Statement: New $40 million rail control centre unveiled

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Media Statements

Minister for Transport and the Commonwealth Games
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

New $40 million rail control centre unveiled

Minister for Transport Stirling Hinchliffe and Minister for Employment Grace Grace today unveiled the new nerve centre of Queensland Rail's operation, the $40 million state-of-the-art Rail Management Centre in Bowen Hills.

Mr Hinchliffe said the train control hub was the most advanced rail operation centre in the country and would become the engine room of Brisbane's City network.

"With this world class facility, Brisbane now has the newest and most advanced, modern rail management centre in Australia," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"The new centre is an investment in the future of our public transport network and will ensure Queensland Rail continues to deliver record on-time-running results."

Mr Hinchliffe said the new rail control centre would deliver significant benefits to passengers, including faster communication, and improved coordination during incidents which would reduce delays.

"More than 250 staff work out of the centre, and train controllers manage approximately 900 passenger services, 800 kilometres of track and 150,000 customers passing through the South East Queensland rail network each weekday," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"The new control centre brings together a number of departments for the first time in one facility and will improve capabilities for controllers and response teams, ensuring a faster response to incidents through a dedicated state-of-the-art emergency operations centre.

"The new centre greatly improves capabilities for controllers and response teams, and will ensure we improve the daily journey for passengers and enhance communication between the control hub, frontline staff and passengers, providing a safer and more efficient customer-focused rail service for commuters."

Mr Hinchliffe said the new facility boasted world class technologies and modernised Queensland Rail's control operation.

"The 24 metre-long screen projecting the entire city network is the largest LG control screen monitoring a transport network in the world," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"Staff monitor this massive screen and watch every train's position and progress and watch live as it runs on the city network, they also monitor up to four computer screens on their desk.

"Controllers now have the very latest hardware at their fingertips, enabling them to safely monitor and move trains across the network like never before, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"If a train is running late, the train number flashes and it's listed in the middle of the screen for staff to monitor.

"Staff can also monitor security on the network and the 9,000 CCTV cameras across the network to ensure the safety of passengers and staff."

Member for Brisbane Central and Minister for Employment Grace Grace said the centre had supported more than 800 jobs over the life of the project and had been delivered ahead of time and well under budget.

"The new centre supported 800 jobs including workers in the carpentry, electrical, plumbing and painting trades," Ms Grace said.

"The project was also delivered seven months ahead of schedule and more than $9 million under budget, ensuring Queensland Rail is ready for the opening of the Moreton Bay Rail Link and delivery of the 75 New Generation Rollingstock trains."

More than 50 million trips were made on the City network last financial year.

Overlay (vision of the centre being built, CCTV cameras and response team):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Ukrl6Nkws&feature=youtu.be (external site)

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