Brisbane Inner Rail Solution

[ozbob]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx

Brisbane Inner Rail Solution

The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution is a major program of works and initiatives project to address inner city capacity constraints in the existing rail system.

The program will increase capacity on the inner Brisbane rail network and unlock capacity across southeast Queensland.

The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution includes:

    delivery of the Early Capacity Works program – a package of value-for-money, short to medium term solutions
    delivery of the core Cross River Rail project between Yeerongpilly and Victoria Park.

Transport and Main Roads is coordinating the planning and delivery of the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution in partnership with Queensland Rail.

The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution relies significantly on Australian Government funding.

The Queensland Government has submitted the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution (both Early Capacity Works and the core Cross River Rail project), as part its 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia.

Last updated
    10 September 2012

[ozbob]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Early-Capacity-Works.aspx

Early Capacity Works

The Early Capacity Works will deliver a comprehensive suite of leading-edge initiatives targeted at getting more capacity out of inner Brisbane's rail system until the core Cross River Rail project is delivered. These works are part of the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution.

These initiatives will increase capacity during the peak periods for all south east Queensland rail services by:

    Enabling peak spreading (providing passengers with more services during the shoulder peak periods)
    Minimising dwell times (the time the train is stopped at a station)
    Optimising internal train capacity (more people per train)
    Increasing network capacity (allowing more trains to run more safely and reliably on the existing network)
    Increasing train services (up to the limit of the existing infrastructure).

A whole-of-Government Steering Committee has been established to lead the delivery of the Early Capacity Works.

The Committee is being led by the Coordinator-General, and includes representatives from Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Rail and other agencies.

Last updated
    10 September 2012

I know some work has been done with improving dwell times, staff have been instructed to minimise dwell times.

They are looking at 24 TPH at peak .

Shoulder peaks?  Not sure what is planned.

[Arnz]

I know some work has been done with improving dwell times, staff have been instructed to minimise dwell times.

They are looking at 24 TPH at peak .

Shoulder peaks?  Not sure what is planned.

From 2 TPH to 3 TPH for shoulder?   

[#Metro]

WHAT!?

I can't believe I am reading this. IS THIS FOR REAL? I never thought all our discussions/releases they would actually notice it AND do something about it!

Amazing! What a great surprise!

[Stillwater]

THE BIG CATCH: "The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution relies significantly on Australian Government funding."

In the continuing battle between Labor and LNP, Campbell Newman will release his plan, federal Labor will say it is chasing a surplus and cannot fund it, Campbell will say Labor is holding back SEQ, Queensland is not getting its share of federal taxes etc, biff, whack, a kick in the goolies.

These guys are addicted to the political stouch, not to implementing programs that do anything. They structure their programs to inflict maximum political damage on opponents.  Imagine if I said I am going to build a new house 'subject to funding from my neighbours'.

Also, it is continuation of the 'aspirational politics' whereby the Newman Government seeks kudos for having a plan, even though it doesn't have the resources to implement it.  (The money is coming substantially from the feds -- never a big certainty.)  In that respect, it is no different than Bligh and her Connecting SEQ 2031 ... 2036 ..... 2041 (we will get 'round to it someday) so-called plan.

Newman might as well buy a lottery ticket, announce his plan and, waving the ticket, say he will fund it from the winnings he will get on Saturday night.

[somebody]

I know some work has been done with improving dwell times, staff have been instructed to minimise dwell times.

How exactly do they plan to do this?  I have noticed the unprofessional and unacceptable practice of blowing the whistle while people are still clearly trying to board or even getting off creeping in to QldRail.  This has been the case on Cityrail for as long as I can remember.  No wonder they are not respected.  There would need to be a culture where "doors closing" means that the doors are not opening or dwell time management is fighting with one hand tied behind ones' back.  I'm not sure that Qlders would want that sort of thing.

The timetable slowdowns resulting in long dwells mean that passengers have the expectation that the train will wait a long time at the station.  I have noticed a sizable change in passenger behaviour
on Cityrail since the timetable slowdowns of the mid noughties.  Robert Schwandl made a similar point re:Cityrail.

They are looking at 24 TPH at peak .

If they can do that it would be good, but a bit pointless without more rolling stock and/or better rolling stock utilisation.

Shoulder peaks?  Not sure what is planned.

I would suggest that the express patterns on the Ipswich and Caboolture lines have too short a duration.  Services arriving after around 8:30am do not have the express pattern, and I think the duration might be slightly less than an hour.

What is disappointing is that they aren't saying they are thinking about improved stabling any more, particularly at Robina.

THE BIG CATCH: "The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution relies significantly on Australian Government funding."

