Ministerial Statement: QR to complete north coast track duplication

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
24/12/2008

QR to complete north coast track duplication

A 13.7 kilometre track duplication between Caboolture and Beerburrum is due to be completed this week, with electric passenger train services scheduled to operate on the new North Coast rail line infrastructure from 31 December 2008.

Minister for Transport John Mickel said the final signalling works and testing stage of the track duplication to take place between Friday 26 December and Wednesday 31 December was a major milestone for the Queensland Government's $298 million Caboolture to Beerburrum Track Duplication Project.

"This is an important step towards improving rail services for the north coast region," Mr Mickel said.

"While this critical work is completed, passenger trains will not be running between Caboolture and Beerburrum, but buses will replace scheduled services.

"This has been scheduled for a traditionally quiet time to ensure minimal impact on customers, and crews will work through the festive season to ensure the new track is ready for its first train service.

"The closure includes a number of scheduled times when freight trains will be able to use the corridor.

"The two new, bi-directional tracks replace a single winding track and are low maintenance.

"To construct the new rail line, 40,000 concrete rail sleepers have been laid, 118,000 tonnes of ballast deposited on the new track, more than 500 new masts erected and 95 kilometres of overhead electrical wiring installed.

"The straighter track will improve travel times between Caboolture and Beerburrum by up to 30 percent and the duplication eliminates the need for trains to wait to pass each other as they did on the old single track."

Mr Mickel said the new tracks were being connected to the North Coast rail line near McKean Street at Caboolture and north of Beerburrum station at Beerburrum.

He said the Caboolture to Beerburrum Track Duplication Project was on track to be completed well ahead of the original target date of mid-2009 after approximately 18 months of construction works, which has created hundreds of new jobs.

Other works completed include:

?new platforms at Elimbah and Beerburrum stations

?five new bridges, with four rail bridges and one road-over-rail bridge

?two new rail culverts

?4.8 kilometres of road realignments.

"In the new year, work will continue on the Elimbah and Beerburrum station upgrades, which will provide significantly improved passenger facilities, including lifts for disability access, new platforms, footbridges, shelters, walkways and upgraded commuter car parks," Mr Mickel said.

"Future construction works also include: finishing the new Mansfield and Beerburrum intersection; demolishing the existing Six Mile Creek rail bridge; and reinstating Lynch and Rose Creek Roads under the new rail bridge.

"I would like to thank the local communities for their patience and understanding during construction of this landmark project for the North Coast region."

The Caboolture to Beerburrum Track Duplication Project is part of the Queensland Government's $19 billion commitment to plan and build a better rail network under the SEQ Infrastructure Plan 2008 - 2026.

For more information about the Caboolture to Beerburrum Track Duplication Project, please contact the project team on 1800 243 982 (freecall) or email C2B@trackstar.incite.com.au.

For more information about public transport and services visit www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


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[mufreight]

While most welcome and both QR and Trackstar are to be congratulated for constructing a 13.7 km racetrack to replace a goat track the statement by the Minister is just so much spin.
It would seem from his statement that work to complete the duplication and realignment of the line to Landsbrough is not to be undertaken to this time.  Another job half done at government insistance despite all of the hype from the Ministers office on the duplication not just to Landsborough but to Nambour which would enable significant service improvements and considerably lower operating costs.
On must also question the numericy skills of both the Minister and his spin doctors.  13.7km of double track to most would require 27.4 km of overhead not 95 km of overhead wiring as his spin doctors has claimed, the inflated figures might be more impressive but simple fact is more credible.
If in round figures the Ministers claims are inflated by a factor of four times does that then mean that in reality we as voters should only then believe a quarter of the Ministers promises.
Ro;; on the election.