The $60 million project is set to begin construction next year
The Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RIFL) hub is on track to be the largest such facility on the north-south corridor.
Based outside of Wagga Wagga, RIFL will have capability to load and unload trains of up to 1.8km in length, swapping over ten twenty foot equivalent (TEU) containers in under half an hour.
Strategic manager for Wagga Wagga’s city council James Bolton says the faster turnaround times will translate into lower freight costs. “Up to 30 per cent of production costs for a regional producer or manufacturer is getting it to port,” he says. “Depending on what the product is, it now costs between $800 and $1200 to get a box to port – we’re hoping to significantly reduce this cost.”
Rail and engineering infrastructure specialist Traxion has been contracted to lead the development.
Once completed, the RIFL will feature grain and oil seed terminals, and inland port facilities with direct access to the Olympic Highway for B-double-sized trucks at the minimum.
The planned inland rail route connecting Melbourne and Brisbane will run close by, creating a north-south and east-west crossroads for freight.
“The beauty of Wagga is its location between Sydney and Melbourne,” Bolton says. “The further you travel by rail, the more efficient rail transport options become, and Wagga sits in a sweet spot.”