The original

The first locomotive numbered #6029 is a New South Wales AD60 class Beyer-Garratt 4-8-4+4-8-4 heavy goods steam locomotive, which entered service in 1954 and is now preserved by Transport Heritage NSW.

The young one

The next locomotive numbered #6029 is a UGL Rail C44aci diesel electric locomotive, operated by Aurizon on freight services across Australia since delivery in 2012.

And the ring in

And the electric version of #6029 is actually a tram – a Melbourne E-class which entered service in 2015.

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Welcome to the New South Wales EPA

In the state of New South Wales rail operators are required to hold an Environment Protection Licence issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. The licence for interstate rail freight is held by the Australian Rail Track Corporation, in their role as track access provider.

But the licence includes restrictions on the classes of locomotive allowed to operate on the ARTC network in New South Wales.

L2 Noise limits

Note: It is an objective of this Licence to progressively reduce noise impacts from railways systems activities to the noise level goals of 65 dB(A)Leq, (day and evening time from 7am – 10pm), 60 dB(A)Leq, (night time from 10pm – 7am) and 85dB(A) (24 hr) max pass-by noise, at one metre from the facade of affected residential properties.

The licensee must obtain approval from the EPA prior to permitting operation on the “premises” of:

1. a class or type/model of locomotive, whether new or existing, that is not included in Condition E2; or
2. a locomotive that has been substantially modified since it was last used on the licenses premises.

A new class of locomotive type/model previously approved under Condition L2 may be brought onto the rail network without further approval provided that it is consistent with that type/model and EPA is notified at least 7 days in advance. Condition E2 will then be updated at the next opportunity.

Note: EPA approval for a new locomotive will be granted on the basis of compliance with the locomotive noise limits in Condition L2.5, L2.6 and L2.7 and will require submission of noise test results from a representative number of locomotives from that class or type/model.

A schedule of approved locomotives also appears, their inclusion via different approval paths:

• Locomotives which operated into New South Wales before the 1980s are permitted as they were “introduced prior to approval process”,
• Locomotives introduced during the 1990s were “approved under previous legislation”,
• Newer locomotives from the 2000s have underwent a EPA class approval process,
• And the modern plague of Downer EDI Rail GT46C ACe and UGL Rail C44aci locomotives are type approved, so their different class designations don’t matter from an EPA perspective.

But for rail freight operators there is still a stumbling block – encountered by interstate locomotives that never operated into New South Wales before the EPA rail noise regulations were introduced.

Enter the Queensland Railways 2800 class

The Queensland Railways 2800 class are diesel locomotives introduced in 1995 to run freight trains on the narrow gauge network in Queensland.

Photo by Pytomelon87, via Wikimedia Commons

But from 2003 Queensland Rail expanded interstate as QR National, and decided to put one of the 2800 class onto standard gauge.

But there was a problem – the locomotive didn’t meet NSW noise standards, despite noisier locomotives already being permitted under the legacy approval path.

Aurizon (formerly QR National) initially applied to operate the 2800 class locomotives in NSW in 2006. This initial application was made for the locomotive using the original (as-supplied) transition muffler and coffin muffler. At this time, permission to operate in NSW was refused on the basis of noise emissions.

Subsequently, modifications were made to the transition muffler, improving its performance, and Aurizon again applied to the EPA for permission to operate this class in early 2012. The locomotive was again refused permission to operate by the NSW EPA on the basis of low-frequency noise emissions.

So modifications were made to the exhaust – and the test passed.

The EPA has subsequently approved this locomotive class (rebadged as the 3200 class) for use in NSW, stating that “Based on the information provided, the EPA considers that the noise performance of the 3200 class locomotive is consistent with current best practice in NSW.”

With the three modified locomotives now able to operate in NSW.

And the one-off diesel GML10

GML10 is a one-of-a-kind diesel locomotive, built in 1990 for the Goldsworthy Mining Company to operate iron ore trains in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

J Joyce photo via Rail Heritage WA

In 1994 it was sold to Comalco to operate on their bauxite railway at Weipa in Queensland, then sold again in 2009 to Australian Locolease who resold it to Qube Logistics, who operate it on standard gauge freight trains across Australia.

But there was a problem – GML10 had never operated in New South Wales to be approved under the legacy approval path, and as a one-off locomotive, going through the onerous noise approval testing process doesn’t make financial sense.

So Qube’s solution – drag the locomotive dead attached through New South Wales.

A waiver to the published conditions in the ARTC Train Operating Conditions Manual is granted for the movement of GML10 from Broken Hill to Albury via Parkes and Junee ARTC network in NSW. GML10 to be dead hauled at all times.

Or turn off the locomotive before it crosses the border into NSW, and park it in the yard at Albury!

A tactic that bit Qube on their behind in 2017, when a failed train had to be rescued, and GML10 was the only locomotive available to assist.

As a result, Qube sought special permission from ARTC to operate the locomotive over the 2500 metres from the NSW/Victoria border into Albury yard.

A waiver to the conditions of the ARTC TOC Manual is issued for the movement of Locomotive GML10 from the Vic/NSW border into Albury yard under its own power.

Locomotive GML10 is required to be attached to a disabled grain train in Albury. There is no other practical method of movement.

Conditions of movement:

1. The engine of GML10 shall be run for the minimum practical time to SAFELY complete the relocation movement.
2. The movement shall be completed using power setting no greater than notch 2.
3. Movement shall be carried out in daylight hours, 0800 – 1800, to minimize impact on receptors.
4. Once attached to the train GML10 shall be shut down and hauled past the border prior to restarting.
5. Conditions of TOC Waiver 15113 shall re-apply after this movement is complete.

A comical situation, especially given unmodified diesel locomotives from the 1950s are allowed through New South Wales making as much noise as they please.

Footnote: the Border Railway Act

Another complexity on rail noise regulations is the broad gauge railway that crosses the Murray River at Echuca and continues north to Deniliquin in New South Wales.

The railway is operated as an extension of the Victorian rail network.

And is governed by the 1922 Border Railways Acts, with New South Wales passing control of the railway to Victoria.

Control and management of certain railways by Government of Victoria

The Government of Victoria shall, subject to the agreement, have the right to control and manage any railway in New South Wales referred to in the agreement, and the Victorian Authority may, in respect of such control and management, exercise all the powers which are by law conferred on the Victorian Authority in respect of railways in the State of Victoria.

