Whats happening with Coolangatta? i thought Queensland rail were looking at extending the line to Coolangatta is this true? i know that the line currently ends at Robina. Please fill me in South East Queenslanders.

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I believe they are but not for awhile. The idea was presented in the 'Transport 2007' report and it listed as 'beyond 2007. I've read somewhere that they want it up and running for 2009. Until then: buses.

its in the official QR network development plan. But until it gets approval from govt for some actual funding it will remain a wishlist.

is there room on the coast to spilt the train line into two veins going paralell down the coast... i would think that a good idea for future planning so that it has a better 'catchment' area for future public transport on the coast... or is it too late for that sort of planning now?

btw, where has the thread on the light rail project gone?

QR has funding for about 4km of extension to Reedy Creek.

is there room on the coast to spilt the train line into two veins going paralell down the coast? ...

Not likely, but where would the two lines go? Would one run north & the other south? And is the current line to Robina single or double track ?

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No, what he means instead of just building the one line to Coolongatta build another that runs parallel to it further inland to provide better mass transit. The Gold Coast could do with it even if the light rail does go ahead.

I believe the current track is double.

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No, what he means instead of just building the one line to Coolongatta build another that runs parallel to it further inland to provide better mass transit. The Gold Coast could do with it even if the light rail does go ahead.

I believe the current track is double.

Two lines instead of one? only one will get built.

The loop arrangement I was referring to -while it has its limitations- works both in the Mebourne CBD- and in various places on the Paris Metro.

Danubis only asked if there was room for such a design, not whether it was likely.

I don't think the loop design would work: the Gold Coast is very different to Melbourne and Paris.

The GC really needs the light rail, but it is really only meant for the inner zone of the city, so if this was built at least it would extend the network into areas which are going to need to be their as the city expands. No matter what they need to extend the system to Coolongatta.

I think a cool looking elevated rail up the Gold Coast Highway could work??

I think a cool looking elevated rail up the Gold Coast Highway could work??

Elevated rail is outdated and ugly. The immediate area under and around it becomes very limited in terms of development options.

I think if designed properly it could work (and it would be a hell of a lot cheaper than a subway, and I don't even think there is any room for light rail at ground level.

I like Ron Clarke's people pod idea for surfers ... think public transport where you don't have to share with anybody :)

The only other thing I could see working would be a monorail like seattle, but would you want this running throu downtown surfers?

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5861/monorails54ub.jpg
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5936/monorails38mb.jpg

On the note of rail transit. I think they (AUS and State Gov't's) need to invest in a bullet train network arriving at each major city's central station. The bullet train system is the best thing that could have happened to Japan (having experienced it first-hand) the service is superb, and you arrive at the destination in a short time, and the trip is cheaper than by plane.

Stage 1:
Brisbane (Roma Street Station) > Gold Coast (central station....robina i guess??) > Sydney (Central Statiom) > Melbourne (That new central station where the DFO is going)

Stage 2: ...connect "the other side"
Sydney (Central Station) > Perth (Central Station)

Future Extensions:...
- On Sydney to Perth Line: have a 2 branches off at Broken Hill?.... 1 to Adelaide, 1 to Darwin
- Melbourne > Broken Hill
- Brisbane > Broken Hill

This wouldn't be economically efficient.

Japan has much higher population numbers and desnity so it is then worthwhile.
A bullet train would take about 2 hours to get from Brisbane to Sydney, and people would rather a variety in times than an extra spare 20 minutes.

spoil my dreams!!! :tongue3: :)

I think a maglev from Noosa to Coolangatta would work wonderfull for SEQ, but its something like over a billion $ per meter of track :|

I like Ron Clarke's people pod idea for surfers ... think public transport where you don't have to share with anybody :)

The only other thing I could see working would be a monorail like seattle, but would you want this running throu downtown surfers?

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5861/monorails54ub.jpg
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5936/monorails38mb.jpg

If the elevated rail was designed in a similar way to the monorail photo's it could be an idea. They need something mass transit in this area. Busses just aren't good enough.

I think a maglev from Noosa to Coolangatta would work wonderfull for SEQ, but its something like over a billion $ per meter of track :|

actually, using the Shanghai Maglev Train Line (Shanhai CBD to Shanghai International Airport) as a basis, 1 kilometre of maglev rail roughly equates to about $95million (US).

Still expensive, I know. But vastly cheaper than $1billion+ per metre.

I'm a big advocate for monorail, and I've always thought it would be perfect for GC. It doesn't have the same capacity as commuter rail, but GC doesn't have the density for that anyway. Plus monorails look awesome.

The thing about the Gold Coast (if it was planned properly to beging within) exceptional quality public Transport would have been easy because of the strip development along the coast where the higher densities are. It will now cost a lot of money to put in adequate PT. My reason for leaning toward heavey rail is that no one likes changing services, and people like changing services even less if they have to change the modes of PT as well. (This is the main reason why I am against trams/light rail in brisbane)

Trams suck, and lets not dig up the roads for years to install the tracks causing traffic chaos.
Monorail would be good, as it only impacts small areas below it and elevated train system like in GTA would be awesome :)

I still vote Maglev, from GC to Brisbane in 2 minutes hehehe :runaway:

It would be nice if they thought extending the line into Tweed Heads. A nightmare because it's over the border (think Tugan Bypass) but it would definately be beneficial.