That's correct.

[ozbob]

I think you will find that dwell time improvement will be a passenger ( 'customer') education process, directing attention to flow patterns, positioning properly and the like.  Also once upon a time, a guard noticing someone coming down a ramp they would usually wait.  I think you will now find that once the doors are closed that is it.

Quite noticeable in Melbourne that once doors closed that is it.  Pax know that.  But they have frequency too of course ...

[#Metro]

Yes, was at Brisbane Airport and saw the low frequency run! In fact I ran to the platforms with my luggage because the thought of a 30 minute wait was just awful!

Better frequency means less train-chasing and is also safer as people don't hang around on platforms for long enough to be mugged etc.

[Gazza]

Why didn't they call it the Inner Brisbane rail solution?

I mean, if someone lived in Fortitude Valley, you'd say they lived in Inner Brisbane, not Brisbane Inner.

[nathandavid88]

^^ I think "Brisbane Inner City Rail Solution" better describes the project. Brisbane Inner sounds a bit weird.

My question would be, does the whole solution hang on getting federal funding, or is that solely for the CCR component with the Government going ahead with the Early Capacity works (which were mooted during the election) themselves? Looking at this in conjunction with the bus network review, this Government seems to be doing a good job in attempting to find out exactly what public transport issues the South East is suffering and working out what can be, realistically, done about it. All that remains to be seen now is how good they are in implementing these fixes – buck passing or not!

[HappyTrainGuy]

I think they intend to refer to it as "Brisbane's inner rail solution" though they could have came up with a better suited title.

[somebody]

I think you will find that dwell time improvement will be a passenger ( 'customer') education process, directing attention to flow patterns, positioning properly and the like.  Also once upon a time, a guard noticing someone coming down a ramp they would usually wait.  I think you will now find that once the doors are closed that is it.

Quite noticeable in Melbourne that once doors closed that is it.  Pax know that.  But they have frequency too of course ...

Start by getting rid of "stand clear, doors closing", do we need to remind people every time they catcyh a train, we get it now and thats if people mentally even notice it anymore (unlikely). Just a sucession of beeps. 3 slow ones, then fast as doors are actually closing.

I understand the Melbourne approach is a tone which sounds continuously from about 3 seconds before the doors close.

Hear here on getting rid of the "doors closing" messages!

[SurfRail]

The door messages won't be going.  QR are convinced that they measurably improve safety.

[SurfRail]

The door messages won't be going.  QR are convinced that they measurably improve safety.

There must be a faster way to get the message across.

I don't doubt it, but they aren't interested and have told us as much several times.

[Stillwater]

The Queensland Government has NOT, repeat not, applied to the federal government for full funding of CRR, just $300m for capacity enhancement works.  This from the Courier-Mail:

"A Federal Government spokesman said the only submission received for Cross River Rail from the Newman Government was for $300 million worth of measures to increase capacity on the Citytrain network - not the full $4.4 billion needed for the project."

Full story here:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/cross-river-rail-project-under-a-cloud-because-of-states-city-country-divisions/story-e6freoof-1226563032723

The order of infrastructure funding priority for major projects within Queensland would appear to be:

Rail capacity enhancement works – the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution
CRR
Bruce Highway Upgrade (massive)
Second Toowoomba Range Crossing
Sunshine Coast Line duplication

Please note Mr Emerson's comments in the Courier-Mail article.

When asked about his government's commitment to CRR, he says:  "The Newman Government is fully committed to securing funding to deliver the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution."

Not the words 'Cross River Rail Project', but a 'Brisbane Inner Rail Solution'.  The Newman government is committed to a 'Brisbane Inner Rail Solution' and that solution is not CRR, which remains as an aspirational dream.

Clearly, Mr Emerson has been rolled by Mr Seeney.  Mr Emerson can't man up and admit it, but is using clever words to disguise his defeat:  "I've asked that (senior staff) provide every assistance to the Federal Government to ensure the right decision is made for Queensland," he said.  (Again note, Mr Emerson is using wording that does not say 'Cross River Rail'.)

The 'right decision' has become the initial rail capacity enhancement works outlined during the last election campaign, no more no less.

[ozbob]

Brisbane and SEQ is heading towards a very bleak transport future ... 

There is still some polyticks to be played with CRR, but I think there might be more chance of light rail up Queen St Goodna  at the moment ...

Will funding Brisbane's Cross River Rail project become a federal election issue? 
--> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2034.msg118380#msg118380

[ozbob]

And as is being highlighted today, Exhibition loop can be better utilised ... 

