Western - Metropolitan Rail 

Systems Coal Dust 

Monitoring Program 

Final report 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Prepared by 

Don Neale, David Wainwright, Steven Torr, Rhiannon Tooker, Phil Kingston, Brian Davis, Russell Harper, Jesse Wojtala, 

Esther Breen, Jairo Rico, Wodeck Nowicki 

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Sciences 

Science Delivery Division 

Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

PO Box 5078 

Brisbane QLD 4001 

© The State of Queensland (Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts) 2013

The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of its information. The 

copyright in this publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY) licence 

 

Under this licence you are free, without having to seek permission from DSITIA, to use this publication in accordance 

with the licence terms. 

 

You must keep intact the copyright notice and attribute the State of Queensland, Department of Science, Information 

Technology, Innovation and the Arts as the source of the publication. 

 

For more information on this licence visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en

Disclaimer 

This document has been prepared with all due diligence and care, based on the best available information at the time of 

publication. The department holds no responsibility for any errors or omissions within this document. Any decisions made 

by other parties based on this document are solely the responsibility of those parties. Information contained in this 

document is from a number of sources and, as such, does not necessarily represent government or departmental policy. 

If you need to access this document in a language other than English, please call the Translating and Interpreting 

Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask them to telephone Library Services on +61 7 3170 5725 

Acknowledgements

This report has been prepared by the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts. 

Acknowledgement is made of the assistance provided by Ross Darnell, CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics 

with the statistical analysis of the PM10 and PM2.5 datasets. 

October 2013 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

i 

Executive summary

In March 2013 the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

(DSITIA) commenced an investigation into particle levels along the Western and Metropolitan Rail 

Systems used by trains hauling coal from mines in the Clarence-Moreton and Surat Basins in 

southern Queensland to the Port of Brisbane. The main objective of the investigation was to obtain 

information on ambient particle levels along the coal rail corridor and to evaluate the effectiveness 

of a coal wagon veneering trial which commenced at the New Acland mine north of Oakey in May 

2013. Coal from the New Acland mine accounts for approximately 60 per cent of all coal 

transported to the Port of Brisbane on the Western and Metropolitan rail systems. 

The timing of the coal dust monitoring program was dictated by the date of commencement of coal 

wagon load profiling and veneering program at the New Acland mine in May 2013. Reduced dust 

emissions due to frequent rainfall during the investigation period, particularly in the months prior to 

and during the pre-veneering monitoring period, will have reduced measured particle levels. 

The investigation focused on acquiring data to assess both health and nuisance impacts in the 

community, together with determination of the contribution of coal particles to overall dust levels. 

The monitoring program collected information on: 

 PM10 (particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter) and PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 

micrometres in diameter) levels—to assess possible human health impacts 

 deposited dust (dustfall)—to assess possible amenity degradation (dust nuisance) impacts and 

to determine the contribution of coal particles to overall dust levels 

 real-time particle levels—to assess the changes in short-term particle levels associated with the 

passage of different train types on the Metropolitan rail system. 

Monitoring was conducted at six locations along the Western and Metropolitan rail systems used to 

transport coal to the Port of Brisbane (Oakey, Willowburn (Toowoomba), Dinmore, Tennyson, 

Fairfield and Coorparoo) and one background location on a section of the Metropolitan rail system 

not used by coal trains (Chelmer). 

This report summarises the monitoring results obtained by DSITIA over the four-month dust 

monitoring program between early March and early July 2013, and provides an assessment of the 

impact of coal wagon veneering on ambient particle levels along the rail corridor following the 

commencement of coal wagon load profiling and veneering at the New Acland Mine on 2 May 

2013. 

The monitoring results showed that ambient particle concentrations complied with ambient air 

quality objectives at all rail corridor monitoring sites during both the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods. 

Ambient PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations did not exceed the Queensland Environmental Protection 

(Air) Policy 2008 (EPP Air) 24-hour average air quality objectives of 50 μg/m3

 and 25 μg/m3

respectively on any day during the investigation period. The highest average PM2.5 concentration 

measured during either the pre- or post-veneering periods was less than the EPP Air annual 

objective value of 8 μg/m3

. 

A number of observations point to the major influence on PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations at the rail 

corridor monitoring sites being regional urban particle emission sources rather than rail transport 

emissions. These include the close correspondence between PM10 and PM2.5 levels measured at 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

ii 

Metropolitan line rail corridor sites and DSITIA ambient air monitoring network sites elsewhere in 

Brisbane; the highest 24-hour PM2.5 concentration during the pre-veneering period being recorded 

at the Chelmer background monitoring site; the lack of any strong relationship between PM10 and 

PM2.5 levels and the proportion of winds from the direction of the rail corridor; little difference 

between PM10 and PM2.5 measurements recorded on days when no coal and few freight train 

services were running and the average concentrations over the monitoring period; and the results 

of statistical analyses which found that any impact from veneering was less than the day-to-day 

variability in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. 

Insoluble dust deposition rates did not exceed the trigger level for dust nuisance of 4 g/m2

/30days 

above background levels (or 130 mg/m2

/day averaged over a 30-day period) recommended by the 

New Zealand Ministry for the Environment at any of the rail corridor monitoring sites during both 

the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. 

Microscopic examination showed that mineral dust (soil or rock dust) was the major component (50 

to 90 per cent) of larger particles that settled from the air at each monitoring site during both the 

pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. Coal dust was consistently detected in the deposited 

dust from all monitoring sites along the rail corridor used by coal trains, but was only detected at 

trace levels in one sample at the Chelmer background monitoring site located on a section of the 

Metropolitan rail system not used by coal trains. Coal particles typically accounted for about 10 per 

cent of the total surface area in the deposited dust samples, with the amount present in individual 

samples ranging from trace levels up to 20 per cent of the total surface coverage. At most locations 

another black-coloured particle, rubber dust, was found to make up on average about 10 per cent 

of the deposited dust surface coverage. 

A general trend towards decreased dust deposition rates and lower levels of coal dust in the 

deposited dust samples was observed at most monitoring sites following the implementation of rail 

wagon veneering at the New Hope Mine. While this suggests that veneering has reduced the loss 

of coal particles during transit, monitoring over a period longer than one to two months is needed to 

demonstrate that this improvement is ongoing. Collection of deposited dust samples over a 12 

month period at one rail corridor monitoring site within Brisbane as part of the second phase of the 

Western - Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program will monitor this. 

During both the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, the passage of trains was found to 

result in little change in 10-minute average PM10 and PM2.5 levels at the Tennyson, Fairfield and 

Coorparoo monitoring sites. There was also little difference seen between the particle level 

variations associated with the passage of different train types past the monitoring sites. 

The Queensland Department of Health has concluded that, for people living along the rail corridor, 

the dust concentrations, resulting from all particle sources, measured during the investigation are 

unlikely to result in any additional adverse health effects. 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

iii 

Contents 

Executive summary .......................................................................................................................... i

Glossary of terms ........................................................................................................................... ix

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1

Airborne particles ............................................................................................................................ 3

Particle emissions from rail transport ........................................................................................... 4

Ambient particle standards and guidelines .................................................................................. 4

Monitoring program design ............................................................................................................ 5

Monitoring locations 6

Monitoring equipment 15

Results and discussion ................................................................................................................. 17

Train movements 17

Meteorology 18

PM10 23

PM2.5 30

Deposited dust 36

Dust composition 41

Dust levels during train movements 48

Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 53

Appendix 1: Measurement data .................................................................................................... 55

Appendix 2: Department of Health comments on particle exposure levels at rail corridor 

monitoring sites ............................................................................................................................. 85
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

iv 

List of tables 

Table 1: Details of Western and Metropolitan rail systems rail corridor monitoring locations. ........... 7

Table 2: Summary of train movement data at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the preveneering monitoring period, March to April 2013. .......................................................................... 17

Table 3: Summary of train movement data at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the postveneering monitoring period, May to June 2013. ............................................................................. 18

Table 4: Comparison of Bureau of Meteorology monthly rainfall at selected South East Queensland 

locations during March and April 2013 with 30-year average values. .............................................. 19

Table 5: Wind conditions at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and postveneering monitoring periods. .......................................................................................................... 20

Table 6: 24-hour average PM10 concentration statistics at the rail corridor monitoring sites during 

the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ............................................. 25

Table 7: 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration statistics at the rail corridor monitoring sites during 

the pre-and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. .............................................. 31

Table 8: Average daily dust deposition rates (mg/m2

/day) measured at the rail corridor monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013........................... 37

Table 9: Composition of the deposited dust insoluble solids fraction at the rail corridor monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013........................... 42

Table 10: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the 

pre-veneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 55

Table 11: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 56

Table 12: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the 

pre-veneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 57

Table 13: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 58

Table 14: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the 

pre-veneering monitoring period, 6 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 59

Table 15: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 60

Table 16: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during 

the pre-veneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 61

Table 17: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during 

the post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 62
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

v 

Table 18: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site 

during the pre-veneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind 

frequency from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................ 63

Table 19: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site 

during the post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind 

frequency from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................ 64

Table 20: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the 

pre-veneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 65

Table 21: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 66

Table 22: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during 

the pre-veneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 67

Table 23: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during 

the post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 68

Table 24: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the 

pre-veneering monitoring period, 6 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 69

Table 25: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from 

the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ..................................................................................... 70

Table 26: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during 

the pre-veneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 71

Table 27: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during 

the post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency 

from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................................. 72

Table 28: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site 

during the pre-veneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind 

frequency from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................ 73

Table 29: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site 

during the post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind 

frequency from the direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. ............................................................ 74

Table 30: Monthly dust deposition sampling results for the rail corridor monitoring sites collected 

during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. .................................. 75

Table 31: Composition of the insoluble solids fraction of the monthly deposited dust samples 

collected at the rail corridor monitoring sites, March to June 2013. ................................................. 77

Table 32: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. .......................................................................................................... 79
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

vi 

Table 33: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the post-veneering 

monitoring period. ............................................................................................................................ 80

Table 34: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. .......................................................................................................... 81

Table 35: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. .......................................................................................................... 82

Table 36: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the post-veneering 

monitoring period. ............................................................................................................................ 83

Table 37: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the 

passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. .......................................................................................................... 84

List of figures 

Figure 1: Map showing coal mine and rail corridor monitoring site locations on the Western – 

Metropolitan rail system. .................................................................................................................... 6

Figure 2: Monitoring equipment locations at the Oakey monitoring site. ........................................... 8

Figure 3: Monitoring equipment locations at the Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring site. ............. 9

Figure 4: Monitoring equipment locations at the Dinmore monitoring site. ...................................... 10

Figure 5: Monitoring equipment locations at the Tennyson monitoring site. .................................... 11

Figure 6: Monitoring equipment locations at the Fairfield monitoring site. ....................................... 12

Figure 7: Monitoring equipment locations at the Coorparoo monitoring site. ................................... 13

Figure 8: Monitoring equipment locations at the Chelmer background monitoring site. .................. 14

Figure 9: Wind roses at the Oakey, Dinmore and Tennyson monitoring sites during the preveneering and post-veneering monitoring periods ........................................................................... 21

Figure 10: Wind roses at the Fairfield, Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites during the preveneering and post-veneering monitoring periods ........................................................................... 22

Figure 11: 24-hour average PM10 concentrations (shown as columns) and proportion of winds from 

the direction of the rail line (shown by the dotted line) at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the 

pre-veneering and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. The grey columns 

indicate days when more than 1mm of rain fell. The vertical line indicates the start of the postveneering monitoring period. ........................................................................................................... 26

Figure 12: Average PM10 concentrations at the rail corridor and DSITIA ambient air quality 

monitoring network sites in Brisbane during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March 

to July 2013. ..................................................................................................................................... 27

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

vii 

Figure 13: Relationship between 24-hour average PM10 concentrations and proportion of winds 

from the direction of the rail line at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and 

post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. The heavy dotted line shows the 

underlying trend during the pre-veneering period. The heavy solid line shows the underlying trend 

during the post-veneering period. .................................................................................................... 29

Figure 14: 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations (shown as columns) and proportion of winds from 

the direction of the rail line (shown by the dotted line) at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the 

study period, March to July 2013. The grey columns indicate days when more than 1mm of rain 

fell. The vertical line indicates the start of the post-veneering monitoring period. ........................... 32

Figure 15: Average PM2.5 concentrations at the rail corridor and Brisbane ambient air quality 

monitoring network sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 

2013. ................................................................................................................................................ 33

Figure 16: Relationship between 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations and proportion of winds 

from the direction of the rail line at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and 

post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. The heavy dotted line shows the 

underlying trend for the pre-veneering period. The heavy solid line shows the underlying trend for 

the post-veneering period. ............................................................................................................... 35

Figure 17: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Oakey monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. ........................................................................ 38

Figure 18: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring sites during 

the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. ........................................... 38

Figure 19: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Dinmore monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. ........................................................................ 38

Figure 20: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Tennyson monitoring sites during the pre- and 

post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ................................................................. 39

Figure 21: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Fairfield monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ......................................................................... 39

Figure 22: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Coorparoo monitoring sites during the pre- and 

post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ................................................................. 39

Figure 23: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the 

pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. ................................................. 40

Figure 24: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Oakey monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

June 2013. ....................................................................................................................................... 43

Figure 25: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods, March to June 2013. .......................................................................................................... 43

Figure 26: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Dinmore monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

June 2013. ....................................................................................................................................... 43

Figure 27: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Tennyson monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

July 2013. ......................................................................................................................................... 44
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

viii 

Figure 28: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Fairfield monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

July 2013. ......................................................................................................................................... 44

Figure 29: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Coorparoo monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

July 2013. ......................................................................................................................................... 44

Figure 30: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples 

at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, 

March to June 2013. ........................................................................................................................ 45

Figure 31: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Oakey 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. ...... 46

Figure 32: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Willowburn 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to May 2013. ....... 47

Figure 33: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Dinmore 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to May 2013. ....... 47

Figure 34: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Tennyson 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ........ 47

Figure 35: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Fairfield 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ........ 47

Figure 36: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Coorparoo 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. ........ 48

Figure 37: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during 

the passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering 

and post-veneering monitoring periods. ........................................................................................... 50

Figure 38: Frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during the passage of 

different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site over the post-veneering monitoring 

period. .............................................................................................................................................. 50

Figure 39: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during 

the passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering 

and post-veneering periods. ............................................................................................................ 51

Figure 40: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during 

the passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering 

and post-veneering monitoring periods. ........................................................................................... 51

Figure 41: Frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during the passage of 

different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site over the post-veneering monitoring 

period. .............................................................................................................................................. 52

Figure 42: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during 

the passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering 

and post-veneering periods. ............................................................................................................ 52

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

ix 

Glossary of terms 

AMCP University of Queensland Applied Materials Characterisation and Performance 

Laboratory 

Ash The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge 

which remains after heating the sample to a temperature of 850o

C for 30 

minutes. This is an indication of the mineral content of the sample. 

AS/NZS Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard 

Combustible 

matter 

The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge 

which is lost on heating the sample to a temperature of 850o

C for 30 minutes. 

This is an indication of the amount of organic matter in the sample. 

Deposited dust Particles collected in a deposit gauge which passes through a 1 mm mesh sieve.

DSITIA Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

DEHP Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 

EPP Air Queensland Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008 

g/m2

/30days Grams per square metre per 30 day period. A measure of the average mass of 

particles settling on a unit area over a 30 day period. 

Insoluble solids The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge. 

km/h Kilometres per hour 

μg Microgram (= one millionth of a gram) 

μg/m3 Micrograms per cubic metre. A measure of the mass of particles suspended in a 

unit volume of air. 

μm Micrometre (= one millionth of a metre) 

mg Milligram (= one thousandth of a gram) 

mg/m2

/day Milligrams per square metre per day. A measure of the average mass of 

particles settling on a unit area on a daily basis. 

ml Millilitre 

m/s Metres per second. A measure of the speed of the wind. 

PM2.5 Atmospheric suspended particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 

2.5 μm. 

PM10 Atmospheric suspended particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 

10 μm. 

SEM/EDS Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. 

SIMTARS Queensland Government Safety In Mines Testing And Research Station 

Soluble solids The mass of the soluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge. 

Total solids Total mass of particles deposited in a deposit gauge (the sum of insoluble and 

soluble solids fractions). 

Wind rose A diagram representing the frequency distribution of wind speed and direction on 

a polar co-ordinate map. Wind direction is the direction the wind is blowing from. 

Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

1 

Introduction 

Approximately 9 million tonnes of export coal is currently transported each year to the Port of 

Brisbane from coal mines in the Clarence-Moreton and Surat Basins in southern Queensland via 

the Western and Metropolitan rail systems. These railway networks are owned and managed by 

Queensland Rail, while the coal haulage (train) services are undertaken by Aurizon. The coal 

haulage route starts just east of Miles, travels through Dalby, Toowoomba, Ipswich and the 

western and southern suburbs of Brisbane through to the Port of Brisbane. 

The amount of coal handled through the Port of Brisbane is relatively small in relation to other coal 

export ports in Queensland. In 2011-2012, 8.84 million tonnes of coal was exported from the Port 

of Brisbane, compared with 59.4 million tonnes from ports at Gladstone, 82.9 million tonnes from 

Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay ports south of Mackay and 13.6 million tonnes from Abbot Point 

north of Bowen1

. The largest coal export port in Australia is at Newcastle in New South Wales. A 

total of 121.9 million tonnes was exported from the Port of Newcastle in 2011-20122

. 

The lower coal throughput at the Port of Brisbane is also reflected in fewer and smaller coal trains 

compared with other rail systems. In 2010-2011, there were 3453 coal train services to the Port of 

Brisbane with an average payload of 1925 tonnes. By comparison, there were 7970 coal train 

services to ports at Gladstone (average payload 7006 tonnes), 7409 coal train services to ports at 

Mackay (average payload 10 000 tonnes), and 3047 coal train services to Bowen (average 

payload 5054 tonnes) in the same period3

. In 2011 there were approximately 50 coal train services 

per day, or around 18 000 over the year, to the Port of Newcastle, with an average payload of 6932 

tonnes per train4

. 

At present the coal is transported to the Port of Brisbane in uncovered rail wagons. There is a 

history of complaints from residents of Brisbane suburbs along the Metropolitan rail line to the Port 

of Brisbane concerning dust nuisance from the transport of coal. Twenty-three formal complaints 

citing dust impacts from coal trains have been received by the Department of Environment and 

Heritage Protection since 2012, with the majority of these complaints coming from residents of 

suburbs from Tennyson to Woolloongabba. In addition to these formal complaints, there has been 

considerable media reporting of alleged community impacts as a result of dust emissions from coal 

trains. 

In response to this public concern about coal dust emissions from trains and a Queensland 

Government challenge to improve environmental outcomes for residents living along the rail 

corridor, coal companies New Hope Group, Peabody Energy and Yancoal Australia and supply 

chain service providers Aurizon, Queensland Rail and Queensland Bulk Handling have voluntarily 

undertaken action to understand the sources and impacts of coal dust through air quality 

monitoring programs, as well as working towards implementing specific dust mitigation activities 

such as load profiling and veneering. Load profiling involves re-shaping the loaded coal surface to 

create a low-profile, garden-bed shape to reduce the dust emissions during transport and to ensure 

 

1

 Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Annual coal statistics 2011 – 2012 financial year, available at 

http://mines.industry.qld.gov.au/assets/coal-stats-pdf/fyr_1112.pdf, accessed 22 July 2013. 2

 Newcastle Port Corporation, Media release: Impressive annual trade results for Port of Newcastle, available at 

http://www.newportcorp.com.au/client_images/1085797.pdf, 2 August 2012, accessed 22 July 2013. 3

 QR National, Coal system factsheets, available at http://www.aurizon.com.au/OurBusiness/Coal/Forms/AllItems.aspx, 

accessed 22 July 2013. 

4

 Australian Rail Track Corporation, 2012-2021 Hunter Valley Corridor Capacity Strategy Consultation Document, 

available at http://www.artc.com.au/library/2012-21%20Hunter%20Valley%20Corridor%20Capacity%20Strategy 

%20FINAL.pdf, June 2012, accessed 22 July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

2 

the best possible coverage of coal by veneering spray. Veneering involves spraying a 

biodegradable non-toxic binding agent onto the loaded coal surface at the time of loading. The 

veneering solution binds the top layer of the coal surface together forming a flexible layer that 

reduces coal dust lift-off during transit. 

As part of this response, New Hope Coal implemented load profiling and veneering of rail wagons 

at the New Acland Mine north of Oakey (which accounts for approximately 60% of total coal 

movements to the Port of Brisbane) from May 2013. All remaining coal companies transporting 

coal to the Port of Brisbane have committed to veneering their coal wagons by the end of 20135

. 

In conjunction with the decision by New Hope Coal, the Queensland Resources Council (on behalf 

of the coal companies and supply chain service providers) commissioned the Science Delivery 

Division of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) 

to undertake a coal dust monitoring program to evaluate the health and nuisance impact of coal 

dust from trains on communities adjacent to the Western and Metropolitan rail systems and to 

assess the impact of this and subsequent coal wagon dust mitigation measures on dust levels. 

