Capricornia Intagrated Regional Transport Plan
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RAIL Background Planning Principles for Rail Rail Issues Rail Network and Service Improvement Options Actions for Rail Capital Program for Rail CAPRICORNIA INTEGRATED REGIONAL TRANSPORT PLAN 39 Rail Background government and generally, any network extensions and capacity increases The North Coast Line, Blackwater required for new traffic are either funded System, including the (Central West Line) by Queensland Rail and the developer, and Yeppoon Line serve the area with or recovered through access charges. mainly freight transport, along with some The remainder of the rail network in the long distance passenger train services. study area does receive funding support Network description via Queensland Transport’s transport The North Coast Line north of service contract with QR. Rockhampton is a single track. It is the The Yeppoon Line was used to carry primary freight system in the network, seasonal pineapple traffic. The first and is also used for long distance section of the Yeppoon Line is used for passenger services. cattle trains to the meatworks and quarry South of Rockhampton the line from products from CSR’s Nerimbera quarry. Rocklands to Gladstone is overlapped Passenger services with coal traffic from the Blackwater System. There is no commuter rail service in the area. The Tilt Train Services (between The Yeppoon Line connects Yeppoon Rockhampton and Brisbane, and Cairns and Rockhampton via a spur line through to Brisbane) and Tourist Train Services Cawarral and Mt Chalmers. It is a single (on the North Coast Line and between line between Glenmore and Yeppoon. Rockhampton and Longreach) provide Trains no longer operate along this line long haul passenger services. beyond Field's Siding. The first Cairns Tilt Train service set off Rail freight from Cairns on June 15 2003. The The North Coast Line services the Cairns Tilt Train takes 25 hours to travel Central Queensland coalfields and rural from Brisbane to Cairns, significantly industries such as cattle, wheat, cotton reducing travel time along the and sheep. The rail line has substantial Queensland coast. The tilt train will capacity for short haul freight movements provide three services each way per from Kunwarara to Stanwell, and from week, and has the capacity to seat 173 the Stanwell industrial area to passengers and can travel at speeds of Rockhampton and the Port of Gladstone up to 160km/h. The service will deliver and all east coast destinations connected not only a new experience for people by the North Coast Corridor. travelling to and from Cairns, but is expected to follow the trend already set The Blackwater System and Central by the Rockhampton Tilt Train. West Line primarily services Central Queensland coalmines. Trains carry The Brisbane to Rockhampton Tilt Train product (about 3.5 million net tonnes) service commenced in November 1998, through to Stanwell Power Station, cutting travel time between these centres Gladstone Power Station and the Port from some nine hours down to seven of Gladstone via the North Coast Line. hours. This service provides a faster link A balloon loop services the Stanwell with Central Queensland and has Power Station, designed principally to enhanced the tourism industry and deliver coal from the Central Queensland created numerous new business coalfields. The system carries about 39 opportunities. The Rockhampton Tilt million net tonne of coal to the Port of Train provides six services weekdays with Gladstone per year. This Blackwater two additional services over the weekend, System and the duplicated section of the from Brisbane to Rockhampton and one North Coast Line (between Rocklands service daily to Brisbane from and Parana) does not receive any Rockhampton. The train provides 290 operating subsidy from the Queensland seats and patronage is generally high. 40 CAPRICORNIA INTEGRATED REGIONAL TRANSPORT PLAN QR runs other tourist train services that allow for Rockhampton to be used as a destination or stopover point for tourists. These services include: Sunlander - Brisbane to Cairns Spirit of the Outback - Brisbane to Longreach Tilt Train - Brisbane to Cairns Service Destination – Frequency Destination - Frequency North South Sunlander Cairns 2 Brisbane 2 Townsville 2 Brisbane 2 Spirit of the Longreach 2 Brisbane 2 Outback Tilt Train Rockhampton 7 Brisbane 8 Tilt Train Cairns 3 Brisbane 3 Times effective from the 15 June 2003 Rail passenger services on the circuitous line to Yeppoon was discontinued in 1978. Planning principles for rail Safety - The rail network in Queensland must be safe for operators, users and The Rail Network Strategy for the public. Legislation, together with Queensland provides a framework for appropriate accountability mechanisms, the