[Stillwater]

Govt website: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx

The Qld Government says: "The Queensland Government has submitted the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution (both Early Capacity Works and the core Cross River Rail project), as part its 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia."

The federal govt says:..."the only submission received for Cross River Rail from the Newman Government was for $300 million worth of measures to increase capacity on the Citytrain network - not the full $4.4 billion needed for the project."

Where lies the truth?  Or are the lies the only truth pollies can utter?

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

Govt website: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx

The Qld Government says: "The Queensland Government has submitted the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution (both Early Capacity Works and the core Cross River Rail project), as part its 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia."

The federal govt says:..."the only submission received for Cross River Rail from the Newman Government was for $300 million worth of measures to increase capacity on the Citytrain network - not the full $4.4 billion needed for the project."

Where lies the truth?  Or are the lies the only truth pollies can utter?

When the flood waters pass, we will chase this ... not much point at the moment ...  bigger fish to fry ...

[somebody]

And as is being highlighted today, Exhibition loop can be better utilised ...

What do you mean?

[Stillwater]

Bowen Hills - Roma Street tracks out, due to adverse weather, trains running via Exhibition Loop temporarily.

[Jonno]

When your Premier fundamentally hates rail then they will find every way not to spend money on it.  Meanwhile the road expansion just roll on!

[ozbob]

Govt website: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx

The Qld Government says: "The Queensland Government has submitted the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution (both Early Capacity Works and the core Cross River Rail project), as part its 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia."

The federal govt says:..."the only submission received for Cross River Rail from the Newman Government was for $300 million worth of measures to increase capacity on the Citytrain network - not the full $4.4 billion needed for the project."

Where lies the truth?  Or are the lies the only truth pollies can utter?

Here is a capture of the web page for prosperity ..

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx  accessed 0800 hours 28th January 2013

[#Metro]

Federal Election Coming Up, get ready for the truth to fly out of the window!!   

I refuse to call it BIR, It's CRR. Tired of all these games with names and rebranding. They even reverted the QLD Gov logo because the new one was commissioned by Beattie.

[Stillwater]

To hide the inconsistency, most probably, Mr Emerson and Mr Seeney will stand shoulder to shoulder and state that:

The LNP is fully committed to CRR (in the same way Anna Bligh was fully committed to fixing all of SEQ's transport woes in the year 2031)

In order the achieve CRR, however, some initial works need to be done, and that is where the initial focus should be and where the money needs to be spent now.  We are chasing the feds for that money.

Alternatively, they will say (and this may well be true), that we can expect a significant infrastructure repair bill from ex Cyclone Oswald and priorities will have to be re-ordered accordingly.  In that case, all we can afford is the rail capacity enhancement works.

... But we remain fully committed to CRR.

[somebody]

Govt website: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx

The Qld Government says: "The Queensland Government has submitted the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution (both Early Capacity Works and the core Cross River Rail project), as part its 2012 submission to Infrastructure Australia."

The federal govt says:..."the only submission received for Cross River Rail from the Newman Government was for $300 million worth of measures to increase capacity on the Citytrain network - not the full $4.4 billion needed for the project."

Where lies the truth?  Or are the lies the only truth pollies can utter?

Here is a capture of the web page for prosperity ..

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/C/Cross-River-Rail/Brisbane-Inner-Rail-Solution.aspx  accessed 0800 hours 28th January 2013

I'm still confused what all that has to do with the Exhibition loop?

[ozbob]

CRR uses exhibition loop in part, use today just shows how important redundancy on the network is. 

[HappyTrainGuy]

Depends on the issue and if they can/able to isolate the area quick enough. They would also have to do some more track work along there first. The middle road has been closed off for god knows how long now.

Edit: I miss read a quote. For some reason I thought it said somewhere that the Normanby loop could be utilised more for peak hour failures in the CBD. Its an option but its still an option that would work under the right circumstances like when people kept running into the central-fortitude valley tunnel and services were diverted to Albion-Roma Street-Milton.

[somebody]

The middle road has been closed off for god knows how long now.

Wouldn't that make the peak hour timetable impossible?

[HappyTrainGuy]

As in the current normal schedulling or the current schedule for tomorrows services? Its only the track between the exhibition thru to the cleaning sheds.

http://goo.gl/maps/FmAB3

[somebody]

As in the current normal schedulling or the current schedule for tomorrows services? Its only the track between the exhibition thru to the cleaning sheds.

http://goo.gl/maps/FmAB3

Ah, I thought you were referring to the Virginia-Lawnton middle road.  I knew there had to be something!

[nathandavid88]

Please note Mr Emerson's comments in the Courier-Mail article.

