Railway_Digest__February_2018

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