[QR] New Citytrain timetable + Northern line happenings

["Brendan Morley" <morb_@_bit_._net_._au>]

Fellow aus.railers,

After compiling the timetables (starting yesterday the 25th) for the QROTI
TVM, I noticed that some of the trains in the pm peak were tabled to pass
Northgate Station in some tight bunches (eg. 5:38pm, 5:39, 5:40).

Therefore yesterday I went out to Northgate and Zillmere to observe some of
the first day of movements under the new timetable - especially now the
middle road is being used between Northgate and Lawnton.

I first went to Northgate about 5:30, I was madly transcribing platform
numbers while some unrelated photographer took several flash photographs of
the station complex.  (The results of the transcription are already in the
TVM.)

As it turned out, the 5:38pm to Shorncliffe arrived on 2, 5:39 all to
Caboolture on 4, and 5:40 exp to Petrie then all to Caboolture on 3 (!)

It seems the general workings are now as follows:

Off peak Caboolture services run on the outer roads from Lawnton-Northgate,
using platforms 1&2 at Northgate, then using Northern Suburban lines into
Albion.

The middle road from Lawnton-Northgate is only used for "tidal flow" express
services (certainly platform 2 at Zillmere didn't seem fit to take
passengers).

pm peak trains heading out on the Northern Main line (ie. platform 4 Albion
to Nundah) either continue through platform 4 at Northgate if an all stopper
(continuing on the Down road to Lawnton) or skews through platform 3 if an
express to Petrie (continuing on the Middle road).  Up (inbound) trains also
use platform 3 but are tabled to avoid the down trains using the same
platform (thankfully!).

During both am and pm peaks, the Caboolture line services usually stick to
the Northern Main whilst Shorncliffe line services continue to use Northern
Suburban.  Presumably this is to segregate the traffic as far down the line
as possible until they have to merge at Mayne Junction.  (Plus also help
provide paths for Airport Line services next year.)


I was also struck by the percentage of services run by SMU 220's, probably
one in eight overall but every train I caught from Roma Street, to
Northgate, to Zillmere, and back to Toowong were all serviced by the "gear
changing train" (those who've heard it should know what I mean).

Feel free to post comment, corrections to the above, etc.

By the way, a plug:  The Timetable Vending Machine at
www.qroti.bit.net.au/citytrain/tvm/ was loaded with the new times on Friday.
As at the time of this post, it is still the only internet source loaded
with the current timetables.

Thanks,
Brendan