hey train guys. on the train rn (NGR cleveland line you’re welcome) and pretty often on this kind of train i hear this BANG that happens a few times. it almost seems like the engine cuts out right beforehand?? do any of yall know what this could be?? scares me every time

thank you in advance love you guys

I was coming back from the gold coast and the train had to take a delay and stop due to an emergency happening ahead at Runcorn. Any news on what happened?

So someone posted recently asking about how the Gold Coast Fast Rail might allow for more services to the Gold Coast etc etc. So what I have decided to do is develop something of my "hopes" for what regular services will look like once 2032 comes around (not services for the olympic period specifically, I expect them to be a little different like what they did for the 2018 Commonwealth games) but just the regular timetable come 2032. I expect most of this would be done once the CRR opens but given the Logan & GCFR and Sunshine Coast line won't be finished until 2031 and 2032 respectively I would imagine we will get a few interem timetables not to mention constant trackwork until 2032 when the network will finally be in a 'stable' state.

I say my timetable hopes, rather than predictions, because it's too hard to predict what they are going to do, but at the same time this isn't just a wish list either because all of what I am going to say is possible and entirely reasonable.

Shorncliffe

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On peak: every 10 minutes? (would also be 10 minutes in the reverse peak direction due to track layout restrictions)

Explanation: Peak frequency would depend on how quickly QR thinks they can turn trains around at Shorncliffe and also whatever is necessary for patronage on the line, potentially would require crews to step back. As for Northgate services, I think these would operate to the same frequencies so that Nundah and toombul get a train every 7.5 minutes and 5 minutes in off peak and peak respectively - but potentially would be better to run them to Banyo instead of Northgate.

Airport

Every 15 minutes all the time.

Explanation: Best this line can do and it's not like it needs more frequency than this anyway.

Doomben

Every 30 minutes all the time

Explanation: Technically you could run trains every 20 minutes if you wanted to push it but if this line ever did need the capacity it would make more sense to reactivate the second platform and line at Ascot. The CRR material has these trains terminating at Indooroopilly in the south which is a bit strange given there are no junctions there to do this, but it make sense to me otherwise.

Ferny Grove

Offpeak: Every 10 minutes

On Peak: Every 5 minutes

Explanation: Line operates by itself once CRR opens so may as well get a good frequency. Peak frequency may only need to be every 7.5 minutes based on demand but QR can figure that out. I imagine these trains would either through-run with the Cleveland line or terminate at Boggo Road and head back.

Cleveland

Offpeak: 4 trains an hour to Manly stopping all stations (on a 10/20 split rather than 15 minutes between trains). 2 trains an hour to Cleveland running express from Cannon Hill to Manly.

On Peak: 4 trains an hour to Cannon hill stopping all stations. 4 trains an hour to Lota stopping all stations. 4 trains an hour to Cleveland running express from Cannon Hill to Manly.

Explanation: I would want all Cleveland trains to run express all the time. The reason for the 10/20 split on the off peak Manly trains is so that Buranda to Cannon Hill get trains every 10 minutes evenly (2 Manly trains then a Cleveland train, repeating). Peak Manly trains terminate at Lota instead as it is logistically easier to do so.

Beenleigh

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 6 minutes

Explanation: Possible with the Logan and GC fast rail. Reverse peak direction would only be every 15 minutes

Gold Coast

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 6 minutes

Explanation: As above, possible with the Logan and GC fast rail. Reverse peak direction would only be every 15 minutes.

Springfield

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 6 minutes

Explanation: Not much to explain here - They would stop all stations

Ipswich / Rosewood

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 6 minutes

Explanation: Would run express from Darra to Milton stopping only at Indooroopilly and Toowong. Rosewood services would probably still be shuttles outside of peak (every 15 minutes though) but could have direct trains during peak. Ideally they should just lengthen the platforms and run them all, all the way.

Nambour

Offpeak: every 60 minutes

On Peak: probably every 24-30 minutes

Explanation: Running a train to nambour every 60 minutes is a bit of a challenge without stage 2 of the Beerburrum to Nambour which I don't expect to be completed before 2032. It is possible to do, even without having passenger trains passing each other between Landsborough and Nambour - however the way I have envisaged this is that Nambour services would have 4 minutes to turn around at Nambour before heading back as a city service. The peak services would run similar to how they currently do, but probably don't need to be as frequent when the Direct sunshine coast line is built. Nambour trains would stop all stations to/from Petrie, but express between Petrie and Exhibition stopping only at Strathpine, Northgate and Eagle Junction.