This investigation comprised two broad components: 

1) monitoring at six locations across the Western and Metropolitan rail system and one 

background location on the Metropolitan rail system not used for coal transport for two separate 

one-month sampling periods – one month prior to implementation of coal wagon veneering at 

New Hope Coal’s New Acland Mine (accounting for around 60 per cent of total tonnage of coal 

transported on the rail systems) and one month following full implementation of veneering at the 

New Acland Mine – to assess the impact of this dust mitigation measure on dust levels adjacent 

to the rail corridor; and 

2) continuous monitoring at one location on the Metropolitan rail system for a further 12 month 

period to assess seasonal changes in dust levels and to measure and report on the progress of 

ongoing measures to reduce coal dust emissions. 

Monitoring commenced at the seven Western and Metropolitan rail system locations in the first 

week in March 2013. The timing of the monitoring investigation was determined by the start of the 

veneering program at the New Acland mine, which was initially planned to commence in April 

2013. Due to unseasonal heavy and frequent rainfall in March, a decision was made to defer the 

commencement of coal wagon load profiling and veneering at the New Acland Mine to enable the 

collection of a second month of pre-veneering monitoring data. 

Due to operational problems with the real-time particle monitoring equipment at the Tennyson, 

Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring sites which resulted in significant loss of data on the short-term 

variability in particle concentrations in the pre-veneering monitoring period, monitoring at these 

three sites was extended for a second month following the commencement of coal wagon 

veneering at the New Hope Mine to ensure sufficient data was available to assess the impact of 

train movements on ambient particle levels. All the monitoring equipment at these sites, not just 

the real-time particle monitoring equipment, was in operation during the second month. 

This report provides a summary of the dust monitoring results obtained by DSITIA between March 

and June 2013, which includes the two-month period prior to the commencement of coal wagon 

load profiling and veneering at the New Acland Mine on 2 May 2013 and the following two-month 

period when approximately 60 per cent of all wagons transporting coal to the Port of Brisbane were 

treated to minimise loss of coal particles during transit. This report also evaluates the impact of 

coal wagon veneering at the New Acland Mine on ambient particle levels along the rail corridor. 

 

5

 Queensland Resources Council, Western/metropolitan rail corridor dust monitoring update, available at 

https://www.qrc.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=3248, 23 April 2013, accessed 22 July 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

3 

An assessment of the human health risk posed by the particle concentrations measured during the 

investigation period has been prepared separately by the Queensland Department of Health and is 

included in Appendix 2. 

Airborne particles 

Airborne particles can be generated by many different processes, particularly in an urban context 

where a wide range of domestic, commercial, industrial and transport activities take place. While 

the size of the particles will depend on the particular process, in general combustion processes 

involving the burning of fuel (e.g. motor vehicle engines, industrial boilers, solid fuel heaters) will 

produce smaller particles than mechanical processes such as earthworks, mining, construction 

activities, and wind erosion. 

Particulate matter can have a variety of health and amenity degradation (dust nuisance) effects 

depending on the concentration, the size of particles and the exposure time. Studies have linked 

increases in hospital admissions to elevated particulate matter exposure. Both long (over years) 

and short term (hours or days) particle exposure has been linked to health problems. Health effects 

associated with exposure to elevated levels of particulate matter include coughing, sneezing, 

wheezing and increased breathlessness. Potential amenity degradation effects of elevated dust 

levels include short term reduction in visibility, build-up of particulate matter on homes and soiling 

of washing. In general, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter greater than 10 

micrometres (μm) tends to be associated with amenity degradation impacts, while particulate 

matter less than 10 μm (PM10) is associated with health impacts. 

While both PM10 and PM2.5 size fractions have associations with adverse health outcomes, the 

results of some studies conducted with PM2.5 have indicated that this size fraction may be more 

important than total PM10 for explaining the health effects attributed to exposure to particles6

. 

As health impacts primarily relate to the concentration of suspended particulate matter that is 

breathed in, air quality standards to protect human health are expressed as a concentration, i.e. 

the mass of particulate matter that is suspended per unit volume of air, usually measured in 

micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Most amenity degradation impacts relate to the amount of 

particulate matter settling out on surfaces, hence guidelines for protection of amenity are 

expressed as the rate of deposition of particulate matter per unit surface area, usually measured in 

grams of dust that accumulates per square metre (g/m2

) over a 1 month period. 

The atmospheric lifetime of particulate matter, that is how long the particle is airborne, depends on 

the size of the particle. Coarse particulate matter tends to deposit quickly and in relatively close 

proximity to its point of emission, whilst fine particulate matter may remain suspended in the 

atmosphere for many days and travel many hundreds of kilometres. It should be noted that, whilst 

smaller particles have longer atmospheric lifetimes, they also disperse as they travel. Dispersion 

will quickly reduce the overall concentration of particles. 

 

6

 National Environment Protection Council, Impact Statement for PM2.5 Variation: Setting a PM2.5 Standard in Australia, 

available at http://www.scew.gov.au/sites/www.scew.gov.au/files/resources/9947318f-af8c-0b24-d928-04e4d3a4b25c/ 

files/aaq-pm25-impstat-impact-statement-pm25-variation-final-200210.pdf, October 2002, accessed 22 July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

4 

Particle emissions from rail transport 

For rail transport in general, emissions of particles can be produced by wind erosion of loose soil 

and other material present in the rail corridor during the passage of trains (this may also occur in 

the absence of trains during strong winds) and engine emissions from diesel-powered locomotives. 

In terms of the size of the particles associated with rail transport, particles produced by wind 

erosion would be expected to be predominantly larger than 2.5 μm in diameter, and often larger 

than 10 μm in diameter. Particles emitted from diesel locomotives would be expected to be 

predominantly less than 2.5 μm in diameter. In south-east Queensland particles less than 2.5 μm 

from railway operations only make up approximately 0.1 per cent of the total amount of PM2.5

emitted to the air7

. 

In relation to coal trains, particle emissions can also result from erosion of the coal surface of 

loaded wagons or residual coal in unloaded wagons during transit. In addition, coal leakage from 

the doors of wagons and coal deposited on sills, shear plates and bogies of wagons during loading 

can be deposited in the rail corridor, where it can be subsequently re-entrained into the air by wind 

erosion. The amount and rate of coal dust emitted from coal trains is variable and is dependent 

upon factors such as the surface area of coal exposed to air currents during transport, the shape or 

profile of load, the properties of the coal (dustiness, moisture content), the train type, speed, and 

vibration, the transport distance and route characteristics, and rainfall8

. 

Coal dust particles associated with rail transport would be most likely to be present as larger dust 

particles that settle from the air, but some will exist as PM10 particles. 

As discussed in the previous section, it should be noted that the wide range of different particle 

emission sources, especially in an urban environment, means that particle emissions from rail 

transport will only make up part of the overall ambient particle measurements recorded by air 

quality monitoring instruments. 

Ambient particle standards and guidelines 

Current air quality standards or guidelines do not contain specific criteria for levels of coal dust in 

ambient air. In this report, assessment of possible health and amenity degradation impacts 

associated with the particle levels measured during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods 

has been conducted by comparing the measured levels against recognised standards and 

guidelines developed for the total amount of particles of a particular size present in the air, 

regardless of source or composition. This means that the assessments presented in this report 

refer to particles present at the monitoring sites from all sources, not just coal trains. 

 

 

7

 Environmental Protection Agency and Brisbane City Council, Air Emissions Inventory South-east Queensland region, 

available from http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/pdf/reports/air-emissions-inventory-seq.pdf, April 2003, accessed 22 July 

2013. 

8

 Katestone Environmental, Review of Dust from Coal Trains in Queensland, in Queensland Resources Council, 

Submission to the Federal Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the impacts on health of air 

quality in Australia, available at http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url= 

clac_ctte/air_quality/submissions.htm, Appendix A, March 2013, accessed 22 July 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

5 

There is an established national approach to setting air quality standards in Australia9,10. This 

process is established by the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 (Cth) through 

National Environment Protection Measures (NEPMs). The aim of the Ambient Air Quality NEPM is 

ambient air quality that allows for the adequate protection of human health and well-being. The 

Queensland Environment Protection (Air) Policy 2008 (EPP Air) adopted the Ambient Air Quality 

NEPM standards as air quality objectives. 

Ambient PM10 concentrations have been compared with the EPP Air 24-hour air quality objective of 

50 μg/m3

. Ambient PM2.5 concentrations have been compared with the EPP Air 24-hour and annual 

air quality objectives of 25 μg/m3

 and 8 μg/m3 respectively. 

No ambient PM10 or PM2.5 guidelines for protection of human health have been developed for 

exposure periods shorter than 24 hours. 

Regarding amenity degradation, there are currently no Australian ambient air quality guidelines for 

deposited dust. In the absence of an Australian objective, measured deposited dust levels were 

compared against the dust nuisance trigger level of 4 g/m2

/30 days above background 

concentrations, or 130 mg/m2

/day expressed on a daily basis, recommended by the New Zealand 

Ministry of the Environment11. The acceptable concentration of deposited dust is related to the 

sensitivity of the receiving environment. The New Zealand guideline document notes that in 

sensitive residential areas deposition rates lower than the recommended trigger level may cause 

nuisance. 

Monitoring program design 

The broad objectives of the initial monitoring component of the Western and Metropolitan Rail 

Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program at sites across the rail systems were to: 

• undertake dust monitoring at sites along the rail corridor which are representative of dust 

exposure levels at or near key population areas 

• quantify the exposure to particles that pose a health risk and/or amenity degradation (dust 

nuisance) that the community experiences near the edge of the rail corridor 

• quantify, to the extent possible given different seasonal sampling conditions, the impact of coal 

wagon dust mitigation measures on dust levels in the community 

• quantify, to the extent possible, the short-term changes in particle levels associated with the 

passage of different train types on the Metropolitan rail system 

• report on the air quality monitoring results and provide an assessment of likely amenity 

degradation (dust nuisance) impacts and health risks from current dust exposures. 

To achieve these aims, the initial component of the study involving monitoring at seven locations 

on the Western and Metropolitan rail system collected information on: 

• PM10 and PM2.5 levels—to assess possible health impacts 

 

9

 National Environment Protection Council, National Environment Protection (Ambient Air Quality) Measure – Revised 

Impact Statement, available from http://www.scew.gov.au/sites/www.scew.gov.au/files/resources/9947318f-af8c-0b24-

d928-04e4d3a4b25c/files/aaq-impstat-aaq-nepm-revised-impact-statement-final-199806.pdf, 1998, accessed 22 July 

2013. 

10 National Environment Protection Council, Methodology for setting air quality standards in Australia Part A, available at 

http://www.scew.gov.au/sites/www.scew.gov.au/files/resources/458719dc-73eb-4cfd-a688-a36b32e80f6c/files/ 

methodology-air-quality-standards-australia-parta.pdf, 2011, accessed 22 July 2013. 11 New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, Good Practice Guide for Assessing and Managing the Environmental 

Effects of Dust Emissions, available at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/air/dust-guide-sep01.pdf, 2001, accessed 22 

July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

6 

• deposited dust (dustfall)—to assess possible amenity degradation impacts and the contribution of 

coal particles to overall dust settling out on surfaces 

• real-time particle levels—to assess the changes in short-term particle levels associated with the 

passage of different train types. 

Monitoring locations 

Monitoring was conducted at six locations along the Western – Metropolitan rail system used to 

transport coal to the Port of Brisbane (Oakey, Willowburn (Toowoomba), Dinmore, Tennyson, 

Fairfield and Coorparoo) and one background location on a section of the Metropolitan rail system 

that is not used by coal trains (Chelmer) – see Figure 1. As the study aimed to determine a ‘worst 

case’ situation to maximise any differences in particle levels between the pre- and post-veneering 

periods, the monitoring equipment was sited within the rail corridor rather than in the surrounding 

community. The monitoring locations were chosen based on both complaint history and, where 

practicable, compatibility with the sites used in a previous study of coal dust levels between West 

Ipswich and the Port of Brisbane12. The Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo sites used in this study 

were in similar positions to the sites used in that 1999 investigation. 

Figure 1: Map showing coal mine and rail corridor monitoring site locations on the Western – Metropolitan 

rail system. 

In order to source power to operate the PM10, PM2.5 and real-time particle monitoring equipment 

and to gain access to the rail corridor, it was necessary to locate the monitoring equipment at 

railway stations where the necessary infrastructure was in place. While all attempts were made to 

site the monitoring equipment at similar distances from the rail line at each of the monitoring sites; 

factors such as the number of rail tracks, rail corridor access, power supply access and health and 

safety restrictions meant that consistency could not be achieved across the seven sites. Details of 

 

12 SIMTARS, Coal Dust Monitoring: West Ipswich to Fisherman Islands – Queensland Rail Twelve Month Summary 

Report, File Reference 50/003/50/1/16, 1999. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

7 

the individual monitoring sites and parameters measured are summarised in Table 1 and the 

equipment locations at each of the monitoring sites are shown in Figures 2 to 8. 

Table 1: Details of Western and Metropolitan rail systems rail corridor monitoring locations. 

Monitoring 

site 

Number 

of rail 

tracks 

Maximum train speed Position 

relative to 

rail line 

Distance 

from 

nearest 

rail track 

Distance 

from 

furthest 

rail track 

Measurement 

parameters 

Freight Passenger

Oakey 2 

25 km/h 

(both 

directions)

25 km/h 

(both 

directions)

North 10 metres 14 metres 

PM10, PM2.5

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

South 6 metres 9 metres Deposited dust 

Willowburn 

(Toowoomba) 1 

60 km/h 

(both 

directions)

60 km/h 

(both 

directions)

East 8 metres - Deposited dust 

West 8 metres - Deposited dust 

Dinmore 2 

80 km/h 

(both 

directions)

80 km/h 

(both 

directions)

North 9 metres 13 metres Deposited dust 

South 21 metres 24 metres 

PM10, PM2.5

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

Tennyson 2 

50 km/h 

(both 

directions)

50 km/h 

(both 

directions)

North 7 metres 11 metres 

Real-time particles 

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

South 5 metres 9 metres Deposited dust 

Fairfield 3 

80 km/h 

(both 

directions)

70 km/h 

(to City) 

80 km/h 

(from City)a

East 8 metres 22 metres 

PM10, PM2.5

Real-time particles 

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

West 2 metres 15 metres Deposited dust 

Coorparoo 3 

80 km/h 

(both 

directions)

60 km/h 

(to City)

80 km/h 

(from City)a

North 5 metres 26 metres 

PM10, PM2.5

Real-time particles 

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

South 3 metres 23 metres Deposited dust 

Chelmer 

(background) 4 

70 km/h 

(to City 

platform 1) 

90 km/h 

(to City 

platform 3) 

80 km/h 

(from City)

70 km/h 

(to City 

platform 1)

90 km/h 

(to City 

platform 3)

80 km/h 

(from City)

East 7 metres 24 metres 

PM10, PM2.5

Deposited dust 

Wind speed and 

 direction 

a express trains are permitted to travel at 100 km/h
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

8 

Figure 2: Monitoring equipment locations at the Oakey monitoring site. 

At Oakey the monitoring equipment was located at the Oakey Railway Station. In addition to rail 

transport, other airborne particles sources in the vicinity of the monitoring site included emissions 

from vehicles using nearby roads, abattoir boiler emissions, domestic solid fuel heaters and 

windblown dust from exposed ground. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

9 

Figure 3: Monitoring equipment locations at the Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring site. 

At Willowburn the monitoring equipment was located at the disused Willowburn Railway Station. In 

addition to rail transport, other particle sources in the vicinity of the monitoring site that could 

contribute to the deposited dust collected included windblown dust from exposed ground or 

re-entrainment by vehicles using nearby roads and nearby landscaping businesses. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

10 

Figure 4: Monitoring equipment locations at the Dinmore monitoring site. 

At Dinmore the monitoring equipment was located at the Dinmore Railway Station. The Dinmore 

Railway Station is situated close to a number of major road traffic corridors, including Brisbane 

Road and the Cunningham Highway within 300 m to the south and the Warrego Highway 

approximately 600 m to the north. These roads carry around 50 000 vehicles per day, with about 

10 per cent being commercial (heavy) vehicles. Emissions from these vehicles will have 

contributed to particle levels measured at the monitoring site. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

11 

Figure 5: Monitoring equipment locations at the Tennyson monitoring site. 

At Tennyson the monitoring equipment was located at the disused Tennyson Railway Station. In 

addition to rail transport, other airborne particles sources in the vicinity of the monitoring site 

included emissions from vehicles using nearby roads including Fairfield Road 700 m to the east 

with a daily traffic volume of approximately 40 000 vehicles, freight yard and plywood 

manufacturing. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

12 

Figure 6: Monitoring equipment locations at the Fairfield monitoring site. 

At Fairfield the monitoring equipment was located at the Fairfield Railway Station. The Fairfield 

monitoring site was situated between two major road traffic corridors – Fairfield Road 300 m to the 

west carrying approximately 40 000 vehicles per day and Ipswich Road 400 m to the east carrying 

approximately 80 000 vehicles per day. Emissions from these vehicles will have contributed to 

particle levels measured at the monitoring site. At the Fairfield site loaded coal trains used a 

separate rail line dedicated for freight services. The Fairfield (West) deposited dust sampler was 

situated adjacent to this freight rail line. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

13 

Figure 7: Monitoring equipment locations at the Coorparoo monitoring site. 

At Coorparoo the monitoring equipment was located at the Coorparoo Railway Station. In close 

proximity to the Coorparoo monitoring site were three major road traffic corridors –Stanley Street 

East 300 m to the north (carrying approximately 20 000 vehicles per day), Cavendish Road less 

than 100 m to the east (carrying approximately 12 000 vehicles per day) and Old Cleveland Road 

600 m to the south (approximately 30 000 vehicles per day). Emissions from these vehicles will 

have contributed to particle levels measured at the monitoring site. At the Coorparoo site loaded 

coal trains used a separate rail line dedicated for freight services. The monitoring equipment at 

Coorparoo (North) was situated adjacent to this freight rail line. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

14 

Figure 8: Monitoring equipment locations at the Chelmer background monitoring site. 

The Chelmer Railway Station was chosen as the location for the background monitoring station. 

The purpose of this site was to provide an indication of particle levels within the rail corridor in the 

absence of coal trains. The Chelmer Railway Station site was over three kilometres from the 

nearest section of the Metropolitan rail corridor used by coal trains. Local particle sources in the 

vicinity of the monitoring site were emissions from vehicles travelling on Honour Avenue along the 

western side of the rail corridor (approximately 3000 vehicles per day) and Oxley Road 250 m to 

the east (approximately 16 000 vehicles per day). 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

15 

Monitoring equipment 

Daily 24-hour average PM10 and PM2.5 samples were collected at the Oakey, Dinmore, Fairfield, 

Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites using Partisol® Model 2025 or dichotomous Partisol®

Model 2025-D sequential low-volume air samplers. These samplers were capable of changing 

sample filters automatically every 24 hours, allowing unattended operation for up to 16 days. The 

samplers were operated in accordance with Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 

3580.9.9:2006 Method 9.9: Determination of suspended particulate matter – PM10 low-volume 

sampler – Gravimetric method or Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3580.9.10:2006 

Method 9.10: Determination of suspended particulate matter – PM2.5 low-volume sampler – 

Gravimetric method. 

The Model 2025 sequential air samplers operated by drawing air through a PM10 size-selective 

inlet (to remove particles larger than 10 μm) or a PM2.5 size-selective inlet (to remove particles 

larger than 2.5 μm) and depositing the particles on a pre-weighed 47mm diameter Teflon® filter 

over a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight. After sampling, the filter was again weighed, with 

the difference in weight being the mass of PM10 or PM2.5 particles collected. The PM10 or PM2.5

mass concentration was calculated by dividing the mass of PM10 or PM2.5 particles collected by the 

volume of air drawn through the sampler over the 24-hour sampling period. 

The dichotomous Model 2025-D samplers operated by firstly drawing air through a PM10 sizeselective inlet, then through a virtual impactor to separate the incoming PM10 air stream into its fine 

(particles less than 2.5 μm in diameter, PM2.5) and coarse (particles between 2.5 μm and 10 μm in 

diameter, PM10-2.5) components which were deposited on separate pre-weighed 47mm Teflon®

filters over a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight. After sampling, the filters were again 

weighed, with the difference in weight being the mass of PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 particles collected. The 

PM2.5 mass concentration was calculated by dividing the mass of PM2.5 particles collected by the 

volume of air drawn through PM2.5 stream of the sampler over the 24-hour sampling period. The 

PM10 mass concentration was calculated by dividing the sum of the masses of PM2.5 and PM10-2.5

particles collected by the sum of the volume of air drawn through the PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 streams 

over the 24-hour sampling period. 

PM10 and PM2.5 sample collection was carried out by DSITIA field staff and the gravimetric analysis 

was carried out by the Queensland Government Safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station 

(SIMTARS). 

Deposited dust was monitored at all monitoring sites by determining the amount of dust collected 

over an exposed surface in a fixed period of time. Measurement was by means of a funnel and 

collection bottle, which simply caught the dust settling over a fixed surface area over a period of 

approximately 30 days. Collection bottles were placed on opposite sides of the rail line at each 

monitoring site, to account for different wind directions experienced during the monthly sampling 

period. 

Collection of deposited dust samples was carried out in accordance with Australian/New Zealand 

Standard AS/NZS 3580.10.1:2003 Method 10.1 Determination of particulates – Deposited Matter – 

Gravimetric method. Prior to analysis, the solution contained in the collection bottle was 

homogenised and a 100 ml sub-sample was extracted for the coal dust identification analysis. 

Sample analysis was performed using a modification to the method specified in AS/NZS 3580. 

