not branching after Landsborough anyway?

It's ridiculous they are not duplicating at least to Landsborough and fixing the LX at the same time.

Agree.

The LX would be another $100m I estimate, so going from $550m to $650m is not insignificant.
If the goverment has a spare $100m hanging around, there are more imporant LXs with a higher number of train movements.

[ozbob]

Duplication to Landsborough and road over rail at Landsborough has always been part of a project.  There has been a bit of local opposition to the road over rail btw.

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Beerburrum-to-Nambour-Rail-Upgrade-Project

" duplication of the North Coast Line between Beerburrum and Landsborough stations (around 20 kilometres in length) "

" replacing the Caloundra Street level crossing in Landsborough with a road over rail grade separated crossing "

As the project has been delayed and delayed, costs keep increasing and the pot of money doesn't grow.

So the project has been cut back.   False economy not doing the duplication through to Landsborough, the LX can wait.

There is also a degree of political positioning with this of course, leading into qldvotes.

[verbatim9]

Landsborough is undergoing a bus station upgrade.  It is a key interchange station and will increasingly be so.

It will be many many years before CAMCOS if ever is done IMHO.  It is a shame that they are not doing the final section of duplication into Landsborough, the cost would not be great it would be just an upgrade in the existing corridor.  Operationally it would be better.  Queensland Rail were keen to have the duplication through to Landsborough North.

Beerburrum to Beerwah + is better than not of course.

From what I have experienced that's the slowest part that old track from Beerburrum to Beerwah. The journeys should speed up exponentially.

They also need to extend the service times of feeder buses from Caloundra and Maroochydore, once the duplication is finished to Beerwah. Hopefully we will see feeder buses meet every arriving and departing train. So one could have a good day and evening trip to the coast or vice versa to Brisbane completely on Public Transport.

[ozbob]

The single track restricts train paths, particularly when out of peak when most of the freighters are slotted.

Having the double through to Landsborough would allow a much better service to Landsborough, and then shuttles to Nambour and some to Gympie North, perhaps in time to Mary West.

Forget about CAMCOS not going to happen.   So important to get the best out of what we have got, that really means duplication through to Landsborough to allow a much better operation plan.

[verbatim9]

When Stage 1 of the roll out of the Western Electric BRT Feeder Services on the Gold Coast are completed? The Sunshine coast could do the same from the train stations to the beach in combination with their LRT rollout.

[Arnz]

As for service frequencies, the proposed upgrade allows hourly through to Nambour.  Optimally you'd want to extend all daytime and early evening Caboolture terminators to Beerwah.  This would mean headways of

Ipswich to Nambour via Brisbane City (Central) - 60 minutes (Weekday evenings, weekends) & v.v
Ipswich to Beerwah via Brisbane City (Central) - 30 minutes (Off-peak weekdays, early weekday evenings) & v.v - every 2nd train extended/originates from Nambour.

Peak Period Roma Street to Nambour runners as per every 24 minutes as of current.  Options for expanding existing Caboolture peak runners to Landsborough to form 12 minutes out there.

As for Gympie North, terminating them at Nambour to apply the long-proposed Nambour-Gympie North shuttles seems to be the more optimal option for now.  Operates every 2 hours using either ICEs (if they are still operating) or either older IMUs (or NGRs) fitted with ATP.

I would also expand/optimise the 605 from Caloundra to every half hour to Landsborough, with every 2nd 605 extended to Beerwah station via Australia Zoo to provide a Beerwah to Caloundra bus link. 

The 605 calling into Australia Zoo would remove the need for the occasional 615 extensions.

[Jonno]

The single track restricts train paths, particularly when out of peak when most of the freighters are slotted.

Having the double through to Landsborough would allow a much better service to Landsborough, and then shuttles to Nambour and some to Gympie North, perhaps in time to Mary West.

Forget about CAMCOS not going to happen.   So important to get the best out of what we have got, that really means duplication through to Landsborough to allow a much better operation plan.

CAMCOS will only occur as part of Fast Rail!!

