Agree with these, but I would suggest frequent weekend services on the Ferny Grove, Beenleigh, and Cleveland lines are a higher priority.
On a short term basis
- Extend the Northgate to Boggo/Park Road weekend runs to originate from Shorncliffe from 8am to 6pm
- Extra Roma Street to Ferny Grove weekend also within the 8am to 6pm timeframe based on the weekday 15 min timetable.
Medium term.
- 15 mins between Redcliffe and Springfield. Pre-requisite to the next point.
- Ipswich goes express full-time on the current peak hour stopping pattern (Milton, Indooroopilly, Darra then all to Ipswich/Rosewood).
(Pre-Beerburrum-Beerwah duplication) - Squeezing in a shoulder-post morning peak from Beerwah to Ipswich via City - this service formed from a counter-peak service ex-Ipswich
- Squeezing in a shoulder early afternoon pre-afternoon peak from Roma Street to Beerwah (turn back as a Ipswich service).
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Why would you not have these services extend to Coopers Plains, so the inner Beenleigh line gets 15 minutes services, too, just like weekdays?
Same with the Shorncliffe trains; they should continue to Cannon Hill.
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I’d say even to Manly and Kuraby.
I believe these stations (Coopers Plains and Cannon Hill) were both chosen because they have facilities for swapping crew, for breaks or end of shift. I don’t think Manly and Kuraby do. Happy to be corrected if I’m wrong, though.
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How much effort would it take to install these end of trip facilities?
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I have no idea. I would also be concerned that a facility built at Manly would end up disused in a few years, given that the future plan is for duplication to Lota, with a third (terminating) platform there.
Kuraby might have more chance of being used in the future, but if any upgrades are done there, I expect it would be part of the LGCFR project.
For now, to keep it simple, extending the weekday pattern to weekends would be simplest.
I wonder if it would cause some problems with QR’s maintenance schedule, though? I’m sure we’ve all travelled through the core at some time in weekends when either only the suburban or main lines are in use. This might be more difficult to achieve, if most lines are doubling their frequency.
On a somewhat related matter: there needs to be better bus connections between Kippa-Ring and Sandgate stations, especially if we are to have 4 tph. One that doesn’t require a trip around the peninsula, or force yet another interchange, to travel from (say) Rothwell to Deagon.
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There’s no reason this couldn’t be done at night though. All they are doing are track walks to inspect the track.
The should progress to driver only services and increase weekend frequency to 20 mins or better. The can also help cover weekend events.
Buz services are already 20 mins or better off peak on weekends.
Random question, but would there be any value in electrifying the third railway track on the Cleveland line to provide operational flexibility for express train services in peak hour?
I’ve thought this before too. I think because of the length of the Cleveland line it’d be worth doing for the sake of the commuters in the Redlands area. Also when CRR is online there won’t be the sharing of slots with Beenleigh and Gold Coast services, so should allow greater operational flexibility in terms of express and all stops services running along the line together. Since the rest of the network isn’t used for freight during peak times the third track is sitting idly during this time anyhow.
I’ve thought about a stopping pattern of Cleveland all stations to Manly then express to Buranda stopping only at Morningside. This would require a third platform here to be doable. I’d also be open to just running straight through as well.
If the funds and political will was there, all stations along the third track (Lindum to Buranda) could have a third platform added which would allow the freight track to be used for the outbound services in the AM peak. That way the line could function in the same way the Beenleigh line to Kuraby and North Coast line to Petrie work now which would limit crossing conflicts. However due to less funds and desire I’d say this is unlikely to ever happen.
The QR network is not designed for DOO operation. The LNP tried this with the NGRs, and failed.
15 minutes or better. Running 20 minute train services to meet with 15 minute bus services would be a disaster for network integration and legibility.
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I think with existing lines this might be the case, but for new lines (think Sunshine Coast) this could be possible.
We don’t have the resources and the costs will be too great under the current operating model. As mentioned buses already run at 20 mins or better, thus trains can too. 15 mins or better ok weekdays but after 6.30 pm should be 20 mins or better until 10 pm and revert back to 30 mins or better after that
I wonder how this would play out with stations such as Beerburum and Elimbah that are unmanned? Obviously they have level boarding facilities however those are still not ideal if someone with reduced mobility needs to board or disembark and requires assistance.
There are also the obvious concerns when it comes to antisocial behaviour, passenger safety, emergencies etc especially on more isolated parts of the line. Can the Rail Management Centre security staff effectively monitor CCTV on hundreds of services at the same time?
I was on an early morning VLBD service a few months ago where a lady had quite a significant medical episode on board, the guard was instrumental in arranging for QAS to be notified as well as extra first aid assistance from the platform staff as we pulled into South Bank. I’ve also been on a service a few years back where a very drunk man was getting aggressive and trying to start fights with passengers, the guard was very quick to notice this and kicked the passenger off. Both of those situations could have been much worse had the guards not been there.
I’m not opposed to DOO however the benefits are outweighed by the negatives, IMO.
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Melbourne and Perth have DOO, as does Sydney metro. They manage.
AI can monitor the cameras for any unusual behaviour, this is already commercially available.
DOO may not be desirable for other reasons however. For example, DOO would not be a ‘simple’ change as this thread title shows. On existing lines it would be expensive to introduce as it requires the upgrading of signalling I believe.
^^And Adelaide as well as Auckland
^ Auckland doesn’t have DOO as far as I know (although this might have changed). The difference in Auckland is that the guard works the train from the doors, not the trailing cab, and also has a customer service function - no way the unions would agree to that here. DOO in Victoria is also only for Metro Trains.
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Yeah, I wouldn’t class DOO for Queensland under simple changes either. And I don’t believe the network will ever be converted to DOO.
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