Including what I see is authority to power to set their own rail noise regulations.

Schedule 1 The Agreement

The Government of New South Wales undertakes to vest in the Government of Victoria any authority necessary to sanction the working of any railway or railways under this Agreement in New South Wales territory, including collection and enforcement of fares and freights, and the vesting of the control and management of the lines in the State of Victoria.

So presumably a new-build broad gauge diesel locomotive could operate on the Deniliquin line without issue – assuming one was actually built!

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The story starts

V/Line now has 115 and counting VLocity trains in service.

And with locomotive hauled trains on the way out, their diesel-electric locomotives ended up stored at Geelong.

And so in August 2023 V/Line invited expressions of interest to repurpose them on freight services.

V/Line is seeking proposals from organisations capable of repurposing its passenger locomotives for broad gauge freight in accordance with V/Line approved application(s).

V/Line is progressively retiring its fleet of ‘classic’ passenger locomotives as new V/Locity trains are introduced, creating an opportunity to reinvigorate competition in, and grow Broad Gauge (BG) rail freight in Victoria.

V/Line is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from ONRSR (Office of National Rail Safety Regulator) accredited private sector organisations or consortia, to invest in locomotive upgrades to V/Line’s specification and maintenance requirements and operate them on the BG freight network.

The EOI proposals will encompass V/Lines classic passenger locomotive fleet, as they are progressively decommissioned, as they become available to be repurposed locomotive fleet for the BG Network.

A handful of of locomotives to start with, and more to come.

New VLocity trains are being introduced across the network, therefore V/Line is progressively retiring its fleet of ‘classic’ passenger locomotives. This fleet provides an opportunity to encourage competition and grow BG rail freight in Victoria.

To repurpose these locomotives, V/Line is running this public Invitation process for the N and P Class locomotives.

Following this, V/Line then expects to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to selected parties from the EOI Process.

The expectation is that the N and P Class locomotives will remain in V/Line ownership but will be made available for the freight network under a long-term lease arrangement.

While subject to change, the fleet surplus to requirements for this EOI Invitation is projected to be:
• 19 x N Class
• 3 x P Class

Of these, seven locomotives are available for repurposing now: four N Class and three P Class.

The next tranche of N Class locomotives will be released once replacement V/Locity trains are in service.

The total number of N Class made available through the program, and the timescales, are yet to be confirmed and will be subject to change.

With a hope to encourage more freight on rail in Victoria.

The objectives of the locomotive repurposing program are to:
• Increase the capacity and performance of the broad gauge freight system
• Prioritise proposals that support broad gauge freight growth, meet upgrade specifications, and offer co-investment on the freight system such as in wagons and terminals
• Support broader government policy on rail freight, health and road safety, and legislative requirements obligations under legislation such as the 2017 Climate Change Act and the 2010 Transport Integration Act.
• Maximise the return to the State through public tender processes that invite proposals from parties able to contribute to growing rail freight’s mode share

V/Line is looking for robust and innovative proposals that support these program objectives and demonstrate a collaborative approach to work with V/Line to improve BG rail freight in Victoria.
Key to this is to demonstrate value for money to the State. V/Line expects the EOIs to demonstrate this value, including by:
• direct investment in the locomotives (overhauls, upgrades, maintenance)
• investment in the BG freight network, such as in new/upgraded wagons and new/expanded freight rail terminals
• indicative lease payments to V/Line for locomotives
• indirect benefits including “externalities” such as reduced road damage and congestion, improved road safety and reduced carbon emissions.

Respondents are encouraged to prioritise investments in longer term assets, rather than just the lease payments for the locomotives.

And work around the ‘break of gauge‘ Victorian rail freight is limited by.

V/Line is currently investing $181 million on upgrades to the rail freight network. Complementary investment in the locomotive and wagon fleet is also being actively encouraged to maximise the benefits of these upgrades.

Surplus V/Line passenger locomotives are currently being repurposed and will be offered to rail operators for use on the BG freight network. The aim is to increase capacity and competition.

The Victorian BG freight system operates using a rolling stock fleet that is aging and, in some cases, not necessarily aligned to current and expected future requirements. The average age of the privately-owned BG freight locomotives in Victoria is 41 years, and most wagons in use are 30-50 years old.

SG rolling stock can operate on other networks interstate, therefore locomotives and rolling stock are more readily available and the market is more competitive.

In contrast, due to the relatively higher cost of meeting the gauge and axle load requirements, investment in growing the BG locomotive fleet has been historically restricted.

V/Line hopes that its commitment to, and investment in, the rail freight sector will generate commitment from freight operators towards growing their Victorian BG rail freight operations.

And it begins

In March 2024 four N class locomotives departed South Dynon for a new life on freight with the successful bidder – Southern Shorthaul Railroad.

N467 transferring classmates N463, N466, N455 and N464 along the goods lines under Footscray.

To Tottenham Yard, where the locomotives were handed over to Southern Shorthaul Railroad.

The V/Line and PTV branding was quickly stripped from the locomotives.

And on the evening of 16 March 2024 they led their first freight train, with N463 leading B80, S311 and N455 out of Melbourne on a grain train towards northern Victoria.

Allowing aging diesel locomotives from the 1950s to head into the workshops for a well overdue overhaul.

Footnote on the P class locomotives

Back in 2017 V/Line’s also retired a number of smaller P class locomotives.

Five were sold outright to Southern Shorthaul Railroad in April 2019, and pressed into service delivering newly completed High Capacity Metro Trains.

Transporting X’Trapolis trains to Ballarat for overhaul.

And Comeng trains to the scrapyard.

They have also been used on infrastructure inspection trains.

To transport rails, ballast and sleepers to work sites.

And to fill in for the bigger B and S class diesels on grain trains.

Initially they ran around in a stripped V/Line livery, but were eventually repainted in SSR yellow and black in 2022.

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This new level crossing is located on ‘Intermodal Way‘ – a new public road connecting Dock Link Road and Mullaly Close, replacing Coode Road between Dock Link Road and Phillipps Road.

And the railway track crossing Intermodal Way leads into the new Coode Road Rail Terminal.

The new terminal is part of the ‘Port Rail Transformation Project‘ which will enable port shuttle trains to run to Altona, Somerton and Lyndhurst.

