Queensland Rail
QR, previously known as Queensland Rail, Queensland Railways or Queensland Government Railways, is the corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland, Australia. It is a State-owned corporation responsible to the Queensland Minister for Transport. It maintains the physical infrastructure of the railway network and also directly operates all commuter (Citytrain) and long-distance (Traveltrain) passenger services and the vast majority of freight rail services. The Traveltrain Service includes trains such as the Tilt Train, Sunlander, Queenslander, and others.
QR is the second largest narrow gauge railway system in the world, operating on tracks with a 1067 mm (3'6") width between the rails. Queensland was also home to the first narrow gauge mainline railway in the world, when the first track opened to traffic in 1865 between Ipswich and the small town of Grandchester 25 km to the west - this stretch now forms part of the main line from Brisbane to the western interior.
Unlike the freight railway systems in all other Australian States, QR remains in full State ownership and private sector involvement in the operation of train services remains minimal. Pacific National, through subsidiary company Pacific National Queensland (PNQ), is the only private operator to run freight trains on QR rails, hauling container traffic between Brisbane and Cairns.
QR now boasts a route network of over 9,000 km of which some 1,000 km are electrified at 25kVAC. This is largest electrified network in the southern hemisphere. The "backbone" of the QR network - the North Coast railway line from Brisbane north to Cairns - is electrified as far north as Rockhampton, approximately 600 km (375 miles) north of Brisbane. Most of the lines used to transport coal from inland mines to coastal ports are also electrified. Many coal trains in Queensland are hauled by multiple locomotives, with remotely controlled locomotives in the middle. These trains are some of the heaviest in the world and can reach over four kilometers in length.
Queensland's railways are among the safest in the world, a condition resulting from their high-quality track and the maintenance of their rolling stock. The most recent passenger accident was in November 2004, when a coastal tilt train from Brisbane to Cairns derailed at more than 112 km/h. [1] There were no fatalities among the 150 people injured. [2]
Contents
History
The railways of Queensland were all built as narrow gauge lines, 1067 mm (3' 6") gauge, commencing with a line extending west from Ipswich. This was the first 1067 mm railway in the world, but the gauge subsequently spread to Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana among others (see Rail gauge). The narrow gauge was intended to reduce costs through the steep escarpment.
Railways subsequently spread inland from the east coast ports of Brisbane, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Townsville, Cairns and Cooktown. These lines (except for the Cooktown line) were connected down the east coast by the North Coast line between 1888 and 1924. Many heavy haul coal lines were added, beginning in 1968. An electrified rail system was developed in Brisbane from 1979. Many of the heavy haul coal lines were electrified from 1986, as was the North Coast line between Brisbane and Rockhampton, constituting Australia's only significant rural rail electrification.[1].
Timeline
- 1865 - Ipswich - Grandchester railway opened - 1067 mm
- 1867 - Ipswich line reaches Toowoomba
- 1867 - Rockhampton to Westwood line opened
- 1876 - Ipswich line extended back to Brisbane
- 1882 - Line opens from Townsville to Charters Towers
- 1887 - Line from Toowoomba meets New South Wales standard gauge line at Wallangarra
- 1888 - Ipswich line reaches Charleville
- 1888 - First section of the North Coast line opened to Petrie
- 1891 - Line from Cairns opens through the Barron Gorge to Kuranda
- 1924 - North Coast line opens to Cairns
- 1928 - Rockhampton line reaches Winton
- 1929 - Townsville line reaches Mount Isa
- 1932 - Standard gauge railway completed from Brisbane to Sydney, with the opening of bridge at Grafton
- 1968 - Moura Short Line heavy-haul railway opens between Gladstone and Moura
- 1971 - Heavy-haul railway opens from Hay Point to Goonyella
- 1979 - First electrified line opens in Brisbane
- 1986 - First rural electrified line opens
- 1995 - Standard gauge railway completed to Port of Brisbane
- 1996 - Gold Coast Line reaches Beenleigh
- 1997 - Gold Coast Line extended to Robina
- 2001 - Line opens from Eagle Junction to Brisbane Airport
Western line
The first railway built in Queensland ran from Ipswich, a city west of Brisbane, to Dalby, west of Toowoomba. This line was opened to Bigges Camp (now Grandchester) in 1865, to Gatton in 1866, to Toowoomba in 1867, to Dalby in 1868. The railway was extended from Ipswich to Brisbane in 1876. The line from Dalby had been extended to Chinchilla in 1878, Roma in 1880, Charleville in 1888 and Cunnamulla in 1898.
Branch lines were opened from Dalby to Tara, in 1911 Jandowae in 1914 and Meandarra in 1927. Branch lines were completed from Oakey to Cooyar in 1913, Evanslea in 1915 and Cecil Plains in 1919. Both are now abandoned. A branch line was opened from Miles to Wandoan in 1914. A branch line opened from Roma to Orallo in 1916 and Injune in 1920.
The main western line was extended from a junction at Westgate (south of Charleville) to Cooladdi in 1913 and Quilpie in 1917.