[verbatim9]

As for service frequencies, the proposed upgrade allows hourly through to Nambour.  Optimally you'd want to extend all daytime and early evening Caboolture terminators to Beerwah.  This would mean headways of

Ipswich to Nambour via Brisbane City (Central) - 60 minutes (Weekday evenings, weekends) & v.v
Ipswich to Beerwah via Brisbane City (Central) - 30 minutes (Off-peak weekdays, early weekday evenings) & v.v - every 2nd train extended/originates from Nambour.

Peak Period Roma Street to Nambour runners as per every 24 minutes as of current.  Options for expanding existing Caboolture peak runners to Landsborough to form 12 minutes out there.

As for Gympie North, terminating them at Nambour to apply the long-proposed Nambour-Gympie North shuttles seems to be the more optimal option for now.  Operates every 2 hours using either ICEs (if they are still operating) or either older IMUs (or NGRs) fitted with ATP.

I would also expand/optimise the 605 from Caloundra to every half hour to Landsborough, with every 2nd 605 extended to Beerwah station via Australia Zoo to provide a Beerwah to Caloundra bus link. 

The 605 calling into Australia Zoo would remove the need for the occasional 615 extensions.

They won't be going to Ipswich anymore. Sunshine Coast services will go via CRR to the Gold Coast.

[Arnz]

The single track restricts train paths, particularly when out of peak when most of the freighters are slotted.

Having the double through to Landsborough would allow a much better service to Landsborough, and then shuttles to Nambour and some to Gympie North, perhaps in time to Mary West.

Forget about CAMCOS not going to happen.   So important to get the best out of what we have got, that really means duplication through to Landsborough to allow a much better operation plan.

CAMCOS will only occur as part of Fast Rail!!

And a proper NWTC, not the "half-arsed" solution of the NWTC branching off the Ferny Grove Line.

[Arnz]

As for service frequencies, the proposed upgrade allows hourly through to Nambour.  Optimally you'd want to extend all daytime and early evening Caboolture terminators to Beerwah.  This would mean headways of

Ipswich to Nambour via Brisbane City (Central) - 60 minutes (Weekday evenings, weekends) & v.v
Ipswich to Beerwah via Brisbane City (Central) - 30 minutes (Off-peak weekdays, early weekday evenings) & v.v - every 2nd train extended/originates from Nambour.

Peak Period Roma Street to Nambour runners as per every 24 minutes as of current.  Options for expanding existing Caboolture peak runners to Landsborough to form 12 minutes out there.

As for Gympie North, terminating them at Nambour to apply the long-proposed Nambour-Gympie North shuttles seems to be the more optimal option for now.  Operates every 2 hours using either ICEs (if they are still operating) or either older IMUs (or NGRs) fitted with ATP.

I would also expand/optimise the 605 from Caloundra to every half hour to Landsborough, with every 2nd 605 extended to Beerwah station via Australia Zoo to provide a Beerwah to Caloundra bus link. 

The 605 calling into Australia Zoo would remove the need for the occasional 615 extensions.

They won't be going to Ipswich anymore. Sunshine Coast services will go via CRR to the Gold Coast.

Ah yes, thanks for reminding me of that based on the CRR's completion date.

[Gazza]

Why can't CAMCOS happen?

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/Id/42417

The whole justification for duplication to Beerburrum specifically in the first place is because that's the branching point?

What confuses me is that all the SC line stations are on passing loops that are only a few minutes apart, they just lack 2nd platforms which is horrendously inflexible.
Its 30 mins to get from Landsborough to Nambour. Eudlo is bang on midway....Why is it not possible to do any better on the current infrastructure by just spending a couple of million per station building those simple platforms as seen at Eumundi etc?

The bendigo line manages an hourly service on a single track with passing loops, the GC line dealt with that through the 2000s...why cant we even achieve that?

[ozbob]

Freight and long distance passenger trains.  This is the reason the one hour frequency promised in 2016 or thereabouts by ex D. Premier Trad has never occurred.

