Queensland Rail
Encyclopedia
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned
railway
operator in the state of Queensland
. Under the control of the Queensland Government
, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other rail businesses.
to Grandchester
.
, provides Urban and Interurban rail and bus services throughout South East Queensland
. These rail services operate on eleven rail lines including Beenleigh, Caboolture, Cleveland
, Doomben, Exhibition, Ferny Grove, Gold Coast, Gympie North, Ipswich, Rosewood and Shorncliffe lines. Queensland Rail provides train serices on these lines with its rolling stock
of electric railcar
s, which includes the Electric Multiple Units (EMU), the Suburban Multiple Units (SMU), the Interurban Multiple Units (IMU) and the InterCity Express (ICE).
Due to low patronage, lines such as the Pinkenba line have been closed and replaced by bus services known as a RailBus. During some times of the day trains on the Gympie North line and Doomben line are also replaced by the RailBus.
Queensland Rail aims to operate 99.75% of peak services and to have 93.77% of those services running no longer than four minutes late.
Queensland Rail provides long range passenger rail services throughout Queensland. Its flagships are the electric and diesel Tilt Trains, servicing Brisbane
to Rockhampton
and Brisbane to Cairns respectively. Queensland Rail also operates diesel-locomotive-hauled services between Brisbane and Cairns as The Sunlander, Brisbane to Longreach as Spirit of the Outback, Townsville to Mount Isa as The Inlander and Brisbane to Charleville
as The Westlander.
Traveltrain's annual patronage is approximately 969,000. Whilst proportionately smaller than other regional rail services, relative to population, this is largely as Traveltrain caters to a touring market more so than other operators. In 2007–08, the subsidy for the Brisbane-Cairns route was $130 million, or $900 per passenger. In 2001–02 it was $270.
Queensland Rail runs tourist trains between Normanton
and Croydon
as The Gulflander, Cairns to Kuranda as the Kuranda Scenic Railway
, and Cairns to Forsayth
as The Savannahlander
.
Limited. The new structure was announced by the State Government on December 2, 2009, and was in place from July 1, 2010.
Government-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
railway
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
operator in the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Under the control of the Queensland Government
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other rail businesses.
Founded
Queensland Rail started business in 1865 with the first service carrying school children and dignitaries on the first rail line in Queensland running from IpswichIpswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
to Grandchester
Grandchester, Queensland
Grandchester is a town in the Lockyer Valley region in South East Queensland, Australia. It is located 76 km west of the Brisbane CBD and is situated on the border of the Ipswich and Laidley local government areas. The name comes from Grantchester, a village outside of Cambridge in England...
.
City network
Queensland Rail, in partnership with TransLinkTransLink (South East Queensland)
The TransLink Transit Authority is the authority introduced by the Queensland Government in June 2003 as a section of Queensland Transport to coordinate and integrate rail, bus and ferry services. TransLink works with Airtrain, Brisbane Transport, Brisbane Ferries, QR Citytrain and 17 other...
, provides Urban and Interurban rail and bus services throughout South East Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
. These rail services operate on eleven rail lines including Beenleigh, Caboolture, Cleveland
Cleveland railway line, Brisbane
The Cleveland railway line is a suburban railway line extending 24.2 km east-southeast from Brisbane , the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is part of the QR Citytrain network.-History:...
, Doomben, Exhibition, Ferny Grove, Gold Coast, Gympie North, Ipswich, Rosewood and Shorncliffe lines. Queensland Rail provides train serices on these lines with its rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
of electric railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s, which includes the Electric Multiple Units (EMU), the Suburban Multiple Units (SMU), the Interurban Multiple Units (IMU) and the InterCity Express (ICE).
Due to low patronage, lines such as the Pinkenba line have been closed and replaced by bus services known as a RailBus. During some times of the day trains on the Gympie North line and Doomben line are also replaced by the RailBus.
Queensland Rail aims to operate 99.75% of peak services and to have 93.77% of those services running no longer than four minutes late.