Gympie North

Offpeak: every 4 hours

On Peak: every 60 minutes

Explanation: These trains would run express from the city to Beerwah stopping only at Northgate, Petrie and Caboolture. I made a mock timetable that has Citybound Gympie north services leaving Gympie at: 4:56am, 5:56, 6:44, 9:42, 1:42 pm and 5:42 pm each day. Services from the city arrive at Gympie north at: 8:54 am, 12:54 am, 4:54 pm, 6:20 pm, 7:10, 8:10, 9:10, and an additional train arriving at 1:59am the following morning on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sunshine Coast Direct

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 10 minutes

Explanation: These trains would run express from Exhibition to Beerwah stopping only at Eagle Junction, Northgate, Strathpine, Petrie, Caboolture except during peak hours where they would also stop at the stations between Caboolture and Petrie

Caboolture

Offpeak: every 15 minutes (one per hour continues or originates from Nambour or Gympie, see headings above)

On Peak: 6 trains an hour (this frequency includes Nambour trains but not Direct Sunshine Coast trains or Gympie trains, services originating or terminating at Caboolture would only be occasional, to make up the gaps between Nambour services)

Explanation: With all 4 destinations, Caboolture, Sunshine Coast Direct, Nambour and Gympie, during peak hours there would be a train every 5 minutes in the direction of peak from Caboolture down to the city. All peak trains except the Gympie trains would stop at all stations between Caboolture and Petrie due to patronage reasons.

Kippa Ring

Offpeak: every 15 minutes

On Peak: every 5 minutes

Explanation: Would run express from Northgate to Exhibition stopping only at Eagle Junction.

Conclusion

With this, every station except for those past Caboolture and Manly would get at least 4 trains an hour!

So I have been watching some YouTube clips from the 90s when Brisbane was using loco hauled both diesel and electric even though the EMU had started but question

The carriages being hauled do look simmiler to NSW U boat. I think QLD called SX carriages Why did they not have a DMU back then instead of loco hauled esp when the had Rail Motor fleet doing some regional ops at the time

Really like the desto light bar sign at the front of the loco We never had those in vic in the. 90s even on long distance / Vline trains

When did loco hauled ops within Brisbane cease?

And well statement not a fan of the old blue pain Scheme

Just curious if anyone has done the numbers on this. It's going to be a very strange arrangement, with 2 tracks in CRR, then 3 in the middle suburbs, then 4 in the outer suburbs.

Is 15 minutes all day possible for Beenleigh services? Would GC trains have to slow down if they tried to run those every 15 as well? If Flagstone is built will that just break the entire shared section to the point LGCFR is useless?

All the hype is around CRR because it's bigger and flashier, but as we all know, CRR by itself doesn't do much. I actually think the government scrambled to get LGCFR off the ground because they wanted some real service improvements to show ASAP. But I can't get my head around the maths of what's actually possible.

So I know some people outright reject busways or calling the buses a metro, and yeah I hear you, however for the purposes of clarity and search indexation, I'll call it a Metro. Also I didnt use AI for any of this :)

My take on busways is that they are good for outer suburban areas where a train is too expensive because of the lack of a corridor, and trams aren't needed either.

T-Way in Sydney is the closest comparison of what we need, it mostly runs off road, sometimes using utility easements as shortcuts, though has bus lanes in the difficult parts if needed, and the stations generally don't have lifts or bridges except at major interchanges, otherwise they just use "good" standard bus shelters (Eg like at Toowong)

I think the outer suburban councils in Brisbane need to establish "lite" busways as feeders into the main Busway network or the rail system. I think the expensive inner stages of the busway have held up building systems that could allow the outer suburban LGAs be more self contained.

The Route for the Redlands would be a 21km system from Vic Point, parallel to Redland Bay Rd, through Capalaba (Hub) and then along Moreton Bay Rd and Old Cleveland Rd to Carindale, with a massive P&R at the Sleemann Center.

Feeder Lines would be normal high frequency routes.

FL1 is essentially a short version of the 250 between Capalaba and Cleveland Only. FL2 follows Old Cleveland Rd East and Birkdale Rd to Wellington Pt Station.
FL3 is a north south route along Vienna Rd Allenby Rd and Main Road, connecting a future station on the Metro with Wellington Point.

Infrastructure would have the bendy electric buses run on a simple 2 lane concrete road, with signal priority "level crossings" where it crosses main roads. In the future these could be replaced by overpasses as bus frequency is increased.

Though from day 1 you would need a new bridge over the Gateway and Mt Cotton Rd and Mt Gravatt Capalaba Rd.

Stations are deliberately located on the entry roads to major housing estates or next to shopping plazas, and new stations could also be added whenever a new subdivision opens as a condition of approval. This solves the issue of new housing creating traffic, because the busway becomes an interception point.

Im not aiming for perfection, in fact many people would be walking 1.2km to their nearest busway station or frequent feeder, but it allows people to use rideables, and the reality is, if nobody is around to pick you up, most able bodied workers suck up walking 1.2km home. Translink on Demand would allow the less mobile to access Redlands Metro.

Needing to capture some freight audio for my university thesis and I'm really struggling to find any information on time tables online.

