Shouldn’t the ETCS signalling system be installed in the CRR tunnel already? Once they finish the testing of ETCS on the Shorncliffe line, I hope that they will start testing in the tunnels. I wonder how long the testing in the tunnel will take until the operation commences?
Furthermore, how much longer will the testing on the Shorncliffe line take until they start testing in the tunnel?
I don’t like talking politics, but you look at it through a political lens instead of a practical one, it starts making more sense. CRR is one of, if not the largest infrastructure projects in QLD and has been heavily criticised by the blue team for being late and over budget.
As soon as the blue team got elected they announced it was “delayed” due to the red team’s mismanagement and would be completed in 2029 despite no real evidence suggesting this.
There happens to be an election in 2028.
What I suspect is very likely is that the blue team have deliberately announced a ridiculous date to buy themselves some wiggle room, allowing for the project to potentially be delayed slightly further than the original expectation of late next year, but still before the 2028 election. They’ll claim they saved the project, brought it back on track (I can see the media release already), and most of the public will be none the wiser.
If the red team did this I would call them out for it too, FWIW. It’s shady but quite clever, the previous government gets all the blame and the current government gets to take credit for opening it ‘sooner’. I expect we’ll see train testing next year and opening in 2027/2028 depending on delays, industrial action, etc.
So the main reason for the 2029 opening date is purely political and that LNP may plan on finishing CRR early to seem honourable?
Since they have been doing a tonne of ETCS testing on the Shorncliffe line since 2021(?), I doubt that they will take much longer to complete testing on the train line. So tunnel testing may commence some time during mid or late (hopefully early) 2026, so CRR may be operational in 2027 if things all go well.
(I just want the Shorncliffe line disruptions to be done and dusted with ASAP 
)
That seems to be the case, unless there’s some huge bit of the major works package that is behind, but CRR have been pretty transparent with sharing progress.
As it stands now the tunnels have track and OHLE installed and ready to go, they are connected to the network and most comms hardware installation (signalling, radio, telco, CCTV) has been completed. The platforms themselves are also pretty close to completion if they’re doing tiling and audio visual hardware installation. The mezzanine levels are also looking pretty good, escalators are mostly in, services are installed and the final panelling/cladding is being installed on the walls and ceiling before they do the floors. Exhibition has been handed over to QR, the works at Mayne/Bowen Hills are seemingly mostly done too. The station buildings (above ground) will still take at least another year if not longer but that shouldn’t affect train testing.
I just can’t see what will take another 4 years. In 2021 tunneling was barely done and station caverns were still huge holes in the ground. Are we expected to believe that it’ll take 4 more years to do finishing works on the stations and test everything? It doesn’t pass the pub test.
Edit: Also CRR are currently hiring for a number of roles, all of the contracts are currently until 2027 with ‘possible’ extension.
It’s propaganda.
There are bound to be leaks and FOI requests that will make the news that will see the light.
If you want to intentionally delay a project then pull off what the BCC did… spend 3 years on “trial” ghost services in the tunnel.
When the blue team got in the reason they announced for the delays was due to the need for 2+ years of “independent testing”, a claim which I believe the national rail regulator (or maybe an industry body? Don’t quite remember) immediately disputed. It’s quite blatantly a political stunt
Take it with a grain of salt, but Mark Bailey MP (previous QLD transport minister for those not familiar) mentioned today in response to a question asked on his social media that at the time of the election, CRR was still scheduled to open at the end of 2026.
Not sure how accurate it is and whether there have been delays since then, but it does lend some weight to the idea that a (realistic) opening date is probably some time in 2027.
What I have seen previously pointed to an initial interim period of services beginning early in 2026, with full network operations towards the end of that year. This being said and taking into account any actual delays, I would be looking at initial tunnel use to start as early as late next year.
Interim services looked to be a period where the old line pairings had been picked apart, but not all the new pairings had been fully implemented, so some lines might start going through the tunnel but will terminate at Exhibition/Mayne, for example.
I wonder if they have started constructing the timetable?
And are there any new services being added or just the same old frequencies on Day 1?
You’ll recall from the SEQ Rail Connect briefing that the Day 1 service levels were not the ultimate service level within that planning horizon, e.g. Doomben only to Roma St on Day 1.
Isn’t the thinking also that largely improved frequencies are dependent on growing rollingstock numbers, as well as additional infrastructure improvements on certain lines (LGCFR)?
Am I right in assuming that frequency aside, CRR opening will be the trigger for the new network zoning and changed line pairings as per SEQ Rail Connect? We presumably aren’t going to have a soft launch with existing lines (i.e Gold Coast to Airport) just using the tunnels instead of surface stations?
That’s going to be one hell of a timetable construction project to get everything off the ground at the same time.
Side note, CRR posted a video today of platform screen doors being tested at Woolloongabba. 2000 open and closing cycles required per door. Station level is looking pretty good! Imagine it’s probably not going to be too long until the final paneling goes in.
The tunnel will see the change to 3 sector operations, but it may not be exactly as per the SEQ Connect document (eg. some lines might be split in half during the interim as mentioned above)
The GC to Airport example can’t be operated via the tunnel - the CRR lines join the northern lines from the west, and therefore will connect to the western track pairs - the Airport spur peels off on the eastern side, so to access it, the CRR train would have to cross over onto the eastern track pairs, which is disruptive at best and potentially dangerous at worst.