Long range
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
to Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
and Brisbane to Cairns respectively. Queensland Rail also operates diesel-locomotive-hauled services between Brisbane and Cairns as The Sunlander, Brisbane to Longreach as Spirit of the Outback, Townsville to Mount Isa as The Inlander and Brisbane to Charleville
Charleville, Queensland
Charleville is a town in south western Queensland, Australia, 758 kilometres by road west of Brisbane . It is the largest town and administrative centre of the Murweh Shire, which covers an area of 43,905 square kilometres...
as The Westlander.
Traveltrain's annual patronage is approximately 969,000. Whilst proportionately smaller than other regional rail services, relative to population, this is largely as Traveltrain caters to a touring market more so than other operators. In 2007–08, the subsidy for the Brisbane-Cairns route was $130 million, or $900 per passenger. In 2001–02 it was $270.
Normanton, Queensland
-External links:****...
and Croydon
Croydon, Queensland
Croydon is a town in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, the town and surrounding area had a population of 255.-History:The historic goldrush town of Croydon is located in the heart of the Gulf Savannah, 562 km west of Cairns. Croydon was a large pastoral holding covering an area of...
as The Gulflander, Cairns to Kuranda as the Kuranda Scenic Railway
Kuranda Scenic Railway
The Kuranda Scenic Railway is a name for the railway line that runs from Cairns, Queensland, Australia to the nearby town of Kuranda. The tourist railway snakes its way up the Macalister Range and is no longer used for regular commuter services. It passes through the suburbs of Stratford,...
, and Cairns to Forsayth
Forsayth, Queensland
Forsayth is a town in Etheridge Shire, Far North Queensland, Australia, approximately 415km by road from Cairns. At the 2006 census, Forsayth had a population of 101....
as The Savannahlander
The Savannahlander
The Savannahlander is a railmotor service that operates in Queensland, Australia. The train travels from the coastal town of Cairns to Forsayth. The service was once operated by QR Traveltrain but is now run under contract by a private operator...
.
Current fleet
As of September 2011 the Queensland Rail fleet consists of the following trains:- Electric Multiple Units (EMU)Electric Multiple Unit (Citytrain)Electric Multiple Unit are an electric multiple-unit commuter trains operated on the by QR Citytrain in South East Queensland, Australia. They were the first EMUs in Queensland entering service from 1979 and remain in service today.-History:...
- 87 in service (88 built) - Suburban Multiple Units (SMU)Suburban Multiple Unit (Citytrain)The Suburban Multiple Unit are a class of electric multiple unit used by Citytrain in and around South East Queensland Australia. The Suburban Multiple Unit comes in three subclasses, Sets 200-212 is known as the 200 series, Sets 221-251 is known as the 220 series, and the newest sets , which is...
- 200 Series (SMU200) - 12 in service (12 built)
- 220 Series (SMU220) - 30 in service (30 built)
- 260 Series (SMU260) - 36 to be in service
- Interurban Multiple Units (IMU)Interurban Multiple Unit (Citytrain)The Interurban Multiple Unit are a class of electric multiple unit used by Citytrain in and around South East Queensland Australia. The Interurban Multiple Unit comes in three subclasses, Sets 100-110 is known as the 100 series, Sets 121-124 is known as the 120 series, and the newest interurban...
- 100 Series (IMU100) - 10 in service (10 built)
- 120 Series (IMU120) - 4 in service (4 built)
- 160 Series (IMU160) - 28 to be in service
- InterCity Express (ICE)InterCity Express (Citytrain)Walkers-ABB InterCity Express are a model of electric multiple unit used by Citytrain in South East Queensland, Australia. They were built for a North Coast Line service between Brisbane and Rockhampton, the 'Spirit Of Capricorn'...
- 8 in service (8 built)
Public float of QR National
On June 2, 2009 the Queensland Government announced the 'Renewing Queensland Plan', with Queensland Rail's commercial activities to be separated from the Government's core passenger service responsibilities, and formed into a new company called QR NationalQR National
QR National Limited is the largest rail freight company in Australia and was formerly owned by the Queensland Government. It was created as an independent company on 1 July 2010 when transport and logistics company QR Limited was split into two companies...
Limited. The new structure was announced by the State Government on December 2, 2009, and was in place from July 1, 2010.