Let’s hope QR put some driver POV videos up on Youtube as they run more test trains through the pipe!
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Ashame they didn’t leave provision to build above both Roma Street and Woolloongabba stations
Test trains aren’t happening until next year at earliest
Wonder what that looks like
Where did you read that? Are there any good reasons?
I mean full length to length testing, according to some insider information from someone involved in the project through a third party.
So don’t take with a grain of salt.
Makes sense as there still is a lot of construction and track configurations to go. 2027 is a good bet.
I think they will probably start with some off peak services similar to Melbourne Metro Tunnel.
Surely there will be test trains in the tunnel before 2027? ETCS will have to be tested prior to full length testing. MMT had trains doing full length testing years ago.
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That’s my thinking. Most stations will be entirely completed this year. It seems crazy to just sit on fully completed stations for months before even starting basic testing.
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Albert and Charlotte Street update
I’ve taken some pics today surrounding that recently reopened intersection.
It’s slightly raised in the middle giving it differential from the rest of the road. It’s not a turtle crossing because of the drainage I suspect.
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Looks like platforms 1 and 2 at Roma Street are shaping up to open in March/April.
Pics are from today on Platform 1, a lot of the surface tiling is done and the curbing is coming along as well. The ceiling from the canopy over the platform is also moving ahead.
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Is platforms 1/2 busway or train platforms?
1 is outbound busway, 2 is inbound busway & train platform (although rarely used).
I think the new regional train to Sydney will use platform 3 from April. Formally the XPT.
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/regional-rail
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I’ve not heard anything about the R sets entering revenue service anytime soon. Is there a reason they wouldn’t go back to P2 when it re-opens, or is it just a case of ‘P3 is fine, just leave it’?
If the retirement of the XPT is imminent however, I might have to look at taking a ride on the XPT one more time before it’s too late.
Are the NSW regional services sharing the GC/SC underground sector or the existing Cleveland-Ferny Grove sector once CRR opens?
Would standard gauge interstate services (and freight services for that matter) get slotted into QR sectorisation?
If they use the Cleveland sector - I worry the slots available from the removal of Beenleigh/Gold Coast trains may be used for more freight services as they give revenue to QR
I wouldn’t be too worried about that risk; narrow gauge freight coming to/from the North Coast Line is still restricted during peak, even if it needs to get to Acacia Ridge eventually; and QR probably don’t extract much standard gauge revenue for freight, given it would only be track usage charges between the Port of Brisbane and Acacia Ridge before it’s ARTC’s track and probably pretty modest income.
For better or worse, we just don’t move that much stuff by rail freight, and I’m dubious there’s that much demand at present to hoover up track capacity created by CRR. Maybe if Inland Rail is ever built in QLD the dual gauge line to the port will face some pressures that will create conflict with passenger service levels, but that remains a big question mark at present.
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