Doomben line gets a major boost as it receives the biggest number of train upgrades. Train services upgrades involve the replacement of three-car trains with six-car units on 193 Queensland Rail services.
According to Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, the new services would increase carrying capacity by more than 46,000 seats a week across the Queensland Rail network.
Passengers are already benefiting from the upgrades on the Beenleigh, Shorncliffe, Ferny Grove, Cleveland, Northgate, and Doomben lines.
Train Service Upgrades
Queensland Rail has been focusing on upgrading the Monday to Friday services rather than at weekends when fewer people travel.
“Of the 193 services where capacity will be doubled, 40 are classified as high patronage where average seated capacity occupancy rates are more than 80%,” Mr Bailey said.
Receiving the most train upgrades, Doomben line will have 44 services per week upgraded from three-car to six-car trains on weekdays. For others, the Beenleigh line will have 38 services per week, Shorncliffe with 24, Ferny Grove with 38, Cleveland with 36, Northgate with 12, and Ipswich/ Rosewood will only have one.
Few of the three-car trains are still required to run during peak periods due to current operational restrictions. However, a six-carriage train will precede and follow each of these to assist with customer loading.
Mr Bailey said that only 171 three-car services will remain on Monday to Friday timetable. One hundred of these are on the Rosewood shuttle. Queensland Rail won’t be upgrading these trains due to infrastructure limitations on the Rosewood line and low demand.
“Current patronage numbers also show the three-carriage trains meets demand on that line at weekends when patronage is lower.”
The train service upgrades come from 37 New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) units which are now available for service. Queensland Rail will consider further upgrades as more NGR units become available.
Check the latest Doomben line timetable here.