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1285306885793611777

[Arnz]

CAMCOS is basically the new "Redcliffe" (to repeat ad-naseum again).   It gets mentioned around election time by being included in the "world clarse" glossy papers, with the occasional animated flyover complimented with cheesy music, then conveniently dissappears shortly afterwards.

[achiruel]

Duplication not being completed to Landsborough North is just !@#$%^& stupid!!!  Yes, I understand the costs and challenges of Landsborough-Nambour but Beerwah-Landsborough is basically pocket change in comparison. It makes ZERO sense not to do it NOW!  (and maybe with a 3rd platform at Landsborough for terminating Nambour shuttles also).

Ideally all off-peak Caboolture trains should be extended to Landsborough, but this probably won't be achievable (at least, not reliably) because the Government can't be arse building the last 5km of duplication.

I'm also not happy about the lack of re-alignment between GHM & Beerwah. It should be built for 140 (NGR) & 160 (Tilt) operation (not to mention it would be shorter as well). Why is this not happening???

[ozbob]

^ well said!

Another half-baked outcome that Queensland specialises in. 

[Gazza]

I was wondering about the alignment north of GHM but it looks like they can achieve a curve easing within QR land.

If he zoom in on the graphic on the website it appears they are going to "cut the corner" slightly after GHM.

[achiruel]

Yes, but they could achieve a far better alignment if they were willing to resume a few properties or parts thereof. For some reason there's no hesitation to do this for road expansion but governments are disinclined to do the same for rail, which is absurd. The Bruce Highway doesn't follow the Old Gympie Rd alignment, so why does the railway need to be from the 1890s?

[Arnz]

The old QR Information Pack (2016) has the 2007 Speed Board readings (Page 82 - Filed under "Caboolture Line - Single track".  The Glasshouse Mtns curve had 100km (Tilt Trains)/80km (MUs/Locos) in the up direction.  This is at the 70.8km/h mark after Glass House Mtns station, there is a 60km/h speed board as well before it hits the 150km/120km after the curve.

Unfortunately the speed information from (2007) is dated pre-Beerburrum duplication thus has the older speed boards.

https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/business/acccess/Documents/Brisbane%20Metropolitan%20System%20Information%20Pack%20-%20Issue%203%20-%20October%202016.pdf

Edit: Looking at the Glasshouse Mtns to Beerwah plan in the 2020 duplication PDF, seems there's some (although minimal) curve easing.  Any speed improvements (if any) from the curve easing would be minimal at best.

[verbatim9]

Someone can ask TMR what the new speed will be after duplication and alignment on Monday with a phone call?

They should be able to also advise.of the potential time savings.

[Fares_Fair]

In November 2016 I attended a briefing with Building Queensland and it was stated in that meeting that the (then) design line speed was 160 km/h.
This was during the preparation of the Business Case.

I understand that the time saving is only of the order of 3 minutes.

[Stillwater]

I recall that at some of the early briefings, it was claimed that duplication and track improvements to NAMBOUR would generate a 17 minute time saving on the train journey between NAMBOUR and BRISBANE, so for the trackwork improvement planned to BEERWAH/LANDSBOROUGH, that represents an approximate 8 minute time savings.

Unfortunately, with duplication stopping short of Landsborough (only to Beerwah), it would seem there is a danger of replicating the same situation as occurs on the Shorncliffe Line, with a single track between Sandgate and Shorncliffe presenting operational deficiencies.

Remember, the original planning was for duplication to LANDSBOROUGH NORTH.  I guess the money didn't stretch that far, or the cost estimation figures were wrong.

[verbatim9]

In November 2016 I attended a briefing with Building Queensland and it was stated in that meeting that the (then) design line speed was 160 km/h.

You wouldn't want it any slower. Infrastructure Australia, The Federal Government and State Governments have all stated speedier journey times by rail to and from the Sunshine Coast. Duplication with 10kph improvements doesn't sound like speedier travel times to me from whats mooted in recent previous posts? I hope Fares Fair's post comes into fruition.