With new rail infrastructure including:

• A new Coode Road rail terminal interfacing with the Swanson Dock East International Container Terminal. The rail terminal will include two new rail sidings each that can handle 600 metre long trains.
• A new road to facilitate the uninterrupted movement of containers. The new road will provide a continued East/West connection within the Swanson Dock Precinct without trucks needing to exit to Footscray Road replacing the section of Coode Road which will be closed for the construction of the above rail terminal.
• Modifications to the Swanson precinct common user sidings to accommodate 600 metre long trains.
• A new track linking the Swanson and Appleton lead tracks to allow additional flexibility for trains to move within the port precinct.

Funding for the project was made available way back in the 2014-15 State Budget as the ‘Metropolitan Intermodal System’, but work on the two track dual gauge intermodal terminal didn’t start until 2021.

Works on the new rail terminal are still ongoing, with flashing lights and boom barriers yet to be installed at the new level crossing.

So will port shuttle trains be running soon? The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office has been tracking the delays.

The shuttle network is not proceeding according to its original timetable. Service start dates across the 3 sites are delayed by 17.6 months on average, although construction at Altona is nearly complete.

The shuttle network program has not achieved the original contract milestones and the department has amended and extended contract dates for Altona 6 times and Somerton 14 times.

The department’s recent advice to government confirms that the shuttle network is unlikely to deliver the expected volume of metropolitan container freight by rail unless the government approves further interventions and investments.

And is worried about the viability of services.

• Pricing, access and operating arrangements at the new on-dock rail terminal at the port are uncertain because the future operator has not yet published its rates.
• Trucks are estimated to have a significant competitive advantage over rail per metropolitan container, based on current pricing and port-precinct operating models.
• The new on-dock terminal, in its initial operating phase, will not operate on weekends and only during the daylight hours of 6 am to 6 pm. This is unlikely to align with available rail paths to the port, especially from Dandenong South, as well as the shuttle network operators’ operational needs.
• No freight train paths for Somerton or Dandenong South can be allocated until a rail operator is appointed for these sites. This will need to happen closer to when they are ready to start services.

Fingers crossed the new services are more successful than previous port shuttle train attempts.

Footnote: Melbourne’s previous newest level crossing?

Back in 2017 I looked at when did Melbourne stop building new level crossings – and the previous newest crossing was around the corner at Dock Link Road, opened in the 1990s as part of an upgrade to the Melbourne Freight Terminal.

But in April 2023 the Level Crossing Removal Authority added an even newer pedestrian level crossing – outside Diamond Creek College on the Hurstbridge line, as part of the Hurstbridge Line Duplication project.

Footnote: dual gauge track and common rail transfers

Sidings at the Port of Melbourne are laid with three-rail ‘dual gauge’ track so that both broad and standard gauge trains can access the freight terminals.

But the new triangle connection between the Appleton Dock and Swanston Dock sidings introduces a new problem – the ‘common’ rail shared between the broad and standard trains needs to switch sides.

So the solution is a complicated device called a ‘common rail transfer’ switch, which moves the wheels of standard gauge trains from one side of the track to the other.

Australia’s mess of rail gauges is the gift that keeps on giving!

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Precast concrete everywhere

The most obvious usage of precast concrete on the West Gate Tunnel Project is the tunnels themselves.

Each of the 3-lane tunnels requiring 2500 precast concrete segments to line the interior.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

But the massive viaduct running above Footscray Road also requires tonnes of precast concrete.

Piers to hold up the two carriageways.

Then there is the bridge deck itself.

Assembled using a giant mobile gantry.

From shorter sections of precast concrete.

Enter LS Precast

In a paddock outside Benalla is a yard filled with massive pieces of precast concrete.

Google Maps

Cranes everywhere.

Each massive piece of precast concrete was created inside an bigger sheds.

Then stacked up outside.

Google Maps

Hundreds of tunnel lining segments waiting to make the trip to Melbourne.

Multiple times a day, A-double semi trailers departs the yard.

On the 200 kilometre, two and a half hour drive down the Hume Highway to Melbourne.

There they thread their way through the western suburbs to West Gate Tunnel work site.

The precast concrete elements that make up the elevated viaduct above Footscray Road are also manufactured at Benalla.

But since these elements are much larger.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

They need to be transported by specialised low loader trucks.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

To spread their extreme weight across the road surface.

West Gate Tunnel Project photo

What about trains

Benalla is on a railway line, and so is Melbourne – so why not transport all of these pieces of precast concrete by train? Well, that is exactly what the government said would happen.

New Benalla manufacturing facility to create hundreds of jobs for rural and regional Victorians
1 Feb 2018

Victoria’s largest precast concrete manufacturing facility will be built in Benalla to supply major Victorian infrastructure projects, create 400 jobs and provide a massive boost to the local economy.

The $60 million facility will be operated by local businesses and will supply precast concrete for major projects including the West Gate Tunnel Project.

The facility will be capable of producing up to 1,500 tonnes of concrete product per day at peak capacity.

Benalla’s access to road and rail infrastructure means the facility is well placed to supply future Victorian and interstate projects, creating ongoing economic benefits to Benalla and surrounding communities.

To limit the number of trucks on local roads, the precast concrete segments for the West Gate Tunnel Project will be transported to Melbourne by freight train.

A new 700m rail siding will be built along the existing rail line in Benalla to provide a direct link between the precast facility and Melbourne.

The West Gate Tunnel Project will provide an estimated $11 billion boost to the Victorian economy, creating 6000 new jobs.

Construction of the Benalla precast facility is due to commence in March 2018, and it will be fully operational from October 2018.

With a railway siding constructed right into the casting plant at Benalla.

New Rail Siding For Benalla Precast Concrete Facility
25 September 2018

Work has started on a huge rail siding to service the new precast concrete facility being built in Benalla.

Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan joined Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes to visit the worksite today, that will soon start producing precast concrete for the Andrews Labor Government’s West Gate Tunnel.

A new 700 metre siding will be created from the existing rail line to provide direct access to the precast facility.

New rail track will also be built – connected to the nearby freight line – so the concrete segments can be loaded directly from the precast facility on to freight trains and transported to Melbourne.

About 20 metre of new track has been laid and the existing train line is being upgraded ahead of the commissioning of the new siding in late 2018.

Construction is well underway on a new $60 million precast concrete facility in Benalla in readiness for concrete production.

