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Queensland Rail Citytrain network

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Queensland Rail Citytrain network
A Queensland Rail Citytrain network train at Yeronga Station in 2018
NGR 710 at Yeronga in 2018.
Overview
OwnerQueensland Rail
Area servedSouth East Queensland
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines13
Number of stations125(29 outside metro) (3 under construction)
Annual ridership55 million (2018/19)
Chief executiveBruce Baker
HeadquartersBrisbane
Websitequeenslandrail.com.au
Operation
Began operation1979 (1979)
Operator(s)Queensland Rail
Technical
System length689 km (428 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines
Top speed140 km/h (87 mph)

The Queensland Rail Citytrain network is the commuter rail network that provides suburban and interurban electric passenger train services in South East Queensland, Australia.

History

Main article: Railways in Brisbane

The first railway in Queensland did not run to Brisbane, but ran from Ipswich to Grandchester and opened in July 1865.[1] The line into Brisbane was not completed until the opening of the Albert Bridge in July 1875.[2]

A start on electrification of the suburban network was approved in 1950 but a change of state government in 1957 saw the scheme abandoned in 1959.[3] It was not until the 1970s that electrification was again brought up, with contracts let in 1975.[4] The first part of the new electric system from Darra to Ferny Grove opened on 17 November 1979.[5][6] The network was completed by 1988, with a number of extensions made since and additional rolling stock purchased. Services were initially operated under the Queensland Rail brand, with the Citytrain name established in 1995.[7]

In June 2009 as part the split of Queensland Rail's commuter rail and the freight business,[8] The Citytrain brand was dropped in favour of using the redesigned Queensland Rail brand. Since then most traces of the Citytrain brand have been removed from rolling stock and station signage.

On 8 March 2017, the Queensland Government released a report called "Fixing the trains: a high-level implementation plan to transform rail in Queensland" This report officially resurrected the Citytrain network naming for the first time since the split. Since this report, the Citytrain brand has slowly made its way back into reports. This brand re-emergence does not seem to be a controlled and deliberate action, but rather appeared in the report due to the Citytrain brand being well known amongst many within the Brisbane area. The report unofficially initiated a return of the Citytrain branding, and established the Citytrain Response Unit to respond to the plan.

The Queensland Rail website refers to the network as two different names. As 'The South East Queensland (SEQ) network',[9] and the 'Citytrain network',[10] however Queensland Rail used the wording 'Citytrain network' back in 2017.[11] It is known as the SEQ network on the Queensland Rail website, however the Citytrain brand remains in common vernacular.

Network

Further information: Rail network in South East Queensland

The Queensland Rail Citytrain network is made up of ten suburban lines and three interurban lines. Centering in the suburb of Brisbane City, it extends as far as Gympie in the north, Varsity Lakes in the south, Rosewood in the west, and Cleveland in the east.

In 2018/19, 55 million passenger journeys were made on the QR Citytrain network.[12]

Suburban

Urban services include those that connect Metropolitan Brisbane to the Brisbane CBD. The Caboolture line runs express between Bowen Hills and Petrie, stopping only at Eagle Junction and Northgate. The Redcliffe Peninsula line runs express between Bowen Hills and Northgate, stopping only at Eagle Junction. All other suburban lines are all-stop services with the Cleveland & Ipswich/Rosewood lines having express services during on-peak times.

Template:Citytrain Urban Lines

Interurban

Express services which stop only at major stations linking the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Gympie with Brisbane. The trains used on these lines typically are more designed for long-distance travel with more comfortable seating, luggage racks and onboard toilet facilities.