Instead of filtering all of the collected solution (less the coal dust identification sub-sample), a 

homogenised extract of between 250 ml and 500 ml was analysed and the results were multiplied 

up to reflect the total volume of solution originally present in the collection bottle. Internal testing 

and analysis of duplicate samples by an external laboratory showed that there was no significant 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

16 

difference in the results obtained between the standard method and this variation to the standard 

method. The results were reported in terms of the weight of dust collected per unit of surface area 

over the sampling period. Sample collection was carried out by DSITIA field staff and the analysis 

was carried out by DSITIA’s Chemistry Centre laboratory. 

Determination of coal particle content was performed by microscope examination of the subsample extracted from the deposited dust samples before the deposited dust analysis was carried 

out. The deposited dust sub-sample solution was filtered onto a membrane filter and examined by 

stereomicroscopy for particle distribution (surface coverage) and general appearance. This was 

followed by the use of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy 

(SEM/EDS) of selected individual particles to confirm that the particles assessed by 

stereomicroscopy as coal particles were actually coal particles. The coal dust identification work 

was performed by the Applied Materials Characterisation and Performance Laboratory (AMCP) at 

the University of Queensland. AMCP are considered nationally as experts in coal dust 

determination and the techniques used in this investigation have been previously applied to other 

coal dust studies in Queensland. 

At the Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring sites, continuous 5-minute averaged particle 

measurements were also collected using a Model 8533 DusttrakTM DRX Aerosol Monitor to 

determine the magnitude of short-term increases in particle levels associated with the passage of 

different types of trains using the Metropolitan rail system. The DusttrakTM analysers drew air into a 

sensing chamber where the air stream was illuminated by light from a laser diode. Particles 

present in the air stream caused the light beam to be scattered, with the amount of scattering being 

measured by a photodetector mounted at 90o

 to the air stream. The aerosol concentration was 

determined by the overall photodetector response, while individual pulses from the photodetector 

provided a measure of the size of the particle causing the light scattering. The DusttrakTM 

instrument was chosen due to its fast response time to particle concentration changes. However, 

as the DusttrakTM instrument does not directly measure particle mass, the recorded particle 

concentrations could not be used to determine compliance with air quality guidelines expressed in 

gravimetric (i.e. mass per volume) units. Comparison of the 24-hour average PM2.5 and PM10

concentrations reported by the DusttrakTM instrument with the corresponding measurements from 

the Partisol® instruments at the Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring sites provided approximate 

adjustment factors. These factors have been applied to DusttrakTM data presented in this report. 

Wind speed and direction measurements averaged over 30-minute periods were recorded at all 

monitoring sites, except Willowburn, to assist with analysis of the contribution of different particle 

sources to overall particle levels. As only monthly deposited dust sampling was conducted at the 

Willowburn site, it was decided that the wind data from the Oakey monitoring site would be 

sufficient for dust impact analysis purposes. 

At those monitoring sites measuring PM10 and PM2.5, a Gill Windsonic ultrasonic wind sensor was 

connected to the inbuilt wind sensor input on the Partisol® sequential low-volume air sampler, 

which recorded 30-minute averaged wind speed and direction measurements. At the Tennyson 

monitoring site, a Vaisala WXT-520 ultrasonic wind sensor connected to a stand-alone datalogger 

was used to collect wind speed and direction data. The wind sensors operated by measuring the 

speed at which sound waves travelled through the air between two sets of transducers. The wind 

sensors were located at a height of approximately six metres above ground level. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

17 

Results and discussion 

Train movements 

Train movement data for the dust monitoring site locations during the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods was supplied by Queensland Rail and is summarised in Tables 2 and 3 

respectively. Daily train movements were essentially unchanged between the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. 

On average, 12 loaded and 12 unloaded coal trains passed the Oakey and Willowburn monitoring 

sites each day. At sites on the Metropolitan rail line an average of 13 to 14 loaded and unloaded 

coal trains travelled past the rail corridor monitoring sites each day. The maximum number of 

loaded and unloaded coal train movements on any one day was 19 and 18 respectively. Other rail 

freight services were less frequent, with highest levels being at the Tennyson and Fairfield 

monitoring sites where there were 10 and 11 services per day on average. Monitoring sites on the 

Metropolitan rail line (with the exception of Tennyson) experienced high passenger train service 

numbers, almost all of which were electric trains. 

During the investigation period, all coal trains using the Western – Metropolitan rail systems were 

hauled by two diesel locomotives located at the front of the train and had a consistent number of 

coal wagons (as demonstrated by the fact that 99 per cent of all unloaded coal trains had a gross 

Table 2: Summary of train movement data at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering 

monitoring period, March to April 2013. 

Train type Statistica Train movements at monitoring site 

Oakey Willowburn Dinmore Tennyson Fairfield Coorparoo Chelmer

Coal 

(loaded) 

Total 671 671 753 753 753 753 0 

Daily average 12 12 13 13 13 13 0 

Daily range 0 to 15 0 to 15 0 to 19 0 to 19 0 to 19 0 to 19 0 

Coal 

(empty) 

Total 675 675 756 755 755 756 1 

Daily average 12 12 13 13 13 13 0 

Daily range 0 to 15 0 to 15 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 to 1 

Other 

freight 

Total 64 64 184 577 625 269 336 

Daily average 1 1 3 10 11 5 6 

Daily range 0 to 5 0 to 5 0 to 6 1 to 16 1 to 17 0 to 8 0 to 12 

Passenger 

Total 34 34 5554 878 10821 5735 11439 

Daily average 1 1 96 15 187 99 197 

Daily range 0 to 2 0 to 2 0 to 128 0 to 79 130 to 240 64 to 116 0 to 257 

Other 

Total 37 39 45 229 332 125 81 

Daily average 1 1 1 4 6 2 1 

Daily range 0 to 4 0 to 5 0 to 4 0 to 10 2 to 13 0 to 9 0 to 6 

a

 Information provided for each train type and monitoring site includes the total number of trains passing the monitoring site during the 

 entire pre-veneering monitoring period (total); the average number of trains passing the monitoring site each day over the 

 pre-veneering monitoring period (daily average); and the minimum and maximum number of trains passing the monitoring site on 

 individual days during the pre-veneering monitoring period (daily range).
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

18 

Table 3: Summary of train movement data at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the post-veneering 

monitoring period, May to June 2013. 

Train type Statistica Monitoring site 

Oakey Willowburn Dinmore Tennyson Fairfield Coorparoo Chelmer

Coal 

(loaded) 

Total 415 415 473 877 876 876 0 

Daily average 12 12 14 14 14 14 0 

Daily range 1 to 15 1 to 15 2 to 17 0 to 17 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 

Coal 

(empty) 

Total 416 416 481 884 884 884 0 

Daily average 12 12 14 14 14 14 0 

Daily range 1 to 15 1 to 15 2 to 17 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 to 18 0 

Other 

freight 

Total 21 21 128 640 655 295 277 

Daily average 1 1 4 10 11 5 8 

Daily range 0 to 2 0 to 2 0 to 6 0 to 17 2 to 17 0 to 8 0 to 19 

Passenger 

Total 24 24 3673 618 10821 5938 6894 

Daily average 1 1 108 10 175 96 203 

Daily range 0 to 2 0 to 2 72 to 127 0 to 18 0 to 207 0 to 116 0 to 251 

Other 

Total 10 13 17 237 324 127 40 

Daily average 0 0 1 4 5 2 1 

Daily range 0 to 4 0 to 5 0 to 4 0 to 9 0 to 11 0 to 6 0 to 5 

a

 Information provided for each train type and monitoring site includes the total number of trains passing the monitoring site during the 

 entire post-veneering monitoring period (total); the average number of trains passing the monitoring site each day over the 

 post-veneering monitoring period (daily average); and the minimum and maximum number of trains passing the monitoring site on 

 individual days during the post-veneering monitoring period (daily range).

mass between 810 and 820 tonnes, understood to be 41 wagons). The maximum permitted speed 

for freight trains at individual rail corridor monitoring sites ranged from 25 km/h to 80 km/h (see 

Table 1). Aurizon has advised that the maximum speeds of loaded and unloaded coal trains are 

60 km/h and 80 km/h respectively across the entire Western and Metropolitan Rail Systems. 

Unloaded coal trains leaving the Port of Brisbane are guided by Queensland Rail network 

controllers and generally do not exceed speeds of 60 km/h in the metropolitan area. Data on the 

actual speed of individual trains as they passed the monitoring sites was not available. 

Meteorology 

An important factor influencing the outcome of this investigation was dust suppression due to 

heavy and persistent rainfall. This dust suppression would include a reduction in both the loss of 

coal particles from rail wagons during transport and less surface dust present on the rail corridor 

being re-entrained during the passage of trains. Table 4 compares the monthly rainfall totals 

measured between March and June 2013 at selected Bureau of Meteorology stations in South 

East Queensland encompassing the area covered by the rail corridor monitoring sites with longterm average totals13. This data shows that rainfall experienced during the pre-veneering study 

period in 2013 was significantly higher, and in most cases more frequent, than the long-term 

 

13 Bureau of Meteorology, Climate Data Online, available at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data/, accessed 29 August 

2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

19 

values at all stations, particularly during March. These wet conditions will have resulted in 

considerable dust suppression, with the result that ambient particle measurements obtained during 

the investigation period were likely to under-represent levels that might be expected to occur 

during dry conditions. 

Table 4: Comparison of Bureau of Meteorology monthly rainfall at selected South East Queensland locations 

during March and April 2013 with 30-year average values. 

Bureau of 

Meteorology station 

Monthly rainfall (mm) Days with rainfall >1mm 

2013 1981-2010 

mediana 2013 1981-2010 averagea

March 

Oakey Airport 107.8 30.7 6 3.8 

Toowoomba Airport 113.0 44.2 11 6.9 

Amberley Airport 96.6 61.3 7 6.7 

Archerfield Airport 159.2 85.9 13 7.6 

Brisbane Airport 180.6 123.2 10 9.6 

April 

Oakey Airport 29.0 21.0 4 3.5 

Toowoomba Airport 41.0 31.8 3 4.1 

Amberley Airport 88.6 33.2 5 5.3 

Archerfield Airport 93.4 45.1 7 7.2 

Brisbane Airport 152.4 77.4 13 8.3 

May 

Oakey Airport 28.0 27.3 3 3.4 

Toowoomba Airport 51.4 28.6 7 4.9 

Amberley Airport 38.0 35.0 9 5.9 

Archerfield Airport 28.6 60.6 7 7.3 

Brisbane Airport 77.8 85.6 10 8.9 

June 

Oakey Airport 34.2 17.4 6 2.9 

Toowoomba Airport 61.2 31.0 8 4.7 

Amberley Airport 68.0 27.0 6 4.0 

Archerfield Airport 63.8 47.0 9 5.0 

Brisbane Airport 80.0 37.4 8 5.2 

a Toowoomba Airport data is only available from 1996. Long-term average values shown for the Toowoomba Airport site are for the 

 period 1996 to 2013.

Wind direction was another important factor in the measurement of dust impacts at the monitoring 

sites. The wind direction ranges necessary for dust generated by the passage of coal trains to 

impact the monitoring sites, together with the proportion of winds within these ranges over the 

pre-veneering study period, are summarised in Table 5. Table 5 also details the average and 

maximum wind speeds experienced at each monitoring site during the pre-veneering and postveneering monitoring periods. The distribution of winds over the pre-veneering and post-veneering 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

20 

monitoring periods for each site where wind measurements were collected is also shown in the 

wind roses in Figures 9 and 10. Overall, there was a higher proportion of winds blowing from the 

south to west quadrant during the post-veneering monitoring period compared to the pre-veneering 

monitoring period at all sites. 

Table 5: Wind conditions at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and post-veneering 

monitoring periods. 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Wind 

range for 

dust 

impacts 

(deg) 

Veneering 

period 

Proportion of winds within dust 

impact range (%) Average 

wind 

speed 

(m/s) 

Maximum

wind 

speed 

(m/s) 

Entire 

period 

Deposited 

dust range 

PM10, PM2.5

daily range 

Oakey 

North >120 to 

<300 

Pre 23 18 to 28 0 to 90 1.4 3.9 

Post 34 34 0 to 92 1.6 5.1 

South >300 to 

<120 

Pre 77 72 to 82 not applicable 1.9 5.5 

Post 66 66 not applicable 1.7 4.9 

Willowburna

(Toowoomba) 

East >170 to 

<350 

Pre 17 14 to 19 not applicable 1.6 3.9 

Post 32 32 not applicable 1.7 5.1 

West >350 to 

<170 

Pre 83 81 to 86 not applicable 1.8 5.5 

Post 68 68 not applicable 1.7 4.9 

Dinmore 

North >70 to 

<250 

Pre 61 58 to 66 not applicable 1.7 6.8 

Post 91 90 not applicable 1.1 3.4 

South >260 to 

<70 

Pre 35 32 to 36 0 to 85 1.0 4.6 

Post 6 6 0 to 31 0.5 1.8 

Tennyson 

North >100 to 

<270 

Pre 77 76 to 79 5 to 100 0.9 7.6 

Post 89 88 to 89 50 to 100 1.0 5.0 

South >260 to 

<95 

Pre 23 21 to 23 not applicable 0.4 1.2 

Post 13 13 to 14 not applicable 0.4 2.1 

Fairfield 

East >210 to 

<15 

Pre 41 32 to 50 0 to 85 0.7 2.7 

Post 81 55 to 68 25 to 98 1.1 3.8 

West >15 to 

<210 

Pre 60 50 to 68 not applicable 0.9 2.8 

Post 20 33 to 46 not applicable 0.6 2.9 

Coorparoo 

North >25 to 

<210 

Pre 58 51 to 65 13 to 100 2.1 8.3 

Post 31 25 to 35 2 to 94 1.0 4.0 

South >220 to 

<30 

Pre 28 27 to 30 not applicable 0.9 4.2 

Post 44 44 not applicable 1.0 4.1 

Chelmer 

(background) East >180 to 

<360 

Pre 47 45 to 48 0 to 93 0.5 2.9 

Post 76 77 25 to 100 0.6 3.0 

a

 Wind measurements from the Oakey site have been used to derive the summary wind information for the Willowburn 

 site. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

21 

Figure 9: Wind roses at the Oakey, Dinmore and Tennyson monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and 

post-veneering monitoring periods 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

22 

Figure 10: Wind roses at the Fairfield, Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites during the pre-veneering 

and post-veneering monitoring periods 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

23 

Winds experienced during the pre-veneering monitoring period meant that highest particle levels 

would have been expected to occur at the Oakey (South), Willowburn (West), Dinmore (North), 

Tennyson (North), Fairfield (West) and Coorparoo (North) monitoring locations. At the Chelmer 

background monitoring site winds blew from the direction of the rail corridor approximately 50 per 

cent of the time. On this basis, overall measurements at the PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring sites at 

Oakey (North), Dinmore (South) and Fairfield (East) may under-represent the impacts of particle 

emissions from rail corridor traffic. However, all PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring sites experienced days 

during the pre-veneering monitoring period when more than 50 per cent of all winds blew from the 

direction of the rail line towards the monitoring equipment. The frequency of such days ranged 

from 8 days at the Oakey (North) monitoring site to 50 days at the Tennyson (North) monitoring 

site. 

Winds experienced during the post-veneering monitoring period meant that highest particle levels 

would have been expected to occur at the Oakey (South), Willowburn (West), Dinmore (North), 

Tennyson (North), Fairfield (East) and Coorparoo (South) monitoring locations. At the Chelmer 

background monitoring site winds blew from the direction of the rail corridor approximately 75 per 

cent of the time. On this basis, overall measurements at the PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring sites at 

Oakey (North) and Dinmore (South) may under-represent the impacts of particle emissions from 

rail corridor traffic. However, all PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring sites with the exception of Dinmore 

(South) experienced days during the post-veneering monitoring period when more than 50 per cent 

of all winds blew from the direction of the rail line towards the monitoring equipment. The frequency 

of days when more than 50 per cent of all winds blew from the direction of the rail line towards the 

monitoring equipment ranged from none at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site to 44 days at the 

Fairfield (East) monitoring site. 

The siting of separate deposited dust collection bottles on opposite sides of the rail line meant that 

any emitted dust would be collected in one of the collection bottles regardless of wind direction at 

the time of emission. 

PM10

Reported PM10 values are the total concentrations from all PM10 emission sources in proximity to 

the monitoring sites as described in the earlier discussion on the individual monitoring sites, not 

just PM10 emissions from coal trains and other rail transport. 

The 24-hour average PM10 monitoring results obtained from the Partisol® instruments at the Oakey, 

Dinmore, Fairfield, Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and postveneering monitoring periods are summarised in Table 6 and displayed graphically in Figure 11. 

Daily measurement data for these sites is provided in Tables 10 to 19 in Appendix 1 of this report. 

Post-veneering monitoring was conducted for a one-month period at the Oakey, Dinmore and 

Chelmer monitoring sites and concluded on 2 June. At the Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring sites 

where monitoring was extended for a further one-month period due to technical issues experienced 

with the real-time particle monitoring instruments, PM10 monitoring concluded on 2 July. 

Figure 11 also shows the proportion of winds blowing from the rail corridor to the sampling site for 

each sampling day (indicated by the dotted line) and those days when more than 1 mm of rain fell 

during the day (indicated by the grey columns). 

To provide a regional context, summary PM10 information for the same periods from a number of 

DSITIA’s South East Queensland ambient monitoring network stations in Brisbane is also included 

in Table 6. The Rocklea monitoring site is located in a residential/light commercial area. The 

Wynnum monitoring site is located in a residential area south of the Port of Brisbane. The 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

24 

Woolloongabba and South Brisbane monitoring sites are located adjacent to major roadways close 

to the Brisbane central business district. 

PM10 data availability was greater than 70 per cent for all monitoring sites except Oakey (postveneering), Dinmore (pre-veneering) and Coorparoo (post-veneering). Across the monitoring sites, 

there was sufficient data available on each day to adequately assess PM10 levels in the rail 

corridor. Loss of PM10 samples occurred as a result of the new filter cartridge jamming during the 

daily automatic filter exchange process. When this happened the sampler ceased to operate until 

the jam was cleared by DSITIA field staff on the next site visit. This problem occurred repeatedly at 

the Oakey site during the latter part of the pre-veneering period and during the post-veneering 

period, at the Dinmore site during the pre-veneering period, and at the Coorparoo site during the 

second month of post-veneering monitoring, resulting in extended periods of data loss. A 

replacement Partisol® sampler was installed at the Dinmore site on 7 April. 

During the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods the EPP Air 24-hour PM10 objective of 

50 μg/m3

 was not exceeded at any of the rail corridor monitoring sites. 

During the pre-veneering monitoring period the highest 24-hour average PM10 concentration was 

32.2 μg/m3

 (64 per cent of the EPP Air objective) measured at the Chelmer background monitoring 

site on 12 March. The highest 24-hour average PM10 concentration measured at one of the 

monitoring sites situated on the rail corridor used by coal trains was 28.5 μg/m3

 (57 per cent of the 

EPP Air objective) at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site on 28 March. On this day winds blew from 

the direction of the rail corridor towards the monitoring site for 33 per cent of the day and coincided 

with the passage of four loaded and three unloaded coal trains. 

During the post-veneering monitoring period the highest 24-hour average PM10 concentration was 

38.5 μg/m3

 (77 per cent of the EPP Air objective) measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site 

on 3 May. On this day winds blew from the direction of the rail corridor towards the monitoring site 

for only 25 per cent of the day and coincided with the passage of three loaded and six unloaded 

coal trains. 

The PM10 concentrations measured at Metropolitan rail system monitoring sites during the pre- and 

post-veneering periods were considerably less than those previously measured at the Tennyson 

(North) monitoring site during dry conditions in September and October 201214, confirming the 

anticipated impact of the wet conditions on ambient PM10 levels during this investigation period. 

 

14 Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation 

September to October 2012, available at http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/pdf/tennyson-dust-report.pdf, December 2012, 

accessed 22 July 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

25 

Table 6: 24-hour average PM10 concentration statistics at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the 

pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Veneering 

period 

24-hour PM10 concentration (μg/m3) Number of

24-hour 

Average Median Maximum Minimum samples 

The Environmental Protection Policy (Air) 2008 objective for PM10 is 50 μg/m3 averaged over a 24 hour 

period.

Rail corridor monitoring sites (coal trains) 

Oakey (North) 

Pre-veneering 

(7 March – 1 May) 11.2 9.9 21.9 4.8 43 (77%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 14.2 14.3 23.4 5.2 17 (53%) 

Dinmore (South) 

Pre-veneering 

(7 March – 1 May) 14.0 13.0 25.8 7.4 23 (41%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 14.9 12.7 30.7 7.3 29 (91%) 

Fairfield (East) 

Pre-veneering 

(6 March – 1 May) 15.8 15.0 28.5 9.1 44 (77%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May - 2 July) 13.4 12.2 38.5 3.8 54 (87%) 

Coorparoo (North) 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 15.4 14.8 26.5 6.6 53 (91%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May - 2 July) 12.7 11.0 29.6 5.0 43 (69%) 

Rail corridor background monitoring site (no coal trains) 

Chelmer 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 14.7 13.9 32.2 9.5 41 (71%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 12.3 11.2 26.7 4.1 31 (97%) 

DSITIA ambient air quality monitoring network sites in Brisbane 

Rocklea 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 14.6 13.8 22.5 9.5 35 (60%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 9.1 8.8 17.9 2.9 60 (97%) 

Woolloongabba 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 16.1 15.8 28.5 6.5 51 (88%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 11.1 10.4 23.3 1.5 46 (74%) 

South Brisbane 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 18.2 18.2 31.7 8.8 58 (100%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 14.0 13.3 25.8 6.8 59 (95%) 

Wynnum 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 15.0 14.1 41.3 6.6 58 (100%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 13.8 13.3 30.0 4.8 62 (100%) 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

26 

Figure 11: 24-hour average PM10 concentrations (shown as columns) and proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line (shown by the dotted line) at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the preveneering and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. The grey columns indicate days when 

more than 1mm of rain fell. The vertical line indicates the start of the post-veneering monitoring period.

