Those temporary platform extensions built 2009/2010

[Stillwater]

TEMPORARY PLATFORMS UPDATE
For Interested Commuters

I wanted to update you on our activities to upgrade platforms on the North Coast line and invite you to an information session we are having this Saturday at Pomona, if you or any colleagues are interested in attending.

As you'd be aware, work is currently underway on the platform at Cooran station to improve facilities for customers. Works will be undertaken until approximately early December, at which time the team will move onto Pomona station. We have staged works to ensure customers can access the train and platform during construction. I've attached the latest project update produced for the Cooran community, in case of interest, which provides the layout of the new platform.

Queensland Rail is holding an information session at Pomona to provide the community with details on the platform upgrade and other station improvements, as well as the upgrade of the pedestrian crossing just north of the station. The information session will be held on Saturday 13 October, from 10am until 2pm at Pomona Hall.

We welcome you to attend the session and would be happy to discuss the project at any time with you.

Please feel free to pass this information on to any interested contacts you have.

   

[Fares_Fair]

G'day SW,

I can confirm that works will continue on at Eumundi once the Pomona upgrade is completed.
Final dates to be confirmed.

[ozbob]

 

[Arnz]

One thing that QR should be credited for is that the platform replacements at Cooran, Pomona and Eumundi are high-level for the full platform length. 

This is in comparison with most of the other (more expensive) station upgrades where the platform upgrades are only "middle hump raising".

[Fares_Fair]

Good point Arnz,

Absolutely concur.

[Stillwater]

And ... those attending the information session in Pomona yesterday were told the platform would be extended a few metres also, to cater for NGR trains eventually.

FF, preliminary works at Pomona to start before Christmas, with major work in the first half of 2019. The crew doing the work is the same one as working currently at Cooran. Presumably the crew will move to Eumundi after Pomona project finished mid-year.

Pomona benefitted from the QR Positive pARTnerships Program last year:

http://www.aboriginalaustralianart.com/Aboriginal-Australian-Art-News/Community-Artwork-Pomona-Railway-Station

[Fares_Fair]

That's good news SW re: the platform lengths and artwork.
Now we just need to get the community the basic train services they require.

[Stillwater]

Pomona station and path concepts have gone up on community Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona

[Stillwater]

More detail in local community newspaper article, now up on Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona

[Stillwater]

Tidy-up construction occurring at Cooran station where new station platform and shelter has been installed ... stockpiling of construction materials has begun at Pomona, ready for work to kick off there.

[Stillwater]

Cooran station works now complete.  Caught the train there this week and was impressed with the raised height of the platform for its full length, making it very easy to step on and off the train (no camel humps).  Should be easier for wheelchair passengers too.   

Two-thirds of the Pomona station platform (constructed of scaffold and plywood) has been removed, with work there to be completed mid-year. Work at Eumundi station to follow in second half of 2019.

Traveston station has been restored (although short platform remains) and Cooroy and Yandina were painted a while back.  Cooroy station to get a new entrance as part of intersection upgrade, and a relocated bus stop/interchange.  It is the Noosa station for the Spirit of Queensland, SOTO and the Tilts, as well as Citytrain passenger services.

What this means is that infrastructure at the stations between Nambour and Gympie North will be brought to a better standard at the end of next year.  Shuttle trains anyone?

One indication that people in the railway towns want easier travel between themselves -- more than 1000 people have signed a petition in favour of a bicycle and pedestrian path from Cooran to Pomona.

https://www.qt.com.au/news/push-for-path-to-link-two-towns/3540984

[ozbob]

^ 

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1105730650332585984?

Great to see.
Some familiar faces in there.

[Stillwater]

Delays to Pomona path over railway tracks as part of the railway station upgrade.  Latest news:

https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona

[Stillwater]

Are my eyes deceiving me?  I swear some of the horizontal scaffold bars on those permanent temporary railway station platforms south of Nambour have been replaced -- some of the rusting struts have come out to be replaced by new bits of temporary scaffold.  At least that seems to be the case.  Either that or some QR worker has set to with some CLR and Brasso.

[Stillwater]

It will be interesting to see whether the rebuilt Eumundi platform (from temporary to permanent) will be built to the same height as the platforms at Cooran and Pomona.  The platform at those stations aligns very nicely with the floor of the train - and for their entire length.  Camel humps at Nambour. Step-up at Yandina and Cooroy, also Traveston.

[Stillwater]

Half the rebuilt Pomona Railway Station becomes operational on Tuesday, according to the community Facebook page.  The station will have a plaque, explaining its history and some landscaping is planned too.

More info: https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona

[Stillwater]

        

An eager bunch of people lined up along half of the new Pomona Station platform yesterday, keen to try out the facilities for a short ride to Cooran and back, including lunch at the Hinterland Café, an establishment known to have been frequented by Ozbob. It was the first day the southern half of the station had opened while work continues on the second half of the new platform, which should open at the end of May.

Imagine everyone's surprise when they approached the accessible carriages of the ICE train to get on board, only to discover that all doors except the leading door of the front carriage had been locked. On board, they were told that this was a permanent arrangement applying to all ICE train movements Nambour-Gympie North until further notice. The single door entry and exit from ICE trains applies only at Pomona due, we are told, to the new station being built on a curve, creating an unacceptable gap between the new platform and ICE trains. 'Mind the gap' the guard says as people move in indian file on and off the train.

The irony is that in the days before the permanent/temporary platform was built at Pomona, the station consisted of a lump of dirt, bitumen sealed, with a bus stop shelter.  Passengers had to get on an off the trains via the leading door of the leading carriage only.

After using a plywood and scaffold temporary station and watching as the new, permanent station takes shape, locals are having the same access restrictions imposed on them as operated before 2008!  QR says the arrangements will stay in place so long as an ICE train operates the service and will not apply when replacement trains operate.

