In March 1993, Queensland Rail issued a tender for the construction of two electric six-carriage tilting trains. In October 1994, a contract was awarded to Walkers, Maryborough with Hitachi to supply the electrical and tilting equipment.[2] The Electric Tilt Train initially began tests on 12 August 1997 when it conducted its first run between Maryborough West and Gympie North Stations. This was later followed by tests from Maryborough to Roma Street on 25 October 1997 and first trial run to Rockhampton on 15 November 1997.[3] November 1997 also saw the Train conduct the first testing involving its Tilting mechanism.[4]
On 6 November 1998, Australia's first pair of tilting trains entered service between Brisbane and Rockhampton and was simply marketed as "Tilt Train". With a journey time of seven hours, they shaved over two hours from the schedule operated by InterCity Express sets.[5][6][7] In July 1999, a second daily service was introduced between Brisbane and Bundaberg.[8] As a result of the introduction of the Tilt Train service, the Spirit of Capricorn had its frequency reduced to one service per week on a Saturday from Brisbane to Rockhampton, with a Sunday service returning to Brisbane carrying passengers only when required. The Spirit of Capricorn service ended in May 2003 upon the introduction of the Diesel Tilt Train service to Cairns.
Set 301/302 in the original 1998 livery at Roma Street Station
Using traction equipment based on the JR Shikoku 8000 series trains, the Tilt Train set an Australian train speed record of 210km/h (130mph) north of Bundaberg in May 1999, a record that still stands.[9][10] This also makes it the fastest narrow-gauge train in the world.[11]
The Tilt Train service is operated by 2 trains, with the trains made up of two three car sets forming 6 carriages. A driving cab is found at each end of the train, however usually the odd-numbered cab car will lead when in service and the train is turned to face the correct direction on either a loop or triangle to ensure this is the case. Sets 301/302 are named "City of Maryborough", whilst sets 303/304 are named "City of Rockhampton".
The sets have undergone refurbishments since their introduction in 1998. In 2006, the electric sets underwent an $8.3million refurbishment program at Mayne depot. In 2015, the tilt train sets again undertook refurbishment over the course of 12 months with the addition of high visibility yellow doors, and a modification of the front ends. The traction packages were given a complete overhaul to extend the life of the tilt train. The trains also had Wi-Fi installed to enable wireless internet for passengers.[12] The first refurbished set re-entered service in July 2016.[13] The second refurbished set re-entered service in July 2017. Both of these refurbishment programs saw the introduction of a loco-hauled "Tilt Train Replacement Service" (known informally as the "Tiltlander") that was formed of spare L-series sitting cars and a dining car, with a M-series staff car and available power van. In mid-2023, a 14 month program began to perform heavy maintenance on the sets (with one set out of service at a time). Instead of a loco-hauled replacement service operating in lieu of the second service, a modified timetable was introduced with no Tilt Train service provided on a Wednesday and no service starting/ending at Bundaberg.
The standard formation of Electric Tilt Trains from 6 November 1998.
Onboard
The Tilt Train consists of 1 Business Class carriage (Car A) and 5 Economy Class carriages (Cars B to F). The Business Class layout is the same as the previous InterCIty Express sets used on the Spirit of Capricorn, with a 2 x 1 seating configuration with large reclining seats. The Economy Class layout is in a standard 2 x 2 configuration. All carriages feature enclosed, aircraft style overhead lockers for hand baggage. A to-seat service is provided to passengers in both classes of travel, however the two galleys that stock the trolley service (located in Cars B and E) are available for passengers to purchase food and drink from directly. When the service was introduced, Business Class passengers were provided with a meal as a part of their ticket. This service was discontinued only a few years later, and Business Class passengers are now required to purchase food and drink as required (although a welcome drink is provided). A main-screen video and audio system is provided throughout the train in both classes of travel. Wheelchair spaces are found in Car A, along with an accessible toilet.
Commencing in 1998, the Electric Tilt Train operates from Brisbane to Rockhampton. The train operates on the North Coast line and serves several stations along the route, including Gympie, Maryborough, Bundaberg and Gladstone. The stopping pattern is the same as the Spirit of Capricorn service the Tilt Train replaced.
Notes and references
1 2 Except train Q311, served only if reservations have been pre-booked
↑ "Australia enters the Tilt Train era" Railway Digest December 1998 pages 22–25, 40
↑ Bredhauer, Stephen (30 December 1998). "Australia's Biggest Rail Investment". Ministerial Media Statements. Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
↑ "Bundaberg Day-Return Tilt Service Commences" Railway Digest August 1999 page 15
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.
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 Rockhampton (electric) and Cairns (diesel). Services commenced in 1998.
The North Coast railway line (NCL) is a 1,681-kilometre (1,045 mi) 1067 mm gauge 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.
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, in 2013, was claimed to 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. Based on the British Rail-designed High Speed Train, each XPT set comprises two XP power cars in a push-pull configuration and, between them, between four and seven passenger 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.
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 Electric multiple unit (EMU) is a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers at Maryborough for Queensland Rail between 1979 and 1986. They were the first EMUs in Queensland and are progressively being retired from the Queensland Rail Citytrain network.
The InterCity Express (ICE) was a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers, Maryborough for Queensland Rail in 1988/89. They were built to operate the Spirit of Capricorn service on the North Coast line service between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Since being superseded on this service, they were used on Sunshine Coast line services from Brisbane to Gympie North until mid-2021. As of November 2021, all units have been retired from service.
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.
High-speed rail in Australia has been under investigation since the early 1980s. Every Federal Government since this time has investigated the feasibility of constructing high-speed rail with speeds above 200 km/h, but to date nothing has ever gone beyond the detailed planning stage. The most commonly suggested route is between Australia's two largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, which, as of 2023, is the world's sixth busiest air corridor. Various corridors have been proposed for a potential high-speed line. The distance between them is around 800 km (500 miles), which requires very high speeds to make trains competitive with air travel.
The Cairns Tilt Train derailment occurred at 11:55 pm on 15 November 2004 when the City of Townsville diesel tilt train derailed north of Berajondo, approximately 342 km (213 mi) northwest of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia.
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.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, a significant rail electrification program was completed in the Australian state of Queensland. The electrified Queensland network is the largest in Australia with over 2,000 kilometres electrified, the next biggest is New South Wales with 640 kilometres, that is served mainly as passenger operations.
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 2100 class is a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Eagle Farm for Queensland Railways between 1970 and 1973.
The SX carriages were a type of passenger carriages constructed by Commonwealth Engineering for the Queensland Railways in 1961–1962.
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 Diesel Tilt Train is the name for three high-speed tilting trains, operated by Queensland Rail on the North Coast line from Brisbane to Cairns as part of its Spirit of Queensland service.
The Spirit of Capricorn was a long distance passenger rail service in Queensland, Australia, Operated by Queensland Rail Traveltrain between 1988 and 24 May 2003. It operated between Rockhampton, Queensland and the Capital of the state, Brisbane at its station Roma Street.
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