[ozbob]

I recall that at some of the early briefings, it was claimed that duplication and track improvements to NAMBOUR would generate a 17 minute time saving on the train journey between NAMBOUR and BRISBANE, so for the trackwork improvement planned to BEERWAH/LANDSBOROUGH, that represents an approximate 8 minute time savings.

Unfortunately, with duplication stopping short of Landsborough (only to Beerwah), it would seem there is a danger of replicating the same situation as occurs on the Shorncliffe Line, with a single track between Sandgate and Shorncliffe presenting operational deficiencies.

Remember, the original planning was for duplication to LANDSBOROUGH NORTH.  I guess the money didn't stretch that far, or the cost estimation figures were wrong.

Hopefully the LNP will pick up on this for #qldvotes and make a commitment for duplication to Landsborough North instead of this half baked cop out.

That in turn might get the ALP to do similar.   

It is despairing the level of mediocrity that abounds in transport portfolios and bureaucracies in Queensland when it comes to rail.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1287177879508328451

[SurfRail]

Things I would expect to see added:

- duplication of the line to about 2km north of Landsborough (just befor the curve)
- removal of all LXs to Landsborough by realigning roads and building grade-separated crossings
- bus interchange moved to the eastern side of Landsborough to save time and money for the majority of bus services (I assume the turning triangle is out of service so there should be any obstacle left for this)
- scope something closer to the original plan to duplicate to Nambour up-front (but without wasting time on provisioning for 4 tracks) as part of the next few stages rather than making it up along the way

But Caloundra should be done well before anything north of Landsborough other than lengthening the shortest passing loops maybe.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

27th July 2020

Call to urgently review Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Stage 1

Good Morning,

Duplicating the Sunshine Coast line through to Landsborough and grade separation has long been part of the upgrade.  To not duplicate the railway through to Landsborough will severely limit the benefits of the revised stage one.  It will still mean a bottle neck between Beerwah and Landsborough and will limit the rail operational improvements that would otherwise occur. The latest plan for stage one stops the duplication just north of Beerwah. Landsborough is also a key bus interchange.

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Beerburrum-to-Nambour-Rail-Upgrade-Project

" duplication of the North Coast Line between Beerburrum and Landsborough stations (around 20 kilometres in length) "

" replacing the Caloundra Street level crossing in Landsborough with a road over rail grade separated crossing "

As the project has been delayed and delayed, costs keep increasing and the pot of money doesn't grow. Remember this project was actually started in 2009 but stopped shortly after the election that year.  The State should be building the railway from Beerwah to Caloundra/Maroochydore now, not still struggling with the upgrade of the Sunshine Coast line that should have been completed 10 years ago.

We call on the Queensland Government and the Minister for Transport to urgently review the project and reinstate rail duplication through to Landsborough North.

Additionally the bus interchange at Landsborough should be moved to the Eastern side of Landsborough station to save time and money, and help ensure better interchange.

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

Sent to all outlets:

Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Stage 1

24th July 2020

TMR has started the tender process for stage 1. Early works to support the upgrade are expected to start early in 2021,
with major construction to follow in 2022.

Key design features for Stage 1 from July 2020 Project newsletter

• Duplication of the track between Beerburrum and Glass
House Mountains on an improved alignment.
• Duplication of the track between Glass House Mountains
and Beerwah within the existing corridor.
• Realignment of a one-kilometre section of Steve Irwin Way,
between Nursery Road and Moffatt Road, to accommodate
the new rail corridor and track infrastructure.
• Beerburrum Road and Steve Irwin Way intersection upgrade,
including a new road overpass on Beerburrum Road.
• Expansion of the park 'n' ride facility on the northern side
of Beerburrum station, adding around 200 parking spaces.
• Replacement of the Barrs Road level crossing in Glass
House Mountains with a new road overpass connecting
Barrs Road to Moffatt Road.
• Replacement of the Burgess Street road-over-rail bridge
with a new road overpass.
• Construction of a new bus interchange at Landsborough
station.
• New park 'n' ride facility on the eastern side of
Landsborough station, adding around 300 parking spaces.
• Expansion of the park 'n' ride facility on the eastern side
of Nambour station, adding around 50 parking spaces.