[Arnz]

       

An eager bunch of people lined up along half of the new Pomona Station platform yesterday, keen to try out the facilities for a short ride to Cooran and back, including lunch at the Hinterland Café, an establishment known to have been frequented by Ozbob. It was the first day the southern half of the station had opened while work continues on the second half of the new platform, which should open at the end of May.

Imagine everyone's surprise when they approached the accessible carriages of the ICE train to get on board, only to discover that all doors except the leading door of the front carriage had been locked. On board, they were told that this was a permanent arrangement applying to all ICE train movements Nambour-Gympie North until further notice. The single door entry and exit from ICE trains applies only at Pomona due, we are told, to the new station being built on a curve, creating an unacceptable gap between the new platform and ICE trains. 'Mind the gap' the guard says as people move in indian file on and off the train.

The irony is that in the days before the permanent/temporary platform was built at Pomona, the station consisted of a lump of dirt, bitumen sealed, with a bus stop shelter.  Passengers had to get on an off the trains via the leading door of the leading carriage only.

After using a plywood and scaffold temporary station and watching as the new, permanent station takes shape, locals are having the same access restrictions imposed on them as operated before 2008!  QR says the arrangements will stay in place so long as an ICE train operates the service and will not apply when replacement trains operate.

The irony is QR is in the progress of retiring the ICE units with the replacements being the IMU100s. 

Oddly enough as OzBob recently found out, QR recently stated they won't be installing ATP on the IMU100s, therefore the Gympie North service remains a 3-crew operation (for non-ICEs) north of Nambour.

[Stillwater]

The landscaping has gone in at the reconstructed Pomona Railway Station.  Local praise for QR's work.

The path over the railway tracks, which people fought to save when QR proposed to close it, is partially built. All work likely to be completed by September-October.  (See pics on Facebook page.)

https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona

Construction work started at Eumundi Station, which will see its temporary platform removed and replaced by a permanent one.

[ozbob]

All we need now Mr Stillwater is a reasonable train frequency!

Point me anywhere in Oz where there are a number of station upgrades on a rail line with such a paltry service ....

#whowouldhavethought

[Stillwater]

Little Traveston platform remains the poor cousin among the railway stations north of Nambour. It is a short platform station with a section of temporary platform.  Thankfully, Cooran, Pomona and Eumundi (soon) have been/will be rebuilt, with Eumundi the outstanding project. All stations north of Nambour in reasonably good nick now.  Even Traveston station structure was rebuilt a few years back.

[ozbob]

Eumundi - upgrade half completed.





















Photographs R Dow 25th November 2019

[ozbob]

Pomona station upgrade is complete.  One of the access ramps is blocked off to force pax to one end of the platform.  Due to the platform geometry and the ICE configuration pax have to board at the lead or last carriage depending on train direction.

Pedestrian crossing was to be removed.  Strong action by the local community reversed that decision and now upgraded.

Pomona station is prone to flash flooding.  Note the very solid platform supports for flood resilience.























Photographs R Dow 25th November 2019

[SurfRail]

Is Eumundi at the correct height for full length?

[ozbob]

Yes, no humps.

[ozbob]

Likewise Cooran, no humps.  Cooran was done a bit sooner than the others.  These photographs 1st March 2019

















Photographs R Dow 1st March 2019

[ozbob]

Lovely, three full height full length platforms.  Two services per day ...   

QUEENSLANDER !!!!

Thick as a brick ...

[red dragin]

These 'Ikea style' (bolt together) platforms are the way to go in the future in my opinion.

[Gazza]

Two services per day

Doesn't Cooran see 4 trains per day?

[ozbob]

Two services per day

Doesn't Cooran see 4 trains per day?

Only two services each way.  Cooroy is a stop for tilt trains.

[ozbob]

These 'Ikea style' (bolt together) platforms are the way to go in the future in my opinion.

They are good strength structures and well suited for the harsh weather conditions dished out from time to time.

All they need now are some reasonably frequent local passenger trains!   

[verbatim9]

They look well built. Alot better then the ones previously.

[Stillwater]

QR back this week to extend the cross-town path at Pomona to the streets either side of the railway land -- making it a true cross-town path and pedestrian/bicycle spine, linking directly to bus stops. Active transport ... bus stops ... railway station all connected in a small country town. Fully integrated.

https://www.facebook.com/dontdividepomona/

This 'Ikea component' platform assembly method might be the go for other locations on the network - and no camel humps!  Full height all the way.

[Fares_Fair]

Four temporary platforms remain.
Their removal or upgrade is potentially dependent upon the rail duplication route.

They are located at Woombye, Palmwoods, Eudlo and Mooloolah.
They were constructed in December 2009.
11. Years. Ago.

The 3 platforms replaced at Eumundi, Pomona and Coooran were constructed in January 2010.

[Fares_Fair]

I have inspected the remaining four temporary #rail platforms located at Mooloolah, Eudlo, Palmwoods and Woombye.
The three temporary platforms at Eumundi, Cooran and Pomona were replaced with permanent structures in 2018 and 2019.

There was NO fungi to be found which was great news, especially with all the rain we've had.
That issue looks to be resolved (since the fungi's last documented occurrence in 2017).

In 2012, these temporary structures were costing $800 per week, per site.
Woombye was costing $1200 per week.
It's now almost 2022.

Temporary structures that are now 12 YEARS OLD.
I estimate that the temporary platforms have cost around $12 million to date.

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1476797718643183618

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1476797994871623681

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1476798324699058180

[Fares_Fair]

https://twitter.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1476799314328358912

Please note that Queensland Rail has responded to all four of these messages and passed them onto the relevant team/s for action.