Inland Rail’s first major construction works on its Stockinbingal to Parkes section has been completed, with the work carried out during a 60-hour track possession.
The Melbourne to Sydney line was closed from 23-25 September to accommodate the work blitz.
Workers across three sites from Stockinbingal to Parkes worked around the clock to kickstart major construction and return the line to operation.
New precast culverts were installed under the main line at Daroobalgie in preparation for the future crossing loop to be constructed in 2024.
Track and shoulder formation works and track slews were also completed at both the Bribbaree and Caragabal yards, allowing sufficient clearance for double stacked trains. These sites are now complete and meet the requirements for Inland Rail.
The works are a key milestone towards Inland Rail being completed between Beveridge and Parkes by 2027, and connecting to existing rail networks between Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, and the Illawarra.
Inland Rail Director of Program Delivery for Albury to Parkes, Melvyn Maylin, said that it was a group effort behind the scenes for both Inland Rail and Martinus teams to take advantage of this possession window and successfully complete the planned works ahead of schedule.
“Together we were able to safely deliver these works six months earlier than originally planned. A big congratulations to the teams who worked tirelessly to make this happen,” Mr Maylin said.
“We’d also like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we carried out these construction tasks.”
Featured image: An excavator in operation at the Daroobalgie work site. Image: Inland Rail.
