Goonyella railway line

The Goonyella railway system is located in Central Queensland, Australia. It services the coal mining area of the Bowen Basin, carrying coal to the Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminals 20 km southeast of Mackay, as well as products to other destinations by way of connections to the North Coast Line at Yukan and the Central Line at Burngrove via the Gregory coal mine branch. It is also connected to the coal loading terminal at Abbot Point (20 km northwest of Bowen) by the GAP line. The line opened on 5 November 1971 and runs for 477 kilometres.[2] The Goonyella system is narrow gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz.[3] The line has been duplicated from Hay Point to Wotonga (174 km) and features CTC signalling over the entire system.

Goonyella Line, Queensland
QR electric loco 3136 (in Bicentennial paint scheme) on the Goonyella line
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerAurizon
LocaleQueensland, Australia
Termini
Websitehttp://www.aurizon.com.au/
Service
TypeHeavy Rail (Coal Freight)
Operator(s)Aurizon, Pacific National, BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, East Coast Rail
Depot(s)Jilalan
History
Opened5 November 1971
Technical
Line length477 km (296 mi)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
Operating speed100 km/h (62 mph)[1]
Route map

0km
Hay Point
0
Dalrymple Bay
20
Jilalan
22
Cane Tramway
22
North Coast Line to north
28
Yukan
29
Yukan
29
North Coast Line to south
32
Bruce Hwy
46
Black Mtn 211m
49
Hatfield
100
Waitara
109
Peak Downs Hwy
119
Mindi
127
South Walker Mine and Hail Creek Mine
137
Macarthur Coal
144
Coppabella
0
Oaky Creek branch
2
Peak Downs Hwy
8
Moorvale
16
Millenium
46
Peak Downs 248m
47
Peak Downs
68
Saraji Mine
Lake Vermont
89
Dysart
111
Norwich Park Mine
134
German Creek Mine
152
Oaky Creek Mine
to Gregory and Central West System
157
Broadlea
160
Carborough Downs
168
Burton Coal
169
Mallawa
170
Isaac Plains
174
Wotonga
0
Blair Athol branch
7
Isaac River
18
Moranbah
39
Villafranca
60
Mt McLaren
86
Blackridge 359m
103
to Clermont and Central West System
108
Blair Athol Mine
191
Isaac River
192
Moranbah North
198
Goonyella Mine
203
Riverside Mine
212
Future Newlands - Goonyella Link
214
North Goonyella 310m
217
North Goonyella Mine
Distance in km. Distance shown from beginning of branch line.

Mines

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The Goonyella Coal Chain services 25 mines, carrying coal from BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, Anglo Coal, Bravus Mining & Resources, Macarthur Coal, Peabody Energy Australia, Xstrata and ANCI. The system currently operates under a demand-pull model, with rail haulages being designated by the ports, and the shipping stem.[4]

 
QR loco 1740 hauls a special train through a coal loading facility, Goonyella line

The rail line transports coal from the German Creek coal mine, Foxleigh coal mine, Norwich Park coal mine, Lake Vermont Mine, Saraji coal mine, Peak Downs Mine, Millennium Mine, Poitrel Mine, Moorvale Mine, Burton Downs Mine, Carborough Downs Mine, Issac Plains Mine, Moranbah North coal mine, Goonyella Riverside Mine, Hail Creek coal mine, Clermont Mine, Riverside Mine, North Goonyella coal mine, South Walker Creek coal mine, and Blair Athol coal mine.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ QR Goonyella System Information Pack, Issue 2.1 February 2007
  2. ^ "Goonyella rail system celebrates 42nd anniversary". Loco Express. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Goonyella System: Information Pack" (PDF). Aurizon. March 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  4. ^ QR Limited (Network Access division) (2009). "Goonyella system". Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
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