Rail network in South East Queensland

The Citytrain network spans South East Queensland

Citytrain operates ten suburban lines and three interurban lines. Centring in the 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 to Moreton Bay.[1]

Each line is ascribed a colour and name on all Citytrain signage and marketing collateral including timetables, posters and maps. There are 146 stations in the Citytrain network.[1]

Rail lines

North of Brisbane

Opening in 2016:

South and west of Brisbane

Inner Brisbane

Closed lines

Railbus services

For a list of all Citytrain Railbus services, see the list of TransLink services.

Citytrain operates several bus routes along corridors where the railway line has been closed to passenger traffic or supplements low-patronage lines at specific times of the day.[2]

Improvements

Citytrain passenger journey growth between the 1997/1998 to 2007/2008 financial years

The Brisbane and south east corner of Queensland has experienced significant population growth, with approximately one million more people living in the area over the last 20 years[3] and a forecast population of more than 3.8 million by 2026.[4] This growth, along with a heightened awareness of the environment and increasing petrol prices, has placed an unprecedented demand on public transport and its infrastructure; Citytrain has reported successive patronage increases of 9% in both the 2005–2006[5] and 2006–2007[6] financial years, and a 6.6% increase in the 2007–2008 financial year.[7]

To respond to this demand, the Government of Queensland created the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program to manage the investment in new transport infrastructure, amongst other areas. QR, in response, created the SEQIPRAIL office to manage and deliver rail components of the plan.

Increased capacity

Beenleigh line

A third track was laid between Salisbury and Kuraby stations, a length of 9.5 km (5.9 mi). Previously two tracks, the added capacity allows Gold Coast line services to operate with less chance of delays. Seven railway stations along the section were significantly upgraded. The project was commissioned on 2 March 2008.[8]

Ferny Grove line

A second track was laid between Mitchelton and Keperra railway station, including an upgrade to the intermediate stations, Oxford Park and Grovely. Upgraded with two platforms, this upgrade allows additional services to operate on the line during peak hour, and will also remove waiting times outbound from Mitchelton and inbound from Keperra. Other improvements include lifts and footbridges, to meet the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport, and new, modern station buildings.[9] The further duplication of the railway between Keperra and Ferny Grove stations, plus an additional platform and parking at Ferny Grove has been completed.

Gold Coast line

The line between Ormeau and Coomera stations, 6.7 km (4.2 mi) in length, was duplicated in October 2006, allowing for additional capacity.[10] Similarly, the 16.6 km (10.3 mi) length between Helensvale and Robina stations is being duplicated, and should remove the need for a four-minute layover at Helensvale for Robina services to wait for the Brisbane service due to the single track either side of the station. It was completed on July 2008.[11]

Ipswich line

5.2 km (3.2 mi) of track between Corinda and Darra stations is to be triplicated. Currently four tracks to Corinda then two to Ipswich, the triplication will allow for greater capacity, especially with the proposed Springfield railway line to branch from Darra station. The project is in the design phase, with no construction start date at present. However, the project has been scheduled to be completed no later than late 2016.[12]

Sunshine Coast line

13.7 km (8.5 mi) of track north of Caboolture station to Beerburrum station has been doubled and straightened, along with the upgrading of Elimbah and Beerburrum stations. Construction work began in 2007, and the project was commissioned on 14 April 2009.[13]

From Beerburrum station, 17 km (11 mi) of track to Landsborough is proposed to be similarly doubled and straightened. This project is in the concept stage, with no construction nor completion dates at present.[14]

New lines

Gold Coast line

A 4.1 km (2.5 mi) extension of the Gold Coast railway line from Robina to Varsity Lakes is completed. This is the first stage of the proposed progressive extension of the line to the Gold Coast Airport, with an extension to Elanora completed by 2011, and to Coolangatta by 2026.[15]

Maroochydore line

The Maroochydore railway line (or CAMCOS, Caloundra and Maroochydore Corridor Options Study), is a proposed single track line due for construction and progressive completion in stages between 2015 and 2020. It will branch from the existing Sunshine Coast line after Beerwah railway station, with completion to Caloundra by 2015, and Maroochydore by 2020.[16]

Springfield line

The Springfield railway line is a line extending from Darra railway station on the Ipswich line to the Springfield area. The 26 km (16 mi) extension of the Citytrain network is expected to have a total cost of $300 million. Richlands railway station is open with future stations planned for Ellen Grove and Springfield Lakes.[17]

Kippa-Ring line

The Kippa-Ring railway line (also known as the Moreton Bay Rail link) is a much-proposed suburban railway line extending 27.5 km (17.1 mi) north-northwest from Brisbane central business district (approximately 40.1 km (24.9 mi) from Central station. The line would be part of the QR Citytrain network, branching from the existing Caboolture line immediately after Petrie railway station, and extend to the Redcliffe peninsula. It was more seriously identified and anticipated in the 1970s, and the land was purchased in the 1980s although the line was not built. This land is still owned by the government and preserved as a transport corridor, however as of late 2008 the project appears to have been placed on hold.[18]

CBD underground access

On 26 August 2007 the then-Minister for Transport and Main Roads, The Hon Paul Lucas, announced the Inner City Rail Capacity Study to look at underground rail access under the Brisbane central business district. Dismissing a City Loop-style scenario similar to Melbourne, citing the relatively small size of the CBD and "technical and operational constraints", Lucas imagined an underground line from Park Road station to Woolloongabba, then across the Brisbane River to connect with the Exhibition railway line, with major new stations at Woolloongabba, Gardens Point/QUT, and in the CBD. The study will also investigate the feasibility of the Exhibition line operating all year with new stations, and the upgrading of existing lines with additional tracks. Lucas allocated A$5 million to the study and appointed Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia as consultants to "look at options for boosting rail capacity in the city centre, including potential for an underground tunnel".[19]

References

  1. 1 2 "QR Citytrain Network Map". Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  2. ↑ "History of regional planning in South East Qld". Queensland Government Department of Infrastructure and Planning, Office of Urban Management. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  3. ↑ Office of Economic and Statistical Research (2006). "Queensland Government, Population Projections to 2051: Queensland and Statistical Divisions" (PDF). 2nd edition. Queensland Government. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  4. ↑ QR Limited (2006). "QR Annual Report 2005/06" (PDF). QR Limited. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  5. ↑ QR Limited (2007). "Meeting Challenges – Annual Report 2006/07" (PDF). QR Limited. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  6. ↑ QR Limited (2008). "QR Annual Report 2007/08" (PDF). QR Limited. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  7. ↑ "Salisbury to Kuraby Third Track". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  8. ↑ "Mitchelton to Keperra Duplication". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  9. ↑ "Ormeau to Coomera Duplication". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  10. ↑ "Helensvale to Robina Duplication". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 30 November 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  11. ↑ "Corinda to Darra Third Track". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 2007-11-29. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  12. ↑ "Caboolture to Beerburrum Doubling". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  13. ↑ "Beerburrum to Landsborough Track Doubling". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 2007-12-29. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  14. ↑ "Robina to Varsity Lakes Rail Extension". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  15. ↑ "Caloundra South CAMCOS Realignment study". Queensland Government. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  16. ↑ "SEQIPRAIL - Darra to Springfield Transport Corridor - Overview". SEQIPRail. QR Limited. 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  17. ↑ "Draft regional plan 2009-2031 – Part D12: Integrated transport" (PDF). Government of Queensland. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
  18. ↑ "Future rail connection in study's sights" (Press release). Government of Queensland. 26 August 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-15.

External links

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