The facility will initially provide over 65,000 concrete products for the massive West Gate Tunnel Project.

Excavators are currently levelling the site and the steel frames are going up for the three large sheds to be built on the site.

The precast facility will include a concrete batching plant, the large sheds for precast concrete production, offices, precast product storage, maintenance areas, a precast rail siding and 300 car parking spaces for workers.

The precast facility will be the largest of its kind in Victoria, capable of producing over 1,500 tonnes of concrete product per day at peak capacity.

The precast facility will create 400 jobs and will help ensure regional communities can benefit from the many opportunities created by the state’s booming infrastructure sector.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan

“It’s fantastic to see the progress being made on this, the largest precast concrete facility of its kind in Victoria.”

“Building the new rail siding means that we can get concrete products from Benalla to Melbourne via the existing rail network, avoiding heavy vehicle traffic and associated road impacts.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes

“This is a massive investment in Benalla and we are already seeing jobs being created for local people with construction well underway.”

“This facility nearly didn’t happen due to the Liberal and National parties’ opposition to the project, I’m proud that my home town of Benalla and people throughout the north east share in the benefits of the Andrews Labor Government’s West Gate Tunnel.”

But by October 2020 their messaging had changed.

By having the concrete segment facility in Benalla, it ensured that regional Victoria benefited from our state’s infrastructure boom – creating jobs and providing a boost to the local economy.

The facility is supplying a variety of precast concrete products for the West Gate Tunnel Project and was selected due to its proximity to local quarries, its production capability and the easy access to Melbourne via transport networks . These products come in a range of sizes, shapes and weights.

A number of precast segments are not suitable to transport by freight train and will be delivered to West Gate Tunnel work sites by truck, using approved truck routes. The project team is exploring which precast segments are suitable to transport to Melbourne via rail. We’ll keep you updated through these channels as things progress.

The rail siding is clearly visible in the aerial view on Google Maps.

Google Maps

But as fas as I know, the rail siding at the Benalla precast yard has never been used by trains, and none of the precast segements have been transported by rail – however the cement used to make the segments did get moved by rail to Benalla station.

Footnote: some videos

Building the concrete precast facility at Benalla.

And flying over the completed yard.

Test fitting tunnel lining segments.

Delivering precast segments to the West Gate Tunnel work site.

Assembling the bridge columns.

And an animation showing how the bridge builder above Footscray Road works.

Footnote: other recent projects

The concrete segments for the Metro Tunnel were cast at a yard at Ravenhall, only 30 kilometres from their final destination.

While the precast concrete for the ‘Skyrail’ bridges were initially cast 50 kilometres away at Pakenham, and are now cast 70 kilometres away at Kilmore.

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How we got there

The story starts the same was as Australia’s rail gauge muddle, where each colony started building railways based on their own standards, never thinking the systems would meet to form a national network.

But despite early trials on the Commonwealth Railways during the 1950s, the rollout of two-way radio systems was resisted by many Australian rail operators. Franklin Hussey, Crew Operations Manager for the National Rail Corporation, had this to say to the 2001 Special Commission of Inquiry Into the Glenbrook Rail Accident.

The introduction of train radio systems combined with track circuiting has been slow to develop in Australia, contrary to what occurred in the United States of America after World War II.

In Australia they were not contemplated until an incident in Victoria at Barnawartha in the 1982 when a freight train collided with the rear of the Southern Aurora.

He stated that New South Wales was the least developed of all the States until the development of the Metronet and Countrynet systems the mid-1990s.

So one might think the lessons of the past on rail gauge would lead to standardisation – but it didn’t.

Communications facilities and current call types have evolved due to the different safeworking practices of the rail authorities and their investment strategies. Each system has evolved to best meet the requirements of their operation and necessarily are influenced by the equipment capabilities which in turn depend on the level of investment. The differences between systems is a major inhibition to flexible locomotive operation on the interstate corridors.

And so each state-based rail operator adopted their own standards for radio communications.

And the mess

By the 2000s there were 20 different radio systems in use across Australia – most states using different radio systems for their suburban and country rail networks.

Australasian Railway Association diagram

To make matters worse, there was no single radio capable of supporting all 20 systems.

Whilst most areas are shown as requiring UHF radio, it should be noted that no single UHF radio can do the job.

The UHF radio used in the Perth Greater Metropolitan area is a trunked radio with narrow band operation. In general, radio transceivers that can provide the trunked radio operation cannot also provide the wide band conventional operation required for the rest of the country.

A standard, off-the-shelf conventional mobile radio can be used for the remainder of the UHF train control areas outside NSW. But in Victoria this radio is useless unless connected to a Motorola ASW or MDC600 unit.

In NSW, a special duplex radio is required for Metronet and Countrynet. There is only one source of duplex radio to our knowledge, although one can contrive a full duplex radio from two simplex radios.

Access to the Metronet system is limited to a particular brand and model of mobile radio. Although it is technically possible to implement the Metronet radio functions with other radio transceivers, the necessary information and approvals are not available.

Similarly, RIC is at present the only source of Countrynet equipment.

So a train travelling from Brisbane to Perth via Melbourne required six different radio receivers in the cab.

Rod Williams photo

Changing radio channels along the way.

Yet unable to talk to the driver of a steam train up ahead.

The driver of the suburban train running on the track alongside.

Or the driver of a parallel V/Line train.

In search of solutions

The formation of the National Rail Corporation in 1992 to take over the operation of interstate freight services on the railways of Australia provided an impetus to dealing with the mess of incompatible radio systems.

Weston Langford photo

They wrote in 1998.

Radio frequencies change frequently across the national track network, requiring complex radio equipment, and constant attention from drivers to ensure correct radio channels are selected for each task and area. The very large number of frequencies in use also places large demands on rail operators and track owners for provision of radio equipment and on controllers for attention to detail in its use.

So they patched over the problem with a system called AWARE – “Australia Wide Augmented Radio Environment“.

ATSB photo

It presented a single radio screen to the train driver, and managed a cabinet full of radio equipment, switching between them based on which systems were used at the current location.

ATSB diagram

But radios are still a problem

The inability for train crew from different operators to talk to each other in an emergency was a contributing factor to a number of rail crashes between trains during the 1990s and 2000s.

ATSB photo

At Glenbrook in NSW.

