Creeks should be wildlife corridors … which is the opposite land use to what we want around the highest-capacity form of transit.
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The Stockholm Metro is expanding - and we are stepping up our support to one of the largest metro expansion projects currently underway in Europe with €400 million in new financing to the Region and City of Stockholm.
The landmark investment includes:
30 km of new metro lines, 18 new stations & expanded depot
Sustainable transport links for 4 municipalities: Stockholm, Nacka, Solna & Järfälla
Housing development along the new lines (130,500 units).
With over €1 billion committed to date, this is the EIB’s largest ever investment in public transport in Sweden, a project that combines climate action, urban development and regional growth.
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The lack of a genuine metro/subway is clearly something Brisbane should be now moving to address, given we’re likely looking at [min] 10yrs even from here!
Some thoughts, critical to progress:
- NON QR and QT driven project. We need modern, progressive thinking!
- BCC and Qgov to establish a newgen delivery body. [That liases with Translink, to ensure the “subway” fits in with broader Transit assets when/where appropriate, NOT to deadhand curtail it!]
- From day ONE, planning and delivery to focus on 24/7 operation - NOT saying it will [initally], but that type of thinking should be baked into design and operation capabilities! [I’d actually suggest the subway CLOSE for 3/4hrs a day, to reduce homelessness activity and enhance cleaning and maintenance opportunities].
- ** The London DLR is the type of system the subway could learn a lot from in both rolling stock and lower capital station design and layout [but a lot more underground than the DLR overall].
- Typically driverless operations, but staffed when considered necessary, to enhance passenger safety/comfort etc.
- Incl the revitalisation of the Doomben/Pinkenba line as a possible part of the broader rail-metro plan.
- WHY this is a winner of an idea - the Stockholm people see this, MASSIVE growth in higher-density housing and material increases in real estate economic (and social) values, along rail-metro corridors - “caputuring” this increase in economic value, against the projected capital costs is critical in promoting the project!
Suggested next steps:
- Build a rail-metro/subway focused website, specifically promoting the vision.
- Seek articles from prominent citizens etc, stating why they believe such a project would enhance the quality of life for the City.
- In due course, hold a public meeting to offer SUPPORT for the project.
(I know everything takes effort, but these suggested “next steps” are offered, in good faith, to help keep the ball rolling - otherwise, in sleepy town BNE, nothing will happen and that is exactly what suits politicans and govt dept leaders…no one rocks the boat!!!)
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I can see an argument that the subway line 1 being curtailed to terminate at Hamilton (with Doomben line extended to meet it or the subway going to Doomben to provide an intersection). I’m not sure I see great benefit in a metro going to DFO when a shuttle bus could probably do the job.
At the other end I think you’d terminate it at indooroopilly. Darra would already be connected by the existing train line. Jindalee and mount ommaney would probably not become the high density suburbs required.
I think I said above but anywhere on subway line 1 should be zoned for high densities (aiming 10,000 people per km2 or higher) within at least 1km of the station.
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It’s not just DFO, it’s assuming an Airtrain station too.
We have to put the depot somewhere too, which helps motivate going past Hamilton proper.
In many ways I think about the Centenary leg as the obvious extension - the area is woefully underserved today and it has those two major commercial centres which the local bus network is already oriented around. Then Darra is just for completeness.
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It would certainly provide a much needed additional river crossing that’s for sure. Linking with heavy rail I think is good strategy too. As expensive as the project would be, it would be a game changer. Buses could concentrate more on local areas and increase frequency in the process. That’s the big advantage of rail outside of the inner suburbs.
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Can I have your permission to use this map in emails to Ministers?
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Thanks! Go ahead! It’s not carved in stone, but I have the native file and can alter it where necessary.
Technical questions for the Rail Heads..
Brisbane ever builds a true underground metro/subway I imagine it’ll be fully segregated from the rest of the network, using different rollingstock and likely driverless..
In that scenario, should it be standard gague? I can see big benefits in (a) more suppliers and (b) wider, higher-capacity carriages.
There are some disadvantages too, including (a) existing know-how and tech in Qld is narrow-gague and (b) it would be more expensive to convert conventional rail lines into metros, as NSW are partly doing in Sydney. This last one seems like a big limitation, on future growth.
Do you have a view?
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Standard gauge, third rail, driverless.
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Not a fan of third rail for heavy metro. 25 kV AC with fixed catenary.
DC has too many limitations, IMO.
GCLR is standard gauge…
If we do a proper Metro (eg as in the map at #17) I would absolutely say make it driverless, as well as standard gauge. Clean sheet.
Sydney Metros WSA and West are both to be 25kV AC overhead. I think that’s a sensible default.
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Provided that it is completely separate from the wider QR network, I’d agree that it should be Standard Gauge.
As an aside, I’m typing this from Sydney, where I am going to try out their metro for the first time today.
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My thinking for third rail is that you can have smaller tunnel diameters, making the whole thing much cheaper. Also third rail allows for tighter turns and is efficient for shorter distances.
I know plenty of people have already said this, but standard gauge is the way to go for any fully segregated system like a metro. Rail of different gauges is still very similar so I doubt there’d be much lost expertise if a new system was standard, certainly not enough to offset the benefits. Gauge conversion is a valid concern, but if you’re already upgrading lines for automatic operation/different power delivery mechanisms then it’s really not that big of an issue IMO.
Just as a pedantic point, this is determined by loading gauge not rail gauge. Loading gauge is the actual body size of the trains etc, rather than rail separation and can vary wildly between systems of the same rail gauge. For a good example, look at the size of freight locomotives between the UK and the US, who are both on standard gauge.
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Yes, the Yamanote line which loops around Tokyo runs on narrow gauge and has trains with capacity of over 1600 people. Standard gauge is not necessary to move lots of people, but mainly just to be on the standard which should make procurement more competitive and simpler.
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If we ever go down this road, let’s not reinvent the wheel. All we need to do is copy and paste the Sydney or Singapore setup. Both are world class and driverless.
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I’m suggesting building a metro with the most standard configuration there is. Most underground metros use third rail at 750V DC for a simple and space-efficient configuration that is suitable for relatively short and dense sectors. Every rolling stock manufacturer has trains that it can supply for that purpose straight off the shelf.
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Is there a resource somewhere that compares metro systems on the basis of these factors?
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My other main question is how to characterize these proposed Brisbane underground metro systems?
Between, say, St. Lucia and Hamilton they are dense areas with short, stopping distances. Beyond those points, for example, from Indro out to Darra or Inala, it seems more like a suburban train service with wide stop spacing.