General News
8 April, 2021
Minister Ben Carroll inspects rail progress
THE Warrnambool line upgrade will reach an important milestone this month with the first section of track to be installed at Boorcan to help improve train services to passengers in south west Victoria.
THE Warrnambool line upgrade will reach an important milestone this month with the first section of track to be installed at Boorcan to help improve train services to passengers in south west Victoria.
Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll visited Boorcan last week to see workers assembling track turnouts which will be lifted in to place during the planned disruption to the line in April.
Mr Carroll said it was exciting to see the first section of track assembled and ready to be installed.
“This is critical part of the upgrades our crews are delivering to boost reliability and bring more services to communities in south west Victoria,” he said.
“This project is not only delivering more services, more often – it is boosting the local economy with more than 20 regional businesses already supplying services on the project and delivering local jobs when Victorians need them most.”
More than two kilometres of track will be built between Boorcan and Oswells Road to form the crossing loop, which will make it easier for trains to pass each other and allow services to recover faster from unexpected delays along the line.
Local suppliers McNaughton Excavations and Grampians Excavations have been carrying out earthworks at the Boorcan crossing loop site in preparation for the track installation by project contractor Downer.
Signalling upgrades are also progressing as part of the project with more than five kilometres of trenching completed in recent months and seven kilometres of signalling cable installed at Birregurra and Warncoort, preparing the line for the communications and power supply the new signalling equipment needs.
Since construction started last year, crews have already completed the signalling upgrades need to deliver more reliable services and the long-awaited fifth weekday return service at Boorcan, Winchelsea, Camperdown and Colac.
Passengers were reminded to plan ahead as coaches will replace trains from Saturday, April 10 until Sunday, April 18 to allow track and signalling upgrades works to takeplace safely.
During the disruption, crews would continue to install underground cabling for signalling upgrades and to carry out drainage improvements and install the first section of track for the crossing loop.
Planning for Stage 2 of the Warrnambool Line Upgrade was now under way, which would allow VLocity trains to run along the Warrnambool Line for the first time.
Mr Carroll said the upgrades would provide a boost for passengers and the freightnetwork alike.
“This will make an important difference for passenger rail on the Warrnambool line, including a fifth additional return service between Warrnambool and Melbourne,”he said.
“Importantly, it will help our freight network. We know south west Victoria is such an important regional community with 25 per cent of Australia’s dairy industry, and our freight is so important as we come through COVID-19.
“We know this is a big upgrade with Stage One and Two, and getting ready to have those important new VLocity trains which people want to experience with better disability access, better wifi and all of those things we know a modern-day train service should have.”
The Warrnambool Line Upgrade forms part of the Australian and Victorian Governments’ investment of more than $4 billion in Regional Rail Revival, which is upgrading every passenger rail line in the state and creating 3000 jobs.
Passengers can find out if they are affected by the disruption at www.bigbuild.vic.gov.au and find more information about the project at www.regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/warrnambool.
