Australia's Inland Rail to Implement 86-Hour Rail Shutdown for Construction

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, Australia's Inland Rail announced the next round of intensive construction works for the Victoria section, planning a continuous 86-hour rail shutdown from September 12 to 15. During the shutdown, train services on the affected sections will be suspended, with construction contractor John Holland advancing bridge, track, drainage, and station works simultaneously at multiple sites including Benalla, Euroa, Tallarook, Broadford, and Wandong.

The core focus of this round of works is the Marchbanks Road bridge in Broadford. John Holland will demolish the existing bridge and lift the main girders of the new elevated bridge into place within the 86-hour shutdown window. The new bridge girders were delivered to the site in July and construction preparations have been completed. Following the demolition of the old bridge and installation of the new girders, 11 of the 12 modified construction sites on the Inland Rail in Victoria will meet the height and width clearance requirements for double-stacked container trains.

In addition to the Marchbanks Road bridge, works will continue at the Benalla and Euroa station precincts, including the Nunn Street level crossing in Benalla and the Birkett Street level crossing in Euroa; bridge and track drainage works will be carried out in Tallarook, track and drainage works will continue at Short Street and Hamilton Street in Broadford, and the removal of temporary protection facilities along the rail corridor is planned in Wandong.

This construction is part of Tranche 2 of the Beveridge to Albury rail upgrade project. The section spans approximately 262 kilometres and involves upgrading the existing North East rail corridor, requiring adjustments to bridges, tracks, and associated structures at 12 locations to achieve the clearance standards for double-stacked container freight trains. Tranche 1 works have been completed, and Tranche 2 is being delivered by John Holland, with works currently progressing across 8 construction sites between Benalla, Euroa, Seymour, Tallarook, Broadford, and Wandong.

As of July, 10 of the 12 modification sites were already cleared for double-stacked container train operations, with the two remaining sites being the Marchbanks Road bridge and the Tallarook Hume Freeway construction site. Under the current schedule, following the completion of the critical structural transition at the Marchbanks Road bridge during the September shutdown, only the Tallarook clearance works will remain ongoing in the Victoria section.