At 2 December 1999 a State Rail Authority interurban train collided with the rear of the Indian Pacific tourist train. The accident occurred because of a fault in an area of automatic signalling. As the signalling system was not functioning normally, control of train movements through the area was therefore managed by the signaller and drivers.

There is no single integrated system which enables communications between the various trains, signallers and controllers involved in operations on the rail network. In the case of this particular accident there were five different communications systems which were involved, namely, three different two-way radio systems (known respectively as Metronet, Countrynet and WB), dedicated line telephones at the bases of signals, called signal telephones, and mobile telephones operating on either the GSM terrestrial based network or by satellite.

Corio in Victoria.

On 1 October 1999 a freight train came to a stand at Corio station after an emergency brake application on the train. On investigation it was found that the train had separated, the rear portion of the train had six wagons derailed. The damaged wagons were fouling the Broad Gauge Line and the standard gauge line with severe track damage to both.

The report recommended that all locomotive drivers and train controllers to be instructed that immediately a train comes to a stand on a running line, the driver must inform the train controller who, in turn, must inform the train controller in charge of any parallel lines, so that all trains on the parallel lines can be warned.

Hexham in NSW.

On 12 July 2002 an empty coal train derailed at Hexham, fouling two out of the three adjacent railway lines. A short time later a passenger train collided with the fouling wreckage. The line that the passenger train was travelling on was track circuited but the track remained unbroken, preventing the automatic signals returning to stop. The crew from the coal train tried to contact the local signal box with no success.

And Chiltern in Victoria.

On Sunday 16 March 2003 a Pacific National freight train derailed south of Chiltern railway station on the standard gauge railway line. At about 1512 a V/Line locomotive hauled passenger train travelling from Albury to Melbourne on the broad gauge railway line, collided with wreckage from the derailed freight train. The collision derailed the locomotive and two carriages of train 8318

There was an about two minute window from the time train 1SP2N came to a stand, up to the time the driver of train 8318 applied the emergency brake, to try and stop train 8318 before the derailed train. In that time the drivers from train 1SP2N had repeatedly tried to warn train 8318, but were unsuccessful. The drivers also followed procedure by notifying ARTC train control but the message was delayed by four minutes before being relayed to the broad gauge train control (Centrol), not in time to prevent the collision.

And a solution

In 2007 the Australian Rail Track Corporation, announced that they would be developing a single National Train Communications System to be used on the interstate rail network.

Seventy-seven new Next G regional base stations will be built as part of an $85 million communications deal signed today between the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and Telstra.

The agreement will see Telstra’s leading Next G network used to replace nine separate communications systems across 10,000km of rail tracks.

Replacing a series of old technologies, such as two-way radios and CDMA devices, the new network will provide telecommunications coverage for the interstate rail network – from Brisbane to Perth (via Melbourne and Broken Hill) and in the Hunter Valley. The agreement improves coverage in tunnels and across the Nullarbor Plain, introduces new communications equipment for more than 700 locomotives, and is backed up with Satellite if necessary.

Chief Executive Officer of ARTC, Mr David Marchant, said once completed all trains and train controllers would be able to use the one system to communicate with each other across the entire national rail network from Brisbane to Perth, as well as the Hunter Valley Coal Network, eliminating the inefficient nine different communications systems for train operators.

“ARTC is breaking new ground in Australian rail communications,” Mr Marchant said. “A single national communication system will greatly improve operational efficiency and reduce costs associated with managing multiple platforms.

General Manager Strategy Development and Chief Information Officer for ARTC, Mr Leon Welsby, said the new communications network will provide train controllers with real time GPS location of all trains, wherever they are between Brisbane and Perth.

Australian government funding under the Auslink National Transport Plan has been made available to provide this common communications system for the national rail network.

The new system supported four different data connections.

• Satellite
• GSM-R
• UHF (analog, digital)
• 3G (UTMS, HSDPA)

All controlled by a single ICE (In-Cab Communications Equipment) unit developed by base2 communications.

The rollout

One the new system had been proven in trials, it was time to roll out a new radio to every single train that operated over the ARTC network.

An ICE unit in every cab.

And new radio antennas on every roof.

V/Line’s fleet of VLocity trains didn’t miss out.

Gaining an array of new antennas.

Melbourne’s restored ‘Tait’ set also received an ICE radio.

And even steam locomotives didn’t miss out!

Gaining radio antennas on the cab roof.

Positioning of the ICE unit presented difficulties for some steam locomotives.

The radio equipment box on A2 986 ended up beside the coal bunker!

But in the end it was done – and the last of the legacy radio systems switched off in December 2014.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) officially switched off the last two of seven out-dated regional radio systems previously used on its network today, completing a seven year project.

“The ‘switch off’ of the old radio systems in NSW and Victoria means freight trains operating on ARTC’s national freight rail network now use a single, safer, digital radio system,” ARTC CEO John Fullerton said.

While the physical network including mobile communications towers and satellites has been in place since June 2010, the retrofitting and testing of ICE (In-cab Communications Equipment) units across the national locomotive fleet and multiple operators has now been completed.

Currently 900 trains with ICE units operate across the country, 704 units were supplied by ARTC as part of the NTCS project.

Around 1024 Telstra Mobile sites form part of the communications network along ARTC’s rail network. Telstra provided an additional 81 radio sites along the rail corridor comprising 70 macro base stations and 11 radio fitted tunnels.

The Next G system is for non electrified NSW, the Victorian tracks controlled by ARTC, SA, NT and WA tracks, excluding the PTA system.

Finally putting an end to a mess created during the 1980s.

Footnote: Victorian train radio systems

The original 1980s analogue radio systems in Victoria used Motorola Micor base stations and Motorola Syntrex radios, with the Motorola MDC-600 data system.

Suburban trains used the ‘Urban Train Radio System’ until it was replaced by the GSM-R based ‘Digital Train Radio System’ (DTRS) using Nokia-Siemens Networks equipment in August 2014.

Country trains used the ‘Non-Urban Train Radio System’ with which was finally replaced by the NTCS-based Regional Rail Communications Network (RRCN) from 2017.

Further reading

• Train Radio Systems of Australia – Australasian Railway Association (2005)
• Australia Wide Communications Systems for CargoSprinter – John Aitken (2002)
• Review of rail access regimes – Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities (2018)
• Optimising harmonisation in the Australian railway industry – Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (2006)
• Derailment of Pacific National Freight Train 1SP2N and the Subsequent Collision of V/Line Passenger Train 8318 – ATSB (2004)

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Trains

A decade ago the Melbourne CBD skyline as viewed from Ascot Vale was much shorter.