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

27 

Average PM10 concentrations over the pre-veneering monitoring period were 30 per cent or less of 

the EPP Air 24-hour objective. Average PM10 concentrations over the post-veneering monitoring 

period increased at the Oakey and Dinmore monitoring sites, but decreased at the Fairfield, 

Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites. However, the observed decrease in average PM10 levels 

at the Fairfield and Coorparoo sites cannot be attributed to the commencement of coal wagon 

veneering, as a similar decrease was observed at the Chelmer background monitoring site and at 

DSITIA ambient air monitoring network sites in Brisbane (see Figure 12). The lack of a consistent 

trend across all rail corridor monitoring sites means that it is unlikely that the increase observed at 

the Oakey and Dinmore sites during the post-veneering monitoring period is primarily related to rail 

transport emissions. 

Figure 12: Average PM10 concentrations at the rail corridor and DSITIA ambient air quality monitoring 

network sites in Brisbane during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013.

Analysis of the pre- and post-veneering PM10 datasets using a range of non-parametric and 

parametric statistical tests was undertaken to determine if the introduction of veneering had 

resulted in any measurable change in 24-hour average PM10 concentrations15. It was found that 

any impact from veneering was less than the day-to-day variability in PM10 concentrations which, 

when viewed in conjunction with the observations discussed below, suggests that coal trains are 

not a major contributor to overall PM10 levels at the rail corridor monitoring sites. 

There was a close correlation between the PM10 levels measured at the Metropolitan rail system 

rail corridor monitoring sites and those measured at DSITIA ambient air quality monitoring network 

sites in Brisbane located away from the rail corridor used by coal trains during both the pre- and 

post-veneering monitoring periods. This indicates that regional urban PM10 sources are a 

significant contributor to PM10 levels measured along the rail corridor. 

This is further supported by considering the PM10 measurements obtained at the monitoring sites 

on days when no coal trains were operating. During the pre-veneering monitoring period, no coal 

trains and ten or less freight services travelled past the monitoring stations over the Easter long 

weekend (Friday 29 to Sunday 31 March) and the weekend of 20 and 21 April. The average PM10

concentrations measured at the monitoring sites over these days — 10.6 μg/m3

 at Oakey (29-31 

March only), 15.3 μg/m3

 at Dinmore (20 and 21 April only), 16.1 μg/m3 at Fairfield, 14.4 μg/m3 at 

Coorparoo and 16.2 μg/m3

 at Chelmer (20 and 21 April only) — were very similar to the average 

values measured over the entire pre-veneering period (see Figure 12). During the post-veneering 

monitoring period, no coal trains operated on Sunday 16 June. The 24-hour average PM10

 

15 Non-parametric statistical tests included Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The parametric statistical test was a 

generalised least squares model which allowed for autoregressive correlations between observations within a site and 

included an overall effect of rain (2 level factor), wind (variable) and veneering (2 level factor) and site. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

28 

concentrations at the Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring sites on this day were 10.1 μg/m3 and 

10.7 μg/m3

 respectively, again quite similar to the average concentrations measured over the 

entire post-veneering monitoring period at these sites. 

While there was a small increase in winds from the rail corridor at the Oakey (North) site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, highest daily PM10 measurements tended to occur on days with 

a lower proportion of winds from the direction of the rail corridor (see Figure 11). This suggests that 

rail transport emissions were not the only factor responsible for the increased average PM10 level 

recorded at the Oakey site during the post-veneering monitoring period. The increase in average 

PM10 concentration measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the post-veneering 

monitoring period can be attributed to a greater impact from motor vehicle emissions. During this 

period over 90 per cent of all winds came from the direction of Brisbane Road and the Cunningham 

Highway rather than from the rail corridor. 

The relationship between 24-hour PM10 concentrations and the proportion of winds blowing from 

the direction of the rail line at the five rail corridor monitoring sites over the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods is plotted in Figure 13. To minimise the impact of dust suppression due to rain, 

days when more than 5 mm of rain fell have been excluded from this analysis. The heavy dotted 

lines show the underlying trend for the pre-veneering monitoring period at each monitoring site. 

The heavy solid lines show the underlying trend for the post-veneering monitoring period at each 

monitoring site. 

During the pre-veneering monitoring period a small positive relationship between winds from the 

direction of the rail corridor and PM10 concentrations was seen at all sites except Coorparoo. The 

maximum trend was a 1.2 μg/m3

 increase in PM10 for each 10 per cent increase in winds from the 

direction of the rail corridor at the Dinmore monitoring site. During the post-veneering monitoring 

period a small positive relationship was seen at the Dinmore and Coorparoo sites, while the 

remaining sites displayed a small negative relationship. The maximum trend was again observed 

at the Dinmore monitoring site where there was a 1.7 μg/m3

 increase in PM10 for each 10 per cent 

increase in winds from the direction of the rail corridor. While train movements may contribute to 

PM10 concentrations in the vicinity of the rail corridor, these results are consistent with previous 

observations that other urban PM10 sources such as motor vehicle emissions transported from 

roads upwind of the monitoring site appear to be the major influence on measured PM10 levels. 

The roads around the Dinmore monitoring site have the highest traffic density, and the highest 

proportion of heavy vehicles, of all the rail corridor monitoring sites, so it is not surprising that this 

site displayed the most significant relationship trend. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

29 

Figure 13: Relationship between 24-hour average PM10 concentrations and proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and post-veneering 

monitoring periods, March to July 2013. The heavy dotted line shows the underlying trend during the preveneering period. The heavy solid line shows the underlying trend during the post-veneering period. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

30 

PM2.5

Reported PM2.5 values are the total concentrations from all PM2.5 emission sources in proximity to 

the monitoring sites as described in the earlier discussion on the individual monitoring sites, not 

just PM2.5 emissions from coal trains and other rail transport. 

The 24-hour average PM2.5 monitoring results obtained from the Partisol® instruments at the 

Oakey, Dinmore, Fairfield, Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and 

post-veneering monitoring periods are summarised in Table 7 and displayed graphically in Figure 

14. Daily measurement data for these sites is provided in Tables 20 to 29 in Appendix 1 of this 

report. Post-veneering monitoring was conducted for a one-month period at the Oakey, Dinmore 

and Chelmer monitoring sites and concluded on 2 June. At the Fairfield and Coorparoo monitoring 

sites where monitoring was extended for a further one-month period due to technical issues 

experienced with the real-time particle monitoring instruments, PM2.5 monitoring concluded on 

2 July. 

Figure 14 also shows the proportion of winds blowing from the rail corridor to the sampling site for 

each sampling day (indicated by the dotted line) and those days when more than 1 mm of rain fell 

during the day (indicated by the grey columns). To provide a regional context, summary PM2.5

information for the same periods from a number of DSITIA’s South East Queensland ambient 

monitoring network stations in Brisbane is also included in Table 7. 

PM2.5 data availability was greater than 70 per cent for all monitoring sites except Oakey (postveneering), Dinmore (pre-veneering) and Chelmer (post-veneering). Across the monitoring sites, 

there was sufficient data available on each day to adequately assess PM2.5 levels in the rail 

corridor. PM2.5 data for the Dinmore (South) site may not be representative of the overall preveneering period due to the low number of PM2.5 samples collected. Loss of PM2.5 samples 

occurred as a result of the new filter cartridge jamming during the daily automatic filter exchange 

process. When this happened the sampler ceased to operate until the jam was cleared by DSITIA 

field staff on the next site visit. This problem occurred repeatedly at the Oakey site during the latter 

part of the pre-veneering period and during the post-veneering period, at the Dinmore site during 

the pre-veneering period, and at the Chelmer site during the post-veneering period, resulting in 

extended periods of data loss. A replacement dichotomous sampler was installed at the Dinmore 

site on 23 April. 

During the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods the EPP Air 24-hour PM2.5 objective of 

25 μg/m3

 was not exceeded at any of the rail corridor monitoring sites. Average PM2.5

concentrations over the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods were less than the EPP Air 

annual objective value of 8 μg/m3

, although the monitoring periods were insufficient to confirm 

compliance with this objective. 

During the pre-veneering monitoring period the highest 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration was 

23.2 μg/m3

 (93 per cent of the EPP Air objective) measured at the Coorparoo (North) site on 19 

March. On this day winds blew from the direction of the rail corridor towards the monitoring site for 

73 per cent of the day and coincided with the passage of 12 loaded and 10 unloaded coal trains. 

The highest average PM2.5 concentration over the pre-veneering monitoring period was 7.1 μg/m3

(89 per cent of the EPP Air annual objective) at the Chelmer background monitoring site. The 

highest average PM2.5 concentration at one of the monitoring sites situated on the rail corridor used 

by coal trains over the pre-veneering monitoring period was 7.0 μg/m3

 (88 per cent of the EPP Air 

annual objective) at the Coorparoo (North) site. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

31 

Table 7: 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration statistics at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the preand post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Veneering 

period 

24-hour PM2.5 concentration (μg/m3) Number of

24-hour 

Average Median Maximum Minimum samples 

The Environmental Protection Policy (Air) 2008 objectives for PM2.5 are 8 μg/m3 averaged over one year and 

25 μg/m3

 averaged over a 24 hour period.

Rail corridor monitoring sites (coal trains) 

Oakey (North) 

Pre-veneering 

(7 March – 1 May) 3.6 3.5 8.2 1.6 43 (77%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 5.4 5.7 9.1 2.2 17 (53%) 

Dinmore (South) 

Pre-veneering 

(7 March – 1 May) 5.3 5.2 7.9 3.5 8 (14%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 5.7 5.4 10.1 3.0 29 (91%) 

Fairfield (East) 

Pre-veneering 

(6 March – 1 May) 6.6 6.2 13.6 3.2 56 (98%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May - 2 July) 6.1 6.0 11.0 0.3 46 (74%) 

Coorparoo (North) 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 7.0 6.4 23.2 2.9 49 (84%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May - 2 July) 6.2 6.0 11.3 1.9 59 (95%) 

Rail corridor background monitoring site (no coal trains)

Chelmer 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 7.1 6.6 16.4 3.9 41 (71%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 June) 5.6 5.9 8.3 2.7 18 (56%) 

DSITIA ambient air quality monitoring network sites in Brisbane 

Rocklea 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 6.3 6.2 10.6 2.6 35 (60%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 4.8 4.7 9.1 1.2 60 (97%) 

Woolloongabba 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 7.6 7.4 16.5 2.5 51 (88%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 6.6 6.4 12.7 0.0 55 (89%) 

South Brisbane 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 6.9 6.5 17.1 2.5 58 (100%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 7.1 6.9 12.7 3.7 59 (95%) 

Wynnum 

Pre-veneering 

(5 March – 1 May) 3.9 3.4 12.9 1.2 58 (100%) 

Post-veneering 

(2 May – 2 July) 3.7 3.6 7.4 0.5 57 (92%) 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

32 

Figure 14: 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations (shown as columns) and proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line (shown by the dotted line) at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the study period, 

March to July 2013. The grey columns indicate days when more than 1mm of rain fell. The vertical line 

indicates the start of the post-veneering monitoring period. 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

33 

During the post-veneering monitoring period the highest 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration was 

11.3 μg/m3

 (45 per cent of the EPP Air objective) measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring 

site on 5 May. On this day winds blew from the direction of the rail corridor towards the monitoring 

site for 56 per cent of the day and coincided with the passage of four loaded and five unloaded 

coal trains. 

The highest average PM2.5 concentration over the post-veneering monitoring period was 6.2 μg/m3

(78 per cent of the EPP Air annual objective) at the Coorparoo (North) site. 

Average PM2.5 concentrations over the post-veneering monitoring period increased compared to 

the pre-veneering monitoring period at the Oakey and Dinmore monitoring sites, but decreased at 

the Fairfield, Coorparoo and Chelmer monitoring sites. However, the observed decrease in 

average PM2.5 levels at the Fairfield and Coorparoo sites cannot be attributed to the 

commencement of coal wagon veneering, as a corresponding decrease was observed at the 

Chelmer background monitoring site and at the majority of DSITIA ambient monitoring network 

sites in Brisbane (Figure 15). The lack of a consistent trend across all rail corridor monitoring sites 

means that it is unlikely that the increase observed at the Oakey and Dinmore sites during the 

post-veneering monitoring period was primarily related to rail transport emissions. 

Figure 15: Average PM2.5 concentrations at the rail corridor and Brisbane ambient air quality monitoring 

network sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013.

Analysis of the pre- and post-veneering PM2.5 datasets using a range of non-parametric and 

parametric statistical tests was undertaken to determine if the introduction of veneering had 

resulted in any measurable change in 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations16. It was found that 

any impact from veneering was less than the day-to-day variability in PM2.5 concentrations which, 

when viewed in conjunction with the observations discussed below, suggests that coal trains are 

not a major contributor to overall PM2.5 levels at the rail corridor monitoring sites. 

As with PM10, there was a close comparison between the PM2.5 levels measured at the 

Metropolitan rail system rail corridor monitoring sites and those measured at DSITIA ambient 

monitoring network sites in Brisbane located away from the rail corridor used by coal trains during 

both the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. This, coupled with the fact that the Chelmer 

background site measured the highest average PM2.5 concentration during the pre-veneering 

monitoring period, indicates that regional urban PM2.5 sources are a potentially more significant 

contributor to PM2.5 levels measured along the rail corridor. 

 

16 Non-parametric statistical tests included Friedman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The parametric statistical test was a 

generalised least squares model which allowed for autoregressive correlations between observations within a site and 

included an overall effect of rain (2 level factor), wind (variable) and veneering (2 level factor) and site 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

34 

This is further supported by considering the PM2.5 measurements obtained at the monitoring sites 

on days when no coal trains were operating. During the pre-veneering monitoring period, no coal 

trains and ten or less freight services travelled past the monitoring stations over the Easter long 

weekend (Friday 29 to Sunday 31 March) and the weekend of 20 and 21 April. The average PM2.5

concentrations measured at the monitoring sites over these days — 3.7 μg/m3

 at Oakey (29-31 

March only), 6.7 μg/m3

 at Fairfield, 6.2 μg/m3 at Coorparoo (29-31 March only) and 7.7 μg/m3 at 

Chelmer (20 and 21 April only) — were very similar to the average values measured over the 

entire pre-veneering period (Figure 15). No data was available for Dinmore as the PM2.5 sampler 

was not operating on these days. During the post-veneering monitoring period, no coal trains 

operated on Sunday 16 June. The 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration at the Coorparoo 

monitoring site on this day was 7.0 μg/m3

, which was slightly higher than the average 

concentration measured over the entire post-veneering monitoring period at this site. No data was 

available for Fairfield as the PM2.5 sampler was not operating on this day. 

While there was a small increase in winds from the rail corridor at the Oakey (North) site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, highest daily PM2.5 measurements tended to occur on days with 

a lower proportion of winds from the direction of the rail corridor (see Figure 14). This suggests that 

rail transport emissions were not the only factor responsible for the increased average PM2.5 level 

recorded at the Oakey site during the post-veneering monitoring period. The increase in average 

PM2.5 concentration measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the post-veneering 

monitoring period can be attributed to a greater impact from motor vehicle emissions. During this 

period over 90 per cent of all winds were from the direction of Brisbane Road and the Cunningham 

Highway rather than from the rail corridor. 

The relationship between 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations and the proportion of winds blowing from 

the direction of the rail line at the five rail corridor monitoring sites over the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods is plotted in Figure 16. To minimise the impact of dust suppression due to rain, 

days when more than 5 mm of rain fell have been excluded from this analysis. The heavy dotted 

lines show the underlying trend for the pre-veneering monitoring period at each monitoring site. 

The heavy solid lines show the underlying trend for the post-veneering monitoring period at each 

monitoring site. 

During the pre-veneering monitoring period a small positive relationship between winds from the 

direction of the rail corridor and PM2.5 concentrations was seen at all sites except Coorparoo. The 

maximum trend was a 0.7 μg/m3

 increase in PM2.5 for each 10 per cent increase in winds from the 

rail corridor at the Fairfield monitoring site. During the post-veneering monitoring period a small 

positive relationship was seen at the Dinmore site (1.1 μg/m3

 increase in PM2.5 for each 10 per cent 

increase in winds from the direction of the rail corridor), while the remaining sites displayed a small 

negative relationship. While train movements may contribute to PM2.5 concentrations in the vicinity 

of the rail corridor, these results are consistent with previous observations that other urban PM2.5

sources such as motor vehicle emissions from roads upwind of the monitoring site appear to be the 

major influence on measured PM2.5 levels. The roads around the Dinmore monitoring site have the 

highest traffic density, and the highest proportion of heavy vehicles, of all the rail corridor 

monitoring sites, so it is not surprising that this site displayed the most significant relationship 

trend. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

35 

Figure 16: Relationship between 24-hour average PM2.5 concentrations and proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line at the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre-veneering and post-veneering 

monitoring periods, March to June 2013. The heavy dotted line shows the underlying trend for the preveneering period. The heavy solid line shows the underlying trend for the post-veneering period. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

36 

Deposited dust 

In this investigation amenity degradation was evaluated by measuring dust deposition, or the 

amount of dust settling from the air at the monitoring sites. Sampling was conducted at each of the 

seven rail corridor monitoring sites. The dust fallout levels were assessed against criteria for dust 

annoyance. No health-based ambient air quality guidelines exist for deposited matter. 

Dust that settles from the air is made up almost entirely of larger particles 30 micrometres and 

greater in diameter17. 

Reported dust deposition values are the combined total from all dust emission sources in proximity 

to the monitoring sites as described in the earlier discussion on the individual monitoring sites, not 

just dust emissions from coal trains and other rail transport. 

The dust deposition analysis method allows for the determination of total, dissolved and insoluble 

deposited matter, with a further breakdown of the insoluble fraction into combustible (organic) 

matter and ash (mineral) content. Insoluble matter is the solid material collected by filtering the 

sample, while the dissolved matter is determined by evaporating some or all of the liquid filtrate. As 

a general rule, the dissolved material is of little interest in assessing nuisance effects. In a coastal 

environment a large proportion of the dissolved matter would be marine salt. ‘Combustible 

(organic) matter’ is that portion of the insoluble matter lost on heating at a temperature of 850o

C for 

30 minutes and is an indication of the amount of organic material in the dust. Any coal particles 

present in the insoluble deposited dust will be part of this organic matter fraction, along with other 

organic material such as plant fragments, insect material, plastic fragments, wood dust, soot and 

rubber dust. The ash content is an indication of the mineral content of the dust. The ash is often 

primarily soil or rock particles. 

Two monthly dust deposition samples were collected at each of the seven monitoring sites during 

the pre-veneering monitoring period from March into early May 2013. The Willowburn (East) and 

Willowburn (West) samples collected during March had to be invalidated due to extensive algal 

growth in the collected solution. 

A single monthly sample was collected at the Oakey, Willowburn, Dinmore and Chelmer monitoring 

from May into early June 2013 following the commencement of coal wagon veneering at the New 

Hope Mine. With the decision to extend the post-veneering monitoring at the Tennyson, Fairfield 

and Coorparoo sites for a further month, two monthly dust deposition samples were collected at 

these sites during the post-veneering monitoring period from May into early July 2013. 

The results of dust deposition sampling at the rail corridor monitoring sites for the combined two 

monthly samples collected during the pre-veneering monitoring period and the one sample, or 

combined two monthly samples, collected during the post-veneering monitoring period are 

summarised in Table 8 and displayed graphically in Figures 17 to 23. In Figures 17 to 23 the 

contributions from combustible (organic) matter particle types and ash (mineral) particle types to 

the overall insoluble dust deposition rate are shown by the divisions on each column, and the 

proportion of winds blowing from the direction of the rail corridor during the sampling period is 

shown by the dotted line. Details of the individual monthly dust deposition samples and analysis 

results can be found in Table 30 in Appendix 1 of this report. 

