1.
Electric multiple unit (Queensland Rail)
–
The Electric Multiple Units are a class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers Limited, Maryborough for Queensland Rail between 1979 and 1986. In 1977 Walkers Limited, Maryborough were awarded a contract to build 13 EMUs with electrical equipment to be supplied by ASEA. These were the first EMUs in Queensland, entering service when the first part of the Brisbane rail network was electrified between Ferny Grove and Darra in November 1979. Further orders saw the fleet total 88 units with the last delivered in December 1987, EMUs are still in frequent revenue service around South East Queensland. They operate on all Queensland Rail suburban lines in three or six carriage sets. EMU01-EMU04, EMU06-EMU59 and EMU80-EMU88 have driving cabs at both ends and can operate as three or six car sets. EMU60-EMU79 have only a driving cab, and as a result. EMU05 was extensively damaged in 2001 and is no longer in service, although intended only for suburban operation they are occasionally found operating interurban services, mostly on the Nambour & Gympie North line. EMUs are interoperable with InterCity Express units to form hybrid sets, the first 13 EMUs have a smooth roof. However Units 14-88 have a roof, some with a red pinstripe along the side. Most EMUs constitute of a Driver Car a Middle Car and a Driver Trailer Car, EMUs 60-79 have a Driver Car a Middle Car and a Guard Car. The guard car does not have any driver controls, progressive upgrading has been performed on all Electric Multiple Units in service. Many of the upgrades are focused towards compliance with disability standards, QR implemented standardisation measures on the EMUs and periodically refurbished the interiors and drive equipment. Due to the age of the trains some changes have made to running equipment for operational or maintenance reasons. All driving cabs have been modified to accept flat panels of glass on the rather than the original molded panels and bumpers to reduce damage in collisions. The units have also received redesigned front cab ends, with a front lip which make illegal riding by standing on the front lip impossible. The units have also received bright yellow doors and front cab ends for increased visibility, dot-Matrix destination displays have replaced the original calico blinds. Inside, the EMUs have received a new colour scheme with new carpets, seat fabric
2.
Walkers Limited
–
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. In 1863 John Walker and three set up the Union Foundry of John Walker & Co in Ballarat. In 1867 a branch was opened in Maryborough, the Ballarat assets were disposed of in 1879 and in 1884, the business became a limited company under the title John Walker & Co Limited, being renamed Walkers Limited in 1888. The company produced most of the parts for machinery at sugar mills, in 1980 Walkers Limited was sold to Evans Deakin Industries. It was included in the purchase of Evans Deakin by Downer Group in March 2001, in 2003 Bundaberg Foundry Engineers completed the acquisition of the Walkers Sugar Business and moved to change the operating name to Bundaberg Walkers Engineering in January 2008. In 1884, the firm began work on 5 hopper barges for the Queensland Department of Harbours & Rivers, during construction the decision was taken to convert them to also serve as Auxiliary Gunboats, which made them the largest warships built in Australia before federation. During World War II, Walkers constructed two River class frigates, a Bay class frigate and seven Bathurst class corvettes, in addition to smaller vessels. Post war naval contracts included seven Attack class patrol boats in the late 1960s, after the completion of the latter, Walkers Maryborough shipyard closed in 1974. The first major contract for locomotives came in 1896, when an order for thirty B15 class steam locomotives was placed by Queensland Railways, in the 1960s Walkers offered a diesel-hydraulic unit to Queenslands sugar operators. Although not successful, it did six to BHP, Whyalla from 1962. It had more success with its DH class shunter with over 130 built for Queensland Rail, the New South Wales Government Railways, Emu Bay Railway and Western Australian Government Railways
3.
Downer Rail
–
Downer Rail is an Australian railway engineering company. As well as manufacturing and maintaining railway rolling stock it holds maintenance contracts to maintain rail infrastructure and it is a subsidiary of Downer Group. The head office is located in North Ryde and it had recently reopened the former Cardiff Locomotive Workshops to build CityRail M sets. In July 2007 it was renamed Downer Rail, in 2008 Locomotive Demand Power was established as a subsidiary to lease locomotives. In November 2009 Downer Rail became an operator through its 49% shareholding in Keolis Downer that operates the Yarra Trams franchise in Melbourne. In July 2014, Keolis Downer commenced operating the G, link light rail line on the Gold Coast, in March 2015, Keolis Downer purchased bus operator Australian Transit Enterprises which operates the Hornibrook Bus Lines, Link SA, Path Transit and SouthLink operations with 930 buses. Downer Rail has manufactured items of rolling stock at its factories in Cardiff, Somerton, Maryborough, as at January 2014 thirteen standard gauge GT46s and six narrow gauge GT42s had been built at Cardiff and Maryborough respectively with nine of the former leased to Aurizon
4.
