Melbourne – Adelaide Rail Corridor More Efficient

Commencing this month, faster transit times, greater reliability and improved competitiveness for rail between Melbourne and Adelaide are being delivered. A major engineering review and the raising of permissible track speeds in Victoria and the Adelaide Hills is breathing new life into the Adelaide to Melbourne rail corridor. These initiatives combined with a recent $20 million infrastructure investment program funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, are delivering dramatic reductions in transit times and improved corridor reliability for freight and passenger train operators on this important rail link.

Australian Rail Track Corporation CEO, David Marchant said “Twelve months ago, sections of this corridor were seen as some of the worst parts of the interstate rail network. To assist both interstate and state-based rail operators provide a better service to their customers between Melbourne and Adelaide we have been able to significantly increase maximum speeds and enhance the reliability of this corridor.”

“Interstate freight operators have benefited on average from over an hour’s reduction in transit times and ARTC has been working closely with Great Southern Railway to assist them in achieving a 10.5 hour running time for the Overland.” David Marchant continued, “ARTC has been conducting a fundamental review of engineering standards applied to the track on this corridor and has challenged many of the standards that applied to a past era of rail transport.”

“By more careful monitoring and husbandry of our track asset, ARTC has been able to lift the maximum permissible speeds form 80 km/h to 115 km/h over most of the corridor and also increase permissible axle loads without having to rely on costly infrastructure improvements.”

Over the last 12 months, since ARTC took over the lease and management of the interstate track in Victoria, speed restrictions have been reduced from 28% to an all time low of 0.8%.

The improvements on this corridor and the introduction of the new higher speed limits will see more consistent standards for train operators applied across the ARTC network. A 21-tonne axle load will soon apply across the entire interstate network from Brisbane to Perth and over most sections of the ARTC network a maximum speed of 110 km/h now applies for such trains. A maximum speed of 115 km/h will apply to trains with a 19-tonne axle load.

Commencing this month, faster transit times, greater reliability and improved competitiveness for rail between Melbourne and Adelaide are being delivered. A major engineering review and the raising of permissible track speeds in Victoria and the Adelaide Hills is breathing new life into the Adelaide to Melbourne rail corridor. These initiatives combined with a recent $20 million infrastructure investment program funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, are delivering dramatic reductions in transit times and improved corridor reliability for freight and passenger train operators on this important rail link.

Australian Rail Track Corporation CEO, David Marchant said “Twelve months ago, sections of this corridor were seen as some of the worst parts of the interstate rail network. To assist both interstate and state-based rail operators provide a better service to their customers between Melbourne and Adelaide we have been able to significantly increase maximum speeds and enhance the reliability of this corridor.”

“Interstate freight operators have benefited on average from over an hour’s reduction in transit times and ARTC has been working closely with Great Southern Railway to assist them in achieving a 10.5 hour running time for the Overland.” David Marchant continued, “ARTC has been conducting a fundamental review of engineering standards applied to the track on this corridor and has challenged many of the standards that applied to a past era of rail transport.”

“By more careful monitoring and husbandry of our track asset, ARTC has been able to lift the maximum permissible speeds form 80 km/h to 115 km/h over most of the corridor and also increase permissible axle loads without having to rely on costly infrastructure improvements.”

Over the last 12 months, since ARTC took over the lease and management of the interstate track in Victoria, speed restrictions have been reduced from 28% to an all time low of 0.8%.

The improvements on this corridor and the introduction of the new higher speed limits will see more consistent standards for train operators applied across the ARTC network. A 21-tonne axle load will soon apply across the entire interstate network from Brisbane to Perth and over most sections of the ARTC network a maximum speed of 110 km/h now applies for such trains. A maximum speed of 115 km/h will apply to trains with a 19-tonne axle load.

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