strategic development of the state’s must require and enforce safe practices rail infrastructure. It includes the following on and near the state’s rail network actions: - Enhance the role of the rail network Ecologically sustainable - The rail network will support and promote in implementing government’s initiatives introduced by the state to objectives and priorities provide a transport system that provides - Develop a reference framework for net benefits to the environment the investments made by the state in the rail network Financially responsible - Rail investment decisions must be informed, prudent and - Encourage innovative private sector responsible. Decision-makers must base investment in the Queensland rail their investment decisions on a detailed network analysis of costs and benefits of all - Obtain the maximum benefit from practicable infrastructure and non- National Competition Policy (NCP) infrastructure options. for the state’s rail network Rail issues - Gain acceptance of and encourage joint Commonwealth-state A number of rail infrastructure and service partnerships in developing issues have been raised to date. These Queensland’s nationally significant include: rail corridors - the impact of railway operations - Develop strategic, rail-based on residential amenity (noise/lights) linkages between individual regional - integration with other modes of transport plans transport such as buses (future - Control and manage rail corridor transit centre) land effectively - improvement of transit times - Promote the concurrent use of rail - investment in rail infrastructure (for corridors for both rail and non-rail future industrial developments) purposes. - need for a local commuter and Three fundamental principles support tourist rail service each of the objectives: - safety (Denison Street). CAPRICORNIA INTEGRATED REGIONAL TRANSPORT PLAN 41 Rail (continued) While upgrading of existing infrastructure, Rail network and service including improved alignments and track improvement options structure, has the potential to improve transit times and support the future The primary focus for the rail system in viability of the rail network, such upgrades the area, consistent with the Rail Network often represent considerable investments Strategy for Queensland, is to provide a and can only be considered when safe, reliable, cost-effective, efficient and increased rail demand can justify the robust transport option and to enhance investment. the competitiveness of rail. An action in the Rail Network Strategy is to undertake Journey times can be further improved a rail corridor directions study for the by considerable improvements to the North Coast line. This will be initiated existing poor alignment. Level crossing by Queensland Transport to identify protection, signalling works and fencing current capacity, future demand and would also be required to control risks options to meet that demand. The associated with increased speeds. outcomes of the study will guide Several submissions were made to government investment decisions on the Queensland Transport to introduce a North Coast line, including the section commuter/tourist train service from within the study area. Local branch lines Rockhampton to Yeppoon, to access all will be included in this study. rural communities adjacent to the line. QR’s Network Development Plan It was suggested that its use by commuters 1999-2009 (June 1999) provides a travelling to work in Rockhampton would strategy and direction for the alleviate traffic congestion by road. While development and management of QR’s it may be possible in the future to reutilise rail network from an operator's this line for commuter/tourist transport, perspective. The plan was also developed it is unlikely to be economically viable to assist Queensland Transport to meet until considerable population growth and its obligations under the Transport higher residential densities are achieved Infrastructure Act 1994 to undertake in the Yeppoon to Rockhampton strategic planning for infrastructure in corridor. The alignment of the corridor Queensland. It provides global, network does not provide direct access to major element and operational system commuter destinations in Rockhampton strategies, but does not provide a financial City such as Central Queensland commitment to implement those University. Preliminary assessments by strategies. QR and Queensland Transport indicated QR is currently carrying out major that a commuter option is not feasible. upgrades of track and bridges to enable The existing rail line from Yeppoon to 20 tonne axle loads to travel over the Rockhampton is no longer used to carry corridor from Rockhampton to Cairns. freight. Pineapples will in the future be This project is on target and, when transported from Yeppoon by road