Landslip damages Western rail line

[ozbob]

http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/MediaCentre/MediaReleases/Pages/LandslipdamagesWesternrailline.aspx

Landslip damages Western rail line

11/01/2011

Heavy rain and flash flooding on the Toowoomba Range west of Brisbane have triggered a landslip that has caused extensive damage to the main western rail line from Brisbane.

Queensland Rail crews inspecting the line today reported a 'significant' landslide near Spring Bluff, half way up the range. The line had earlier been closed as a safety precaution.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said the rail line west of Grandchester was closed until further notice as a result of the incident.

"At this stage I am advised that Queensland Rail crews are unable to to assess the extent of damage to the railway. However, early indications are that the impact may be significant.

"Given the extent of flash flooding in Toowoomba today, it is likely there is more than one landslip and so the task is considerable," she said.

Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Paul Scurrah said it was unclear at this stage how long the line would remain closed.

"We are planning to inspect the scene from the air and send ground crews to the area as soon as it is safe to do so," he said.

"The full extent of damage to track and infrastructure is not likely to be known until the weekend.

"We have advised our freight customers and will keep them updated on the situation."
   
For further details:

Queensland Rail Corporate Affairs
Phone: +61 7 3235 2180
Email:   media@qr.com.au

[ghostryder]

Bob/all
From the shots i saw in my inbox restoration of the line to Toowoomba will take some time with landslips landslides and washed out bridges not to mention the damage to the roads used by track gangs. The pictures i saw cover the section Spring Bluff to Grantham.

scott

[Stillwater]

The imperative will be to restore service as quickly as possible for the costomers affected.  That means keeping the reconstructed track to the current alignment and grade.  A more considered approach would be to look to a better alternative, but that would involve time consuming engineering studies, land purchases, EIS reports etc.  Unfortunately, for much of the flood restoration, we will build to what was there before, due to time constraints, and we won't have the luxury to build something better, just 'new'.

[mufreight]

While the restoration to traffic is imperative there are a number of locations with major problems which will entail the construction of temporary bypasses to allow traffic to resume.
The new construction to replace bridges while most likely on the old track alignment will no doubt be built to allow for greater flood flows and will be of more substantial construction than those washed out.

[QGT]

It is a very sad sight photos of Spring Bluff of the damage 
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=33186&id=156259764417725

[johnnigh]

Could anyone tell me where the stream of coal trains is coming from? Not as many as normal but still quite a number each day passing my place at Corinda (and I don't spend my days watching, just the ones I happen to notice when I'm at home, and I wouldn't have a clue what's pulling them, apart from being smelly diesels). The coal company couldn't be trucking it past the landslip could it?

[ozbob]

Ebenezer, near Rosewood.

[johnnigh]

You mean, there is still a coal mine operating in the Ipswich region? I hope the coal's a bit better quality than the stuff QR used in the olden days

[colinw]

You mean, there is still a coal mine operating in the Ipswich region? I hope the coal's a bit better quality than the stuff QR used in the olden days

Two mines.  There is also a mine at Perry's Nob near Rosewood, but they no longer use rail.

[mufreight]

Both mines produce coal suitable for power generation, and no, having fired steam engines that were designed to burn the hard Maitland coals it was not fun to use on the shunters at Clapham and South Brisbane or the trips engine that ran between Clapham and South Brisbane and out to GMH Acacia Ridge, CSR Coopers Plains and Cargo Rudders at Sailsbury, the NSWGR locos were not equiped to dispose of ashes without a pit and six hours in traffic would see the ashpans full and the fire up to the level of the bottom ring of the firebox door.
Used in a power station the fly ash is collected and used in the manufacture of cement.

[colinw]

Out of interest, where were the sidings for CSR & Cargo Rudders?  I was aware of the standard gauge siding near Nyanda (Pradella I think it is called now), and also the TNT site at Salisbury which had dual gauge access until fairly recently, but having only moved to Brisbane in 1989 I am unfamiliar with either of those ones.