 

17 J.H. Fairweather, A.F. Sidlow and W.L. Faith, Particle size distribution of settled dust, Journal of the Air Pollution 

Control Association, 15:8, 345-347, 1965, available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1965.10468389, accessed 29 

August 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

37 

Table 8: Average daily dust deposition rates (mg/m2/day) measured at the rail corridor monitoring sites 

during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative to 

rail line 

Veneering 

period 

Dust depositiona

(mg/m2/day)

Winds 

from 

direction 

of 

rail line 

(%)

Rainfall

(mm)b

Insoluble 

solids 

Ash 

(mineral) 

Combustible 

(organic) 

matter 

Rail corridor monitoring sites (coal trains)

Oakey 

North 

Pre 32 7 25 23 62 

Post 17 17 0 34 39 

South 

Pre 62 10 52 77 62 

Post 33 26 7 66 39 

Willowburn 

(Toowoomba) 

East 

Pre 25 5 20 19 24 

Post 33 13 20 32 74 

West 

Pre 11 4 7 81 24 

Post 14 7 7 68 74 

Dinmore 

North 

Pre 52 23 29 62 152 

Post 20 10 10 90 46 

South 

Pre 58 8 50 34 152 

Post 37 17 20 6 46 

Tennyson 

North 

Pre 104 22 82 78 162 

Post 30 20 10 88 129 

South 

Pre 103 20 83 22 162 

Post 57 45 12 14 129 

Fairfield 

East 

Pre 33 9 24 41 172 

Post 32 12 10 61 144 

West 

Pre 85 18 67 61 172 

Post 26 12 14 40 144 

Coorparoo 

North 

Pre 107 10 97 58 185 

Post 26 14 12 31 140 

South 

Pre 114 8 106 29 185 

Post 24 10 14 44 140 

Rail corridor background monitoring site (no coal trains)

Chelmer East 

Pre 53 5 48 46 166 

Post 36 13 23 77 52 

 a Ash deposition rate plus combustible (organic) matter deposition rate equals insoluble solids deposition rate. b Indicative only - estimated from the volume of water collected in the dust deposition bottle.
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

38 

Figure 17: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Oakey monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 

Figure 18: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring sites during the preand post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 

Figure 19: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Dinmore monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

39 

Figure 20: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Tennyson monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Figure 21: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Fairfield monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering 

monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Figure 22: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Coorparoo monitoring sites during the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

40 

Figure 23: Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the pre- and 

post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 

The New Zealand dust nuisance trigger level value of 130 mg/m2/day was not exceeded at any of 

the rail corridor monitoring sites during the pre- or post-veneering monitoring periods. The 

maximum daily average insoluble dust deposition rate measured during the pre-veneering period 

was 114 mg/m2

/day at the Coorparoo (South) monitoring site. The maximum daily average 

insoluble dust deposition rate measured during the post-veneering period was 57 mg/m2

/day at the 

Tennyson (South) monitoring site. 

With the exception of a small increase seen at the Willowburn monitoring site, there was a 

reduction in the deposition rate of insoluble particulate matter at all other monitoring sites following 

the commencement of coal wagon veneering at the start of May 2013. Results from the Chelmer 

background monitoring site suggest that, for metropolitan Brisbane monitoring sites at least, some 

of this reduction is likely to be a result of lower background dust levels. 

However, the apparent improvement in dust deposition rates at the rail corridor monitoring sites 

following the commencement of coal wagon veneering at the New Hope Mine needs to be qualified 

by the fact a number of the deposited dust results during the pre-veneering monitoring period 

showed a very high proportion of organic matter in the insoluble solids fraction (up to 93 per cent 

by weight). Previous monitoring at sites along the rail corridor in 1999 and again in 2012 found 

combustible (organic) matter typically comprised only 20 to 60 per cent of total insoluble solids18,19. 

When the pre-veneering deposited dust samples were collected it was noted at the time that many 

samples contained considerable amounts of non-representative biological debris such as whole 

and parts of insects and plant matter. It would appear that this non-representative material has 

contributed to the combustible (organic) matter (and hence overall insoluble solids) results. 

Deposited dust samples where organic matter makes up almost all the insoluble solids will be an 

overestimation of actual ambient deposited dust levels experienced during the pre-veneering 

monitoring period. 

 

18 SIMTARS, Coal Dust Monitoring: West Ipswich to Fisherman Islands – Queensland Rail Twelve Month Summary 

Report, File Reference 50/003/50/1/16, 1999. 19 Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation 

September to October 2012, available at http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/pdf/tennyson-dust-report.pdf, December 2012, 

accessed 22 July 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

41 

Dust composition 

One of the aims of the coal dust monitoring program was to obtain a measure of the contribution of 

coal dust to overall dust levels in the community. Microscopic analysis of a sample of the deposited 

dust was undertaken to determine the type of particles present in the deposited dust and their 

relative proportions. The dust composition analysis was undertaken using the deposited dust for 

two reasons: firstly, coal dust particles lost from rail wagons during transport would be expected to 

be predominantly larger than PM10 in size and, as such, would end up in the deposited dust sample 

and, secondly, the filter medium used by the PM10 and PM2.5 samplers is not suitable for the 

microscope technique used to distinguish the types of particles present as the sampled particles 

become imbedded within the filter and are not able to be quantitatively identified. 

The dust composition analysis was performed by filtering the sub-sample taken from the deposited 

dust collection bottles from each monitoring site through a membrane filter, followed by 

microscopic examination of the insoluble particles retained on the surface of filter. The microscope 

techniques used by the University of Queensland’s Applied Materials Characterisation and 

Performance Laboratory were capable of distinguishing a number of different types of particles in 

the deposited dust. The particle types able to be identified included a range of black-coloured 

particles (coal, soot and rubber dust), mineral dust (e.g. soil, rock, fly ash, cement, glass), 

biological particles (e.g. insect and plant fragments) and other general organic particles (e.g. wood, 

fibres, paint, plastics). 

The relative proportions of the different particles present in the dust sample were based on the 

surface area coverage of each particle type on the membrane filter. The microscope techniques 

were capable of resolving the relative surface area proportions of the different particle types to an 

accuracy of between 5 and 10 per cent. As the particle composition analysis is based on surface 

area coverage and the dust deposition rate analysis is based on particle mass, it is not possible to 

derive a quantitative deposition rate for individual particle types from the particle composition 

analysis results. 

Table 9 summarises the relative proportions (based on coverage of the filter surface area) of those 

particles found to be present across all the deposited dust samples collected at the rail corridor 

monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. Details of the composition 

results for the individual monthly dust deposition samples can be found in Table 31 in Appendix 1 

of this report. 

The relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at 

each monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods are displayed 

graphically in Figures 24 to 30. 

Some samples were found to contain copper sludge due to the addition of copper sulfate to the 

dust deposition bottle prior to sampling to control the growth of algae in the collection bottle during 

the sampling period as specified by the requirements of the Australian Standard method. The 

presence of copper sludge does not indicate a source of airborne copper compounds at these 

locations. For samples found to contain copper sludge, the copper sludge percentage was 

deducted and the remaining component percentages factored up to total of 100 per cent for 

comparison with the remaining samples in Figures 24 to 30. The proportion of winds blowing from 

the direction of the rail corridor during the sampling period is shown by the dotted line in Figures 24 

to 30. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

42 

Table 9: Composition of the deposited dust insoluble solids fraction at the rail corridor monitoring sites 

during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Veneering 

period 

Surface coverage (%)a

Black particles 

Inorganic 

and 

minerals 

Biological General 

organic 

Coal 

Soot 

Black rubber 

dust 

Soil or rock 

dust 

Copper sludge 

Photosynthetic 

slime and fungi 

Insect debris 

Plant debris 

(general) 

Fibres 

(miscellaneous) 

Paint 

Rail corridor monitoring sites (coal trains)

Oakey 

North 

Pre 15 ND 7 58 15 ND trace 5 ND ND 

Post 10 trace 10 80 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

South 

Pre 10 trace 10 60 20 ND trace trace ND ND 

Post 20 trace 10 70 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

Willowburn 

(Toowoomba) 

East 

Pre 10 trace ND 60 ND ND 20 10 ND ND 

Post trace ND ND 20 ND 60 20 ND ND ND 

West 

Pre 10 trace 10 80 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

Post 5 trace 10 75 ND ND 10 trace ND ND 

Dinmore 

North 

Pre 15 ND 10 65 10 ND trace trace trace ND 

Post 10 trace 30 60 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

South 

Pre 20 ND 10 50 ND ND 10 10 ND ND 

Post 10 trace trace 80 trace ND 10 trace ND ND 

Tennyson 

North 

Pre 10 ND 15 55 15 ND trace 5 ND ND 

Post 15 trace 15 65 5 ND trace trace trace ND 

South 

Pre 10 trace 10 70 trace ND trace 10 ND trace 

Post 8 trace 5 87 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

Fairfield 

East 

Pre 10 trace 10 70 trace ND trace 10 ND ND 

Post 5 trace 15 80 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

West 

Pre 10 trace 10 60 ND ND 5 15 trace trace 

Post 8 trace 10 82 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

Coorparoo 

North 

Pre 5 trace 10 70 trace ND 5 10 ND ND 

Post 13 ND 15 72 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

South 

Pre 20 trace 10 55 ND ND trace 15 trace trace 

Post 10 trace 20 65 trace ND 5 trace trace ND 

Rail corridor background monitoring site (no coal trains)

Chelmer East 

Pre ND trace ND 65 ND 10 10 15 trace ND 

Post trace trace 10 90 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

a

 The uncertainty in the measurement of surface coverage is ±5 per cent 

ND = not detected 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

43 

Figure 24: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Oakey monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 

Figure 25: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Willowburn (Toowoomba) monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to 

June 2013. 

Figure 26: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Dinmore monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

44 

Figure 27: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Tennyson monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Figure 28: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Fairfield monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Figure 29: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Coorparoo monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

45 

Figure 30: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at the 

Chelmer background monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 

2013. 

The major component of the deposited dust at each monitoring site was found to be mineral dust 

(soil or rock dust), comprising between 50 and 90 per cent of the total deposited dust fraction at 

each site. 

Coal dust was consistently detected in the deposited dust samples collected at monitoring sites 

situated on the section of the Western-Metropolitan rail corridor used by coal trains. Coal dust 

typically made up around 10 per cent of the total surface area in the deposited dust samples, with 

the amount present in individual samples ranging from trace levels up to 20 per cent of the total 

surface coverage. Coal dust was only detected at trace levels in one of the three deposited dust 

samples collected at the background monitoring site at Chelmer (Figure 30). As the Chelmer 

monitoring site was located only 4.5 kilometres from the nearest section of the Metropolitan rail 

system used by coal trains, this suggests that any dust impacts from coal transport will be localised 

to the immediate vicinity of the rail corridor used by coal trains and are unlikely to impact 

significantly on the broader community. 

Black rubber dust (generated primarily from vehicle tyre wear during driving) was found at most 

locations, typically accounting for about 10 per cent of the surface coverage, but up to 30 per cent 

in one sample at the Dinmore (North) site. Trace levels of soot were observed at most monitoring 

locations at some time. 

Particles of biological origin such as plant debris (e.g. bark, leaf fragments) and insect debris were 

commonly present at levels between 10 and 20 per cent, and up to 40 per cent in some cases, in 

samples collected during the pre-veneering monitoring period but were generally only present at 

trace levels in the post-veneering samples. Other particles observed in trace amounts in some 

samples were miscellaneous fibres and paint fragments. Some samples contained copper sludge 

due to the addition of copper sulfate to the dust deposition bottle prior to sampling to control the 

growth of algae in the collection bottle during the sampling period as specified by the requirements 

of the Australian Standard method. The presence of copper sludge does not indicate a source of 

airborne copper compounds at these locations. 

The proportion of coal dust found in the pre-veneering monitoring period dust samples (typically 

between 10 and 20 per cent) were similar to the levels found in a previous study at Tennyson in 

September and October 201220. Across the rail corridor monitoring sites, a general trend towards 

 

20 Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation 

September to October 2012, available at http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/air/pdf/tennyson-dust-report.pdf, December 2012, 

accessed 22 July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

46 

lower levels of coal dust in the deposited dust was observed following the commencement of rail 

wagon veneering at the New Hope Mine at the start of May 2013, although this trend was not 

consistent. While the proportion of coal present in the deposited dust samples remained constant 

or fell at most monitoring sites, levels increased in the post-veneering monitoring period at the 

Oakey (South), Tennyson (North) and Coorparoo (North) monitoring sites. 

The proportion of coal dust in the deposited dust samples did not show any obvious trend to 

greater loss with distance travelled from the point of loading in either the pre-veneering or postveneering samples. 

The presence of coal particles in the deposited dust samples will result from two main sources – 

direct loss from uncovered rail wagons and coal lodged on other rail wagon surfaces as the train 

passes, and re-entrainment of coal particles previously deposited on the rail track ballast and 

ground surface within the rail corridor during the passage of trains. Re-entrainment can occur 

during the passage of any train, not just coal trains. With the implementation of veneering it can be 

assumed that the direct loss of coal particles from rail wagons should decrease while, at least in 

the period immediately following the commencement of veneering, the amount of coal being reentrained (along with soil particles) from within the rail corridor will be largely unchanged (given 

similar climatic conditions). Evidence of this occurring should be seen as a decrease in the coal to 

soil particle ratio in the deposited dust samples following veneering, and should continue to decline 

over time if veneering is effective. 

The results of this analysis for the six monitoring sites along the rail corridor used by coal trains are 

shown in Figures 31 to 36. The proportion of winds blowing from the direction of the rail corridor 

during the sampling period is shown by the dotted line in Figures 31 to 36. 

Figure 31: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Oakey monitoring sites 

during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to June 2013. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

47 

Figure 32: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Willowburn monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to May 2013. 

Figure 33: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Dinmore monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to May 2013. 

Figure 34: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Tennyson monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

Figure 35: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Fairfield monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

48 

Figure 36: Ratio of coal to soil particles present in the deposited dust samples at the Coorparoo monitoring 

sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

From this analysis there is some indication that the ratio of coal to soil particles in the deposited 

dust samples may have decreased overall following the commencement of rail wagon veneering, 

however the degree of variability in the individual results highlights a need for further monitoring to 

confirm this apparent improvement is ongoing. 

The general trend towards decreased dust deposition rates and lower levels of coal dust in the 

deposited dust samples observed at most monitoring sites following the implementation of rail 

wagon veneering at the New Hope Mine suggests that veneering has reduced the loss of coal 

particles into the environment during transit. However, as climatic and other factors can 

significantly influence the results of individual deposited dust samples, monitoring over a period 

longer than one to two months is necessary in order to clearly demonstrate that veneering is 

effective in reducing coal loss during transit. The second phase of the Western-Metropolitan Rail 

Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program includes collection of deposited dust samples over a 12 

month period at one rail corridor monitoring site within Brisbane. This extended monitoring will 

provide a much clearer picture of the effectiveness of rail wagon veneering in reducing coal dust 

levels in the surrounding environment. Within this period all coal wagons transporting coal to the 

Port of Brisbane will be veneered. 

Dust levels during train movements 

As part of the study, DSITIA was requested to undertake monitoring of the short-term variability in 

particle levels at three Metropolitan rail line monitoring sites (Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo) to 

determine if the passage of different train types has any bearing on ambient particle levels. Fiveminute average PM2.5 and PM10 particle concentrations as recorded by the DusttrakTM instrument 

were collected to permit this analysis to be carried out. 

The methodology used to assess the impact of the passage of different train types on ambient 

particle levels involved comparing the average total particles concentration measurement during 

the two five-minute monitoring periods immediately before the passage of an individual train 

against the corresponding average concentration for the five-minute periods during and 

immediately following the passage of the train. An averaging period of ten minutes was chosen in 

order to capture ongoing particle changes at the monitoring sites that may occur after the train had 

passed. Details of the times of train movements past the monitoring sites during the investigation 

period were provided by Queensland Rail. To minimise the influence of multiple train movements, 

only ‘isolated’ train movements where there were no other trains within the 15 minute period before 

and the ten minute period following the passage of the train were considered in the analysis. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

49 

A further step was taken to exclude from the analysis those conditions where any impacts 

associated with the passage of the train were unlikely to be detected at the monitoring site. Only 

those ‘isolated’ train movements that took place during calm wind conditions (wind speeds less 

than 1 m/s) and/or when winds were blowing from the rail line towards the monitoring equipment 

were included in the analysis. 

Unfortunately, no valid DusttrakTM measurement data was collected at the Fairfield monitoring site 

during the pre-veneering monitoring period and data collected prior to 16 April at the Coorparoo 

monitoring site had to be invalidated due to instrument problems which proved difficult to resolve. 

To increase the overall dataset available for this analysis, DSITIA continued to collect real-time 

particle data at the three Metropolitan rail system monitoring sites for an additional month following 

the scheduled end of the post-veneering monitoring period. 

During the pre-veneering monitoring period from 5 March to 1 May 2013 there were 3192 train 

movements past the Tennyson (North) monitoring site. Of these, 1065 (33 per cent) fitted the 

‘isolated’ train criteria described above, comprising 310 loaded coal trains, 378 empty coal trains, 

271 other freight trains and 106 passenger trains. During the period from 16 April to 1 May 2013 

there were 2028 train movements (the majority being electric passenger trains) past the Coorparoo 

(North) monitoring site. Of these, 505 (25 per cent) fitted the individual train criteria described 

above, comprising 92 loaded coal trains, 133 empty coal trains, 28 other freight trains and 252 

passenger trains. 

During the post-veneering monitoring period from 2 May to 2 July 2013 there were 3256 train 

movements past the Tennyson (North) monitoring site. Of these, 571 (18 per cent) fitted the 

‘isolated’ train criteria described above, comprising 196 loaded coal trains, 205 empty coal trains, 

131 other freight trains and 39 passenger trains. There were 13 560 train movements (the majority 

being electric passenger trains) past the Fairfield (East) monitoring site. Of these, 283 (2 per cent) 

fitted the ‘isolated’ train criteria described above, comprising 65 loaded coal trains, 73 empty coal 

trains, 41 other freight trains and 104 passenger trains. There were 8120 train movements (the 

majority being electric passenger trains) past the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site. Of these, 458 

(6 per cent) fitted the ‘isolated’ train criteria described above, comprising 94 loaded coal trains, 138 

empty coal trains, 23 other freight trains and 203 passenger trains. 

The results of the analysis of the changes in PM10 and PM2.5 levels coinciding with train passing 

the monitoring site are displayed graphically for the three monitoring sites in Figures 37 to 42. 

Tables 32 to 37 in Appendix 1 of this report contain the frequency distribution values shown in 

these graphs. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

50 

Figure 37: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during the 

passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering and postveneering monitoring periods. 

Figure 38: Frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during the passage of different 

train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site over the post-veneering monitoring period. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

51 

Figure 39: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM10 concentration changes during the 

passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering and postveneering periods. 

Figure 40: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during the 

passage of different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering and postveneering monitoring periods. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

52 

Figure 41: Frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during the passage of different 

train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site over the post-veneering monitoring period. 

Figure 42: Comparison of the frequency of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration changes during the 

passage of different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site over the pre-veneering and postveneering periods. 

Overall, the passage of trains of all types was found to result in little change in ambient particle 

levels during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. Most train movements were found to 

result in less than a 10 μg/m3

 change in PM10 levels and less than a 5 μg/m3 change in PM2.5 levels 

at the monitoring sites. There was no obvious change associated with the commencement of coal 

wagon veneering. 

There was little overall difference seen in the short-term particle level changes associated with the 

different train types. From this it can be inferred that changes in particle levels resulting from the 

passage of trains are mainly the result of re-entrained particles from surfaces within the rail corridor 

rather than direct emissions from trains. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

53 

Conclusions 

Analysis of the measurements at the monitoring sites located on the Western and Metropolitan rail 

system from March to June 2013 has found that ambient particle concentrations complied with 

ambient air quality objectives at all times during both the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods. 

Reduced dust emissions due to frequent rainfall in the months prior to and during the 

pre-veneering and post-veneering monitoring periods will have impacted on particle levels 

measured during the investigation period. This is reflected in lower PM10 and deposited dust 

measurements during this investigation compared with previous monitoring at the Tennyson 

(North) monitoring site during dry conditions in September and October 2012. 

PM10 levels did not exceed the EPP Air 24-hour air quality objective of 50 μg/m3

 at any of the rail 

corridor monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. The highest 

measured 24-hour PM10 concentration during the pre-veneering monitoring period was 32.2 μg/m3

, 

or 64 per cent of the EPP Air objective, at the urban background monitoring site at Chelmer. The 

highest 24-hour average PM10 concentration measured at one of the monitoring sites adjacent to 

the rail corridor used by coal trains was 28.5 μg/m3

 (57 per cent of the EPP Air objective) at the 

Fairfield (East) monitoring site. During the post-veneering monitoring period the highest measured 

24-hour average PM10 concentration was 38.5 μg/m3

, or 77 per cent of the EPP Air objective, at 

the Fairfield (East) monitoring site. 

PM2.5 levels did not exceed the EPP Air 24-hour air quality objective of 25 μg/m3

 at any of the rail 

corridor monitoring sites during the pre- and post-veneering periods. In both periods, average 

PM2.5 concentrations were less than the EPP Air annual objective value of 8 μg/m3

, although the 

periods of monitoring were insufficient to confirm compliance with this objective. The highest 

measured 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration during the pre-veneering monitoring period was 

23.2 μg/m3

 (93 per cent of the EPP Air objective) at the Coorparoo (North) site. The highest 

measured 24-hour average PM2.5 concentration during the post-veneering monitoring period was 

11.3 μg/m3

 (45 per cent of the EPP Air objective) at the Coorparoo (North) site. 

A number of observations support the conclusion that the major influence on PM10 and PM2.5

concentrations at the rail corridor monitoring sites is not rail transport emissions but regional urban 

particle emission sources. These include the close correspondence between PM10 and PM2.5 levels 

measured at Metropolitan line rail corridor sites and DSITIA ambient air monitoring network sites 

elsewhere in Brisbane; the highest 24-hour PM2.5 concentration during the pre-veneering period 

being recorded at the Chelmer background monitoring site; the lack of any strong relationship 

between PM10 and PM2.5 levels and the proportion of winds from the direction of the rail corridor; 

PM10 and PM2.5 measurements recorded on days when no coal and few freight train services were 

running differing little from the average concentrations over the monitoring period; and the results 

of statistical analyses which found that any impact from veneering was less than the day-to-day 

variability in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations. 

