Download this article in PDF format
The new concrete sleeper factory at Wagga Wagga which will supply one million concrete sleepers for Australian Rail Track Corporations Ltd’s (ARTC) concrete re sleepering of the interstate rail line between Sydney and Melbourne, is proceeding on schedule and will have its first production on 6 June.” David Marchant Chief Executive of ARTC said today.
The new factory is being built on the Bomen industrial estate by Austrak a fully owned subsidiary of Laing O’Rourke.
“This new factory is a key factor in enabling ARTC to go forward with our Melbourne to Sydney rail upgrade investment program “Mr Marchant said.
“The new concrete sleeper factory being built in Wagga will be the largest sleeper plant in Australia.” said Austrak’s General Manager.” David Priddle.
“It is a large investment and commitment to the Wagga district and will employ about 60 staff when it becomes operational in June this year.” Mr Priddle said.
After the first production of concrete sleepers from the new Austrak Wagga factory in June the sleepers will then need to cure for 4 weeks before they can be laid on the track.
ARTC entered into a contract worth over $100 million with Austrak last November for the supply of 1,250,000 concrete sleepers and fasteners to be fully delivered by 2008.
” Concrete resleepering is an important part of ARTC’s current $2 billion North South investment program to upgrade the interstate rail network from Melbourne to Brisbane to improve transit times, reliability and capacity on the interstate network. Transit times are estimated to reduce Melbourne – Sydney by two and a half hours from 13 hours 10 minutes to 10 hours 40 minutes for 1500 superfreighters and to 11 hours 30 minutes for 1800 metre superfreighters.” Mr Marchant said.
ARTC has recently made significant investments in Wagga Wagga with the establishment of new ARTC Management Offices and provisioning centre precinct at Station St and the construction of the new $17 million rail bridge across the Murrumbidgee at Wagga Wagga.
8 March 2007
Contact:
David Marchant
0419 733 201
Prue Regan
02 8259 0716
Mark Walker Laing O’Rourke
02 9855 1600