General News
22 July, 2024
Maryborough celebrated freight upgrades
Freight trains travelling on the Ararat-Maryborough line will be able to travel more efficiently thanks to the completion of the Elmhurst passing loop, which was celebrated in Maryborough last week. The opening of the loop was celebrated by around...
Freight trains travelling on the Ararat-Maryborough line will be able to travel more efficiently thanks to the completion of the Elmhurst passing loop, which was celebrated in Maryborough last week.
The opening of the loop was celebrated by around 60 residents at the Maryborough Railway Station last Thursday, with a Pacific National train arriving with paintings by acclaimed St Arnaud artist Kyle Torney displayed on its side.
Mr Torney, who has a stellar reputation as a muralist with his work placed on walls and silos across Australia, said it was rewarding to showcase artworks of locally grown fruits, nuts and grains on the train.
“We went through the design process and I wanted to showcase the produce that comes from the region and shed a little bit of light on the importance of farmers in our region,” he said.
“It’s obviously really special to have this opportunity so that more people get to see it and appreciate the freight and the farmers that make it possible — it is wonderful to have my kids see it.”
The construction of the new loop, a project under the Australian and Victorian government-funded Murray Basin Rail project, allows two 50-wagon freight trains to pass each other, lifting capacity and providing more opportunities for services.
The project follows the completion of re-railing works across the 88-kilometre track in December 2022, which enables all wagons to operate at a 21-tonne loading capacity.
According to Pacific National chief operating officer Patrick O’Donnell, the upgrades are an important addition for stakeholders.
“Parts of this rail have been neglected for many years so we have to commend the state and federal governments for taking action on this important network in regional Victoria,” he said.
“It enables us to run more freight trains that are longer and heavier — it’s going to go from a capacity of 27 services per week to 41 and we will work with our customers to
try and get more freight on the train.
“We are a great believer in putting more freight on the train as opposed to bigger and heavier trucks, so from a public safety point of view these upgrades will mean fewer trucks on the road.
“The more we put on these trains also makes it more efficient and cheaper for our farmers in the region.”
