Forty-two rail legs were delivered to the site via a rail train and were unloaded using plant machinery. The rail legs, measuring 110 metres long and weighing 6.6 tonnes each, will lay over 2.3 kilometres of track.
The Stockinbingal to Parkes project area spans from just north of the rail junction in Stockinbingal to south of Goobang Junction in Parkes, New South Wales.
Major construction on the Stockinbingal to Parkes section is expected to begin in late 2023 and involves enhancements or modifications to specific sites along the existing rail corridor to accommodate double-stacked freight trains.
Other works planned for Stockinbingal to Parkes include increasing vertical clearance on the Lachlan River rail bridge and Wyndham Avenue Road bridge in Forbes, modifying Forbes Railway Station, and enhancing several existing crossing loops, structures, and utilities.
Melvyn Maylin, Inland Rail Director Program Delivery, Albury to Parkes, said:
‘The crossing loop at Daroobalgie features 2.21km of new track built to the eastern side of the existing track and will include the replacement and extension of culverts to mitigate flooding on neighbouring land. The crossing loop will allow trains in opposite directions to safely pass each other.
‘The Stockinbingal to Parkes project is now in the procurement and detailed design stage. During this time, we are conducting various follow up environmental and technical investigations, engineering and design, hydrology studies and consulting with key stakeholders, communities, and landowners to finalise plans for this project.
‘Early works in and around Forbes will be ongoing, including the relocation of gas and water infrastructure. These works are required because they will enable major construction works to proceed more efficiently once a contractor is appointed.
‘Inland Rail is far more than building a rail line – it’s about investing in our regions, completing the national freight rail network and making our roads safer for all’.
