Final update – 6 February, 6pm
Australian Rail Track Corporation completes massive maintenance effort
A sixty-strong crew of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) maintenance workers and its contracting partners have completed an intensive week-long emergency works program after an incident involving a freight and passenger train closed the line in both directions.
Crews worked from dawn until dusk since last Wednesday across an area spanning 1.7 kilometres to remove wagons, components and containers from the track, extract and replace 1800 damaged sleepers and 180 metres of damaged rail and carry out extensive cleaning.
The west track reopened to services from 6pm on Saturday 1 February with intermittent closures for repairs allowing the east track to reopen early this evening, 6 February.
ARTC Group Executive Interstate Network Peter Winder said the operation was completed safely by around sixty maintenance workers in at times blistering heat.
“We thank the emergency services, our customers and our staff in completing this repair and recovery effort safely,” Mr Winder said.
“We would also like to thank the local community for their patience during the works and any disruption caused.”
ENDS
Update 3 February 2020, 4pm
Major maintenance effort nears completion at Barnawartha following derailment
Australian Rail Track Corporation carried out a significant amount of work over the weekend to remove damaged sleepers and rail between Chiltern and Barnawartha following an incident between a freight and passenger train on Wednesday last week.
More than 1800 damaged sleepers and 180 metres of damaged rail have been removed for repair work by a 60-strong crew of maintenance workers.
Crews worked around the clock in temperatures of up to 44 degree heat to remove the damaged sleepers, recover wagons, components and containers from the track and move the V/Line train and majority of freight containers to Albury.
The last sleepers are being delivered today for installation and majority of re railing activities will also be completed by the end of the day.
Temperatures have eased significantly ensuring crews have been given a welcome break from the blistering heat.
The west track was opened on Saturday 1 February from 6 pm until 6 am to move some traffic however it will be closed again from 6 am until 6 pm daily – until further notice – to support repairs on the east track.
With work progressing well, the full reopening of the east track is expected in coming days.
Update 2 February 2020, 2pm
After Safety Regulators completed their initial assessments on Thursday, 30th January at around 5pm, the recovery operation started involving around 60 workers.
Work is now under way to replace more than 1800 damaged sleepers and more than 180 metres of damaged rail.
The west track was opened last night (Saturday, 1 February) from 6 pm until 6 am to move some traffic however it will be closed again from 6 am until 6 pm daily – until further notice – to support repairs on the east track.
Update 31 January 2020, 4pm
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) is continuing to work with Rail Safety Regulators and operators on the recovery effort following the incident involving a freight and passenger train between Chiltern and Barnawartha on Wednesday 29 January.
A northbound freight train derailed, and a passenger train service travelling south on the adjacent track struck a wagon of the derailed freight train.
After Safety Regulators completed their initial assessments yesterday at around 5pm, the recovery operation started involving around 60 workers.
Work so far has focused on recovering wagons, components and containers from the track and moving the V Line train and majority of freight containers yesterday afternoon.
Work is now under way to replace more than 1800 damaged sleepers and more than 180 metres of damaged rail.
While repairs are under way, timing for the line to reopen is not yet confirmed.
With temperatures reaching more than 44 degrees in the recovery site area, hot works are being extremely carefully managed and crews provided additional rest breaks and hydration measures.
ARTC will provide further updates to media and our customers as soon as they become available.
Released at 7.15pm, 29 January 2020
ARTC STATEMENT 1 – RAIL INCIDENT AT BARNAWARTHA
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) can confirm an incident has occurred on its rail network between Chiltern and Barnawartha (south of Wodonga) early this evening at approximately 5.40pm.
Information is still being gathered, but at this stage ARTC can advise that a northbound freight train has derailed and a passenger train service travelling south on the adjacent track has struck a wagon of the freight train.
There are no reported injuries to passengers or crews of either train service.
The train line is currently suspended to all services and the site will be quarantined for attendance by independent safety regulators and for incident investigations.
Our priority at this stage is to ensure the safety of the persons involved and assisting attending emergency authorities.
We will be providing further updates as they become available.
ENDS