New Deal Will Improve Rail Performance Maroona to Portland

The performance of the standard gauge rail line between Maroona and Portland will be significantly improved thanks to a deal announced today between Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd and the Victorian Government.

ARTC CEO, David Marchant, joined Victorian Premier, The Hon. John Brumby in announcing the long term lease of the Maroona to Portland rail link.

“ARTC will lease the Portland-Maroona line as part of its overall lease of the Victorian Interstate Standard Gauge Network.  This agreement will allow ARTC to deliver significant infrastructure improvements to the line.”

ARTC will invest in the Portland-Maroona line to manage, upgrade and maintain it, with the overall aim of ensuring the line capacity is able to meet demand and be more attractive for future growth.”

“The clearest example of this is that by upgrading the line, trains will be able to travel consistently at 80 kilometres an hour,” Mr Marchant said.

The announcement of this new deal comes on the back of the declaration in April that ARTC had signed a long term lease agreement for the Victorian standard gauge rail network.

Mr Marchant explained that the new Victorian lease will allow ARTC to deliver significant infrastructure improvements to the Victorian standard gauge system.

“The length of this lease will allow sufficient time for ARTC to plan and implement practical, long term, infrastructure improvements to the rail network in Victoria.”

“Specifically, the agreement will involve converting the North East broad gauge line between Seymour and Albury to standard gauge, and the partial conversion of the Albion to Jacana Line to dual gauge.”

 “These and other projects represent an immediate investment by ARTC of more than $285 million in the existing infrastructure,” Mr Marchant said.

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