Very welcome news of course.
Disappointing though that duplication for this stage 1 will only be to a point past Beerwah and not all the way to Landsborough.

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

References:

Project page at TMR:
Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Project
https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Beerburrum-to-Nambour-Rail-Upgrade-Project

Reference design layout (July 2020)
https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/-/media/Projects/B/beerburrum-to-nambour/03431_PDO_Beerburrum-to-Nambour-B2N-Newsletter_V6_MAP.jpg?la=en

Project newsletter (July 2020) (PDF, 339 KB)
https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/-/media/Projects/B/beerburrum-to-nambour/Beerburrum-to-Nambour-B2N-Newsletter.pdf?la=en

[ozbob]

Facebook > https://www.facebook.com/RAILBackOnTrack/posts/3626695910677903?comment_id=3635980866416074

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1287418088619532288

[red dragin]

- bus interchange moved to the eastern side of Landsborough to save time and money for the majority of bus services (I assume the turning triangle is out of service so there should be any obstacle left for this)

Still marked as in service as of the October 2019 line diagram. I don't know if it sees any use though.

[Arnz]

The turning angle is occasionally used to park failed Aurizon and/or Pacific National locos until they get another loco to rescue it. (Usually whenever a loco craps themselves anywhere between Caboolture and Nambour).

[ozbob]

Not needed anymore.  If they want a spot to put failed locos just leave a short siding line in place.

[red dragin]

Yandina is used to turn steam loco's, but Landsborough is possibly redundant (unless track maintenance machinery requires turning?)

[verbatim9]

I would assume from an operational perspective that a staged approach to duplication with stages 1 and 2 being completed by 2025 makes sense. This would coincide with the new network operations seamlessly with CRR.

It would be good if they can remove all the remaining level crossings between Nambour and Caboolture, or at least from Landsborough.

TMR and the Government really need to communicate their intentions and construction timelines better for stages 1 and 2 and the beneficial outcomes

[Stillwater]

The Y at Yandina is used to park specialised equipment used by the rail construction/reconstruction crew based there.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-26.5601541,152.9588705,3a,75y,198.35h,76.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sH3d5_10Z0SxoiaOD6OtlUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Fares_Fair]

I would assume from an operational perspective that a staged approach to duplication with stages 1 and 2 being completed by 2025 makes sense. This would coincide with the new network operations seamlessly with CRR.

It would be good if they can remove all the remaining level crossings between Nambour and Caboolture, or at least from Landsborough.

TMR and the Government really need to communicate their intentions and construction timelines better for stages 1 and 2 and the beneficial outcomes

+1
The Government have kept this all very quiet with no media releases or Ministerial public pronouncements.
Clearly, they are aware of their toxic failure to build the duplication to Landsborough, thus greatly limiting the effectiveness of the services for both passengers and freight.
History repeats with the short-change at Beerburrum in 2009 and now the short-change between Beerwah and Landsborough in 2020.

[Gazza]

For those that are timetable gurus, how many tph sacraficed by stopping at Beerwah?

[Fares_Fair]

"The results are reduced travel time and increased capacity for additional passenger and freight services. The benefits of increased capacity will not be fully realised until the next stage (Beerburrum to Landsborough) duplication is undertaken."

Excerpt.
Ministerial Briefing Note: Caboolture to Beerburrum Track Duplication Project
Prepared for the Minister for Transport and dated 15 July 2009.
Obtained under Right to Information.

[Stillwater]

^ Yep, the State Government has had this advice since 2009 -- for 11 years. The maximum gain on investment comes from duplication to Landsborough (North). The story, nay saga,  of the SCL duplication project is littered with examples of successive governments not heeding sound advice in numerous reports and Parliamentary Committee findings, including one that 'doing nothing is not an option'.