Major track upgrades between Epsom and the new Goornong Station north of Bendigo in Victoria are now complete, allowing trains to travel from 80 km/h up to 130 km/h between the stations when a new timetable comes into effect on Sunday 12 December.
John Holland had been appointed to deliver the track upgrades, which include replacing more than 20,000 sleepers, new ballast, drainage improvements, rail bridge upgrades, mud-hole removal and level crossing modifications to boost safety.
Goornong station is the first of three new stations being funded by the Victorian Government, as part of the Bendigo Metro 3 to give people in growing communities access to trains close to where they live.
Works on the Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade continue, with the delivery of Huntly station targeted for completion in mid-2022, and Raywood Station to follow late next year.
Design and development of the new electronic train order (ETO) system by V/Line is also progressing, as part of Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade. The ETO system will allow additional weekday return services to both Eaglehawk and Epsom and triple the number of weekday services to and from Echuca when the project is completed.
The Bendigo and Echuca Line Upgrade is part of the Federal and Victorian governments’ investment of more than $4 billion to upgrade every regional passenger rail line in Victoria.
Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum said further track upgrades to increase the speed of trains beyond Goornong towards Echuca are planned to take place in 2022.
“Crews have installed 20,000 new concrete sleepers and 50,000 tonnes of ballast along the line, as well as major track formation and reconstruction works at 20 sites,” Drum said.
“Drainage improvements have also taken place, along with tamping, de-stressing and welding, culvert and bridge repairs, rail milling, and upgrades to signalling at eight level crossings.”
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