Template:Citytrain Interurban Lines

RailBus

Kangaroo Bus Lines RailBus at Caboolture

To relieve congestion on the single track North Coast line north of Beerburrum, the rail service is supplemented by a bus service operated by Kangaroo Bus Lines on weekdays between Caboolture and Nambour as route 649.[13]

Frequency

As of March 2023, the daily off-peak service pattern is as follows:

Route Route tph Calling at Stock
Airport Line

Continues as Gold Coast Line

Domestic Terminal to Central 2 New Generation Rollingstock
Beenleigh LineContinues as Ferny Grove Line Central to Coopers Plains 2
Central to Beenleigh 2
Caboolture LineContinues as Ipswich Line 3⁄2*
Cleveland Line Cleveland to Central 2
Cannon Hill to Central 2
Doomben Line Doomben to Roma Street 2
Ferny Grove LineContinues as Beenleigh Line Ferny Grove to Central 4
Gold Coast LineContinues as Airport Line Varsity Lakes to Central 2
Ipswich LineContinues as Nambour Line Ipswich to Central 2
Redcliffe Peninsula LineContinues as Springfield railway line 2
Rosewood Line Rosewood to Ipswich 1
Shorncliffe Line 2
Springfield Line 2
Sunshine Coast LineContinues as Ipswich Line Nambour to Central 2⁄3*

Fleet

All of the Queensland Rail City Network rolling stock is electric and air conditioned.

New Generation Rollingstock EMU set 753 at Sherwood Station, on a Redcliffe (Kippa Ring) service

All trains are electric multiple units with a driver cabin at both ends, with the exception of EMU60 through EMU79 having a cab at one end. These units also had only 3 powered bogies (per 3 car set) compared to the 4 powered bogie arrangement for the remaining EMUs. The last of these units, EMU78, was scrapped in August 2020. All EMU, SMU and IMU units consist of 3 cars, giving a fleet total of 621 cars, plus the 20 ICE cars. The ICE units are usually configured as five car trains.

Suburban trains are occasionally scheduled on interurban lines if other toilet equipped rolling stock is not available. While using suburban trains on interurban lines increases operational flexibility, the trains are not provided with the facilities of the IMU, ICE or NGR units, such as toilets or high-backed seats.

The 260 Series SMU, 160 Series IMU and the NGR all come with free Wi-Fi on board.[16] The Wi-Fi usage is limited to 20MB.[17]

75 new six-car New Generation Rollingstock trains were ordered in January 2014 and were delivered between late 2015 and late 2019.[18] A new maintenance facility for these trains was built at Wulkuraka. The first NGR entered service on 11 December 2017.

To keep up with projected passenger increases, the procurement of 20 new electric trains was announced in 2020, with TMR considering the option of ordering an additional 45 electric trains, potentially adding up to 65 new electric trains in the next decade.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "QR Corporate - QR History - Beginnings". corporate.qr.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 January 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  2. ^ "QR Corporate - QR History - Building to the bush". corporate.qr.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  3. ^ Geoffrey B. Churchman (1995). Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand. IPL Books. p. 131. ISBN 0-646-06893-8.
  4. ^ Geoffrey B. Churchman (1995). Railway Electrification in Australia and New Zealand. IPL Books. p. 132. ISBN 0-646-06893-8.
  5. ^ "QR Corporate - Modern competitive railway". corporate.qr.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  6. ^ "Brisbane Rail Electrification Stages 1 and 2 Armstrong, J Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin August 1982 pp165-192
  7. ^ "Annual Report Summaries" Railway Digest February 1996 page 26
  8. ^ Queensland asset sales to reap $15 billion Archived 19 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Brisbane Times 2 June 2009
  9. ^ Network map Archived 26 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine Queensland Rail 26 September 2022
  10. ^ Plan your journey Archived 26 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine Queensland Rail 26 September 2022
  11. ^ Queensland Rail on Twitter: "Citytrain network update" Queensland Rail 26 September 2022
  12. ^ "Queensland Rail Annual and Financial Report 2018-19" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Route 649 timetable". Translink.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Citytrain fleet". queenslandrail.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Rollingstock Expansion Program". gateway.icn.org.au. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  16. ^ "QUEENSLAND RAIL COMPLETES ROLL-OUT OF WIFI TRAINS". Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  17. ^ "Transport Priority in State Budget 2008-09" (PDF). SEQIPRail. QLD Treasury Department. 3 June 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  18. ^ "New Generation Rollingstock". Department of Transport and Main Roads. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
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