State transport and main roads minister Paul Lucas said the billion-dollar investment would fund new rail projects, fleet upgrades and associated works.
About $A1.8 billion of works are already underway, including the $A240 million Bauhinia Regional Rail project involving the design and construction of a 110km-spur line and associated rail infrastructure from the Kinrola spur line to Xstrata's new Rolleston coal mine.
Other committed and planned projects include:
The $A18 million Minerva coal development project, which involves the construction of a 3.6km-balloon loop on the Springsure branch line and an upgrade of the main line to 20 tonnes axle load standard.
Construction of a third balloon loop at the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, enabling a major increase in throughput.
Eleven new 4000 Class diesel electric locomotives.
The upgrade of 18 electric locomotives to more powerful specifications for coal haulage, with another 11 in line to be upgraded soon.
Rebuilding up to 100 electric locomotives to deliver a major increase in capacity, productivity and reliability, enabling three locomotives to do the job currently performed by five.
Five hundred new 106-tonne narrow gauge coal wagons, due for delivery in late-2005.
A further $A1.7 billion is earmarked for longer term planning projects, which are expected to be underway or at planning stage by 2010. These projects include the Northern Missing Link, currently undergoing a feasibility study, and the potential construction of a balloon loop at Wiggins Island.
In Queensland, Queensland Rail transports coal from 31 coal mines on more than 460 train services each week. Its coal network consists of more than 2000km of track with the rolling stock fleet currently consisting of 260 locomotives and 5700 wagons.
