It seems like QR/TMR have decided the ETCS2 rollout will start on the outer parts of Sector 1 (Beenleigh to Varsity and Elimbah to Caloundra) before moving inwards toward the city- is there a reason why?
I would have thought the best value for money in the early stages of the rollout would be in the inner city network so that it’s ready for CRR (and allows for more capacity + reliability) but obviously there’s more to it.
My first thought would be they just want to iron out any issues before deploying it in the inner city but…. isn’t that what the Shorncliffe line testing is for?
This diagram from the TMRs website shows that they only intend to implement ETCS on Sector 1 of the post CRR network. Makes sense that it would increase capacity on the tri-track corridors from Petrie to Northgate and Boggo Road to Kuraby, and that its the sector that will use CRR.
But there are pinch points on Sector 2 as well, including the section of track from Darra to Corinda, and the flat junctions after Eagle Junction.
Darra to Corinda can be fixed relatively easily by electrifying the fourth road. Not to say it shouldn’t get ETCS L2 eventually, but I can’t see electrification taking more than a few weekends.
Highly doubt that they will get it through, knowing QR believing that simple and low-cost fix = insignificant. There is LGCFR and Cleveland line duplication to consider. QR would probably prioritise those because they would be bigger projefcts than a 4th platform at Oxley.
They will need it once they extend the line out to Toowoomba. (Stage 1 Helidon). This is because they would need the extra capacity to cater for more services through Ipswich.
Agreed, but when is that likely to happen? I can’t see it within the next decade, at least. Electrification/4th platform at Oxley should be able to be finished within 12-18 months once funding/approval is provided.
Interesting pics in a series shared by QLD fire showing their crews doing some rail training with NGR sets at Elimbah stabling yard… looks like some NGRs now fitted with ETCS2 hardware?
If it can run every 15min during peak hour only using legacy signalling with a significant timetable margin, then it definitely can run 15min all day with ETCS. Melbourne’s Upfield line has a longer and more restricting single-track final leg than the Shorncliffe line yet the trains on that line more frequently (a train every 20min) than the Shorncliffe line. The only reason the Shorncliffe line runs every 30min is because they stow downward trains at the final spur to Allpass Parade rather than turning back immediately.
I hope to dear god that the they can speed up turnbacks at Shorncliffe station to squeeze more capacity on the single track leg.
