Re: Robina-Coolangatta extension "essential"

["RODS" <ajb2001@hotmail.com>]

> > David Bromage wrote:
>
> > > ABC Newsradio reports the Queensland government saying the extension
of
> > > the railway from Robina to Coolangatta is vital to the future of the
GOld
> > > Coast.
> > >
> > > Queensland Transport has released the terms of reference for the EIS
into
> > > the Robina - Tugun section, and $200 million for construction will be
> > > allocated in the next state budget.
> > >
> > > Here's punchline. NSW "will build a railway to Coolangatta Airport" as
> > > part of the project.
>
> > Another break of gauge station
>
> So? Most of the passengers on the Murwillimbah XPT are going to/from the
> Gold Coast. Very few travel on to Brisbane. It's much more sensible to
> extend the XPT to Coolangatta than extend the QR narrow gauge to
> Murwillumbah.
>
> Cheers
> David

XPT (Long Distance) passengers are not really the issue. The Gold Coast Line
is a suburban passenger line, which is not only used by commuters and
visitors to travel between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, but also by
passengers within the Gold Coast city itself. The northern towns near the
NSW border (eg Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads) are just as close to the Gold
Coast as Brisbane is, if not closer. I don't think the rail line should just
stop at Coolangatta simply because of the state border.

This situation is a bit like when the line connecting Broken Hill directly
into South Australia was first proposed, but the NSW Government insisted a
standard gauge line be constructed from Broken Hill to the border and
connect with the SA railway line instead. (Of course today it is standard
gauge all the way though). Broken Hill people travel to towns on the other
side of the SA border just like northern NSW people go to the Gold Coast -
it's not just XPT passengers who would benefit from the Gold Coast line
extension.

Perhaps a dual gauge line between Coolangatta and Murwillumbah could allow
for both the XPT to travel to Coolangatta Airport and QR Citytrain to
service passengers living along the full length of the Gold Coast and
Northern Rivers area?

While I'm at it - back before the Gold Coast line was ripped up in 1964 it
DID in fact go at least as far as Tweed Heads; maybe other aus.railers know
if it went further than that or not.

RODS