[mufreight]

Cargo Rudders is where TNT now operate from, the CSR siding was on the southern side of the standard gauge line between Musgrave and Boundary Roads, we also used to regularly shunt the Commonwealth sidings and English Electric which came off the standard gauge line just before the Nyanda platform crossed Beaudesert Road and ran down alongside Evans Deakins from where it became a dual gauge line to both EE and ComEng.
Alas today there is no rail connection into what is now TNT for bulk rail, CSR has had its rail connection removed, the rail connections into what was GMH Acacia Ridge a d Lysaughts are now gone as is the rail connection into what was the Woolworths Distribution Centre and it seems that Both Brambles and the old Coles sidings no longer see use.
Between them these sidings used to receive some 4000 tons + of freight each day and originate better than 1000 tons of freight to go south now seemingly all lost to road.

[colinw]

Thanks mufreight.  It sounds very different indeed to the current standard gauge operations around Brisbane.  Alas I am too young to have seen much of it, my earliest memories of the area being journeys to Sydney on the Limited in 1973 or so, after the Sydney Mail via Wallangarra was discontinued and we could no longer just travel to Sydney from Toowoomba.  At age 6 I was so excited to be on a "big train with sleeping cars"  that I of course didn't pay attention to any sidings, etc. along the way (although I do have have a vague memory of spotting a spur into a quarry down Bromelton way - round mountain?)

Strangely even 'though I was younger when we last took it, the Wallangarra route has left a much stronger impression.  I will never forget the excitement of changing trains at Wallangarra, including a meal in the RRR.  I also very clearly remember how exciting I used to find Sydney, with its double deck carriages and funny wires over the track.   One of the great highlights of my childhood was the memorable day when my grandfather took me all the way to Lithgow on a U set.

Its funny how everything looks so much bigger & more exciting to a child.

[ozbob]

In the Army in 1969, rail was how the troops moved around.  After I finished basic corps training at Healesville (with some fun rail motor trips Lilydale to Healesville) we went by rail Melbourne to Brisbane. Remember the Spirit well of course, day in Sydney and then an enjoyable trip on the Limited.  South Brisbane was very exciting times on arrival.  Having grown up in Victoria I was fascinated by the 'narrow gauge'.  We went from South Brisbane to Wacol in the back of truck.  I remember seeing a standard gauge steam engine shunting around Yeerongpilly on the way past in the truck.  Hey mufreight, you might have been in the cab of the loco!

[colinw]

Ministerial release: Geotechnical survey underway on Western rail line

Joint Statement:

Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development
The Honourable Andrew Fraser

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Geotechnical survey underway on Western rail line

Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser, Transport Minister Rachel Nolan and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine today inspected the damaged Toowoomba Range rail line where geotechnical survey work has started to assess the condition of the track.

Mr Fraser said the survey would confirm the extent of damage caused by multiple landslips on the Toowoomba Range on 10 January.

"Queensland has a massive rebuilding task ahead and nowhere is that more evident than on the Western rail line," he said.

"The survey will inform engineers on how best to embark on reconstruction work, including the rebuilding of Kings Bridge and deep washouts at areas around Spring Bluff and Ripper Creek.

"Because of the scale of the damage, Queensland Rail is completing a full assessment of the track affected, the works required, the resources available and the timeframe for recovery."

Ms Nolan said the rail line was a vital link for the region and the Queensland Government was committed to rebuilding the line as quickly and safely as possible in support of south western communities.

"Queensland Rail crews have already completed full walking inspections from Harlaxton to Murphy's Creek and have starting repairing the roads used to access the Range," Ms Nolan said.

"There are currently 275 sites that have been identified for further inspection or repair while there are up to 240 other underground structures that will require detailed investigation. "

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said the line is critical to the south-west Queensland economy.

"We appreciate the impact this has on businesses and local residents," Mr Shine said.

"But given the difficult terrain work to repair and reopen the line must be done methodically and in safety.

"I'm heartened by the fact that the authorities are doing all they can to get this line up and running as soon as possible."

Media contact: Treasurer's office - 3224 5982 or 3224 6361
Transport Minister's Office 07 3237 1111

[ozbob]

From ToowoombaNews.com click here!

Range Rail Line Rebuilding Time Halved

Range Rail Line Rebuilding Time Halved

By MILES NOLLER
ToowoombaNews.com

THE TOOWOOMBA Range railway line, which has been out of action since the flash flooding of January 10, could remain unserviceable for another three months.

Under normal circumstances the damage to the rail line would take six months to repair.