Insoluble dust deposition rates did not exceed the trigger level for nuisance dust of 4 g/m2

/30days 

above background levels (or 130 mg/m2

/day averaged over the 30-day period) recommended by 

the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment at any of the rail corridor monitoring sites during 

both the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods. The maximum insoluble dust deposition rate 

measured over the pre-veneering monitoring period was 114 mg/m2

/day at the Coorparoo (South) 

monitoring site. The maximum daily average insoluble dust deposition rate measured over the 

post-veneering period was 57 mg/m2

/day at the Tennyson (South) site. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

54 

Microscopic examination showed that mineral dust (soil or rock dust) was the major component (50 

to 90 per cent) of the deposited dust at each monitoring site during both the pre- and postveneering monitoring periods. Coal dust was consistently detected in the deposited dust from all 

monitoring sites along the rail corridor used by coal trains, but was only detected at trace levels in 

one sample at the Chelmer background monitoring site located on a section of the Metropolitan rail 

system not used by coal trains. Coal particles typically accounted for about 10 per cent of the total 

surface area in the deposited dust samples, with the amount present in individual samples ranging 

from trace levels up to 20 per cent of the total surface coverage. At most locations another blackcoloured particle, rubber dust, was found to make up on average about 10 per cent of the 

deposited dust surface coverage. 

A general trend towards decreased dust deposition rates and lower levels of coal dust in the 

deposited dust samples was observed at most monitoring sites following the implementation of rail 

wagon veneering at the New Hope Mine, although quantitative conclusions could not be drawn due 

to the presence of considerable amounts of plant and insect matter in many of the pre-veneering 

monitoring period samples. While this suggests that veneering has reduced the loss of coal 

particles during transit, monitoring over a period longer than one to two months is needed to 

demonstrate that this improvement is real and ongoing. This will be measured by the collection of 

deposited dust samples over a 12 month period at one rail corridor monitoring site within Brisbane 

as part of the second phase of the Western - Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring 

Program. 

During both the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods the passage of trains was found to 

result in little change in 10-minute average PM10 and PM2.5 levels at the Tennyson, Fairfield and 

Coorparoo monitoring sites. There was also little overall difference seen between the short-term 

particle level changes associated with the passage of different train types. From this it can be 

inferred that changes in particle levels resulting from the passage of trains are mainly the result of 

re-entrained particles from surfaces within the rail corridor rather than direct emissions from trains. 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

55 

Appendix 1: Measurement data 

Table 10: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

7/03/2013 9.9 0.0 0.6 4/04/2013 8.6 6.4 0.0 

8/03/2013 8.9 0.0 1.0 5/04/2013 9.3 16.7 0.0 

9/03/2013 7.6 4.2 0.0 6/04/2013 9.0 4.2 0.0 

10/03/2013 14.5 18.8 0.2 7/04/2013 8.1 14.6 0.0 

11/03/2013 12.0 12.5 0.0 8/04/2013 6.1 8.3 0.0 

12/03/2013 16.0 22.9 0.0 9/04/2013 4.8 8.3 0.0 

13/03/2013 15.2 45.8 0.0 10/04/2013 6.6 10.4 0.0 

14/03/2013 12.9 52.1 0.0 11/04/2013 8.6 2.1 0.0 

15/03/2013 14.2 6.3 0.0 12/04/2013 9.8 18.8 0.0 

16/03/2013 21.8 31.3 0.0 13/04/2013 7.2 89.6 1.2 

17/03/2013 21.9 56.3 0.2 14/04/2013 9.2 50.0 0.2 

18/03/2013 19.2 0.0 0.0 15/04/2013 13.2 18.8 0.0 

19/03/2013 10.5 0.0 0.0 16/04/2013 15.8 43.8 3.4 

20/03/2013 9.8 0.0 0.0 17/04/2013 9.1 35.4 0.4 

21/03/2013 12.0 0.0 0.0 18/04/2013 12.4 64.6 0.0 

22/03/2013 8.5 0.0 0.0 19/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 13.4 39.6 0.0 20/04/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 

24/03/2013 14.3 14.6 21.6 21/04/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 

25/03/2013 8.9 0.0 0.0 22/04/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 

26/03/2013 9.0 2.1 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 

27/03/2013 9.3 0.0 0.0 24/04/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 

28/03/2013 11.6 2.1 0.0 25/04/2013 no data 47.9 0.0 

29/03/2013 12.6 43.8 0.0 26/04/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

30/03/2013 11.4 0.0 0.2 27/04/2013 no data 14.6 0.0 

31/03/2013 7.8 43.8 22.4 28/04/2013 no data 12.5 1.2 

1/04/2013 9.9 81.3 0.0 29/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

2/04/2013 9.9 35.4 0.0 30/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

3/04/2013 10.8 18.8 1.4 1/05/2013 no data 10.4 0.0 

a

 as recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Oakey Airport rainfall measurement site. 

Note: missing data due to a filter exchange mechanism failure on the dichotomous Partisol®

 sampler that occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

56 

Table 11: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 23.4 27.1 0.0 17/05/2013 10.7 81.3 0.2 

3/05/2013 13.3 4.2 0.8 18/05/2013 9.2 56.3 0.0 

4/05/2013 20.1 56.3 0.0 19/05/2013 no data 85.4 0.0 

5/05/2013 19.1 0.0 0.0 20/05/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

6/05/2013 18.4 0.0 0.0 21/05/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 

7/05/2013 no data 0.0 0.0 22/05/2013 no data 16.7 0.6 

8/05/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 23/05/2013 15.7 91.7 12.4 

9/05/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 24/05/2013 9.4 91.7 0.0 

10/05/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 25/05/2013 12.7 66.7 0.0 

11/05/2013 no data 12.5 0.0 26/05/2013 16.2 44.7 0.0 

12/05/2013 no data 6.3 0.4 27/05/2013 15.4 18.8 0.0 

13/05/2013 no data 6.3 0.2 28/05/2013 9.2 8.3 0.0 

14/05/2013 no data 75.0 12.0 29/05/2013 14.3 0.0 1.2 

15/05/2013 no data 79.2 0.0 30/05/2013 5.2 0.0 0.0 

16/05/2013 18.1 58.3 0.0 31/05/2013 10.2 0.0 0.2 

a

 as recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Oakey Airport rainfall measurement site. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

57 

Table 12: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

7/03/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 4/04/2013 no data 10.4 1.8 

8/03/2013 no data 12.5 0.2 5/04/2013 no data 0.0 0.7 

9/03/2013 no data 4.2 1.1 6/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

10/03/2013 no data 27.1 0.0 7/04/2013 no data 22.9 1.5 

11/03/2013 no data 8.3 1.1 8/04/2013 13.5 14.6 0.5 

12/03/2013 no data 22.9 0.7 9/04/2013 15.2 50.0 2.5 

13/03/2013 no data 27.1 0.0 10/04/2013 12.3 33.3 0.0 

14/03/2013 no data 50.0 0.0 11/04/2013 14.8 27.1 0.1 

15/03/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 12/04/2013 14.3 16.7 9.5 

16/03/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 13/04/2013 8.1 35.4 18.6 

17/03/2013 no data 64.6 0.0 14/04/2013 12.2 43.8 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 15/04/2013 17.1 66.7 0.0 

19/03/2013 no data 31.3 0.0 16/04/2013 16 66.7 4.6 

20/03/2013 no data 0.0 0.1 17/04/2013 12.9 47.9 4.6 

21/03/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 18/04/2013 17.5 85.4 0.0 

22/03/2013 no data 47.9 0.0 19/04/2013 25.8 70.8 0.0 

23/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 20/04/2013 19.2 66.7 0.0 

24/03/2013 no data 64.6 16.3 21/04/2013 11.3 60.4 0.0 

25/03/2013 no data 25.0 0.0 22/04/2013 18.5 60.4 0.0 

26/03/2013 no data 18.8 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 63.8 0.0 

27/03/2013 no data 25.0 1.1 24/04/2013 14.6 18.8 0.0 

28/03/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 25/04/2013 10.5 14.6 0.0 

29/03/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 26/04/2013 11.9 20.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 no data 16.7 0.0 27/04/2013 10.2 14.6 0.0 

31/03/2013 no data 60.4 14.7 28/04/2013 7.4 18.8 0.0 

1/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.1 29/04/2013 13 33.3 0.0 

2/04/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 30/04/2013 12.6 22.9 0.0 

3/04/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 1/05/2013 12.1 29.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data prior to 8 April due to ongoing problems with filter exchange mechanism on the dichotomous Partisol®

sampler. The dichotomous Partisol® sampler was replaced with a single channel PM10 Partisol® sampler on 7 April. A 

replacement dichotomous Partisol®

 sampler was reinstalled on 23 April in order to obtain both PM10 and PM2.5

measurements at the monitoring site. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

58 

Table 13: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 12.2 0.0 0.0 18/05/2013 13.0 2.1 0.0 

3/05/2013 24.2 2.1 0.0 19/05/2013 7.3 0.0 0.0 

4/05/2013 23.7 14.6 0.0 20/05/2013 11.1 6.3 0.0 

5/05/2013 23.7 12.5 0.0 21/05/2013 19.0 4.2 0.0 

6/05/2013 22.3 12.5 0.0 22/05/2013 14.7 10.4 4.5 

7/05/2013 12.7 4.2 0.0 23/05/2013 8.4 0.0 0.0 

8/05/2013 14.1 8.3 0.0 24/05/2013 12.6 0.0 0.7 

9/05/2013 12.4 0.0 1.0 25/05/2013 30.7 0.0 0.0 

10/05/2013 15.2 6.3 1.0 26/05/2013 11.5 0.0 0.0 

11/05/2013 12.5 2.1 4.5 27/05/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

12/05/2013 7.9 10.4 3.5 28/05/2013 19.6 0.0 5.0 

13/05/2013 9.7 14.6 1.5 29/05/2013 17.3 4.2 2.2 

14/05/2013 11.0 2.1 1.2 30/05/2013 17.2 16.7 22.9 

15/05/2013 10.1 16.7 0.0 31/05/2013 9.7 2.1 1.1 

16/05/2013 9.2 0.0 0.0 1/06/2013 18.7 31.3 0.0 

17/05/2013 no data 0.0 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

59 

Table 14: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 6 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

6/03/2013 13.2 8.3 0.8 4/04/2013 11.2 18.8 1.8 

7/03/2013 no data 14.6 0.0 5/04/2013 13.6 31.3 0.7 

8/03/2013 no data 18.8 0.2 6/04/2013 12.4 50.0 0.0 

9/03/2013 no data 14.6 1.1 7/04/2013 9.6 43.8 1.5 

10/03/2013 no data 35.4 0.0 8/04/2013 10.5 35.4 0.5 

11/03/2013 no data 22.9 1.1 9/04/2013 9.9 37.5 2.5 

12/03/2013 no data 33.3 0.7 10/04/2013 11.4 35.4 0.0 

13/03/2013 18.7 47.9 0.0 11/04/2013 12.2 27.1 0.1 

14/03/2013 16.3 52.1 0.0 12/04/2013 14.7 56.3 9.5 

15/03/2013 21.6 43.8 0.0 13/04/2013 9.1 64.6 18.6 

16/03/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 14/04/2013 14.2 56.3 0.0 

17/03/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 15/04/2013 20.3 52.1 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 20.8 0.0 16/04/2013 18.1 56.3 4.6 

19/03/2013 no data 22.9 0.0 17/04/2013 14 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 no data 18.8 0.1 18/04/2013 16.1 70.8 0.0 

21/03/2013 16.7 39.6 0.0 19/04/2013 24 58.3 0.0 

22/03/2013 15.3 52.1 0.0 20/04/2013 20.3 85.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 13.3 47.9 0.0 21/04/2013 10.8 35.4 0.0 

24/03/2013 13 58.3 16.3 22/04/2013 17.4 37.5 0.0 

25/03/2013 11.1 25.0 0.0 23/04/2013 15.2 56.3 0.0 

26/03/2013 11.3 6.3 0.0 24/04/2013 25.3 43.8 0.0 

27/03/2013 14.9 29.2 1.1 25/04/2013 19.8 64.6 0.0 

28/03/2013 28.5 25.0 0.0 26/04/2013 19 43.8 0.0 

29/03/2013 14.5 47.9 0.0 27/04/2013 17.5 45.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 20.8 0.0 0.0 28/04/2013 15 58.3 0.0 

31/03/2013 13.9 70.5 14.7 29/04/2013 17.8 52.1 0.0 

1/04/2013 no data 42.9 0.1 30/04/2013 17.6 43.8 0.0 

2/04/2013 no data 20.8 0.0 1/05/2013 21.2 56.3 0.0 

3/04/2013 15 35.4 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

60 

Table 15: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10 

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 19.8 35.4 0.0 2/06/2013 12.4 72.9 0.7 

3/05/2013 38.5 25.0 0.0 3/06/2013 11.7 50.0 0.0 

4/05/2013 23.1 70.8 0.0 4/06/2013 19.5 70.8 0.0 

5/05/2013 16.8 35.4 0.0 5/06/2013 21.9 68.8 0.0 

6/05/2013 11.8 27.1 0.0 6/06/2013 22.1 45.8 0.2 

7/05/2013 9.3 41.7 0.0 7/06/2013 23.0 66.7 0.0 

8/05/2013 10.7 33.3 0.0 8/06/2013 17.7 68.8 7.3 

9/05/2013 15.0 43.8 1.0 9/06/2013 12.3 29.2 3.9 

10/05/2013 13.4 50.0 1.0 10/06/2013 7.0 81.3 31.1 

11/05/2013 9.0 50.0 4.5 11/06/2013 11.5 54.2 0.7 

12/05/2013 10.8 58.3 3.5 12/06/2013 11.4 68.8 7.3 

13/05/2013 10.5 56.3 1.5 13/06/2013 10.9 58.3 0.0 

14/05/2013 7.5 89.6 1.2 14/06/2013 11.5 95.8 0.0 

15/05/2013 10.9 60.4 0.0 15/06/2013 no data 93.8 0.0 

16/05/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 16/06/2013 10.1 60.4 0.0 

17/05/2013 16.1 72.9 0.0 17/06/2013 13.5 68.8 0.0 

18/05/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 18/06/2013 13.9 66.7 0.0 

19/05/2013 no data 62.5 0.0 19/06/2013 12.2 50.0 0.0 

20/05/2013 no data 58.3 0.0 20/06/2013 3.8 70.8 2.7 

21/05/2013 18.7 79.2 0.0 21/06/2013 24.0 77.1 6.2 

22/05/2013 17.5 81.3 4.5 22/06/2013 5.7 66.7 0.0 

23/05/2013 7.3 62.5 0.0 23/06/2013 7.5 58.3 0.0 

24/05/2013 6.5 85.4 0.7 24/06/2013 10.4 52.1 0.0 

25/05/2013 9.4 60.4 0.0 25/06/2013 no data 81.3 0.0 

26/05/2013 12.5 58.3 0.0 26/06/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

27/05/2013 16.2 58.3 0.0 27/06/2013 9.9 66.7 1.1 

28/05/2013 14.0 44.7 5.0 28/06/2013 13.6 64.6 2.7 

29/05/2013 14.2 37.5 2.2 29/06/2013 10.5 58.3 2.6 

30/05/2013 12.1 41.7 22.9 30/06/2013 6.1 85.4 9.5 

31/05/2013 15.7 29.2 1.1 1/07/2013 5.2 97.9 19.9 

1/06/2013 18.1 54.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

61 

Table 16: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

5/03/2013 15.2 91.7 1.2 3/04/2013 15.8 60.4 0.0 

6/03/2013 12.2 91.7 0.8 4/04/2013 10.7 77.1 1.8 

7/03/2013 13.3 85.4 0.0 5/04/2013 13.4 83.3 0.7 

8/03/2013 12.8 81.3 0.2 6/04/2013 10.6 58.3 0.0 

9/03/2013 10.7 85.4 1.1 7/04/2013 7.8 43.8 1.5 

10/03/2013 15.2 64.6 0.0 8/04/2013 9.4 60.4 0.5 

11/03/2013 19.6 77.1 1.1 9/04/2013 8.9 60.4 2.5 

12/03/2013 23.5 66.7 0.7 10/04/2013 10.3 64.6 0.0 

13/03/2013 18.4 54.2 0.0 11/04/2013 13.3 75.0 0.1 

14/03/2013 16.8 47.9 0.0 12/04/2013 13.1 79.2 9.5 

15/03/2013 21.4 58.3 0.0 13/04/2013 6.6 45.8 18.6 

16/03/2013 22.1 41.7 0.0 14/04/2013 12.8 39.6 0.0 

17/03/2013 no data 45.8 0.0 15/04/2013 19.9 50.0 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 16/04/2013 18.8 39.6 4.6 

19/03/2013 no data 72.9 0.0 17/04/2013 14.4 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 no data 91.7 0.1 18/04/2013 16.4 22.9 0.0 

21/03/2013 17.4 52.1 0.0 19/04/2013 24.6 33.3 0.0 

22/03/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 20/04/2013 18.0 12.5 0.0 

23/03/2013 13.3 31.3 0.0 21/04/2013 11.3 56.3 0.0 

24/03/2013 12.5 31.3 16.3 22/04/2013 19.2 54.2 0.0 

25/03/2013 11.9 72.9 0.0 23/04/2013 26.5 37.5 0.0 

26/03/2013 11.8 81.3 0.0 24/04/2013 24.0 56.3 0.0 

27/03/2013 14.8 70.8 1.1 25/04/2013 19.2 37.5 0.0 

28/03/2013 15.6 72.9 0.0 26/04/2013 18.6 52.1 0.0 

29/03/2013 13.2 54.2 0.0 27/04/2013 15.3 45.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 17.1 100.0 0.0 28/04/2013 14.5 43.8 0.0 

31/03/2013 12.6 28.6 14.7 29/04/2013 17.9 41.7 0.0 

1/04/2013 12.3 45.8 0.1 30/04/2013 18.1 43.8 0.0 

2/04/2013 13.1 62.5 0.0 1/05/2013 19.8 47.9 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

62 

Table 17: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 19.8 68.8 0.0 2/06/2013 no data 25.0 0.7 

3/05/2013 22.6 60.4 0.0 3/06/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 

4/05/2013 19.8 22.9 0.0 4/06/2013 no data 31.3 0.0 

5/05/2013 24.4 56.3 0.0 5/06/2013 21.9 14.6 0.0 

6/05/2013 17.0 64.6 0.0 6/06/2013 no data 52.1 0.2 

7/05/2013 10.7 60.4 0.0 7/06/2013 29.6 37.5 0.0 

8/05/2013 9.0 68.8 0.0 8/06/2013 15.3 41.7 7.3 

9/05/2013 10.4 62.5 1.0 9/06/2013 11.3 93.8 3.9 

10/05/2013 11.6 45.8 1.0 10/06/2013 8.0 22.9 31.1 

11/05/2013 11.9 41.7 4.5 11/06/2013 10.2 47.9 0.7 

12/05/2013 8.0 35.4 3.5 12/06/2013 11.4 16.7 7.3 

13/05/2013 10.6 31.3 1.5 13/06/2013 10.7 22.9 0.0 

14/05/2013 8.6 12.5 1.2 14/06/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

15/05/2013 10.0 29.2 0.0 15/06/2013 5.0 8.3 0.0 

16/05/2013 no data 25.0 0.0 16/06/2013 10.7 22.9 0.0 

17/05/2013 no data 22.9 0.0 17/06/2013 no data 16.7 0.0 

18/05/2013 8.3 25.0 0.0 18/06/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 

19/05/2013 8.2 14.6 0.0 19/06/2013 no data 14.6 0.0 

20/05/2013 16.4 27.1 0.0 20/06/2013 no data 18.8 2.7 

21/05/2013 18.0 18.8 0.0 21/06/2013 no data 16.7 6.2 

22/05/2013 12.2 4.2 4.5 22/06/2013 no data 29.2 0.0 

23/05/2013 6.6 27.1 0.0 23/06/2013 no data 20.8 0.0 

24/05/2013 no data 4.2 0.7 24/06/2013 no data 14.6 0.0 

25/05/2013 no data 12.5 0.0 25/06/2013 no data 20.8 0.0 

26/05/2013 no data 43.8 0.0 26/06/2013 10.1 22.9 0.0 

27/05/2013 17.2 43.8 0.0 27/06/2013 14.1 27.1 1.1 

28/05/2013 14.0 47.9 5.0 28/06/2013 9.8 47.9 2.7 

29/05/2013 14.4 66.7 2.2 29/06/2013 9.1 45.8 2.6 

30/05/2013 11.0 27.1 22.9 30/06/2013 6.0 10.4 9.5 

31/05/2013 15.5 50.0 1.1 1/07/2013 5.0 2.1 19.9 

1/06/2013 18.0 37.5 0.0 2/07/2013 5.4 2.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

