Walter Taylor South Action Group Inc. Protecting the Streetscapes

 The South West News this week had an item about noise created by coal freight trains at Darra, exacerbated by a new embankment. This stimulated me to send QR a message about their use, or lack of use, of the new freight line. We have found noise an increasing problem, more trains I guess, but also the way the line is used by train controllers. Recently an anonymous flyer from a resident suggested complaining to QR, but as it was anonymous I was loath to take up the issue. However, I have no sent the following:

to: https://www.queenslandrail.com.au/CustomerService/Pages/SecureContactCorporate.aspx
 

My back fence abuts the noise barrier on the railway between Dunlop Tce and Allan Tce, Corinda. You recently spent millions adding a dedicated and non-electrified freight line and passing loop between Corinda Station and Allan Tce to cope with increased demand for freight and passenger capacity on the Ipswich line.

However, since the opening of the new lines your train controllers have persisted in routing Port bound coal trains on the old inbound line used by passenger trains. The problem this creates is that the coal trains must cross numerous points to attain the Corinda/Yeeronpilly line.

While the noise of each train remains much as it was before, there are now more freight services and there is an alternative - the freight line and its passing loop. Services on these lines do no cross points except at Allan Tce and at Corinda Station.

The noise levels of these freights are almost entirely unnecessary, especially during the dead of night when the noise level is most intrusive, as the freight line and passing loop are both available.

I have a good view of the line while at home, and have observed the lack of use of the passing loop (I have seen a ballast train parked on the loop for some hours, and once a freight outbound while a disabled(?) pair of diesel locos waited on the freight line). It is clear that your controllers are using routines that come from pre-freight line times: ie, use the old inbound line (known, I believe, as the main line in that direction) unless there is a conflicting passenger service.

I request a noise audit at night - a time between midnight and 5am - to establish the levels imposed by the current practice. That is, the noise level of freights using the dedicated freight line, empty and full-loaded Versus the noise level of the equivalent freights using the old main line.

Yours sincerely,

John Nightingale,

12 Walker St

Corinda, 4075