Re: [QLD] Electrifrication West

[Colin Weaver <weaver@powerup.com.au>]

Agreed.  I grew up in Toowoomba, and only moved to Brisbane about 10
years ago.  It was sad watching the Helidon co-ordinated bus replaced
with the "McCafferty's Metrolink" supposedly meeting the train at
Ipswich, then slowly dying due to direct bus services and non-existent
connections.  The highway trip has become so nightmarish that my elderly
parents (still in Toowoomba) rarely bother to drive down to see us.

Any service taking less than about 2 and a half hours on this corridor
would be a winner - the Gympie Nth service (over roughly the same rail
distance) is quite well patronised although it is very slow north of
Nambour.

Ideally, I'd like to see electrification to Toowoomba in about 3 stages.

1.  (short term) to Grandchester, operated by SMUs & EMUs
2.  (medium term - say 5 years) Little Liverpool Range deviation
    and electrification to Gatton.  Operated by IMU type rollingstock.
    (Dare I say - IMU2?)
3.  (longer term - say 10 years) Toowoomba Range deviation and
    electrification to Toowoomba, initially operated by IMU type
    trains, possibly changing to 160Km/h TILT if patronage is
    sufficient.  Of course if the new alignment is good enough
    then tilt won't be necessary.

Any way, I really hope to visit my old home town by electric Citytrain
service one day.

--Colin

James C wrote:
> 
> I would like to see Toowoomba range/Little Liverpool range deviation gets
> built and eventually IMUs(This IS the best Interurban train in Australia
> btw) head west to Toowoomba. Highway traffic towards western region was
> pretty busy and occasionally jamed for hours when I used to live in Brizzy 7
> years ago, it should be worsen now as population keep on growing around that
> region
> 
> Cheers
> James
> 
> Colin Weaver <weaver@powerup.com.au> wrote in message
> news:394470B5.A95AA2EB@powerup.com.au...
> > Any word about when we can expect to see electrification west of
> > Rosewood commence?  It would be great to see regular passenger service
> > return to Grandchester.
> >
> > --Colin
> >
> > MattyQ wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > There is word spreading that a new feeder station may be built at
> Rosewood
> > > to feed the possible OHTWE extension to Grandchester. This will also
> > > possibly backfeed to Ipswich.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Matt Smith
> > > Brisbane Australia.