You are required to obtain written permission from Queensland Rail to take over-dimensional road loads (ODRL) across Queensland Rail's railway crossings under the
Transport Infrastructure (Rail) Regulation 2017 Act. Typical examples of such loads are houses, earthmoving equipment, transformers, machinery, or agricultural equipment.
If your road load exceeds any of the requirements listed below, and will drive across Queensland Rail's railway crossings, you must apply for permission in the form of a permit (or a confirmation) issued by the over-dimensional road loads section of Queensland Rail. This permit or confirmation system ensures safe travel over all Queensland Rail's railway crossings. The type of authority required will depend on the type of load being transported and the required route.
For more information on the legislative requirements, view the
Transport Infrastructure (Rail) Regulation 2017 Act, opens in new window.
As a condition of providing an ODRL transit permit to you, Queensland Rail will require that you provide proof of the following insurance cover:
- public liability insurance for an amount of no less than $20 million
- workers compensation as required by law
- comprehensive motor vehicle insurance for the vehicle/s engaged in the ODRL movement across Queensland Rail's railway crossing.
- The insurance will be in the form of Certificates of Currency for each class of insurance noted above, with a validity period covering the period of the ODRL movement, and in any event, no less than 3 months. Insurance certificates are not required with every Queensland Rail ODRL application. When these insurance policies are renewed and the ODRL application or permission is still current, the renewed insurances must be emailed to
roadloads@qr.com.au.
For further information contact Queensland Rail between 7:00am and 3:00pm Monday to Friday on
07 3072 1719 or email
roadloads@qr.com.au.
Where approval is required
Approval for over-wight vehicles, long vehicles, wide vehicles, and high vehicles must be obtained where the ODRL's route is across a railway crossing and the vehicle's load meets at least one of the following descriptions:
- the total of all axle mass weight for the vehicle is over 105 tonnes
- the axle mass for any single axle of the vehicle is over 12 tonnes
- the total of all axle masses for any 9 meters of the vehicle's length is over 48 tonnes
- the vehicle together with its load is longer than 35 meters. This does not apply to a road train driven in accordance with the requirements applying to it under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)
- the vehicle together with its load is wider than 5.5 meters wide; or the distance between the posts of a height barrier for the crossing.
High vehicles
A person must not drive a vehicle on a railway crossing if the vehicle is higher than:
- a height barrier for the crossing
- if the crossing is at a place where the South East Queensland (SEQ) electrified track crosses an access road - 4.1 meters
- if the crossing is at a place where the SEQ electrified track crosses another road - 5 meters
- if the crossing is at a place where another electrified railway track crosses an access road - 4.3 meters.
Application requiring a protection officer
Queensland Rail is currently in the process of auditing Queensland Rail owned road bridges. Bridge restrictions may not all appear in NHVR’s databases/portals. Where it is identified that a vehicle other than those that meet General Mass Limits (excluding quad-axles) and General Access Vehicle dimensions, needs to use a Queensland Rail owned structure, contact Queensland Rail for further advice.
A protection officer is required in addition to a permit, depending on the conditions of the crossing and road load.
If you would like more information please see the
frequently asked questions.
If you would like to apply for movement of an ODRL across a Queensland Rail's railway crossing, please refer to the information below or call the ODRL coordinator on
07 3072 1719.
Application process
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Step 1: download the application form to move the ODRL
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Step 2: complete the application form and email it to
roadloads@qr.com.au as a Microsoft Word document
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Step 3: Queensland Rail will email back a confirmation or permit or request further information
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Step 4: it is then your responsibility to provide your driver and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) with a copy of the authority.
Ensure that you read the terms and conditions at the top of the application form before completing the form in full.
The applicant must complete all the fields with the correct information including a full route description, list Queensland Rail's level crossings and bridges along the route if known, and provide the date and departure time. They must provide routes in rail crossing towns and the intended time and date of crossing.
Please email your completed applications to
roadloads@qr.com.au as an attached Microsoft Word document.
Before your permit or confirmation is issued, we will require your motor vehicle insurance engaged in road load movements, public liability insurance, and a work cover policy.
Handwritten, scanned, or PDF Queensland Rail ODRL applications will not be processed.
Important note: Queensland Police Service (QPS) requires three working days’ notice of Queensland Rail ODRL permit and confirmation prior to the date of movement. The applicant is required to provide evidence of a Queensland Rail permit or confirmation prior to the date of movement to QPS.
Aurizon rail network
Where the route crosses both infrastructures (Queensland Rail and Aurizon rail network) each rail network will require individual over dimensional road loads applications to be completed and accompanied with the full route description before being submitted by the customer.
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