History
In August 1999, a contract was awarded to Walkers for two diesel tilting trains to operate services from Brisbane to Cairns. [1] In contrast to the Electric Tilt Train, the diesel Tilt Train is a push-pull locomotive based train, although the two are externally similar.
Following a derailment of the Diesel Tilt Train in November 2004 that injured 157 people, all services were limited to 100 km/h (62 mph) until track upgrades and the introduction of Automatic Train Protection allowed full speed operation to resume in June 2007.
In October 2010, Downer Rail was awarded a contract to build a further diesel tilt train with two power cars and 12 carriages to replace locomotive hauled stock on The Sunlander . All work was performed in Maryborough. [2] [3] [4] The first refurbished set entered service in October 2013. The third and brand new set was delivered and entered service in 2014.
Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, it operates local and long-distance passenger services, as well as owning and maintaining rolling stock and approximately 6,600 kilometres (4,101 mi) of track and related infrastructure.
The Tilt Train is the name for two similar high-speed tilting train services, one electric and the other diesel, operated by Queensland Rail. They run on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Bundaberg and Rockhampton (electric) and Cairns (diesel).
The North Coast railway line is a 1,681-kilometre (1,045 mi) 1067 mm railway line in Queensland, Australia. It commences at Roma Street station, Brisbane, and largely parallels the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Along the way, the 1680 km railway passes through the numerous towns and cities of eastern Queensland including Nambour, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville. The line though the centre of Rockhampton runs down the middle of Denison Street.
Downer Rail is a business unit within the Downer Group. As well as manufacturing and maintaining railway rolling stock it holds maintenance contracts to maintain rail infrastructure. The head office is located in North Ryde.
The Sunlander was a long distance passenger rail service operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns in Queensland between June 1953 and December 2014. It has been replaced by the Spirit of Queensland.
The rail network in Queensland, Australia, was the first in the world to adopt 1,067 mm narrow gauge for a main line, and now the second largest narrow gauge network in the world, consists of:
The New South Wales XPT is a class of diesel-powered passenger trains built by Comeng and ABB Transportation. Based on the British Rail designed InterCity 125, each XPT set is made up of two XP Power Cars in a push-pull formation coupled to between four and seven carriages. The first sets entered service under the State Rail Authority in 1982 and now operate under NSW TrainLink, running on long-distance regional and interstate North Coast, Main Western and Main Southern lines throughout New South Wales and interstate into Victoria and Queensland.
The Xplorer is a class of diesel multiple unit trains built by ABB Transportation. Initially entering service in October 1993, the Xplorers are mechanically identical to the Endeavour Railcars, though feature a higher level of passenger amenity. All 23 carriages were built in Dandenong, Victoria. The Xplorers currently operate under NSW TrainLink, running on the regional Main North, Main Western and Main Southern lines throughout New South Wales.
Walkers Limited was an Australian engineering company, based in Maryborough, Queensland. It built ships and railway locomotives. The Walkers factory still produces railway locomotives and rolling stock as part of Downer Rail.
The Interurban multiple units (IMU) are a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers Limited/Downer EDI Rail, Maryborough for Queensland Rail's Citytrain division between 1996 and 2011. The IMU is divided into in three subclasses, units 101-110 as the 100 series, units 121-124 as the 120 series, and units 161-188, as the 160 series.
The GT42CU AC is a model of diesel electric locomotives manufactured by EDi Rail, Maryborough between 1999 and 2005 under licence from Electro-Motive Diesel, for use on narrow gauge railways in Queensland.
The Suburban multiple units (SMU) are a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers Limited/Downer EDI Rail, Maryborough for Queensland Rail's Citytrain division between 1994 and 2011. The SMU is divided into in three subclasses, units 201-212 as the 200 series, units 221-250 as the 220 series, and units 261-296, as the 260 series.
The Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway is located near Ipswich, Queensland, Australia and runs through the former West Moreton pioneering coal fields. It was first opened in 1881 by colliery proprietor and politician Lewis Thomas (1832-1913) as a tramway to his coal mines.
Cairns railway station is a railway station in Cairns City, Queensland, Australia, serving the city of Cairns. The stations is the terminus of the North Coast line from Brisbane and the terminus for the Tablelands railway line to the Atherton Tableland. Two tourist railway services operate from here: the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Savannahlander. The station has two platforms. It is integrated with the Cairns Central Shopping Centre, with the platforms being built underneath parking areas.
The Spirit of Queensland is a Queensland Rail long distance passenger rail service. It is operated by a diesel-powered Tilt Train that runs five times a week on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Cairns, a distance of 1,681 kilometres (1,045 mi). At the start of 2015, it replaced the diesel-hauled train The Sunlander.
The Capricornian was a passenger train that operated in Queensland Australia between 1970 and 1993. It travelled on the North Coast line between Brisbane and Rockhampton.
Two types of steel bodied air-conditioned carriage stock have been used on long distance Queensland Rail services.
The New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) is a class of individually-propelled carriages manufactured by Bombardier Transportation in Savli, India for the Queensland Rail City network that entered service between December 2017 and December 2019. They are Queensland Rail's largest fleet of electric trains.
The Electric Tilt Train is the name for two identical high-speed tilting trains operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Bundaberg and Rockhampton which entered service in November 1998.
Alick Tipoti, whose traditional name is Zugub, is a Torres Strait Islander artist, linguist, and activist of the Kala Lagaw Ya people, from Badu Island, in the Zenadh Kes. His work includes painting, installations, printmaking, sculpture and mask-making, and is focused on preserving the culture and languages of his people.
