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Citytrain is the brand name of urban, suburban and inter-urban electric passenger railway services in South East Queensland, Australia. Its network, centering in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, is approximately 382 km (237 mi) in route length.[1] Corporately, Citytrain is a part of QR's Passenger Services Group business segment.
HistoryThe first railway in Queensland did not actually run to Brisbane, but ran from Ipswich to Grandchester. Opened in July 1865,[2] the line into Brisbane was not completed until the opening of the Albert Bridge in July 1875.[3] 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.[4] It was not until the 1970s that electrification was again brought up, with contracts let in 1975.[5] The first part of the new electric system, the Darra - Ferny Grove line, was opened to the public on November 17, 1979.[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 the 1990s. Network
Citytrain operates 10 suburban lines and three interurban lines. Centering in the Brisbane central business district, it extends as far as Gympie in the north, Robina in the south, Rosewood in the west, and Cleveland in the east to Moreton Bay. Each line is ascribed a colour and name on all Citytrain signage and marketing collateral including timetables, posters, and maps. Railway stationsThere are 143 stations in the Citytrain network.[7] Suburban railway linesNorth of Brisbane
South and west of Brisbane
Inner Brisbane
Interurban railway linesNorth of Brisbane
South and west of Brisbane
Railbus servicesCitytrain 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. These bus services are operated by companies contracted by Citytrain and TransLink. These Railbus services are: Supplementing/replacing the Corinda via South Brisbane line
Supplementing/replacing the Doomben (Pinkenba) line
Replacing the Brisbane Valley line
Supplementing the Sunshine Coast line
Operations
Citytrain employs 1,200 staff[citation needed] and operates under the TransLink public transport scheme, the operational, marketing and financial manager of all public transport in South East Queensland. Citytrain operates approximately 3,000 services per week,[obsolete fact] carrying an average of 1.1 million passenger journeys with a yearly patronage exceeding 57.9 million. In the 2006-2007 financial year, Citytrain reported a patronage increase of 9%, and a 93.6% rate of on-time running, where services arrived at their destination within three minutes and 59 seconds of the time they were scheduled.[7] The hub of the Citytrain network is Central railway station in the Brisbane central business district, generating approximately 80,000 trips each day.[obsolete fact] Unlike many rail systems that terminate their services in the CBD, Citytrain services typically travel from one side of Brisbane to the other via Central with a three minute layover – mostly to assist in on-time running. For example, a train from Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, will pass through Central after waiting at the major station for three minutes before continuing to Ferny Grove, north of Brisbane. Citytrain uses narrow gauge track. The line between Brunswick Street and Roma Street stations run underground to some degree, through two sets of tunnels and two stations, Central and Brunswick Street, built-over to harness the airspace for commercial opportunity. The rest of the network is suburban rail, with interurban services running to Nambour and Gympie in the north and between Beenleigh and the Gold Coast in the south. The privately-owned Airtrain service runs to and from Brisbane Airport using Citytrain rollingstock in a commercial agreement with QR, and connects seamlessly with the rest of the network. As well as the direct interurban services, shuttle services also operate on some interurban lines during off-peak periods. Most Rosewood line services normally operates between Ipswich and Rosewood stations, with connections at Ipswich. The Sunshine Coast line has supplementary Railbus services that operate between Caboolture and Nambour stations. Rolling stock
All of Citytrain's rolling stock is electric, air-conditioned, were constructed locally in Maryborough, and are no older than twenty-nine years:
All trains are electric multiple units with a driver cabin at both ends, with the exceptions of EM60 through to EM79 having only one cab at one end. All are configured with three cars, except for the ICE sets that are usually configured with four, five or six cars. Due to increasing demands, suburban trains may occasionally be used on interurban lines. The Sunshine Coast line frequently suffers the use of the older, though serviceable, EMU sets. The Gold Coast line, predominately serviced by IMU trains, is occasionally serviced by SMU220 trains that have had a software upgrade to allow them to operate at 120 km/h on high-speed parts of the line (identified by the letters "HS" located on the front-left face of the train at either end). While this increases operational flexibility, the trains are not provided with the creature comforts of the IMU or ICE sets, such as toilets or high-backed seats. This predicament will be remedied somewhat with an order of 16 new interurban and 8 new suburban sets being progressively delivered since early 2007. On top of this, and additional 20 three car sets (14 SMU sets and 6 IMU sets), and order for an additional 58 three car sets was made in the Queensland budget for 2008-09.[13] Growth and extensions
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[14] and a forecast population of more than 3.8 million by 2026.[15] 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[16] and 2006-2007[7] financial years. 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 capacityBeenleigh lineA 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.[17] Ferny Grove lineA 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.[18] Gold Coast lineThe line between Ormeau and Coomera stations, 6.7 km (4.2 mi) in length, was duplicated in October 2006, allowing for additional capacity.[19] 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 is expected to be completed by July 2008.[20] Ipswich line5.2 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.[21] Sunshine Coast line13.7 km (8.5 mi) of track north of Caboolture station to Beerburrum station is being duplicated and straightened, along with the upgrading of Elimbah and Beerburrum stations. Construction work is underway, and an estimated completion time is mid-2009.[22] From Beerburrum station, 17 km (10.6 mi) of track to Landsborough is proposed to be similarly duplicated and straightened. This project is in the concept stage, with no construction nor completion dates at present.[23] New linesGold Coast lineA 4.1 km (2.5 mi) extension of the Gold Coast railway line from Robina to Varsity Lakes is under construction. 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.[24] Maroochydore lineThe 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.[25] Springfield lineThe Springfield railway line is a proposed $300 million, 26 km (16.2 mi) extension of the Citytrain network, south-southwest from Brisbane. It is in the preliminary construction phase. The line will branch from the existing Ipswich line after Darra railway station, and extend to the Springfield area. The planned stations are Richlands and Springfield, with Ellen Grove and Springfield Lakes regarded as future stations.[26] CBD underground accessOn 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 $A5 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".[27] References
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