en.Wedoany.com Reported - Hitachi Rail has extended its European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 deployment to the section between Kuraby and Beenleigh stations on the Gold Coast line in Southeast Queensland (SEQ), marking the latest advancement in the digital upgrade of the region's rail network.
The project, implemented in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Rail, involves the digital signaling technology upgrade of over 200 kilometers of passenger corridors on the SEQ rail network.
The Kuraby-Beenleigh section is part of the Brisbane to Gold Coast rail corridor, which connects communities and businesses in Southeast Queensland. Sarfaraz Samnakay, Managing Director of Hitachi Rail Australia and New Zealand, stated that the ETCS delivery team in Queensland combines local capabilities with global expertise in digital signaling, telecommunications, and train control systems. The team is also developing a new Traffic Management System for the entire SEQ network and introducing a Possession Management System to enhance track safety and improve network access for maintenance personnel. These integrated systems, together with ETCS Level 2, form the backbone of the future digital railway.
Hitachi Rail has completed ETCS Level 2 installation on Brisbane's Shorncliffe line, with the system currently under testing and Queensland Rail staff undergoing training. The project is in its final phase before the digital signaling system on the Shorncliffe line enters passenger service. Work continues on other parts of the network, including the southern Brisbane rail corridor and the section between Beenleigh and Varsity Lakes.
The digital signaling project aims to increase network capacity to support more frequent rail services in response to SEQ's population growth. These upgrades also prepare for the growing transportation demand ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. Over the past two decades, Hitachi Rail has delivered ETCS projects in international markets including the United Kingdom, Europe, China, India, and Australia.