63 

Table 18: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

5/03/2013 15.3 16.7 1.2 3/04/2013 no data 64.6 0.0 

6/03/2013 11.4 25.0 0.8 4/04/2013 25.8 54.2 1.8 

7/03/2013 13.4 33.3 0.0 5/04/2013 13.5 47.9 0.7 

8/03/2013 11.4 31.3 0.2 6/04/2013 10.9 60.4 0.0 

9/03/2013 9.8 33.3 1.1 7/04/2013 no data 58.3 1.5 

10/03/2013 13.0 41.7 0.0 8/04/2013 11.5 58.3 0.5 

11/03/2013 17.6 43.8 1.1 9/04/2013 10.7 52.1 2.5 

12/03/2013 32.2 50.0 0.7 10/04/2013 10.2 47.9 0.0 

13/03/2013 17.3 54.2 0.0 11/04/2013 14.1 37.5 0.1 

14/03/2013 15 62.5 0.0 12/04/2013 15.5 62.5 9.5 

15/03/2013 18.3 64.6 0.0 13/04/2013 no data 85.4 18.6 

16/03/2013 18.3 56.3 0.0 14/04/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 

17/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 15/04/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 25.0 0.0 16/04/2013 13.0 77.1 4.6 

19/03/2013 no data 35.4 0.0 17/04/2013 13.9 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 14.1 22.9 0.1 18/04/2013 14.2 93.8 0.0 

21/03/2013 15.0 56.3 0.0 19/04/2013 21.5 91.7 0.0 

22/03/2013 17.0 50.0 0.0 20/04/2013 21.9 85.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 9.5 43.8 0.0 21/04/2013 10.5 60.4 0.0 

24/03/2013 11.8 31.3 16.3 22/04/2013 14.8 54.2 0.0 

25/03/2013 12.9 37.5 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 72.9 0.0 

26/03/2013 no data 37.5 0.0 24/04/2013 18.9 25.0 0.0 

27/03/2013 no data 43.8 1.1 25/04/2013 13.9 43.8 0.0 

28/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 26/04/2013 19.6 0.0 0.0 

29/03/2013 no data 50.0 0.0 27/04/2013 10.8 0.0 0.0 

30/03/2013 no data 22.9 0.0 28/04/2013 9.8 4.2 0.0 

31/03/2013 no data 70.8 14.7 29/04/2013 10.7 0.0 0.0 

1/04/2013 no data 64.6 0.1 30/04/2013 11.4 4.2 0.0 

2/04/2013 no data 70.8 0.0 1/05/2013 12.7 6.3 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

64 

Table 19: 24-hour PM10 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the 

direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 15.3 25.0 0.0 18/05/2013 10.4 97.9 0.0 

3/05/2013 19.0 79.2 0.0 19/05/2013 9.2 93.8 0.0 

4/05/2013 15.7 95.8 0.0 20/05/2013 11.2 91.7 0.0 

5/05/2013 19.4 54.2 0.0 21/05/2013 13.5 91.7 0.0 

6/05/2013 15.7 47.9 0.0 22/05/2013 11.9 83.3 4.5 

7/05/2013 9.0 45.8 0.0 23/05/2013 6.2 79.2 0.0 

8/05/2013 8.3 41.7 0.0 24/05/2013 4.1 100.0 0.7 

9/05/2013 8.9 52.1 1.0 25/05/2013 19.1 89.6 0.0 

10/05/2013 11.6 66.7 1.0 26/05/2013 26.7 83.3 0.0 

11/05/2013 11.2 72.9 4.5 27/05/2013 24.2 79.2 0.0 

12/05/2013 6.9 81.3 3.5 28/05/2013 12.6 66.7 5.0 

13/05/2013 11.1 83.3 1.5 29/05/2013 11.4 50.0 2.2 

14/05/2013 8.2 100.0 1.2 30/05/2013 9.0 77.1 22.9 

15/05/2013 7.6 89.6 0.0 31/05/2013 12.7 62.5 1.1 

16/05/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 1/06/2013 15.3 66.7 0.0 

17/05/2013 8.7 89.6 0.0 2/06/2013 8.5 91.7 0.7 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

65 

Table 20: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

7/03/2013 2.9 0.0 0.6 4/04/2013 3.2 6.4 0.0 

8/03/2013 2.5 0.0 1.0 5/04/2013 2.5 16.7 0.0 

9/03/2013 1.8 4.2 0.0 6/04/2013 2.4 4.2 0.0 

10/03/2013 4 18.8 0.2 7/04/2013 2.1 14.6 0.0 

11/03/2013 3.8 12.5 0.0 8/04/2013 2.1 8.3 0.0 

12/03/2013 4.4 22.9 0.0 9/04/2013 1.8 8.3 0.0 

13/03/2013 4.5 45.8 0.0 10/04/2013 1.6 10.4 0.0 

14/03/2013 4.2 52.1 0.0 11/04/2013 2.5 2.1 0.0 

15/03/2013 5.2 6.3 0.0 12/04/2013 2.8 18.8 0.0 

16/03/2013 8.2 31.3 0.0 13/04/2013 2.6 89.6 1.2 

17/03/2013 5.8 56.3 0.2 14/04/2013 4.3 50.0 0.2 

18/03/2013 5.2 0.0 0.0 15/04/2013 4.9 18.8 0.0 

19/03/2013 3.2 0.0 0.0 16/04/2013 4.6 43.8 3.4 

20/03/2013 2.7 0.0 0.0 17/04/2013 3.1 35.4 0.4 

21/03/2013 4.1 0.0 0.0 18/04/2013 4.2 64.6 0.0 

22/03/2013 2.8 0.0 0.0 19/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 3.5 39.6 0.0 20/04/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 

24/03/2013 4.2 14.6 21.6 21/04/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 

25/03/2013 3.4 0.0 0.0 22/04/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 

26/03/2013 3.9 2.1 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 

27/03/2013 3.4 0.0 0.0 24/04/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 

28/03/2013 3.4 2.1 0.0 25/04/2013 no data 47.9 0.0 

29/03/2013 4 43.8 0.0 26/04/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

30/03/2013 4.5 0.0 0.2 27/04/2013 no data 14.6 0.0 

31/03/2013 2.7 43.8 22.4 28/04/2013 no data 12.5 1.2 

1/04/2013 4.4 81.3 0.0 29/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

2/04/2013 4.9 35.4 0.0 30/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

3/04/2013 4.6 18.8 1.4 1/05/2013 no data 10.4 0.0 

a

 as recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Oakey Airport rainfall measurement site. 

Note: missing data due to a filter exchange mechanism failure on the dichotomous Partisol®

 sampler that occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

66 

Table 21: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Oakey (North) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 7.9 27.1 0.0 17/05/2013 3.4 81.3 0.2 

3/05/2013 5.7 4.2 0.8 18/05/2013 3.8 56.3 0.0 

4/05/2013 8.2 56.3 0.0 19/05/2013 no data 85.4 0.0 

5/05/2013 9.1 0.0 0.0 20/05/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

6/05/2013 7.2 0.0 0.0 21/05/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 

7/05/2013 no data 0.0 0.0 22/05/2013 no data 16.7 0.6 

8/05/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 23/05/2013 6.5 91.7 12.4 

9/05/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 24/05/2013 2.9 91.7 0.0 

10/05/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 25/05/2013 4.8 66.7 0.0 

11/05/2013 no data 12.5 0.0 26/05/2013 5.8 44.7 0.0 

12/05/2013 no data 6.3 0.4 27/05/2013 5.9 18.8 0.0 

13/05/2013 no data 6.3 0.2 28/05/2013 4.2 8.3 0.0 

14/05/2013 no data 75.0 12.0 29/05/2013 3.9 0.0 1.2 

15/05/2013 no data 79.2 0.0 30/05/2013 2.2 0.0 0.0 

16/05/2013 6.6 58.3 0.0 31/05/2013 3.7 0.0 0.2 

a

 as recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s Oakey Airport rainfall measurement site. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

67 

Table 22: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 7 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

7/03/2013 no data 8.3 0.0 4/04/2013 no data 10.4 1.8 

8/03/2013 no data 12.5 0.2 5/04/2013 no data 0.0 0.7 

9/03/2013 no data 4.2 1.1 6/04/2013 no data 4.2 0.0 

10/03/2013 no data 27.1 0.0 7/04/2013 no data 22.9 1.5 

11/03/2013 no data 8.3 1.1 8/04/2013 no data 14.6 0.5 

12/03/2013 no data 22.9 0.7 9/04/2013 no data 50.0 2.5 

13/03/2013 no data 27.1 0.0 10/04/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 

14/03/2013 no data 50.0 0.0 11/04/2013 no data 27.1 0.1 

15/03/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 12/04/2013 no data 16.7 9.5 

16/03/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 13/04/2013 no data 35.4 18.6 

17/03/2013 no data 64.6 0.0 14/04/2013 no data 43.8 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 15/04/2013 no data 66.7 0.0 

19/03/2013 no data 31.3 0.0 16/04/2013 no data 66.7 4.6 

20/03/2013 no data 0.0 0.1 17/04/2013 no data 47.9 4.6 

21/03/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 18/04/2013 no data 85.4 0.0 

22/03/2013 no data 47.9 0.0 19/04/2013 no data 70.8 0.0 

23/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 20/04/2013 no data 66.7 0.0 

24/03/2013 no data 64.6 16.3 21/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

25/03/2013 no data 25.0 0.0 22/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

26/03/2013 no data 18.8 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 63.8 0.0 

27/03/2013 no data 25.0 1.1 24/04/2013 7.9 18.8 0.0 

28/03/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 25/04/2013 4.4 14.6 0.0 

29/03/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 26/04/2013 5.7 20.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 no data 16.7 0.0 27/04/2013 4.2 14.6 0.0 

31/03/2013 no data 60.4 14.7 28/04/2013 3.5 18.8 0.0 

1/04/2013 no data 60.4 0.1 29/04/2013 6.2 33.3 0.0 

2/04/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 30/04/2013 5.2 22.9 0.0 

3/04/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 1/05/2013 5.0 29.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data prior to 23 April was due to ongoing problems with filter exchange mechanism on the dichotomous 

Partisol®

 sampler, which was removed on 7 April. At the time DSITIA did not have a spare dichotomous Partisol®

sampler and a single channel Partisol®

 sample measuring PM10 only was installed. A replacement dichotomous Partisol®

sampler was installed on 23 April. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

68 

Table 23: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Dinmore (South) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 5.8 0.0 0.0 18/05/2013 5 2.1 0.0 

3/05/2013 6.9 2.1 0.0 19/05/2013 3.9 0.0 0.0 

4/05/2013 8.7 14.6 0.0 20/05/2013 8.4 6.3 0.0 

5/05/2013 10.1 12.5 0.0 21/05/2013 9.5 4.2 0.0 

6/05/2013 7.2 12.5 0.0 22/05/2013 7.2 10.4 4.5 

7/05/2013 4 4.2 0.0 23/05/2013 4.1 0.0 0.0 

8/05/2013 4.3 8.3 0.0 24/05/2013 3.3 0.0 0.7 

9/05/2013 4.3 0.0 1.0 25/05/2013 5.7 0.0 0.0 

10/05/2013 6 6.3 1.0 26/05/2013 5.8 0.0 0.0 

11/05/2013 5.1 2.1 4.5 27/05/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

12/05/2013 4 10.4 3.5 28/05/2013 5.4 0.0 5.0 

13/05/2013 4.1 14.6 1.5 29/05/2013 5.9 4.2 2.2 

14/05/2013 4.5 2.1 1.2 30/05/2013 5.4 16.7 22.9 

15/05/2013 4.2 16.7 0.0 31/05/2013 4.7 2.1 1.1 

16/05/2013 3 0.0 0.0 1/06/2013 8.1 31.3 0.0 

17/05/2013 no data 0.0 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

69 

Table 24: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 6 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

6/03/2013 4.6 8.3 0.8 4/04/2013 4.8 18.8 1.8 

7/03/2013 5.1 14.6 0.0 5/04/2013 4.7 31.3 0.7 

8/03/2013 4.8 18.8 0.2 6/04/2013 4.9 50.0 0.0 

9/03/2013 3.8 14.6 1.1 7/04/2013 4.5 43.8 1.5 

10/03/2013 5.1 35.4 0.0 8/04/2013 4.3 35.4 0.5 

11/03/2013 6.8 22.9 1.1 9/04/2013 4.2 37.5 2.5 

12/03/2013 8.4 33.3 0.7 10/04/2013 5.2 35.4 0.0 

13/03/2013 6.7 47.9 0.0 11/04/2013 4.4 27.1 0.1 

14/03/2013 5.9 52.1 0.0 12/04/2013 6.3 56.3 9.5 

15/03/2013 6.9 43.8 0.0 13/04/2013 4.4 64.6 18.6 

16/03/2013 9.1 52.1 0.0 14/04/2013 5.4 56.3 0.0 

17/03/2013 9.7 54.2 0.0 15/04/2013 8.7 52.1 0.0 

18/03/2013 5.7 20.8 0.0 16/04/2013 8.5 56.3 4.6 

19/03/2013 4.4 22.9 0.0 17/04/2013 7.7 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 3.2 18.8 0.1 18/04/2013 8.1 70.8 0.0 

21/03/2013 no data 39.6 0.0 19/04/2013 13.6 58.3 0.0 

22/03/2013 6.5 52.1 0.0 20/04/2013 9.8 85.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 6.1 47.9 0.0 21/04/2013 5.3 35.4 0.0 

24/03/2013 4.7 58.3 16.3 22/04/2013 7.1 37.5 0.0 

25/03/2013 5.6 25.0 0.0 23/04/2013 11.8 56.3 0.0 

26/03/2013 5.1 6.3 0.0 24/04/2013 11.4 43.8 0.0 

27/03/2013 5.8 29.2 1.1 25/04/2013 8.5 64.6 0.0 

28/03/2013 6.2 25.0 0.0 26/04/2013 8.8 43.8 0.0 

29/03/2013 5.9 47.9 0.0 27/04/2013 8.8 45.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 6.4 0.0 0.0 28/04/2013 8.1 58.3 0.0 

31/03/2013 6.3 70.5 14.7 29/04/2013 7.8 52.1 0.0 

1/04/2013 5.6 42.9 0.1 30/04/2013 7.3 43.8 0.0 

2/04/2013 5.9 20.8 0.0 1/05/2013 8.8 56.3 0.0 

3/04/2013 6.8 35.4 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to a problem with the filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler. 

 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

70 

Table 25: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 7.5 35.4 0.0 2/06/2013 6.0 72.9 0.7 

3/05/2013 6.7 25.0 0.0 3/06/2013 5.5 50.0 0.0 

4/05/2013 9.5 70.8 0.0 4/06/2013 8.9 70.8 0.0 

5/05/2013 10.5 35.4 0.0 5/06/2013 9.8 68.8 0.0 

6/05/2013 6.5 27.1 0.0 6/06/2013 11.0 45.8 0.2 

7/05/2013 4.3 41.7 0.0 7/06/2013 10.8 66.7 0.0 

8/05/2013 3.8 33.3 0.0 8/06/2013 8.6 68.8 7.3 

9/05/2013 4.7 43.8 1.0 9/06/2013 4.5 29.2 3.9 

10/05/2013 6.7 50.0 1.0 10/06/2013 3.7 81.3 31.1 

11/05/2013 7.4 50.0 4.5 11/06/2013 6.0 54.2 0.7 

12/05/2013 4.7 58.3 3.5 12/06/2013 6.3 68.8 7.3 

13/05/2013 5.0 56.3 1.5 13/06/2013 8.6 58.3 0.0 

14/05/2013 5.7 89.6 1.2 14/06/2013 no data 95.8 0.0 

15/05/2013 3.6 60.4 0.0 15/06/2013 no data 93.8 0.0 

16/05/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 16/06/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

17/05/2013 no data 72.9 0.0 17/06/2013 no data 68.8 0.0 

18/05/2013 0.3 52.1 0.0 18/06/2013 no data 66.7 0.0 

19/05/2013 0.4 62.5 0.0 19/06/2013 no data 50.0 0.0 

20/05/2013 1.1 58.3 0.0 20/06/2013 no data 70.8 2.7 

21/05/2013 9.8 79.2 0.0 21/06/2013 no data 77.1 6.2 

22/05/2013 8.2 81.3 4.5 22/06/2013 no data 66.7 0.0 

23/05/2013 4.4 62.5 0.0 23/06/2013 no data 58.3 0.0 

24/05/2013 3.7 85.4 0.7 24/06/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 

25/05/2013 4.0 60.4 0.0 25/06/2013 no data 81.3 0.0 

26/05/2013 6.0 58.3 0.0 26/06/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 

27/05/2013 7.1 58.3 0.0 27/06/2013 5.7 66.7 1.1 

28/05/2013 6.7 44.7 5.0 28/06/2013 5.5 64.6 2.7 

29/05/2013 5.7 37.5 2.2 29/06/2013 4.7 58.3 2.6 

30/05/2013 6.4 41.7 22.9 30/06/2013 4.6 85.4 9.5 

31/05/2013 7.0 29.2 1.1 1/07/2013 3.0 97.9 19.9 

1/06/2013 8.8 54.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

71 

Table 26: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

5/03/2013 5.0 91.7 1.2 3/04/2013 6.8 60.4 0.0 

6/03/2013 4.2 91.7 0.8 4/04/2013 4.6 77.1 1.8 

7/03/2013 5.4 85.4 0.0 5/04/2013 4.4 83.3 0.7 

8/03/2013 4.6 81.3 0.2 6/04/2013 2.9 58.3 0.0 

9/03/2013 8.3 85.4 1.1 7/04/2013 3.6 43.8 1.5 

10/03/2013 6.0 64.6 0.0 8/04/2013 4.0 60.4 0.5 

11/03/2013 7.2 77.1 1.1 9/04/2013 3.6 60.4 2.5 

12/03/2013 7.4 66.7 0.7 10/04/2013 3.5 64.6 0.0 

13/03/2013 7.0 54.2 0.0 11/04/2013 3.7 75.0 0.1 

14/03/2013 4.6 47.9 0.0 12/04/2013 4.7 79.2 9.5 

15/03/2013 8.6 58.3 0.0 13/04/2013 4.1 45.8 18.6 

16/03/2013 13.0 41.7 0.0 14/04/2013 5.6 39.6 0.0 

17/03/2013 10.1 45.8 0.0 15/04/2013 8.8 50.0 0.0 

18/03/2013 6.9 75.0 0.0 16/04/2013 9.2 39.6 4.6 

19/03/2013 23.2 72.9 0.0 17/04/2013 9.2 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 no data 91.7 0.1 18/04/2013 8.4 22.9 0.0 

21/03/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 19/04/2013 no data 33.3 0.0 

22/03/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 20/04/2013 no data 12.5 0.0 

23/03/2013 no data 31.3 0.0 21/04/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 

24/03/2013 no data 31.3 16.3 22/04/2013 7.6 54.2 0.0 

25/03/2013 no data 72.9 0.0 23/04/2013 12.9 37.5 0.0 

26/03/2013 4.8 81.3 0.0 24/04/2013 11.4 56.3 0.0 

27/03/2013 4.9 70.8 1.1 25/04/2013 9.3 37.5 0.0 

28/03/2013 6.2 72.9 0.0 26/04/2013 9.4 52.1 0.0 

29/03/2013 5.5 54.2 0.0 27/04/2013 8.0 45.8 0.0 

30/03/2013 6.7 100.0 0.0 28/04/2013 5.5 43.8 0.0 

31/03/2013 6.4 28.6 14.7 29/04/2013 8.2 41.7 0.0 

1/04/2013 5.3 45.8 0.1 30/04/2013 7.9 43.8 0.0 

2/04/2013 6.2 62.5 0.0 1/05/2013 9.1 47.9 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

72 

Table 27: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the postveneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 July 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 8.9 68.8 0.0 2/06/2013 5.3 25.0 0.7 

3/05/2013 no data 60.4 0.0 3/06/2013 5.9 33.3 0.0 

4/05/2013 10.6 22.9 0.0 4/06/2013 8.4 31.3 0.0 

5/05/2013 11.3 56.3 0.0 5/06/2013 9.2 14.6 0.0 

6/05/2013 6.3 64.6 0.0 6/06/2013 10.0 52.1 0.2 

7/05/2013 3.1 60.4 0.0 7/06/2013 10.7 37.5 0.0 

8/05/2013 3.5 68.8 0.0 8/06/2013 8.0 41.7 7.3 

9/05/2013 4.3 62.5 1.0 9/06/2013 4.2 93.8 3.9 

10/05/2013 7.0 45.8 1.0 10/06/2013 3.6 22.9 31.1 

11/05/2013 5.6 41.7 4.5 11/06/2013 5.6 47.9 0.7 

12/05/2013 4.4 35.4 3.5 12/06/2013 10.4 16.7 7.3 

13/05/2013 6.0 31.3 1.5 13/06/2013 4.9 22.9 0.0 

14/05/2013 3.0 12.5 1.2 14/06/2013 no data 2.1 0.0 

15/05/2013 4.5 29.2 0.0 15/06/2013 3.0 8.3 0.0 

16/05/2013 7.5 25.0 0.0 16/06/2013 7.0 22.9 0.0 

17/05/2013 4.9 22.9 0.0 17/06/2013 4.4 16.7 0.0 

18/05/2013 4.6 25.0 0.0 18/06/2013 5.5 8.3 0.0 

19/05/2013 3.7 14.6 0.0 19/06/2013 6.1 14.6 0.0 

20/05/2013 7.1 27.1 0.0 20/06/2013 6.7 18.8 2.7 

21/05/2013 9.0 18.8 0.0 21/06/2013 7.4 16.7 6.2 

22/05/2013 9.3 4.2 4.5 22/06/2013 7.4 29.2 0.0 

23/05/2013 2.3 27.1 0.0 23/06/2013 7.4 20.8 0.0 

24/05/2013 2.1 4.2 0.7 24/06/2013 8.6 14.6 0.0 

25/05/2013 3.2 12.5 0.0 25/06/2013 5.6 20.8 0.0 

26/05/2013 5.9 43.8 0.0 26/06/2013 4.8 22.9 0.0 

27/05/2013 6.8 43.8 0.0 27/06/2013 8.1 27.1 1.1 

28/05/2013 6.0 47.9 5.0 28/06/2013 9.5 47.9 2.7 

29/05/2013 5.4 66.7 2.2 29/06/2013 4.9 45.8 2.6 

30/05/2013 6.0 27.1 22.9 30/06/2013 1.9 10.4 9.5 

31/05/2013 6.3 50.0 1.1 1/07/2013 2.6 2.1 19.9 

1/06/2013 8.7 37.5 0.0 2/07/2013 no data 2.2 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

