Re: Robina-Coolangatta extension "essential"

[RNS <steam3801@hotmail.com>]

The sensible thing would have been for the line from Brisbane to the
Gold Coast to have been built to dual guage and the Murwillumbah line
extended to connect.
Then Countrylink could have operated both XPT's to and from Brisbane
via the Gold Coast.
A taxi would suffice for any Kyogle passengers.
After all the population base is the Gold Coast.






On Fri, 24 Mar 2000 01:30:35 +1000, "RODS" <ajb2001@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>> > 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
>
>