Maryborough, Queensland
–
Maryborough /ˈmɛrəbərə/ is a city located on the Mary River in Queensland, Australia, approximately 255 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is served by the Bruce Highway and it is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is approximately 30 kilometres northeast. Together they form part of the known as the Fraser Coast. At June 2015 Maryborough had an urban population of 27,846. The city was the location for the 2013 Australian Scout Jamboree, Maryborough was founded in 1847, was proclaimed a municipality in 1861, and became a city in 1905. During the second half of the 1800s, the city was a port of entry to immigrants arriving in Queensland from all parts of the world. The name was derived from the Mary River which was named in 1847 after Lady Mary Lennox the wife of Sir Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Lady Mary was killed in a coach accident very soon after, devastating Sir Charles. Coal had been discovered at Burrum,25 km north of Maryborough, the line was extended to Bundaberg in 1888 so coal could be shipped there as well. When the Burrum line was built, it junctioned from the Maryborough line at Baddow,3 km from the station, creating a triangular junction, with platforms ultimately being provided on all three sides. Maryborough station was situated adjacent to the commercial centre of the city. When through trains commenced running from Brisbane to Bundaberg and beyond, trains ran into Maryborough, a steam locomotive was attached to the other end of the train. Once diesel locomotives were introduced, there was no need to replace engines, a one carriage connecting service was provided from Maryborough to meet the through train at Baddow, and then return. The situation was resolved with the opening of the Maryborough West bypass in 1988. Australias only outbreak of plague occurred in Maryborough in 1905. At the time Maryborough was Queenslands largest port—a reception centre for wool, meat, timber, sugar, subsequently, five of the seven OConnell children, two nurses, and a neighbour died from the disease. There were no more cases but the fear, panic, and hysteria totally consumed the town. A memorial fountain was built in the grounds of the City Hall and dedicated to the nurses, Cecelia Bauer, the foundation stone of Maryborough War Memorial was laid on 22 May 1921 by Lieutenant Colonel James Durrant. It was dedicated on 19 November 1922, Maryborough is the self-styled Heritage City of Queensland and holds heritage markets each Thursday
5.
Queensland Rail
–
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates suburban and long-distance passenger services and it also owns and maintains approximately 8,000 kilometres of track in Queensland. Queensland Railways was the first operator in the world to adopt narrow gauge for a line. The colony of Queensland separated from New South Wales in 1859, improved transport to the fertile Darling Downs region situated west of Toowoomba was seen as a priority. Called the Main Line, the only significant engineering work on that section was the bridge over the Bremer River to North Ipswich. The adoption of narrow gauge was controversial at the time, and was predicated by the governments desire for the fastest possible construction timeframe at least cost. In a colony with a population of 30,000 when the decision was made. Queensland Rail went on to develop a network of railways to facilitate the economic and social development of the state. Commencing in November 1979 the Brisbane suburban network was electrified, in 1978, discussions were commenced on possible electrification of the Blackwater and Goonyella coal networks. This was due to an increase in coal traffic across the networks, ageing diesel-electric locomotive fleet. By early 1983, a decision had made to electrify the networks and by early 1984 contracts were already starting to be let for the new locomotives. The decision was made to electrify with the 25 kV AC railway electrification system as used on the Brisbane suburban network and this would allow future connection of the Brisbane network with the coal networks via the North Coast line. This was a total of 720 kilometres of track and this was a total of 773 kilometres of track. Stage 3, Electrification of the western line from Burngrove to Emerald. This would allow freight from Rockhampton to Emerald. Stage 4, Electrification of the line from Newlands coal mine to Collinsville, in 1986 it was decided to electrify the North Coast line between Brisbane and Gladstone instead and this became known as Stage 4. In September 1999 Queensland Rail was rebranded as QR, in March 2002 Queensland Rail purchased Northern Rivers Railroad and rebranded it Interail, fulfilling a long held ambition of to expand beyond its state borders. In March 2003 Queensland Rail entered the Hunter Valley coal market when Interail commenced a contract from Duralie Colliery to Stratford Mine, another coal contract was won in late 2003 for the haulage of coal from Newstan Colliery, Fassifern to Vales Point Power Station
6.
Head-end power
–
In rail transport, head-end power or electric train supply is the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or head of a train, provides the electricity used for lighting, electrical, the maritime equivalent is hotel electric power. Oil lamps were introduced in 1842 to light trains, economics drove the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway to replace oil with coal gas lighting in 1870, but a gas cylinder explosion on the train led them to abandon the experiment. Oil-gas lighting was introduced in late 1870, high steam consumption led to abandonment of the system. Three trains were started in 1883 by London, Brighton and South Coast Railway with electricity generated on board using a dynamo driven from one of the axles and this charged a lead-acid battery in the guards van, who operated and maintained the equipment. The system successfully provided electric lighting in the train and this accident prompted railways to adopt electricity for lighting the trains. Starting in the 1930s, air conditioning became available on railcars, with the energy to run them being provided by mechanical power take offs from the axle, small dedicated engines or propane. The resulting separate systems of lighting power, steam heat, and engine-driven air conditioning increased the maintenance workload, head-End Power would allow for a single power source to handle all these functions and more for an entire train. Originally, trains hauled by a locomotive would be provided with a supply of steam from the locomotive for heating the carriages. When diesel locomotives and electric locomotives replaced steam, the heating was then supplied by a steam-heat boiler. This was oil-fired or heated by an electric element, later carriage designs abolished the steam-heat apparatus, and made use of the ETH supply for heating, lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, fans, sockets and kitchen equipment in the train. In recognition of this ETH was eventually renamed Electric Train Supply, each coach has an index relating to the maximum consumption of electricity that it could use. The sum of all the indices must not exceed the index of the locomotive, one ETH index unit equals 5 kW, a locomotive with an ETH index of 95 can supply 475 kW of electrical power to the train. In response, the railroad installed higher capacity generators on the assigned to these trains. The cars used steam from the locomotive for heating, when diesel locomotives were introduced to passenger service, they were equipped with steam generators to provide steam for car heating. However, the use of generators and batteries persisted for many years. This was an evolution, as their commuter trains were already receiving low-voltage. While many commuter fleets were quickly converted to HEP, long-distance trains continued to operate with steam heat, five Amtrak E8s were rebuilt with HEP generators for this purpose