As was that of Docklands viewed from North Melbourne station.

A handful of Hitachi trains were still kicking about.

But a new inspection train had just entered service.

Commissioned following a spate of overhead wire failures., from a glass cupola atop the carriage, staff and video cameras onboard the carriage monitor how the pantograph tracks along the overhead wire.

Going bush

I made up trip north to the Murray River at Echuca, and ran into four museum pieces hauling a freight train.

And an equally antiquated signalling system at the junction station of Barnes.

The four diesel locomotives were on hire from railway preservation groups.

I followed the train north, passing local wildlife.

Until we reached the Sunrice mill at Deniliquin, where the wagons were shunted into the plant for loading.

Rebuilding Footscray station

In 2012 work on the ‘Colander Bridge‘ at Footscray station had finally finished.

But it was still surrounded by a sea of car parking.

Stretching all the way to Barkly Street.

But work on Regional Rail Link was about to start.

The shops along Irving Street had been demolished to make way for two new platforms.

As had the service station at Hopkins Street.

The shops along the Nicholson Street bridge.

And even the trees along the rail cutting.

A spot of luck on the trams

In March 2012 the Tramway Museum Society Of Victoria chartered ‘Royal Tram‘ Z3.185 to run a special tour around Melbourne. Along the way we paid a visit to Royal Park.

And posed our tram for a cliché train over tram photo.

And parked at the end of the Footscray Road siding, a location passengers never visit.

In my travels I also paid a visit to Clifton Hill, and happened to catch a route 86 tram passing under a train bound for South Morang.

Back in 2012 this shot at Domain Interchange was nothing special.

But this piece of tram track no longer exists – route 8 is now route 58, and the tram tracks disused – diverted via Toorak Road in 2017 to make way for the construction of Anzac station.

The tram restaurant was another unremarkable sight.

But no longer exists – the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant last ran in 2018 after Yarra Trams grounded their fleet, and there is no sign of a possible solution.

A decade ago City Circle trams were still in the maroon livery, and were running out of North Fitzroy depot on Nicholson Street.

closed in 1993, but reopened in 2008-2012 to stable W class trams used on the City Circle while Southbank depot was undergoing refurbishment.

After months of inaction, work finally starting to happen on platform stops along Swanston Street.

Excavators having moved in to work on the platforms themselves.

On route 86 some new platform stops along High Street, Northcote had been built.

But route 96 services along Nicholson Street would have to wait – fancy yellow low floor ‘Bumblebee’ trams plying their way along the tracks, but with no platform stops to board them.

The trams got a repaint in 2014, but building accessible tram stops had to wait until 2018.

And under “something things never change” we have the route 57 terminus at West Maribyrnong terminus – the same high floor Z3 class trams still run there today, stopping outside the abandoned explosives factory.

Buses

Ventura blue and National Bus yellow were the colours of the buses at North Fitzroy depot.

The operation became Transdev Melbourne in 2013, then refranchised to Kinetic Melbourne in 2022.

In 2012 SkyBus was still boasting “20 minutes to the airport“, with a fleet of articulated buses plying the Tullamarine Freeway.

They acquired their first Bustech “CDi” double deck bus in 2015, which now form the core of their airport fleet.

Out at Highpoint Shopping Centre I found a high floor bus operated by Westrans.

Followed by a Melbourne Bus Link bus.

Melbourne Bus Link was merged into Transdev Melbourne in 2013, with Westrans rebranding as CDC Melbourne in 2014.

Finally, route 509 in Brunswick – a single minibus making the 2 kilometre long journey back and forth along Hope Street all day long.

I paid a visit because it was about to be discontinued, but despite how useless the service looked, locals appealed the decision, with the route eventually reinstated in 2016.

Emporium Melbourne

The big hole at Myer’s former Lonsdale Street store has featured in previous months.

And now it was complete.

The Lonsdale Street facade overlooking an empty hole.

Exposing tunnels to neighbouring buildings.

And the other stuff

March 2012 was the F1 Australian Grand Prix, and the usual merchandise stalls were stinking up access to Southern Cross Station.

Remember Melbourne Bike Share?

Since people can return their bike anywhere, leading to some stations becoming full and others empty, so management needed to drive around Melbourne rebalance bikes between the stations.

After years of lacklustre usage, the system was finally shut down in November 2019.

Out at Airport West I strolled past the Tullamarine Freeway.

Back then six lanes squeezed under the bridge at English Street, but in 2017 the bridge was rebuilt to allow eight to pass under, as part of CityLink Tulla Widening stage 2.

And finally – the Racecourse Hotel all boarded up in Flemington.

Next door to the roundabout with trams passing through the middle.

Abandoned since at least 2009, an arson attack in June 2012 destroyed the hotel, with the 22-storey apartment tower ‘ONLY Flemington’ now occupying the site.

Footnote

Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.

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Photo by Weston Langford

Some background

The One Nation package was launched by then-Prime Minister Paul Keating in a policy statement delivered on 26 February 1992.

After seven years of growth, Australians are now experiencing hard times. Nearly a million people are out of work. Families are worried about the future.

This Statement explains what the Keating Government will do to bring back jobs and prosperity.

It describes what the Government will do right now to create jobs – and also what the Government will be doing over the next four years to create more and better jobs, while building a stronger economy.

It shows how the Government will quickly get things moving again by boosting private spending and boosting big public investment projects.

It included a package of direct stimulus payments, and reform to the tax system, industrial relations, and competition policy.

We will give spending an immediate shot in the arm by making a special one-off payment to families with children. We will increase spending to help the unemployed back into jobs and offer special help to farmers hit by poor seasons and poor prices.

At the same time as we give immediate help, we will lay down the framework for a stronger and more prosperous society. The reforms to the business tax system will encourage firms to invest in new machines, new equipment and new factories to house them.

Changes in the aviation and electricity industries will increase competition and lower costs. The encouragement we will give to workplace bargaining will continue the revolution in our industrial relations, which has already seen a new spirit of cooperation unimaginable a decade ago.

And the reason I first noticed the package – upgrades to freight rail.

So what rail upgrades were included?

Attachment C of the policy statement lists the projects that made up the One Nation package.

