Queensland Rail City network fleet expansion

[ClintonL94]

http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/NetworkServices/BuildingandMaintainingourNetwork/Pages/QueenslandRailcitynetworkfleetexpansion.aspx

Queensland Rail City network fleet expansion

Queensland Rail is currently undertaking a project to significantly increase the size of its electric train fleet.

The New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) project is seeking to purchase up to 200 trains for the City network.

These new trains are an important step in meeting the increasing demand for additional rail services in South East Queensland.

A modern new Maintenance Facility

A significant expansion of the Queensland Rail train fleet means that additional maintenance facilities will need to be built.

Queensland Rail is currently investigating possible sites for the construction of a new maintenance facility for the City network fleet. Our property at 1 Ada Street, Wulkuraka is being considered.

This site is currently used as a staging area for maintenance works but may be a suitable site for a modern new maintenance facility.

Over the coming months, Queensland Rail will work with employees, the local community and the Ipswich City Council to investigate the suitability of this site. This will include employee consultation, community consultation and a variety of environmental and engineering studies.

No decision on the final location of a new maintenance facility has been made.

Please check back for updates.

If you would like to provide feedback or ask a question please contact Queensland Rail on 13 16 17.

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"Our property at 1 Ada Street, Wulkuraka is being considered."

That'll get rid of several dead running trains for the Ipswich Line where they all come from Mayne after 6am. Would trains get stabled at a maintenance facility though?

[Derwan]

Sorry Clinton... a maintenance facility isn't a stabling yard (unless it will have a stabling yard added as part of the facility).

I'm wondering if this will be in addition to Redbank or whether Redbank will a QR National only facility and all passenger train maintenance will be moved to the new facility?

[SteelPan]

Good progressive news.  Certainly, an enlarged fleet is very much needed.
I wonder if a redeveloped Main - with a built over supporting [minor] maintenance and "inner city" stabling area might also be an idea.   One day they might yet do a build over of Main - one day!   

[HappyTrainGuy]

Nope, there shouldn't be any stabling there for network services as its going to be a dedicated maintenance only facility. Much like a Redbank duplicate.

As good as it sounds you're still going to have to wait a long time to see any benefits in additional services of the potential 200 3x car sets or 100 6x car sets so I wouldn't hold my breath (Kinda sucks if half aren't even new services).

Steelpan, you never know. Look at Roma Street, Woolloongabba and South Brisbane

Personally I have mixed opinions on this but only time will tell.

[somebody]

I think the stabling yard should be immediately beyond Rosewood anyway.  A 6-pack yard would be well justified on the current timetable, and you could build it a little larger to allow for future growth.  I just don't understand the idea of building it at Redbank now.

[O_128]

hmm with an extra 200 trains it will be able to finally run 15min off peak

[somebody]

hmm with an extra 200 trains it will be able to finally run 15min off peak

Urgh.

It always has been able.  They just didn't want to so didn't.

[Jonno]

New fleet should be for new routes plus some retirements.

[O_128]

hmm with an extra 200 trains it will be able to finally run 15min off peak

Urgh.

It always has been able.  They just didn't want to so didn't.

Im being sarcastic but seeing as Qr seems to need 5 spare trains for each one in service......

[somebody]

New fleet should be for new routes plus some retirements.

New routes?  Kuraby-Corinda via Tennyson.  Is that the sort of thing you are thinking of?

[Jonno]

...and hopefully others...dreams are free after all.

[colinw]

Probably more like 110 new trains, by the time retirement of the 79 remaining EMUs and the ICE sets is taken into account.

That is still enough to provide a sensible off-peak frequency and cater for a number of new routes post CRR (Kippa-Ring, Flagstone, Ripley, CAMCOS, extension of Cleveland services to Doomben/Hamilton North Shore).

If CRR does not go ahead, then I expect the majority of these purchases will not proceed.

[SurfRail]

Probably more like 110 new trains, by the time retirement of the 79 remaining EMUs and the ICE sets is taken into account.

That is still enough to provide a sensible off-peak frequency and cater for a number of new routes post CRR (Kippa-Ring, Flagstone, Ripley, CAMCOS, extension of Cleveland services to Doomben/Hamilton North Shore).

If CRR does not go ahead, then I expect the majority of these purchases will not proceed.

According to QR, they are keeping their options open on whether 87 of those sets are direct EMU replacements.

Personally, I find no objection to keeping them in service.  They are reliable, and not suffering from any obvious signs of deterioration like some interstate rollingstock.

[colinw]

I agree with you there.  The EMUs are still acceptable, and as long as they don't start to have metal fatigue issues I see no reason they could not continue in service indefinitely (possibly with a traction upgrade).

[somebody]

I agree with you there.  The EMUs are still acceptable, and as long as they don't start to have metal fatigue issues I see no reason they could not continue in service indefinitely (possibly with a traction upgrade).

I think so too.

[#Metro]

QR did a very good job of refurbishing them... they seem a bit noisier but otherwise fine.

[ClintonL94]

New fleet should be for new routes plus some retirements.

New routes?  Kuraby-Corinda via Tennyson.  Is that the sort of thing you are thinking of?

No, I think that Jonno is thinking of the new routes such as Flagstone, Maroochydore and Kippa Ring.

[mufreight]

Nope, there shouldn't be any stabling there for network services as its going to be a dedicated maintenance only facility. Much like a Redbank duplicate.

As good as it sounds you're still going to have to wait a long time to see any benefits in additional services of the potential 200 3x car sets or 100 6x car sets so I wouldn't hold my breath (Kinda sucks if half aren't even new services).

Steelpan, you never know. Look at Roma Street, Woolloongabba and South Brisbane

Personally I have mixed opinions on this but only time will tell.

Word from an official QR source is that there will be stabling at Wulkuraka if the maintenance facility is built there, (did not indicate how much) and probably even if it is not built there as there is not sufficent room at Ipswich and while Redbank will relieve the position the planned fleet expansion will require more stabling capacity.