Brisbane AirTrain

["Shane Polle" <shanep@amc.aust.com>]

I have had the chance to catch it 3 times in the last month,
all on business from Gladstone to Brisbane.

1) less than a week after it opened, about 8:15am
6 car train (new and clean), only about 12-15 people, 1 from International

2) That after noon,  about 2:15pm from Roma St
6 car train (new and clean), only about 12-15 people, 2 from International

3) Last Monday, about 6pm from airport
3 car train, old SMU with grafitti, 20-30 people domestic, 1 or 2 to international and
4 from international.

On each occasion I was travelling to Toowong. If you are doing the same,
change at Central, not Roma St, you will not make it the quick connection., coming back is different.

The trains were always on time, the view is great, the height, speed (100km/hr in some parts) and
the fact that you cannot not see the elevated track from the window can be scary. Especially around 
Toubul shopping centre where the train must be 30m up. 

The timing between the international station and Eagle junction is tight, not much room for delays. But based on this, why did they go to the extra expense of double tracking International to domestic?
A 200m hundred metres either side of the stations would have been fine.

The staff are friendly, helpful almost too helpful compared to what I was used to from Cityrail 
10 years ago.

At this stage I think the domestic station will be sucessful, but the international station may never pay for itself. Does anyone know what the projected passenger numbers will be?

Travelling lightly loaded from Gladstone with only a few bags is ok, especially since the airport trains 
are not crowded, but going OS with all those bags, mmm. I would most likely stick to cabs if I could afford it. If the trains were crowed, the a definite no.

oH, on the first trip, it was an extra bonus, the gateway HWY and surrounding roads were jammed to
a stop. But normally the trip to Toowong is fairly close to a cab in time, 1/3 the cost for a single adult
and I don't have to walk any further than a cab.

Shane