73 

Table 28: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the preveneering monitoring period, 5 March to 1 May 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the direction of 

the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

5/03/2013 8.8 16.7 1.2 3/04/2013 no data 64.6 0.1 

6/03/2013 5.3 25.0 0.8 4/04/2013 16.4 54.2 1.8 

7/03/2013 7.1 33.3 0.0 5/04/2013 7.1 47.9 0.7 

8/03/2013 6.6 31.3 0.2 6/04/2013 5.1 60.4 0.0 

9/03/2013 6.5 33.3 1.1 7/04/2013 no data 58.3 1.5 

10/03/2013 6.2 41.7 0.0 8/04/2013 8.1 58.3 0.5 

11/03/2013 8.2 43.8 1.1 9/04/2013 6.7 52.1 2.5 

12/03/2013 13.6 50.0 0.7 10/04/2013 4.5 47.9 0.0 

13/03/2013 7.1 54.2 0.0 11/04/2013 7.5 37.5 0.1 

14/03/2013 6.3 62.5 0.0 12/04/2013 8.7 62.5 9.5 

15/03/2013 7.6 64.6 0.0 13/04/2013 no data 85.4 18.6 

16/03/2013 5.8 56.3 0.0 14/04/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 

17/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 15/04/2013 no data 52.1 0.0 

18/03/2013 no data 25.0 0.0 16/04/2013 5.9 77.1 4.6 

19/03/2013 no data 35.4 0.0 17/04/2013 6.0 50.0 4.6 

20/03/2013 4.7 22.9 0.1 18/04/2013 6.6 93.8 0.0 

21/03/2013 5.5 56.3 0.0 19/04/2013 13.9 91.7 0.0 

22/03/2013 7.7 50.0 0.0 20/04/2013 9.6 85.4 0.0 

23/03/2013 4.7 43.8 0.0 21/04/2013 5.8 60.4 0.0 

24/03/2013 6.1 31.3 16.3 22/04/2013 8.2 54.2 0.0 

25/03/2013 5.4 37.5 0.0 23/04/2013 no data 72.9 0.0 

26/03/2013 no data 37.5 0.0 24/04/2013 9.1 25.0 0.0 

27/03/2013 no data 43.8 1.1 25/04/2013 6.6 43.8 0.0 

28/03/2013 no data 56.3 0.0 26/04/2013 7.1 0.0 0.0 

29/03/2013 no data 50.0 0.0 27/04/2013 5.7 0.0 0.0 

30/03/2013 no data 22.9 0.0 28/04/2013 6.2 4.2 0.0 

31/03/2013 no data 70.8 14.7 29/04/2013 5.8 0.0 0.0 

1/04/2013 no data 64.6 0.1 30/04/2013 5.1 4.2 0.0 

2/04/2013 no data 70.8 0.0 1/05/2013 3.9 6.3 0.0 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

74 

Table 29: 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations measured at the Chelmer background monitoring site during the 

post-veneering monitoring period, 2 May to 2 June 2013, together with daily wind frequency from the 

direction of the rail corridor and rainfall. 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

Sampling 

day 

24-hour 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Proportion of 

winds from 

direction of 

rail corridor 

(%) 

Rainfalla

(mm) 

2/05/2013 6.1 25.0 0.0 18/05/2013 5.4 97.9 0.0 

3/05/2013 no data 79.2 0.0 19/05/2013 2.7 93.8 0.0 

4/05/2013 no data 95.8 0.0 20/05/2013 6.1 91.7 0.0 

5/05/2013 no data 54.2 0.0 21/05/2013 8.3 91.7 0.0 

6/05/2013 no data 47.9 0.0 22/05/2013 7.4 83.3 4.5 

7/05/2013 no data 45.8 0.0 23/05/2013 4.2 79.2 0.0 

8/05/2013 no data 41.7 0.0 24/05/2013 3.0 100.0 0.7 

9/05/2013 no data 52.1 1.0 25/05/2013 4.3 89.6 0.0 

10/05/2013 no data 66.7 1.0 26/05/2013 6.7 83.3 0.0 

11/05/2013 no data 72.9 4.5 27/05/2013 7.7 79.2 0.0 

12/05/2013 no data 81.3 3.5 28/05/2013 5.9 66.7 5.0 

13/05/2013 no data 83.3 1.5 29/05/2013 4.4 50.0 2.2 

14/05/2013 no data 100.0 1.2 30/05/2013 5.7 77.1 22.9 

15/05/2013 no data 89.6 0.0 31/05/2013 7.1 62.5 1.1 

16/05/2013 no data 75.0 0.0 1/06/2013 8.2 66.7 0.0 

17/05/2013 3.8 89.6 0.0 2/06/2013 3.7 91.7 0.7 

a

 as recorded at DSITIA’s ambient air monitoring site at Rocklea. 

Note: missing data due to intermittent problems with filter exchange mechanism on the Partisol®

 sampler which occurred 

between site visits. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

75 

Table 30: Monthly dust deposition sampling results for the rail corridor monitoring sites collected during the 

pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013. 

 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Date 

deployed 

Date 

collected

Days 

sampled

Dust deposition rate 

(mg/m2/day) Winds 

from 

direction 

of rail 

line 

(%) 

Rainfall 

(mm)a

Total 

solids 

Insoluble 

solids 

Ash 

(mineral) 

Combustible 

(organic) 

matter 

Soluble 

solids 

Oakey 

North 

6/03/13 4/04/13 29 97 39 6 33 58 18 43 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 47 25 8 17 22 28 19 

2/05/13 6/06/13 35 27 17 17 0 10 34 39 

South 

6/03/13 4/04/13 29 331 39 7 32 292 82 43 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 152 84 13 71 68 72 19 

2/05/13 6/06/13 35 130 33 26 7 97 66 39 

Willowburn 

(Toowoomba) 

East 

6/03/13 4/04/13 29 Extensive algal growth invalidated sample 14 105 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 52 25 5 20 27 19 24 

2/05/13 6/06/13 35 106 33 13 20 73 32 74 

West 

6/03/13 4/04/13 29 Extensive algal growth invalidated sample 86 105 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 98 11 4 7 87 81 24 

2/05/13 6/06/13 35 134 14 7 7 120 68 74 

Dinmore 

North 

6/03/13 5/04/13 30 131 36 9 27 95 66 78 

5/04/13 3/05/13 28 90 67 36 31 23 58 74 

3/05/13 5/06/13 31 30 20 10 10 10 90 46 

South 

6/03/13 5/04/13 30 171 66 7 59 105 32 78 

5/04/13 3/05/13 28 117 50 9 41 67 36 74 

3/05/13 5/06/13 31 117 37 17 20 80 6 46 

Tennyson 

North 

5/03/13 4/04/13 30 180 103 16 87 77 76 82 

4/04/13 3/05/13 29 112 104 27 77 8 79 80 

3/05/13 4/06/13 30 79 46 23 13 33 88 40 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 43 24 17 7 19 89 89 

South 

5/03/13 4/04/13 30 121 115 34 81 6 23 82 

4/04/13 9/05/13 35 230 90 6 84 140 21 80 

9/05/13 4/06/13 26 73 63 50 13 10 13 40 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 73 50 40 10 23 14 89 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

76 

Table 30 (cont.): Monthly dust deposition sampling results for the rail corridor monitoring sites collected 

during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring periods, March to July 2013 

 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Date 

deployed 

Date 

collected

Days 

sampled

Dust deposition rate 

(mg/m2/day) Winds 

from 

direction 

of rail 

line 

(%) 

Rainfall 

(mm)a

Total 

solids 

Insoluble 

solids 

Ash 

(mineral) 

Combustible 

(organic) 

matter 

Soluble 

solids 

Fairfield 

East 

5/03/13 4/04/13 30 208 46 12 34 162 32 90 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 124 18 5 13 106 50 82 

2/05/13 4/06/13 33 77 20 10 10 57 55 46 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 40 23 13 10 17 68 98 

West 

5/03/13 4/04/13 30 197 57 19 38 140 68 90 

4/04/13 2/05/13 28 210 112 16 96 98 50 82 

2/05/13 4/06/13 33 74 27 7 20 47 46 46 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 43 24 17 7 19 33 98 

Coorparoo 

North 

4/03/13 4/04/13 31 263 107 7 100 156 65 92 

4/04/13 3/05/13 29 247 106 13 93 141 51 93 

3/05/13 4/06/13 32 31 24 7 17 7 35 52 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 43 27 20 7 16 25 88 

South 

4/03/13 4/04/13 31 251 108 6 102 143 27 92 

4/04/13 3/05/13 29 272 119 9 110 153 30 93 

3/05/13 4/06/13 32 44 27 7 20 17 44 52 

4/06/13 3/07/13 29 41 20 13 7 21 44 88 

Chelmer East 

4/03/13 5/04/13 33 161 55 5 50 106 45 81 

5/04/13 2/05/13 27 194 50 5 45 144 48 85 

2/05/13 5/06/13 34 56 36 13 23 20 77 52 

a

 Indicative only – estimated from the volume of water collected in the dust deposition bottle. 

Unshaded rows indicate samples collected during the pre-veneering monitoring period. Shaded rows indicate samples 

collected during the post-veneering monitoring period. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

77 

Table 31: Composition of the insoluble solids fraction of the monthly deposited dust samples collected at the 

rail corridor monitoring sites, March to June 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Month 

Surface coverage (%)a

Black particles Inorganic 

and minerals Biological General organic 

Coal 

Soot 

Black rubber 

dust 

Soil or rock 

dust 

Copper sludge 

Photosynthetic 

slime and fungi 

Insect debris 

Plant debris 

(general) 

Fibres 

(miscellaneous) 

Paint 

Oakey 

North 

March 20 ND 10 60 ND ND trace 10 ND ND 

April 10 ND 5 55 30 ND trace ND ND ND 

May 10 trace 10 80 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

South 

March 10 trace 10 80 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

April 10 ND 10 40 40 ND trace trace ND ND 

May 20 trace 10 70 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

Willowburn 

(Toowoomba) 

East 

March trace trace ND 60 ND ND 30 10 ND ND 

April 20 trace ND 60 ND ND 10 10 ND ND 

May trace ND ND 20 ND 60 20 ND ND ND 

West 

March Polysaccharide slime and copper sludge encrusted the deposit, particles were not visible

April 10 trace 10 80 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

May 5 trace 10 75 ND ND 10 trace ND ND 

Dinmore 

North 

March 20 ND 10 50 20 ND ND ND trace ND 

April 10 ND 10 80 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

May 10 trace 30 60 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

South 

March 20 ND 10 50 ND ND 10 10 ND ND 

April 20 ND 10 50 ND ND 10 10 ND ND 

May 10 trace trace 80 trace ND 10 trace ND ND 

Tennyson 

North 

March 10 ND 20 60 ND ND trace 10 ND ND 

April 10 ND 10 50 30 ND trace trace ND ND 

May 20 ND 10 60 10 ND trace trace ND ND 

June 10 trace 20 70 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

South 

March 10 trace 10 70 trace ND trace 10 ND trace 

April 10 trace 10 70 ND ND trace 10 ND trace 

May 10 trace trace 90 ND ND trace trace ND ND 

June 5 trace 10 85 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

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Table 31 (cont.): Composition of the insoluble solids component of the monthly deposited dust samples 

collected at the rail corridor monitoring sites, March to June 2013. 

Monitoring 

site 

Position 

relative 

to rail 

line 

Month 

Surface coverage (%)a

Black particles Inorganic 

and minerals Biological General organic 

Coal 

Soot 

Black rubber 

dust 

Soil or rock 

dust 

Copper sludge 

Photosynthetic 

slime and fungi 

Insect debris 

Plant debris 

(general) 

Fibres 

(miscellaneous) 

Paint 

Fairfield 

East 

March 10 trace 10 70 ND ND ND 10 ND ND 

April 10 trace 10 70 trace ND trace 10 ND ND 

May 10 trace 20 70 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

June trace trace 10 90 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

West 

March 10 trace trace 60 ND ND 10 20 ND trace 

April 10 trace 20 60 ND ND trace 10 trace ND 

May 5 ND 10 85 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

June 10 trace 10 80 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

Coorparoo 

North 

March 10 ND 10 60 trace ND 10 10 ND ND 

April trace ND 10 80 trace ND trace 10 ND ND 

May 20 ND 10 70 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

June 5 trace 20 75 trace ND trace trace ND ND 

South 

March 20 ND 10 60 ND ND trace 10 ND ND 

April 20 trace 10 50 ND ND trace 20 trace trace 

May 20 ND 20 60 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

June trace trace 20 70 trace ND 10 trace trace ND 

Chelmer East 

March ND ND ND 60 ND 20 10 10 trace ND 

April ND trace ND 70 ND ND 10 20 ND ND 

May trace trace 10 90 trace ND trace trace trace ND 

a

 The uncertainty in the measurement of surface coverage is ±5 per cent 

ND = not detected 

Unshaded rows indicate samples collected during the pre-veneering monitoring period. Shaded rows indicate samples 

collected during the post-veneering monitoring period. 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

79 

Table 32: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods. 

Change in 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Pre-veneering period (5 March to 1 May 2013) Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013)

Frequency of change (%) Frequency of change (%) 

Loaded 

Coal 

(310 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(378 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(271 trains)

Passenger

(106 trains)

Loaded 

Coal 

(196 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(205 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(131 trains)

Passenger

(39 trains)

< -100 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-75 to -100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-50 to -75 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 0.3 2.2 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.6 

-20 to -30 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 2.6 2.1 3.3 2.8 0.5 0.5 0.0 2.6 

-5 to -10 5.5 3.7 1.8 4.7 0.5 1.5 0.8 2.6 

-2 to -5 16.8 8.7 12.5 9.4 3.6 4.9 6.1 7.7 

-1 to -2 14.5 9.3 10.0 14.2 3.6 5.4 3.8 15.4 

0 to -1 5.2 12.4 11.1 15.1 5.1 3.9 4.6 10.3 

0 to +1 16.1 27.0 22.9 18.9 27.6 34.1 25.2 38.5 

+1 to +2 11.6 13.8 11.8 16.0 30.1 29.3 26.7 12.8 

+2 to +5 10.6 10.1 12.9 10.4 20.4 15.1 20.6 0.0 

+5 to +10 10.0 6.3 5.9 4.7 7.1 4.9 9.9 5.1 

+10 to +20 5.2 3.7 2.6 1.9 1.5 0.0 1.5 2.6 

+20 to +30 0.6 0.5 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.6 1.1 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+50 to +75 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 

+75 to +100 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

> +100 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

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Table 33: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the post-veneering monitoring period. 

Change in PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013) 

Frequency of change (%)

Loaded Coal 

(65 trains)

Empty Coal

(73 trains)

Other Freight 

(41 trains)

Passenger

(104 trains)

< -100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-75 to -100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-50 to -75 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-20 to -30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-5 to -10 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-2 to -5 6.2 4.1 4.9 3.8 

-1 to -2 9.2 8.2 17.1 14.4 

0 to -1 6.2 12.3 0.0 11.5 

0 to +1 38.5 38.4 41.5 43.3 

+1 to +2 21.5 15.1 22.0 18.3 

+2 to +5 10.8 17.8 12.2 6.7 

+5 to +10 0.0 1.4 0.0 1.0 

+10 to +20 3.1 0.0 2.4 1.0 

+20 to +30 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+50 to +75 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+75 to +100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

> +100 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

81 

Table 34: Distribution of 10-minute average PM10 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods. 

Change in 

PM10

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Pre-veneering period (5 March to 1 May 2013) Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013)

Frequency of change (%) Frequency of change (%) 

Loaded 

Coal 

(92 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(133 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(28 trains)

Passenger

(252 trains)

Loaded 

Coal 

(94 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(138 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(23 trains)

Passenger

(203 trains)

< -100 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-75 to -100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-50 to -75 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 

-20 to -30 1.1 0.0 3.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 0.0 1.5 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 

-5 to -10 0.0 2.3 3.6 1.2 1.1 0.7 8.7 2.0 

-2 to -5 5.4 6.0 0.0 8.7 7.4 9.4 4.3 9.9 

-1 to -2 6.5 14.3 7.1 10.3 12.8 11.6 8.7 13.3 

0 to -1 8.7 9.0 14.3 14.3 9.6 9.4 13.0 12.3 

0 to +1 25.0 27.1 28.6 35.7 22.3 22.5 21.7 32.5 

+1 to +2 21.7 18.8 17.9 13.5 22.3 22.5 13.0 19.7 

+2 to +5 23.9 14.3 17.9 9.5 18.1 16.7 21.7 6.4 

+5 to +10 6.5 6.0 0.0 3.6 4.3 5.8 8.7 2.5 

+10 to +20 1.1 0.0 7.1 2.0 2.1 0.7 0.0 1.0 

+20 to +30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+50 to +75 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+75 to +100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

> +100 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

82 

Table 35: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Tennyson (North) monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods. 

Change in 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Pre-veneering period (5 March to 1 May 2013) Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013)

Frequency of change (%) Frequency of change (%) 

Loaded 

Coal 

(310 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(378 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(271 trains)

Passenger

(106 trains)

Loaded 

Coal 

(196 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(205 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(131 trains)

Passenger

(39 trains)

< -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-20 to -30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-5 to -10 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 

-2 to -5 0.3 1.6 1.5 1.9 0.0 2.0 0.8 5.1 

-1 to -2 3.2 3.7 5.5 3.8 4.6 2.0 3.8 7.7 

0 to -1 25.2 19.6 19.9 10.4 9.7 5.9 6.1 15.4 

0 to +1 63.5 67.2 64.2 83.0 63.3 62.4 56.5 64.1 

+1 to +2 6.1 4.8 7.7 0.9 16.8 20.5 24.4 5.1 

+2 to +5 0.6 2.4 0.7 0.0 4.6 6.8 7.6 2.6 

+5 to +10 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+10 to +20 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+20 to +30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.0 

> +50 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

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Table 36: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Fairfield (East) monitoring site during the post-veneering monitoring period. 

Change in PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013) 

Frequency of change (%)

Loaded Coal 

(65 trains)

Empty Coal

(73 trains)

Other Freight 

(41 trains)

Passenger

(104 trains)

< -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 

-20 to -30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-5 to -10 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-2 to -5 4.6 2.7 4.9 0.0 

-1 to -2 7.7 4.1 7.3 8.7 

0 to -1 13.8 12.3 14.6 19.2 

0 to +1 47.7 56.2 46.3 64.4 

+1 to +2 18.5 17.8 24.4 5.8 

+2 to +5 1.5 4.1 0.0 1.0 

+5 to +10 3.1 0.0 2.4 1.0 

+10 to +20 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.0 

+20 to +30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

> +50 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

84 

Table 37: Distribution of 10-minute average PM2.5 concentration change associated with the passage of 

different train types at the Coorparoo (North) monitoring site during the pre- and post-veneering monitoring 

periods. 

Change in 

PM2.5

concentration 

(μg/m3) 

Pre-veneering period (5 March to 1 May 2013) Post-veneering period (2 May to 2 July 2013)

Frequency of change (%) Frequency of change (%) 

Loaded 

Coal 

(92 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(133 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(28 trains)

Passenger

(252 trains)

Loaded 

Coal 

(94 trains)

Empty 

Coal 

(138 trains)

Other 

Freight 

(23 trains)

Passenger

(203 trains)

< -50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-30 to -50 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-20 to -30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 

-10 to -20 1.1 0.0 3.6 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

-5 to -10 0.0 1.5 0.0 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 

-2 to -5 1.1 4.5 3.6 3.2 1.1 1.4 8.7 2.5 

-1 to -2 7.6 8.3 0.0 11.1 9.6 12.3 8.7 14.3 

0 to -1 14.1 19.5 17.9 19.0 18.1 17.4 17.4 20.2 

0 to +1 34.8 36.8 50.0 45.6 42.6 38.4 21.7 46.3 

+1 to +2 29.3 20.3 3.6 9.9 16.0 23.2 26.1 11.8 

+2 to +5 10.9 8.3 14.3 7.5 10.6 5.1 17.4 3.9 

+5 to +10 1.1 0.0 7.1 2.0 2.1 1.4 0.0 0.5 

+10 to +20 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+20 to +30 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

+30 to +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

> +50 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 

 
Western – Metropolitan Rail Systems Coal Dust Monitoring Program: Final report 

85 

Appendix 2: Department of Health comments on particle 

exposure levels at rail corridor monitoring sites 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

86