Investment in a National Rail Network
The Government proposes to provide up to $454m to secure an upgraded standard gauge rail network to provide reliable services from Brisbane to Perth, including efficient connections to ports. Individual projects include:

• Sydney-Melbourne ($181m)
Construction of passing loops, replacement of wooden bridges, resleepering and the construction of a dedicated freight line from Campbelltown to the Enfield terminal in Sydney

• Sydney-Brisbane ($82m)
Construction of passing loops, replacement of bridges, resleepering and track upgrading

• Melbourne Rail Terminal ($20m)
Assistance to the NRC to increase the capacity of the South Dynon terminal and improve the efficiency of container handling

• Melbourne Port Interface ($5m)
Provision of a direct road link between Swanson and Appleton Docks and the South Dynon Rail Terminal

• Melbourne – Adelaide Gauge Standardisation ($115m)
Conversion of the broad gauge mainline to standard gauge to complete a direct Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne -Adelaide-Perth standard gauge link

• Outer-Harbour improvements in Adelaide ($8m)
Construction of a rail loop at Outer Harbour to allow block trains to be used at an upgraded intermodal facility at the port

• Fremantle-Kalgoorlie-Adelaide ($13m)
Intermodal upgrading, track improvements and extension of passing loops

• Port of Brisbane ($30m)
Extension of the standard gauge rail link to Fisherman Island from Acacia Ridge

Urban rail.

Building Better Cities (BBC)

The BBC Program will be refocussed, through negotiation with States and Territories, to enhance its infrastructure component. Projects to be funded under the Program include infrastructure provisions for the Multi-Function Polls in SA, extension of the Brisbane-Gold Coast railway from Beenleigh to Robina, upgrading of the Geelong-Werribee-Melbourne rail link and construction of railway stations and expanded modal interchange facilities on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines in Victoria.

Development of airport terminals.

Provision of Domestic Airport Common User Terminal Facilities

The Commonwealth will support the development of common user facilities at Sydney and Melbourne Airports by the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC) and will negotiate with the FAC to ensure their early completion. The assistance required by the FAC from the Government will be subject to commercial negotiation and cannot be specified. The Government will also liaise with the FAC regarding the need for subsequent development of such facilities at Adelaide, Perth and Coolangatta Airports.

And some road projects I didn’t realise were part of the same stimulus package.

Increase in Black Spots Road Funding

The Black Spots Program is directed towards road sites where inadequacies in the existing facilities have led to poor crash records. The Government has decided to provide an additional $25m in 1991-92 and $45m in 1992-93 for this program, bringing to $180m the amount to be spent on the program over the three years since 1990-91.

More than 800 additional projects will be undertaken. All projects will have high benefit-cost ratios, have short lead times, and will generate considerable employment opportunities spread widely across urban as well as rural and remote regions.

National Roads Upgrading and Maintenance

The short-term $255m funding boost will be used to address the major deficiencies in the network. Expenditure will be directed to maintenance and upgrading of the National Highway and other high priority construction projects such as the Kakadu Highway, upgrading the Princes Freeway West and the duplication of Portarlington Road, both in Victoria.

Accelerated Funding for Selected National Arterial Projects

• Victoria – Western Ring Road ($75m)
Work on the Ring Road is divided into four stages – the first stage, linking the Hume Highway and the Tullamarine Freeway, will be completed later this year. Stage 2, which upgrades the link between the Calder Highway and the Western Highway will be accelerated so that it is completed by the end of 1993-94. By that time it is expected that the major structures (eg: interchanges) associated with Stage 3 (linking the Princes Freeway to the Western Highway) would be completed, with traffic flowing on the entire ring route via upgraded roads in the remaining stages

• Port of Brisbane Link ($40m)
This route provides a 41km link from the existing National Highway at Ipswich to the port at Fisherman Island. Upgrading this route as a major transport link to the port will take over ten years. The additional funds provided by the Government will, however, accelerate the high priority projects such as grade separated interchanges.

• Liverpool-Hornsby Ring Road (Sydney) ($25m)
This route provides a direct link between the Hume Highway at Liverpool and the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. The additional Government funding for this project will enable the completion of the section covered by Pennant Hills Road, upgrading it to six lanes and improving the existing arterial routes. These measures will assist in relieving the traffic pressure on these roads.

So what was actually delivered

The gauge standardisation of the Melbourne – Adelaide railway was the big ticket item, and delivered a third track between Newport and Geelong, and gauge conversion west to Adelaide.

But the work left much to be desired – cost overruns saw funding diverted from other One Nation projects, the track on the Gheringhap-Maroona section had to be upgraded in 2000 to meet mainline standards, and a lack of crossing loops and use of the inefficient ‘Section Authority Working’ safeworking system limited the number of trains able to use the line – flaws not addressed until 2010.

The scope of the Sydney-Melbourne package was also slashed, with the dedicated freight line from Campbelltown to the Enfield terminal abandoned because the cost exceeded the available funds.

The dedicated freight link wasn’t delivered until 2013, when the
Southern Sydney Freight Line was completed.

And the scope of upgrades to the Sydney-Brisbane line was also cut to virtually nothing.

Photo by Ellis678, via Wikimedia Commons

Just two deviations totalling 9.8 km in length were built, resulting in a saving of 0.9 km on the intercapital journey.

Today, none of the ‘One Nation’ signs are left beside the Melbourne-Adelaide railway.

Photo by Weston Langford

But at the Melbourne Freight Terminal at South Dynon the ‘One Nation’ name lives on.

A plaque marking the opening of the upgraded Melbourne Freight Terminal by National Rail on 15 July 1994.

And a ‘KM Zero’ plaque unveiled by Paul Keating in 1995 to mark the completion of standard gauge tracks across Australia.

A process started in 1912 with the Trans-Australian Railway.

But was it worth it?

State Rail NSW had this to say following the completion of the project in 1995.

National Rail were driven by the time and cost criteria and although they expounded the virtues of contracting to which they were committed, when challenged by SRA on the standard of the product NR were proposing to hand over, the answer, because of fund constraints, was “Its better than what you had before”

Calling the program short-sighted.

Had One Nation been a $1Billion over 10 years (similar to road funding) then projects like the Bethungra spiral may have been a major deviation ( $13M ) rather than a rectification on the existing alignment ( $6M ). The Wagga Viaduct may have been a new bridge ($ 30M ) with improved alignment and grade instead of a tarting up and strengthening of the old structure ( $7M ), and the list goes on.

