TRAINS NORTH INC    TENTERFIELD   ARMIDALE     GLEN INNES   www.trainsnorth.org.au

Allen Crosthwaite        Vice Pres.(Tenterfield)     0428 632805   trainsnorthinc@gmail.com

                                                      FACTS     SHEET                                 REINSTATEMENT OF TRAINS   – QLD BORDER AT WALLANGARRA TO ARMIDALE. 

The train line from Wallangarra to Armidale (217km) has been closed for 33years and is the missing link connecting Queensland’s Darling Downs to Central NSW and Sydney. Reinstatement has considerable economic, environmental, and public transport attributes as follows;

•       Trains can reach Sydney in 9hrs from the Qld border (790km) matching trucks. This is 4hrs quicker than Brisbane to Sydney trains and matches Brisbane to Sydney trucks (10hrs).

•       Very large trucking route on New England Hwy with measured trucks numbers of 276 trucks daily. Source of freight is from Stanthorpe, Warwick, Toowoomba and further north with supermarket food destined for Sydney and other southern markets. Initial freight quantities equate to four trains daily growing by 50% over a decade (detailed freight measurements available).

•       The New England route is flood resistant and 160km of the 217km reinstatement is reasonably easy. Residents of Tenterfield and Glen Innes have limited public transport for medical, schooling, and recreation. Reinstatement would connect Darling Downs to central NSW with increased travellers through Tenterfield currently having to travel to the coast.

•       Trains North group now has considerable momentum after obtaining 10000 hard copy petition signatures and a following about 500. The group includes many experienced professionals who can be relied on for credible guidance. For example we have found a solution to a major terrain obstacle resulting in a cost reduction of about $250million at the Bolivia Ridge crossing with a deviation of 15km but only 2km longer.

•       The route is not handicapped by mountains of the Great Divide such as Blue Mountains, Toowoomba Range, Cunningham’s Gap and suits future development to Melbourne and Adelaide over existing rail corridors.

•       Trains infrastructure is in place in Sydney at Enfield Intermodal (New Aurizon development) with train access to Port Botany. Large numbers of empty shipping containers can be transferred to Darling Downs and North West NSW agricultural regions to suit Inland Port developments.

•       Transferring freight to trains will save 96000 litres diesel daily (one way) rising to 270 000 litres daily two way with growth ( CSIRO figures). Farmers will be able to choose markets further away with lower freight costs.

•       Connects to Qld rail infrastructure at Wallangarra and suits future extension to Brisbane  

This train corridor is available and almost shovel ready. No other infrastructure project can deliver so much in a short time.

 Allen Crosthwaite   Bach. Of Engineering                                              Resident of Tenterfield

Allen.crosthwaite@gmail.com                                                             Doc   3290020