A branch line was built from Gowrie Junction to Hendon (near Allora, in the Darling Downs) in 1869. This line was extended to Warwick in 1871, Stanthorpe in 1881 and Wallangarra in 1887 to meet the New South Wales Government Railways' standard gauge line at a break-of-gauge. A branch line was opened from Warwick to Killarney in 1885. Another branch was opened from Wyreema (south of Toowoomba) to Pittsworth in 1887 and extended to Millmerran in 1911. A branch line was opened from Hendon to Allora and Goomburra in 1912.
The South-Western Railway was opened from Warwick to Thane in 1904 and extended to Dirranbandi in 1913. A branch line was built from Inglewood to Texas in 1930.
A branch line was built from Ipswich to Harrisville in 1882, and extended to Boonah in 1884 and Fassifern in 1887. Another branch line was built from Ipswich to Lowood in 1884, Esk in 1886 and Yarraman in 1913. A coal spur line was opened to Ebenezer near Rosewood in 1990.
A branch line was opened from Toowoomba to Cabarlah in 1883 and Crows Nest in 1886.
Brisbane area lines
Lines were opened from Brisbane to Sandgate and Ascot in 1882.
The first section of the North Coast line opened to Petrie in 1888. In 1891 this line was connected to the Maryborough line at Gympie, creating a through line to Mount Perry. A branch line was built from Caboolture to Woodford in 1909 and Kilcoy in 1913, now closed. A branch line was opened from Monkland (south of Gympie) to Brooloo in 1915.
A line was opened from the first South Brisbane Station at Stanley Street, Woolloongabba to Beenleigh in 1884 and extended to Southport in 1889 and Tweed Heads, New South Wales in 1903. This line was closed beyond Beenleigh in 1964.
A branch line was completed between Park Road and Cleveland in 1889, although the section beyond Lota was closed and has been reconstructed.
A new South Brisbane station was built at Melbourne Street in 1891. This became the terminus of the standard gauge line from Grafton in 1930 and Sydney in 1932. A dual-gauge line was built from South Brisbane over the Brisbane River to Roma Street in 1978.
A line was opened in 1980 from a junction near Lindum on the Cleveland line to the Port of Brisbane at Fisherman's Island. This was converted to dual 1435/1067 mm gauge and extended in parallel with the duplicated passenger line to Dutton Park in about 1995 under the Keating Government's One Nation program.
A branch line was opened between Bethania and Beaudesert in 1888, and closed in 1996. A branch was completed to Canungra in 1915, now closed.
The line from extended from Roma Street to Central station in 1889 and Brunswick Street station in 1890.
A branch line was opened from a junction at Mayne to Enoggera in 1899.
Lines in Maryborough, Bundaberg and Gladstone area
A line was opened from Maryborough to Burrum coalfield in 1883. Another line was opened to Theebine in 1886 and became part of the North Coast Line when it met with the line from Brisbane at Gympie in 1891.
A branch line was opened from Theebine to Kilkivan in 1886 and extended to Goomeri in 1902. Another branch line was built from Theebine to Kingaroy in 1904 and Nanango in 1911. A branch line was opened between Kingaroy and Tarong in 1915, now abandoned.
A line was opened from north Bundaberg to Mount Perry in 1884.
Maryborough and Bundaberg were connected in 1888, with a branch line from Isis junction to Childers, extended to Cordalba in 1896 and Dallarnil in 1913. Another branch was opened from Mungar junction to Biggenden in 1891, Degilbo in 1893, Gayndah in 1907, Mundubbera in 1914 and Monto in 1928 and Gladstone in 1931.
The Maryborough-Bundaberg was connected by the Burnett River bridge to the Mount Perry line in 1891. A line was opened from Gladstone to Iveragh in 1896 and connected to Mount Perry (and Brisbane) in 1897. The North Coast Line was extended from Gladstone to Rockhampton in 1903.
A branch line was built from Byellee (in Gladstone) to Many Peaks in 1910. A branch line was opened from Bajool to Port Alma in 1912.
A line was built from Gladstone to Mungungo in 1930 and extended to Monto in 1931.
The Moura Short Line was opened between Gladstone and Moura in 1968, connecting to the branch lines from Rockhampton via Mount Morgan (Mt Morgan Rack Railway) to the Moura and Callide coal fields.
Central line
A line was opened from Rockhampton to Westwood in 1867. It was extended to Gogango in 1874, Emerald in 1879, Barcaldine in 1886, Longreach in 1892 and Winton in 1928. A branch was built from Emerald to Clermont in 1884 and extended to Blair Athol in 1910.
A branch line was opened from Emerald to Springsure in 1887. Another branch line was completed between Jericho and Blackall in 1908 and extended to Yaraka in 1917.
A heavy-haul railway line was built from Blackwater to the coal fields at Laleham in 1970.
