Final pieces of infrastructure repairs jigsaw put in place
Tasmanian rail freight service TasRail plans to resume normal services today, seven weeks after floods damaged its infrastructure.
Repairs to the Kimberley Rail Bridge had progressed ahead of schedule, despite recent challenging weather conditions.
“Subject to final inspection, I am confident this critical rail infrastructure will re-open tomorrow,” CEO Damien White said yesterday.
“This will facilitate a return to normal services and schedules right across the rail network.”
“What has been achieved is remarkable.
“It’s also very clear that the damage to rail infrastructure that resulted from what is widely considered one of Tasmania’s worst flood events, was far less than would have been the case had the recent investment in upgrading rail infrastructure not occurred over the past six years”.
The route between Burnie and Brighton is Tasmania’s major freight corridor and the state’s highest volume freight link.
While freight rail services have been operating between Boyer and Brighton to Conara, Launceston and Bell Bay, TasRail is concerned to alert the public to the imminent restoration of rail services across the North West coast.
“TasRail is urging the public to be alert to the resumption of freight train services and a return to 24/7 operations,” it says.
“Road users are asked to obey all level crossing signs and signals and to refrain from entering the railway corridor without the prior authorisation of TasRail’s Train Control.”