ARTC Statement
Kankool Derailment: Update #4 – Wednesday 18 February
The forecast to return services at Kankool has been revised forward to late afternoon, Thursday 19 February, an Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) spokesman said today.
Thanks to work by Pacific National and its contractors completing wagon recovery activities over the last two days, and concurrent track repairs by ARTC, the earlier return to service can be achieved.
The task of replacing hundreds of concrete rail sleepers, rail track and track ballast is now well underway. Additional track supplies and a ballast train are scheduled to arrive later this afternoon to allow the work to remain continuous.
ARTC has been working with customers and the Hunter Valley supply chain to allow for the earlier return to operations.
We would like to thank customers and the community for their patience and understanding over the last few days.
ENDS
Media Contact: Bas Bolyn – 0477 340 658
Update – 3pm, Thursday 19 February –
Please note that this afternoon at 1.40pm the main line at Kankool was reopened and the first train passed through at 2.10pm. Our team will now be focused on working on returning operations to normal alongside our partners in the coal chain.
ARTC again thanks our customers and the community for their patience while we worked to recover the wagons, repair the track and return services.