Railway_Digest__February_2018
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
The terminating tracks are protected by friction buffers provided by<br />
German-based company Klose Train Stop Systems. Interestingly, the<br />
tram platform faces are numbered four and five, the two heavy rail<br />
platforms are numbered one and two while provision has been made<br />
for a platform three to serve an extra heavy rail track should it be<br />
provided in the future. There is space on the eastern side of the heavy<br />
rail platforms for such a track. The light rail station, which is linked by<br />
a covered overbridge with stair and lift access to the heavy rail station<br />
and its island platform, features toilets, a tram driver and customer<br />
service staff meal room, tram, bus and train departure indicators and a<br />
400-vehicle car park and bicycle parking facilities. On the western side<br />
of the heavy rail station the existing bus interchange is currently being<br />
rebuilt with the bonus of covered pedestrian access being provided<br />
from the station to the pedestrian crossing leading to the Westfield<br />
shopping centre. Just south of the scissors crossover on the eastern<br />
side of the running lines is a short track-machine siding that is currently<br />
disconnected but can be reconnected to provide access for track<br />
maintenance machines such as ballast tampers when the time comes<br />
for the ballasted track to be tamped. Beside the siding is a roadway<br />
where track machines can be unloaded from road vehicles.<br />
In line with the practice on the existing Broadbeach South to<br />
Gold Coast University Hospital line all stations on the extension are<br />
compulsory stops and each is provided with real-time departure<br />
indicators, departure announcements, ticket/go card top-up machines,<br />
bike racks, water bubblers and a local area map and travel information.<br />
Timetables and fares<br />
Virtually the same tram timetable that was in force for the existing line<br />
also applies to the extension. On weekdays services operate every 15<br />
minutes from 5.00 am to 7.00 am, then every 7.5 minutes (in practice the<br />
public timetable on the TransLink web site shows a seven/eight-minute<br />
interval service) to 7.00 pm and back to 15 minutes until midnight.<br />
Weekend services are identical except that trams run every 10 minutes<br />
between 7.00 am and 7.00 pm. However, all-night services on Saturday<br />
and Sunday mornings, operating every 30 minutes, continue to be<br />
only provided between Gold Coast University Hospital and Broadbeach<br />
South. The last Saturday and Sunday night departure from Helensvale<br />
is at 1.45 am. When service frequencies are being built up trams run<br />
empty from the depot to Gold Coast University station and then take up<br />
passenger service to Helensvale station. Conversely, service buildup in the<br />
southbound direction is undertaken by running trams empty the short<br />
distance from the depot to the first stop south of the depot at Queen<br />
Street, Southport where they take up public service to Broadbeach South.<br />
When service frequency is being reduced (for example when the<br />
headway is switching from 7.5 minutes to 15 minutes in the evening)<br />
trams from Helensvale to be taken out of service terminate at Gold<br />
Coast University Hospital and then continue empty to the depot. In the<br />
northbound direction trams from Broadbeach South to be taken out of<br />
service when the frequency is being reduced terminate at Gold Coast<br />
University Hospital and, using the spring-loaded crossover (formerly<br />
used by all trams before the Helensvale extension was opened) to<br />
reverse and run empty back to the depot.<br />
Thanks to tram priority over road vehicles and segregated track the<br />
running time between Gold Coast University Hospital and Helensvale<br />
is 11 minutes, irrespective of the time of day. The two bus routes that<br />
linked Gold Coast University Hospital to Helensvale at the time of the<br />
stage two opening were the 709 and 710. The route 709 operated via<br />
Harbourtown and was scheduled to take 22 to 25 minutes while the<br />
route 710, which runs via Parkwood, is scheduled for 20 to 22 minutes<br />
so the light rail extension effectively halves journey times. It is interesting to<br />
note that on Boxing Day traffic congestion in Brisbane Road (Gold Coast<br />
Highway), partly related to the Harbourtown retail centre, was delaying<br />
the route 709 and other bus routes passing Harbourtown by up to 25<br />
minutes. From 8 January the route 709 was abolished as it duplicates<br />
the light rail service. The running time for the entire line from<br />
Helensvale to Broadbeach South is 45 minutes in both directions.<br />
The light rail extension (and indeed the entire line to Broadbeach<br />
South) lies within TransLink’s fare zone five. One zone full-fare travel<br />
using a go card costs $3.20 during peak periods and $2.56 in off-peak<br />
periods while a single paper ticket (the only paper ticket type now sold<br />
on the TransLink network) costs $4.60. Visitors to the Gold Coast (and<br />
the Sunshine Coast from December 2017) can purchase a go explore<br />
card which allows travel on trams and buses (but not trains) within<br />
the Gold Coast for $10.00 a day. Go explore cards can be reloaded for<br />
up to 10 additional days. Travel does not need to be on consecutive<br />
days and cards are valid for one year. In line with the current practice<br />
on the existing light rail line, travellers on the extension using go cards<br />
tap on and off on the platforms rather than on trams. Tram drivers are<br />
not involved in fare collection but GoldLinQ customer service staff and<br />
TransLink revenue protection officers regularly patrol trams.<br />
Heading for Helensvale<br />
on Sunday, 17 December,<br />
GoldLinQ’s No. 09 is rolling<br />
across the Napper Road level<br />
crossing at Parkwood station<br />
before rejoining ballasted<br />
track which curves to the<br />
north and then parallels<br />
Queensland Rail’s Gold<br />
Coast Line to Helensvale.<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
37