With the Melbourne to Sydney line closed from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 September, almost 200 workers from the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and contractor McConnel Dowell worked around the clock to complete a large works program and returned the line to operation today.
Over the last three days large scale construction activity was carried out at the Glenrowan, Wangaratta and Barnawartha North sites.
In Glenrowan a 750-tonne crane lifted 16 pre-cast concrete beams into place to form the bridge over the rail corridor.
At the Wangaratta Railway Station, 25 metres of the existing rail track and station platform were cut, the new underpass was dug out with 30 trucks removing 6000 tonnes of soil and 30 pre-cast concrete sections forming the underpass passageway installed.
Barnawartha North saw the removal of five Olympic swimming pools of soil to lower the track by up to 2.5 metres, before 2000 tonnes of stone ballast was deposited and 800 new concrete sleepers and 800 metres of new rail laid.
The large scope of work in Wangaratta will continue for a further two days, closing the railway station until Thursday 28 September. Wangaratta passengers should check with V/Line for alternative travel arrangements.
Ed Walker, ARTC Victoria and South Australian General Manager Projects said:
"It was a successful possession with all our planned construction works completed.
"Importantly, the ARTC Inland Rail team and our contractors McConnell Dowell delivered the work safely.
"We work hard to keep the disruption around the sites to a minimum and we thank the local communities for their patience and understanding as we carry out the construction tasks."