When asked about his government's commitment to CRR, he says:  "The Newman Government is fully committed to securing funding to deliver the Brisbane Inner Rail Solution."

Not the words 'Cross River Rail Project', but a 'Brisbane Inner Rail Solution'.  The Newman government is committed to a 'Brisbane Inner Rail Solution' and that solution is not CRR, which remains as an aspirational dream.

To play the devil's advocate, quoting the page on the TMR website:

The Brisbane Inner Rail Solution includes:

delivery of the Early Capacity Works program – a package of value-for-money, short to medium term solutions
delivery of the core Cross River Rail project between Yeerongpilly and Victoria Park.

To me, Mr Emerson's use of the term Brisbane Inner Rail Solution means that they are (publicly at least) committed to both the short term works and the core CRR. They've just wrapped in into a shiny new umbrella name that doesn't have any Labor links hanging onto it like CRR does. That said, the he said/she said of what has been put forward for funding is somewhat concerning. I will be very interested to see who is telling the truth and who is telling porkies (well, who is telling less porkies as opposed to bigger porkies...)

And I agree, the events of this weekend show the value of the Exhibition Loop and, like with Tennyson Line, I would really like to see Translink/QR look into the possibility of making more use of this largely under utilised infrastructure to boost services, if viable.

[Golliwog]

Be interesting to see what happens seeing as the upgrade to the Ekka station won't be happening under the budget version of CRR so it will be left as it is currently. Not sure what that will mean for services as I haven't been to the Ekka station in quite some time.

[somebody]

The Doomben trains could have run Mayne-Ekka-Roma St-Doomben to boost the numbers off-peak. I'm sure on peak daily use Ekka would generate more traffic than 50% of the stations on the network and the cost of servicing would have been almost free + cost of modifiying the station. Not often you get such a free lunch for adding another station to the rail network.

You've got to be kidding.  That would cross every other trains' path.

It's just a bad practice, and would lower reliability.

[somebody]

I lived at the top of the hill looking down at the cleaning shed for 12mth. The number of MU's running this loop that are not using the shed and are not a relocation or other is amazing (or at least was, things may have changed). Dissapointly they ran from Roma St straight through the Ekka station non-stop. Yet many in my area and many a staff member to the hospital and other would have very much liked to use the train to get to the city. For me it would ahve been 3min walk and 2-3min train ride. The bus stop was 1min away and it took 3min just to get passed the lights. For my wife, she commuted to Milton and would very much have loved a short flat walk to the Ekka station, quick change at Roma st and onto Milton. But No, Qld BS gets in the way and station is used 2 weeks a year.

How are you going to get from Ekka to Roma St in the AM peak?  Do you mean a shuttle to platform 10, because that's probably the only reasonable option.

[colinw]

Quite apart from the difficulty of accessing a sensible platform at Roma St, services from Doomben to Roma St via Exhibition will need to cut across all tracks somewhere between Eagle Jct & Mayne, so more conflicting moves.  The current Government's cut-price CRR scheme suffers from a similar shortcoming if used to route CRR services to any of Doomben, Airport or Shorncliffe without building grade separation somewhere between Mayne & Albion.

I fully support the Newman Government's removal of the Smart State tag, as it was clearly false advertising.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I lived at the top of the hill looking down at the cleaning shed for 12mth. The number of MU's running this loop that are not using the shed and are not a relocation or other is amazing (or at least was, things may have changed). Dissapointly they ran from Roma St straight through the Ekka station non-stop. Yet many in my area and many a staff member to the hospital and other would have very much liked to use the train to get to the city. For me it would ahve been 3min walk and 2-3min train ride. The bus stop was 1min away and it took 3min just to get passed the lights. For my wife, she commuted to Milton and would very much have loved a short flat walk to the Ekka station, quick change at Roma st and onto Milton. But No, Qld BS gets in the way and station is used 2 weeks a year.

How are you going to get from Ekka to Roma St in the AM peak?  Do you mean a shuttle to platform 10, because that's probably the only reasonable option.

Until the two TiltTrains occupy the whole length of the platform. Or if services are running behind/bunched up.

[somebody]

How are you going to get from Ekka to Roma St in the AM peak?  Do you mean a shuttle to platform 10, because that's probably the only reasonable option.

Until the two TiltTrains occupy the whole length of the platform. Or if services are running behind/bunched up.

Well obviously Traveltrain services will need to ensure they steer clear of the AM peak.

[HappyTrainGuy]

They arrive after 9am but they can run early if they aren't schedulled to drop off/pick up passengers and spaces in the timetables. Bunched up peak hour services use P10 as a terminus platform while another service is held or uses P8.