Main Line The
Main Line railway from
Ipswich to
Brisbane was opened in 1876, as part of an extension of the first railway line from Ipswich to Bigge's Camp (now
Grandchester) on 31 July 1865. Originally built as single track, the section was duplicated from 1885 to 1887, indicating how quickly the traffic volume grew on the line. The
Albert Bridge was built to accommodate two tracks in 1876, though only one was laid at the time. The line west of Ipswich was duplicated to
Wulkuraka in 1902 and to Grandchester (past
Rosewood) in 1913. The section from
Roma Street to
Corinda ( was quadruplicated in 1963, and extended to
Darra (a further ) in 2011, which became the junction for the first section of the new
Springfield line at that time. The Roma Street–Darra section was the first section electrified in 1979, with the section to Ipswich electrified in 1980. The line was electrified from
Ipswich to
Rosewood in 1993 while Minister for
Transport was the local member.
Branch lines The
Brisbane Valley railway line, branching from the Main Line after
Wulkuraka railway station, was opened to
Lowood in 1884,
Esk in 1886, and
Yarraman in 1913. Passenger services operated to
Toogoolawah until 1989, and freight services until closure of the line in sections in 1988 and 1993. A line to
Marburg opened in 1912, branching from the Main Line east of
Rosewood railway station. It was closed in sections from 1964 to 1995, and some of it is today the
Rosewood Railway Museum; the Museum Junction station is at the truncated southern end of the line before Railway Street. A line to a coal loading
balloon loop at
Ebenezer was opened in 1990, junctioning from the Main Line west of
Thagoona railway station. The initial section of the
Springfield railway line from Darra to
Richlands was opened one week early in January 2011 to assist with transportation when the Main Line between Darra and Ipswich was closed due to
severe flooding. The Richlands–
Springfield section opened in 2013. A new branch line has been proposed on an alignment extending south from Ipswich to
Yamanto, then east to
Ripley, and connecting with the Springfield line. ==Route and stations==