Meanwhile gauge conversion of the Melbourne-Adelaide railway was a case of swings and roundabouts – direct Melbourne-Perth and Melbourne-Brisbane services are now possible, but steel traffic to Hastings still needs to be gauge converted.

Grain on the Portland, Yaapeet and Hopetoun lines can run thanks to those branches also being gauge converted, but the line Mount Gambier wasn’t, and had has lay idle ever since.

And the question of gauge across the rest of Victoria is still unsolved – after years of stalling, in 2016 work started on the Murray Basin Rail Project, only for funding to run out midway through.

Sources

• One Nation at Wikipedia
• One Nation policy statement, 26 February 1992
• National Rail Corporation: reforming interstate freight, National Rail Corporation, 1994
• One Nation infrastructure project, State Rail, 1995
• One Nation funding: lessons learned, Freight Rail, 1995
• Gauge conversion in South Australia (1990 to 1995), Australian National, 1995

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West of Elizabeth Street is a cobblestone ramp leading up to the ‘Milk Dock‘ – the western end of Platform 1 that handled milk and parcels.

PROV image VPRS 12800 P3, item ADV0602

Milk would arrive from the farms on country trains, while parcels were transported around Melbourne by dedicated electric trains.

State Library of South Australia photo B 41019/163

Decades later, the ramp up to the Milk Dock is still there.

But the milk and parcels are gone – replaced by a pile of rubbish bins removed to fight terrorism.

Electric vehicles used to deliver dodgy dim sims to the platform kiosks.

New signage waiting to be installed.

And the closest thing to a train – a trolley load of rubbish.

Further reading

• Our Station Flinders Street – Parcels and Milk Dock

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Down on Spencer Street

For Melbourne Open House 2010 CitiPower opened ‘JA’ zone substation – a key part of the power supply to the Melbourne CBD.

For historical reasons the substation was divided into two – the State Electricity Commission of Victoria who generated electricity controlled the 66kV input.

While the Melbourne City Council Electrical Supply Department (MCCESD) controlled the 11kV output to consumers.

The operations of the substation were merged following the breakup of the SECV – generation, transmission, distribution and retail being the current segments of the electricity industry.

Outside the substation was a big hole – the site of the former Spencer Street Power Station.

Ready for the ‘Upper West Side’ development, which had already erected an elevated display suite.

The heritage listed cast iron water tank being the only remnant of the old power station.

The $550 million development was completed in 2016, containing 2,207 apartments across four towers.

Trains around Melbourne

Metro Trains Melbourne was busy promising more staff on the network, with ‘despatch paddles’ rolled out at City Loop stations during morning and afternoon peak to indicate that the doors were clear.

But the experiment was short lived – abandoned by 2012.

On 27 July a faulty overhead wire cut power between Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations, severely limiting the amount of trains that could move through that section, and causing crowds across the network.

As ‘compensation’ passengers were given a free travel day on Friday 30 July.

Since then, only the 2016 V/Line VLocity train issues have result in free travel as compensation to passengers.

A happier note was early works for Regional Rail Link, with construction of Southern Cross Station platforms 15 and 16 moving along slowly.

2020 marks five years since V/Line trains from Geelong started using the completed corridor.

And out at the Yarra Valley Railway was an even happier day, with local MP Ben Hardman and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding attending the launch of regular heritage train services on the line.

Since then the railway has gone from strength to strength, with government grants allowing the line to be progressively restored from Healesville to Yarra Glen.

V/Line services extended to Maryborough

July 2010 also saw the ribbon being cut on the extension of V/Line rail services from Ballarat to Maryborough. The project was announced in December 2008 as part of the Victorian Transport Plan, at a cost of $50 million.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula, Premier John Brumby, and Member for Ballarat East Geoff Howard rode the first train.

Creswick was the only station to be reopened in this first stage, with a new platform constructed opposite the heritage listed buildings.

Clunes following in December 2011.

And Talbot in December 2013.

As part of the project flashing lights and boom barriers were installed at level crossings.

And level crossings on minor roads were closed.

The increasing size of trucks presenting difficulties at other level crossings.

But one unwanted ‘upgrade’ was the removal of passing loops at Sulky, Tourello and Talbot – leaving a 60 kilometre long section of single track between Ballarat and Maryborough, and crippling the ability to run freight services along the corridor.

The recent Murray Basin Rail Project attempted to rectify this at a cost of $440 million, but has left the corridor in even worse condition.

Rail freight

On the standard gauge mainline between Melbourne and Adelaide, a new passing loop was being built outside Lara.

Giving a slight reduction in travel times and increase in efficiency for freight trains on the corridor.

However plenty of freight trains were still being hauled by 60 year old antique locomotives.

Such as those moving grain from the wheat belt.

To the Port of Geelong

The intent of the Murray Basin Rail Project was to convert Victoria’s orphan broad gauge network to standard gauge, allowing the use of locomotives from anywhere in Australia, but with the project stalled, today broad gauge freight services still rely on similarly aged rolling stock.

Finally, I headed out to Waurn Ponds, where loaded cement hoppers were sitting in the sidings ready for despatch.

Alongside B-double cement trucks.

In the end the trucks almost won, with the final cement train ran from Waurn Ponds in December 2015 – but in a surprising move, Qube Logistics returned cement traffic to Victorian tracks in September 2019.

And road freight

‘High Productivity Freight Vehicles’ became widespread at the Port of Melbourne in 2010.

These ‘super’ B-double trucks took the place of port rail shuttles, a project forever proposed but yet to be implemented.

These new bigger trucks serve container parks in the western suburbs of Melbourne, with projects such as the $48.5 million Kororoit Creek Road duplication project in Altona North making road transport more convenient.

Work on the project was completed in December 2011, including the removal of a level crossing on the Werribee line.

Another gift to road freight was the $200 million Anthony’s Cutting upgrade on the Western Freeway between Melton and Bacchus Marsh.

Requiring a massive cutting west of Bacchus Marsh, and new bridges across Djerriwarrh Creek.

The upgraded freeway opened in June 2011, making it even easier for trucks to replace trains on the Melbourne-Adelaide corridor.

One step forwards, two steps back?

Footnote

Here you can find the rest of my ‘photos from ten years ago‘ series.

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