But the State Government is expediting the work because of the importance of the link for coal and grain producers with the Port of Brisbane.

Coal worth $1 million is normally carried on the line to the Port of Brisbane each day, and throughout Queensland the carrying of coal earns the State Government $10 million per day.

ON THE JOB. Contracting company Thiess started work yesterday (January 26) on some of the major problems on the Toowoomba Range rail line.

Queensland Rail also had a dozen excavators and 40 trucks working on other sections of the 26km of rail line from the top of the Toowoomba Range to Murphy's Creek at the bottom.

This steep line contains 275 problems from slight washouts, soil and rocks on the track, to major washouts.

There are six of these major problems - including Kings Bridge where a five span bridge is gone - to smaller disasters such as at Spring Bluff where washouts have left the rail line dangling. Much of the tourist car park at Spring Bluff has also disappeared down the creek.

Mr Fraser said because of the economic importance of the railway line, repair work was being fast tracked. He said red tape had been cut away, but he warned that there would be tough times ahead economically for the State.

Mr Fraser said flood repair work would be a central part of the State budget, and many other projects would have to be re-prioritised.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan described the damage to the rail line as shocking.

She said Queensland Rail crews had completed full walking inspections of the rail line from the top of the Range to Murphy's Creek, and they have started repairing the roads used to access the line.

MAJOR FEAT. Initially after the storm, the only inspections of the railway line had to be done by air.

The Toowoomba Range railway was constructed in the mid 1800s and was then a major engineering feat.

In 2002 Queensland Rail conducted a study which investigated realigning and upgrading the rail line between Grandchester (east of Laidley) and Gowrie Junction just north west of Toowoomba.

The study included a tunnel through the Range to speed up travel times for trains.

[#Metro]

The study included a tunnel through the Range to speed up travel times for trains.

Is there a map somewhere of this? Would this be useful for passenger service?

[colinw]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/68f0d485-2c9a-4fb4-9b0b-c8674e6a1d97/pdf_ggrcs_newsletter_11.pdf

Don't hold your breath waiting.

[colinw]

The Chronicle:  Gowrie to be next coal ghost town

GOWRIE Junction shapes as the next Darling Downs town to be wiped off the map by Queensland's insatiable coal industry.

Australia Pacific Coal has applied for a coal exploration permit over an area that takes in parts of Gowrie Junction, Kingsthorpe and large expanses of land near the existing Acland coal mine.

It passes within less than five kilometres of the town of Highfields.

The project, known as East Acland, primarily targets an eight-square-kilometre area that encompasses part of the township of Gowrie Junction where the coal deposits are not under layers of basalt. Australia Pacific Coal, if it decides to proceed with the project, will, like New Hope, open-cut-mine the area.

If goes ahead it will strengthen the case for the new range crossing as it is not far from the western tunnel portal of the proposed new range crossing. Gowrie Junction is so named because from the 1870s until 1915 it was the original junction of the Southern Line to Warwick & Wallangarra from the Western Line to Charleville.  The section of the southern line from Gowrie Jct was replaced by the current route south of Toowoomba when the Drayton Deviation opened.  The route remained open as a loop line from Gowrie Junction to Wyreema from 1915 to 1959, and is proposed to re-open as part of the inland standard gauge as the corridor goes past the proposed Charlton intermodal terminal.

Click here for a view of the area.  You can see the formation of the original southern line veering off to the south west, parallel to Krienke road.  The new range crossing will come in to the east of here, near where the line curves to the south east towards Toowoomba.

[mufreight]

Any updates on progress on the repair work on the line up the range?

[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh
13/03/2011

Vital Western Rail line to re-open ahead of schedule

Premier and Reconstruction Minister Anna Bligh today announced the flood-damaged Toowoomba rail line was on track to reopen on 28 March, three months earlier than originally forecast.

Ms Bligh said the reopening, ahead of schedule, is great news for Toowoomba and the region.

"This will take trucks off the road and put freight back on trains and that will be welcomed by residents.

"The effort put in here, to fast track the $30 million in repairs, shows the tremendous rebuilding spirit in Queensland.

"This has been a huge job. More than 260 sites required repairs in the Toowoomba Range, including a 25 metre deep washout near the historical Spring Bluff station.