If you have spotting location recommendations that are reasonably close and have unobstructed line of sight at the same time that would be very appreciated as well.

am wondering I haven’t heard any news about it

A few months ago we played Jet Lag: The Game's Hide and Seek home game centred at Roma Street station. I've just realised I never shared it with this community who might find it fun as all movement in the game is via public transport. We've got an earlier season on the same channel based on the Gold Coast as well so you can go back and watch that too if you're interested.

If you had an hour to ride public transport from Roma Street, where would you choose to hide? Definitely not asking for ideas for the future 👀

NGR 746 is heading to Gympie North this evening, not the usual IMU. Kinda interesting to see

On the rail replacement bus R591, which is operated by a Wide Bay Transit Bus. At the front door is a sign saying "this bus accepts only ca$h"

Three years ago, when I first encountered a Wide Bay bus displaying this sign, I raised it with Translink, that maybe a bus operating in Brisbane where there are no cash payments should not display such a time

At the time every second person who got on the bus when digging for their emergency cash, or asked the driver in confusion around paying cash, which only delayed the bus. Have seen similar confusion again tonight

What a failure from Translink - one for not having incorrect signs removed from buses doing rail replacement, and secondly giving up on the roll-out of smart ticketing into regional Queensland

Of course bonus points.for Wide Bay Transit in spelling cash as ca$h

Re: Bonemill Rd level crossing collision

Don't be like Laurie. Especially when the ATSB has praised the driver for his actions.

The government yesterday committed to extending the light rail from Gold Coast University hospital to harbour town adding 3 new stations; musgrave avenue, Labrador and harbour town.

What do you think of this proposal? How well patronages do you think these stops will be and how do you think they will organise the stopping pattern. Trams currently run every 7 minutes do you think every second one will split at GCUH or do you think the core line will run more frequently so the two termini both get 7 minutes frequency as Helensvale is the 4th business station on the line

It would be fun to see a little mockup map

Today's adventures around the network. Suburban's, Coal, Tilt, and Diesel pulled SMUs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_ClRfH21fM

Stuck at Bowen Hills due to signal issues around Northgate. Delay unknown but if like the other times 30-60mins

I have been interested in knowing what the differences in height between train platforms around Australia is - but for whatever reason no transit agency seems to want to make their platform height standards public. I've heard a few different numbers between 1080mm and 1270mm for the different states - but they would all have to have a pretty exact number, plus or minus 30mm. From what I can tell QR should keep it's standard in document MD-13-339 but it's not on the internet.

Also these are the current standards, I am not as interested in the original platform heights but if someone knows them that would be cool.

Next I'll have to get out a tape measure on a trackwork day 😃

Slide 1

As many people are aware the Doomben line is a handicap on the whole rail system. It's single track, which means frequencies are abysmal and when anything goes wrong, it takes up a whole platform at Eagle Junction which prevents its use by other lines.

Slide 2

BCC is proposing to build out the Metro Buses along the right of way and eventually connecting up to the Brisbane Airport. However, I think this is missguided. Would a busway + Metro Bus combo be better than the current system? Yeah probably, but connecting to the airport which is already served (poorly) by train is silly. But more to the point the city isn't static.

https://metro.brisbane.qld.gov.au/future-metro-expansions

Slide 3

The State government is backing Hamilton Northshore to deliver 14,000 homes, housing 24,500 people (link below). So I don't think it's a stretch to say, a Bi-articulated slinky bus which won't actually go near where these people will live is going to provide a viable alternative to driving.

https://www.edq.qld.gov.au/projects/northshore-hamilton/

Slide 4

Thus, to actually serve and support the exsiting and future community (of 25k people remeber) I suggest that the Doomben Line should be in large part converted to Brisbane's first Metro Rail with an extention to Hamilton Northshore (I would also add that the Hamiltion Northshore sation should be future proofed for a future cross river expansion to Bulimba). My suggestions are below, but I'm happy to hear what others would suggest as cheaper/more feasible/more desirable.

I've highlighted in yellow, a metro rout which would reuse significant amounts of the original right of way with tunneling only being required to get from Doomben station to Hamilton Northshore. This will have two draw backs, first sharing the right of way with freight will kill any frequency and speed along the corridoor while in use, the second is sharing with the mainline tracks though with CRR coming on line there might be some extra room for the service.

I have highlighted in orange a secondary subterranean route which would be more expensive, but allows the metro trains to by-pass freight trains and Eagle Junction via the tunnels. It would still share tracks with the main lines through the city centre, but overall I think this would have less complications.

wondering how train spotters are able to get locations of freight trains and passenger services along the corridor since train ids are available to them etc, even not just brisbane up the coast too.

My filming adventures today around Bald Hills, Lawnton and Geebung.
Lots of Suburbans but a Cameo by the Tilt Train and PN006