The Mildura freight line is among three that have been upgraded
The Victorian government says it has completed upgrade works on three freight lines in Victoria, specifically in the north-west region near Mildura.
Ports and freight minister Melissa Horne says the works have been completed on the Mildura, Sea Lake and Manangatang lines to improve conditions on the track and reduce the risk of infrastructure faults that delay loading.
The government says freight operators will now benefit from the completion of the upgrade works.
The works included the installation of more than 170,000 new sleepers, the addition of over 30,000 tonnes of ballast to the track and maintenance on more than 8,000 joints between pieces of rail.
The works also involved operating specialised machinery along the entire length of the Manangatang line to improve the surface of the track along with the section of track between Korong Vale and Dunolly, which Manangatang and Sea Lake line trains share.
Horne says staff walkways were also improved to make it easier to access different parts of the train during loading, and 15 sidings where trains load product across the lines were upgraded.
The works now also pave the way for 29 kilometres of temporary speed restrictions to be removed on the Manangatang line, slashing travel times for freight trains by 20 minutes.
RELATED ARTICLE: Victoria keeping freight moving in Mildura
The works were completed as part of the V/Line’s program of infrastructure improvements across the regional rail network.
Horne says the works mark an increase in efficiency for freight operators in the region.
“We’re improving the freight network and ensuring we’re continuing to support our freight operators and farmers by completing these works across the across the Mildura, Sea Lake and Manangatang lines,” she says.
“The works have improved the track along the lines – making it safer, faster and easier for freight operators to load product onto trains and for farmers to transport their goods.”