Freight train travel times between Orange and Bathurst will be cut by six minutes but passenger services will only be one minute faster under a $23.4 million rail signalling upgrade.
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The project, which will take about two years to deliver, will allow more trains to run on the same stretch of track closer together and enable trains to run in opposite directions on several double track sections.
Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Rick Colless said it was part of an ongoing upgrade of rail infrastructure from the Central West to Sydney that would link with the Inland Rail project at Parkes.
It will be an improvement for both freight rail and passenger rail between Orange and Bathurst.
- Rick Colless, Parliamentary secretary for Western NSW
“We will see less hold-ups on the passenger trains as well as the freight trains so it will be an improvement for both freight rail and passenger rail between Orange and Bathurst,” he said.
“It is all part of improving the access to the line by an increasing number of trains.”
However, the project will only marginally help efforts to extend the Bathurst Bullet train to Orange soon.
“In terms of the Bullet coming to Orange that is a whole different project altogether and one of the constraints with the Bullet coming to Orange is the actual time taken from Orange to Bathurst but this project will reduce that time,” Mr Colless said.
“Further improvements as we go forward will reduce it again so hopefully we will see the opportunity in future years for that passenger service to come through to Orange.”
Tim Halloran, signal maintenance engineer with John Holland Rail, said signalling would be upgraded between Orange and Spring Hill, near Newbridge and at Wallerawang.
He said design work would take about 12 months with the three-six months project possibly starting in late 2020.
Orange mayor Reg Kidd said the funding was welcome but much more was needed to deliver a better passenger service.
“It’s part of the incredible puzzle with rail. What it does point out is rail is not cheap,” he said.
Cr Kidd said more funding was needed to replace some of the curves on the line with straighter sections to enable trains to go faster.
He said it gave Orange rail supporters “leverage for getting your foot in the door” to seek more funding.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