"More than 150 Queensland Rail workers and more than 100 Thiess employees have toiled day and night since January 10," she said.

Ms Bligh said the effort put in at Toowoomba was being repeated in other areas after floods and cyclone caused about 3800 kilometres of the Queensland Rail network to close.

These closures initially affected an area stretching from Emerald in the central west to Cairns in the north and through south-western Queensland to Quilpie.

"Despite about $107 million in damage state-wide, Queensland Rail is well on the way to re-establishing vital links and getting Queensland moving again.

"The Western and South-Western lines are the last major pieces of the network that remain closed due to damage from the recent natural disasters.

"It has been a massive effort to restore vital infrastructure, involving almost 1000 Queensland Rail staff and contractors working throughout the state," Ms Bligh said.

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said the reopening of the Toowoomba line would be a boost for the region and Queensland.

"The local communities and industries that use this line contribute more than $800 million in exports to the economy each year.

"Each week about 100 trains carrying nearly 200,000 tonnes of freight travel from south-western Queensland over the Toowoomba Range to primary industry processors, the Port of Brisbane, and other markets.

"The reopening of the Western and South-Western lines will reconnect vital trains carrying coal, grain, livestock and general freight to and from towns all the way out to Quilpie and Dirranbandi.

"The Westlander passenger service, which travels from Brisbane to Charleville, will recommence services in mid-April.

"Queensland Rail has put in place arrangements for Westlander customers to travel by bus along the rail route until normal train services recommence," Mr Shine said.

Minister for Transport Annastacia Palaszczuk said the line west of Toowoomba was hardest hit from January's floods with extensive washouts and landslips throughout the Range.

"Given that works of this complexity and scale would usually take longer than six months to complete, I am pleased that Queensland Rail is set to reopen the line well ahead of schedule, weather permitting.

"Queensland Rail crews and local contractors have put in an extraordinary effort to work as quickly and safely as possible, which has seen the reopening date brought forward twice," she said.

Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Paul Scurrah said the Western lines were crucial sections of the Queensland Rail network.

"We've worked as quickly and safely as possible to ensure vital freight can be transported again by rail," Mr Scurrah said.

"Queensland Rail would like to thank customers and local communities for their patience during this time of immense rebuilding," he said.

==============================================================

[ozbob]

"Each week about 100 trains carrying nearly 200,000 tonnes of freight travel from south-western Queensland over the Toowoomba Range to primary industry processors, the Port of Brisbane, and other markets ..

Yep, and will be a lot more and using some infrastructure built in 1866.  Rail is for the long haul ...

[#Metro]

... Sunshine Coast line? 

[mufreight]

... Sunshine Coast line? 

How is this post relevant to this thread, appears to be totaly off topic

[Fares_Fair]

I think it refers to the infrastructure on the Sunshine Coast ...       tongue in cheek

Regards,
Fares_fair.

[colinw]

"The reopening of the Western and South-Western lines will reconnect vital trains carrying coal, grain, livestock and general freight to and from towns all the way out to Quilpie and Dirranbandi.

Is our new Transport Minister unaware that her Government abandoned the line to Dirranbandi a couple of years ago?  Or that the lines from Charleville to Quilpie and Cunnamulla are hanging by a thread?

I thought most general freight via Toowoomba was displaced to road due to coal traffic now anyway..

[somebody]

What is happening with the Dawson Valley Railway i.e. the Wondoan-Banana link that would allow coal and grain from the west to go to Gladstone and completely avoid the Toowoomba range?

[colinw]

Wandoan - Banana is very close to starting construction, however I believe they have gone back for a redesign based on the floods observed in the Dawson valley (which would have damaged the proposed line).

http://suratbasinrail.com.au/

Construction set to begin in 2012, depending on key customers signing up:
http://suratbasinrail.com.au/?page_id=12

[mufreight]

"The reopening of the Western and South-Western lines will reconnect vital trains carrying coal, grain, livestock and general freight to and from towns all the way out to Quilpie and Dirranbandi.

Is our new Transport Minister unaware that her Government abandoned the line to Dirranbandi a couple of years ago?  Or that the lines from Charleville to Quilpie and Cunnamulla are hanging by a thread?