A heavy-haul railway was built from Rangal (west of Blackwater) to the coal fields at Kinrola in 1967. This line was extended to the Rolleston coal mine in 2006. This is the first new non-urban railway in Queensland for 23 years, and reflects the upswing in coal demand as a result of the Chinese economic boom. Coal is to be moved to Gladstone by Xstrata trains.
A heavy-haul railway was opened from Burngrove west of rangal to the Gregory mine in 1980 and extended to German Creek in 1982 and Norwich Park in 1983, connecting to Hay Point.
A branch line was built from Rockhampton to the coast at Emu Park in 1888. A branch was opened from a junction at Sleipner to Yeppoon in 1909.
Another branch line was opened from a junction at Kabra, near Rockhampton to Mount Morgan in 1898 (including a rack section) and extended to Wowan in 1912 and Baralaba in 1917. A branch line was built from a junction at Rannes to Thangool in 1925. A branch line was opned from a junction at Dakenba to Callide in 1953.
The first section of the North Coast Line north of Rockhampton was completed to Milman in 1913 and extended to Marlborough in 1917 and St Lawrence and Carmila in 1921, connecting to the line from Mackay.
Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen and Ayr lines
Lines were opened from Mackay to Eton and Mirani in 1885. The Mirani line was extended to Pinnacle in 1902 and Netherdale in 1911.
Local governments built a section of the future North Coast Line from Townsville to Ayr in 1901, which was taken over by QR in 1911. This was extended to Bowen in 1913.
In 1910 local governments opened a line from Bowen to Proserpine and it was taken over by QR in 1917.
A section of the North Coast Line was completed from Mackay to Sarina in 1913 and extended to Koumala in 1920 and Carmila in 1921, connecting with the line from Brisbane. The line from Mackay to Proserpine was opened in 1923, completing the line from Brisbane to Townsville.
A line was opened from Merinda (near Bowen) to Collinsville in 1922 and extended to Newlands in 1984.
A heavy-haul railway was built from the new port at Hay Point (near Mackay) to the coal fields at Goonyella in 1971. A branch line was opened from Coppabella to Peak Downs in 1972 and extended to Saraji in 1974 and Norwich Park in 1979. Another branch line was opened from Watonga (between Coppabella and Goonyella) to Blair Athol, connecting to Emerald in 1983.
Northern line
A line was opened from Townsville to Charters Towers in 1882, Hughenden in 1887 and Winton in 1899. A line was completed between Hughenden and Richmond in 1904 and extended to Cloncurry in 1908 and Selwyn in 1910. A branch was completed from Cloncurry to Mount Cuthbert in 1915. Another branch was opened from Cloncurry to Dajarra in 1917. A branch, which became the mainline, was opened from Duchess to Mount Isa in 1929. A line was opened from Flynn (near Duchess) to the phosphate mine at Phosphate Hill in 1976.
A branch line was built from Mingela (between Townsville and Charters Towers) to Ravenswood in 1884, but is now closed.
A line was opened from Cobarra, north of Townsville to the nickle mine at Greenvale in 1974 and closed in 1993 with the closure of the mine.
Cairns line
A line was opened from Cairns to Redlynch in 1887 and extended up the Barron Gorge to Kuranda and Myola in 1891, Mareeba in 1893, Atherton in 1903, Herberton in 1910, Tumoulin in 1911 and Ravenshoe in 1916.
A private railway was completed, by the Chillagoe Company, between Mareeba and Mungana in 1901. The system was extended from Lappa Junction to Mount Garnet in 1902. A line was then constructed from Almaden to Mount Surprise in 1908 reaching Einasleigh in 1909 and finally Forsayth in 1911. A branch to Mount Mulligan was constructed in 1915. The rail assests of the Chillagoe Company were handed over to the Queensland Government in 1919.
The first section of the North Coast Line was opened from Babinda south to Pawngilly in 1912. The line was completed between Townsville and Cairns in 1924.
Cooktown line
An isolated line opened between Cooktown and Palmer Road in 1885 and extended to Laura in 1888.
Normanton - Croydon railway
A railway from Normanton to Haydon was opened on 1889 and extended to Croydon in 1891. This line was never connected to the Queensland rail network. Built with steel sleepers, it is still operating in 2006.
Brisbane suburban network
- Further information: Citytrain
Electrification of the Brisbane suburban network with a 25 kV AC overhead power supply commenced in 1976. The suburban network was integrated with the construction of a cross-river rail Link between Roma Street and South Brisbane in 1978. The first electrified line was opened between Darra and Ferny Grove in 1979. Electrification was extended to Eagle Farm in 1988, completing the electrification of the Brisbane Suburban network, although this line now operates only as far as Doomben.
The new electrified Gold Coast railway opened from Beenleigh to Helensvale in 1996 and was extended to Robina in 1997.
A new line was opened from Eagle Junction to Brisbane Airport in 2001.
Regular passenger services operate as far north as Nambour and Gympie, west to Rosewood and as far south to Robina.
See also
References
- ↑ QR History. Queensland Rail. Retrieved on 2006-04-27.
