A vital part of the Stockinbingal to Parkes section of the ARTC Inland Rail project has been delivered, with nearly 4000 railway sleepers weighing a total of over 1000 tonnes arriving in Daroobalgie for a new crossing loop.
The concrete sleepers were trucked in from Bomen, New South Wales and took five days to unload using plant machinery. The sleepers, made of high-density fibre-reinforced concrete and weighing 285kg each, will lay over 2.2 kilometres of track, along with over 277 tonnes of rail delivered last month.
The Stockinbingal to Parkes project area spans from just north of the rail junction in Stockinbingal to south of Goobang Junction in Parkes, NSW.
Major construction on the section is expected to begin in late 2023 and involves enhancements or modifications to specific sites along the existing rail corridor to accommodate double-stacked freight trains.
Other works planned include increasing vertical clearance on the Lachlan River Rail Bridge and Wyndham Avenue Road Bridge in Forbes, modifying Forbes Railway Station, and enhancing several existing crossings, structures, and utilities.
Inland Rail Albury to Parkes program delivery director Melvyn Maylin said the new track would be built to the eastern side of the existing Daroobalgie track and will include the replacement and extension of culverts to mitigate flooding on neighbouring land. The crossing loop will allow trains in opposite directions to safely pass each other.
“The Stockinbingal to Parkes project is now in the procurement and detailed design stages. During this time, we are seeking to appoint a construction contractor to finalise detailed design and construct the project,” he said.
“Early works in and around Forbes will be ongoing, including the relocation of gas and water infrastructure. These works are required because they will enable major construction to proceed more efficiently once a contractor is appointed.
“Inland Rail is an important project that will help Australia move more freight, enhancing the national freight rail network and making our roads safer for all.”