I thought most general freight via Toowoomba was displaced to road due to coal traffic now anyway..

Apart from the coal there are substantial tonnages of Grain, cotton and cattle on rail from the west but unfortunately this is only eastbound traffic, the general freight and fuel that used to balance these tonages are now on road.

[colinw]

So mostly only empties westbound now?  

A far cry from the 1985 working timetable I have in my possession.

When did the fuel traffic finish?  I'm sure I saw "bombs" at Millmerran some time in the last decade.

[mufreight]

It is understood that an empty coal train that had been stabled at Helidon was taken up the range yesterday and will be returning as a loaded test train down the range, divided into two sections each of about 20 waggons sometime today.   
The repair crews have put in an incredible effort to reopen the line.

[ozbob]

Well done all!   Bring on them trains!!

Marvellous effort ..

Understand the coalie is already down and heading into Swanbank later today.

[mufreight]

Seems that there will be another tomorrow also into Swanbank, apparently the coal has been sitting in the waggons up on the downs since the floods and has compacted down which will cause problems unloading at the port so the coal will be unloaded at Swanbank then reloaded either into trucks or back into the rail waggons for onmovement to the port.
The first trains loaded out of the mines should start running over the weekend which will take the trucks presently hauling coal down back off the range to the relief of motorists.

[colinw]

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=74155

Joint Statement:

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Transport and Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Monday, March 28, 2011

Western rail line reopens ahead of schedule

The Western railway line reopened today, three months earlier than originally forecast, with the first coal train passing through Toowoomba this morning.

Premier Anna Bligh and Transport Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the reopening of the Western line would reconnect vital freight trains to towns all the way out to Quilpie, as well as the South Western line, which connects Toowoomba to Thallon via Warwick.

"Queensland Rail has worked quickly and safely to ensure essential services carrying coal, grain, livestock and general freight can be transported again by rail, and we are glad we can get the region reconnected and moving again," Ms Bligh said.

"Given that works of this complexity and scale would usually take longer than six months to complete, Queensland Rail crews have put in an extraordinary effort to reopen the line well ahead of schedule.

Minister Palaszczuk said there were more than 260 individual sites that required repairs in the Toowoomba Range alone, including sections of track that had to be entirely rebuilt.

"More than 30 kilometres of track has been entirely resurfaced, using 2,266 new sleepers. The total amount of rock and ballast hauled into the Range for this project would fill nearly 227 Olympic sized swimming pools," she said.

Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said the early reopening was testament to the Government's commitment to help communities recover from the floods as quickly as possible.

"Approximately 250 Queensland Rail and Thiess employees worked throughout the Toowoomba Range and I commend them on their efforts," Mr Shine said.

Mr Shine said with the line reopening people should take care at level crossings.

"Many residents may not have seen a train pass through their town for nearly three months, so I urge everyone not to be complacent – a train can pass through the rail corridor and level crossings anywhere, at anytime," he said.

"Students at Grandchester State School will this morning receive a RailSmart presentation, a state-wide program which aims to raise public awareness of rail safety issues.

"Last month, Queensland Rail community educators travelled to Toowoomba State High School, Toowoomba North State School, Rangeville State School, Laidley State School, Forest Hill State School, Grantham State School and Concordia College Toowoomba."

[Fares_Fair]

  .. a job well done !

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the same level of commitment could be shown to the Sunshine Coast duplication works and improvement to services.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

It is an interesting observation, FF, and a valid one.  The re-establishment of the line up the Range in short time, given the enormity of the task, has been a miracle.  The driving consideration has been the need to restore the revenue stream from coal and freight.  The Sunshine Coast Line is an important freight artery also, hampered by the shorter freight trains and the need for more trains as a result, with all the extra associated costs of another crew etc.  Pick any town up the coast where there is a pub overlooking the railway line and sip a beer for an hour during the day and it becomes obvious by the passing traffic just how strained the single track line is catering to the movement of passenger and freight trains, also the long distance and tilt trains.  More emphasis should be given to its freight carrying capacity and predicted growth in that sector.  At present, the thinking seems to be about the revenue 'loss' that would flow from upgrading for passenger traffic alone.

[Dean Quick]

GREAT NEWS..

Will be good to see the grain,livestock,pipe and molasses trains running again!! oh and coal...of course.