Doomben line

Doomben line
Doomben line
	EMU at Doomben station in June 2012
Overview
Website	queenslandrail.com.au
Technical
Track length	8 km (5.0 mi)
Number of tracks	Quadruple to Eagle Junction, remainder single track.
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification	1988
Operating speed	60 km/h (37 mph)
Route map
Route map
Doomben/Pinkenba line
	Beenleigh, Cleveland, Gold Coast,
	Ipswich/Rosewood and Springfield lines
	Airport, Caboolture, Redcliffe Peninsula,
	Shorncliffe, Sunshine Coast lines
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

The T3 Doomben line is a suburban commuter railway line in Brisbane, Queensland. Operated by Queensland Rail, the line runs for 10.7 kilometres (7 miles) from Doomben to Roma Street.

History

On 3 September 1882, the first 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) section of the line was opened to Ascot (then named Racecourse) to serve the Eagle Farm racecourse, though nearby residents successfully lobbied for a regular passenger service.^[1] The line was extended 5.8 kilometres (3.6 mi) to Pinkenba in 1897, mainly to serve an industrial area, including wharves on the north side of the Brisbane River. The passenger service was timed to coincide with the starting and finishing times of the workers.^{[citation needed]}

During World War I and World War II, with deep berthing available to ships at Pinkenba at the mouth of the Brisbane River, troops camped in the Pinkenba and Meeandah area. Passenger ships used the Pinkenba Wharf, and were served by special trains running from Brisbane to Pinkenba.^[2]

In the 1950s, earthworks were undertaken to allow the duplication of the line, hence the double-sided, island platform at Clayfield. The work included the regrading the line to eliminate the Sandgate Rd level crossing, but the duplication program was abandoned before the second track was laid.^{[citation needed]}

The line was electrified in 1988, but only to Eagle Farm, the next station after current suburban terminus Doomben. For the next five years, services to Pinkenba were run as a shuttle to and from Eagle Farm, using 2000 class railmotors. All passenger services on the line were suspended in September 1993 as part of a state-wide rationalisation of the rail network, which included under-utilised or unprofitable rail lines being closed or having services suspended. Only a few special trains were run on the line on days when major race meetings were held at adjoining race tracks.^{[citation needed]}

Electric passenger services resumed on 27 January 1998, but only as far as Doomben,^[3] with bus connections to the stations beyond there.

The Doomben to Pinkenba section is used only for freight. Queensland Rail occasionally runs special steam trains on the entire Pinkenba line as part of their semi-regular "Steam Train Sunday" excursion service.^[4] That is the only way people can travel over the full length of the line.^{[citation needed]}

On 10 August 2026, the Doomben line was numbered T3 by Translink.^[5]^[6]

Line guide and services

All services stop at all stations to Roma Street. Prior to 1 June 2025, passenger services didn't run on Sundays or public holidays, after which they operated hourly on weekends and public holidays.^[7]

Passengers for the Airport, Caboolture, Nambour and Gympie North, Redcliffe Peninsula and Shorncliffe lines change at Eagle Junction, those for the Ferny Grove line change at Bowen Hills, and those for all other lines change at Roma Street.^{[citation needed]}

Stations

List of T3 Doomben line stations
T3 Doomben line
Station	Image	Suburb	Opened	Terrain	Connections	Time^[a]
Roma Street		Brisbane CBD	14 June 1875	Ground		0
Central		Brisbane CBD	18 August 1889	Built over		2^[b]
Fortitude Valley		Fortitude Valley	1 November 1890	Underground		6
Bowen Hills		Bowen Hills	1973	Ground		9
Albion		Albion	1882	Ground		13
Wooloowin		Wooloowin		Ground		15
Eagle Junction		Clayfield		Ground		17
Clayfield		Clayfield	3 September 1882	Ground	none	20
Hendra		Hendra		Ground		22
Ascot		Ascot		Ground		24
Doomben		Ascot	1976	Ground		26

Notes

↑ Travel time in minutes from Roma Street.
↑ Service dwells for 2 minutes.

References

↑ Kerr, J., Triumph of Narrow Gauge, Boolarong Publications, 1990
↑ Hallam, Greg (2005). Brisbane's Biography (Steamtrain Sunday). QR Limited.
↑ "Doomben Rail Service Resume January 27". Queensland Government. 21 January 1998. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
↑ "Citytrain – Events – Steam Train Sunday". Events. QR Limited. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
↑ "Train and tram line numbering". Translink. 10 August 2026. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
↑ "Network Map" (PDF). Translink. 10 August 2026. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
↑ "Crisafulli Government delivers more train services". Queensland Government. 7 May 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.

External links

Queensland Rail
"South East Queensland Train Network Map" (PDF). Translink. 1 May 2020.

[8] Travel time in minutes from Roma Street.

[9] Service dwells for 2 minutes.

[1] Kerr, J., Triumph of Narrow Gauge, Boolarong Publications, 1990

[SS-2] Hallam, Greg (2005). Brisbane's Biography (Steamtrain Sunday). QR Limited.

[3] "Doomben Rail Service Resume January 27". Queensland Government. 21 January 1998. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2025.

[4] "Citytrain – Events – Steam Train Sunday". Events. QR Limited. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.

[translink10aug2026-5] "Train and tram line numbering". Translink. 10 August 2026. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.

[networkmap-6] "Network Map" (PDF). Translink. 10 August 2026. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 10 August 2026.

[7] "Crisafulli Government delivers more train services". Queensland Government. 7 May 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.

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