Blackwater railway system

  • Callemondah (Gladstone)
  • Gregory Mine
Websitehttp://www.aurizon.com.au/ServiceTypeHeavy Rail (Coal)Operator(s)AurizonDepot(s)CallemondahHistoryOpened1967 (Kinrola branch)TechnicalLine length1,111 km (690 mi)Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Narrow gaugeElectrification25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLEOperating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

Legend
0
 North Coast Line
0
 Rocklands
0
 Bruce Hwy
1
 Burnett Hwy
8
 Gracemere
23
 Stanwell
25
 Stanwell Power Station
37
 Wycarbah
45
 Westwood 156m
46
 Westwood
76
 Tunnel 162m
93
 Dawson River
103
 Duaringa
141
 Dingo
168
 Capricorn Hwy
169
 Bluff
180
 Boonal 208m
189
 Blackwater
12
 Koorilgah
41
 Laleham
192
 Sagitarrius
0
 Capricorn Hwy
12
 Curragh
195
 Rangal
9
 Boorgoon
14
 Kinrolla
106
 Rolleston
202
 Burngrove, Central West System to Emerald
0
 Capricorn Hwy
10
 Crew
16
 Mackenzie River
23
 Mackenzie
13
 Ensham
36
 Fairhill
52
 Yan Yan
13
 Gordonstone Kestral Mine)
62
 To Oaky Creek & Goonyella System
66
 Gregory
Distance in km. Distance shown from beginning of branch line.
Two eastbound trains run parallel on a bidirectionally signalled duplicated section of the Central West line
Coal being loaded by front end loaders, Blackwater line

The Blackwater railway system is located in Central Queensland and services the coal mining area of the Bowen Basin. It carries coal, as well as products, to other destinations by way of connections to the North Coast Line at Rocklands and the Goonyella Line via Gregory coal mine to Oaky Creek. Together with the Moura line the two railway systems are known as the Capricornia Coal Chain.[1]

The Blackwater system is narrow gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz. The system is used by both electric and diesel locomotives.

The Blackwater system has the largest route length of the four coal systems and carries the second highest tonnages on the QR network, after the Goonyella system. It is located in Central Queensland, and services the Bowen Basin. Coal is carried to the two export terminals at the Port of Gladstone; RG Tanna Coal Terminal, and Wiggins Island Coal Terminal. The Blackwater system also services a number of domestic users including Gladstone Power Station, Stanwell Power Station, and QCL Fisherman's Landing.[2]

The Blackwater Coal Chain services 15 mines, operated by BMA, Xstrata, Rio Tinto, Curragh, Ensham, Felix, and Jellinbah. Haulage is expected to progressively increase in the Blackwater system as haulage contracts, combined with enquiries from coal companies for additional haulage capacity (domestic and export), exceeds 80 Mpta by 2008–09.[2]

The Blackwater system consists of 994 km of track, of which approximately 160 km is duplicated. 823 km of track is electrified. Callemondah and Bluff yards are used to provision train services. The system is operated from the Rockhampton Control Centre utilising two safe working systems - Remote Control Signalling (RCS) and Direct Traffic Control (DTC).

See also

  • flagQueensland portal

References

  1. ^ "Blackwater coal system" (PDF). QR National Coal. October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b Network Systems. QR National. Retrieved on 13 May 2012.

External links

  • Map of Central Queensland Rail Coal Network
  • 1925 map of the Queensland railway system
  • Aurizon website Archived 11 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine
  • v
  • t
  • e
Main lines
Country branch lines
Operational
Closed
Proposed or under construction
Tourist and heritage railways