West Moreton line rail bridges upgrade

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> 200 JOBS: Rail bridge upgrade contract awarded

EIGHTEEN rail bridges between Ipswich and Chinchilla will be upgraded creating almost 200 jobs.

The State Government has awarded a $28 million contract to Moggill Construction to deliver the upgrades on the ageing bridges.

The project will begin in March and includes replacing 18 timber bridges with stronger, more durable steel girders.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the works would focus on improving the safety and reliability of the bridges while significantly reducing time spent on maintenance.

Mr Bailey said each year about 7000 passenger and freight trains travelled along this line, "supporting the local tourism economy, agriculture and resource sectors".

"The West Moreton system is a critical link for rail services from Brisbane to the west and south west communities of the state and is a major artery to the Darling Downs, which is predominantly used to transport thermal coal and grains."

The West Moreton line is home to the iconic Westlander, which travels through some of the most scenic areas of the outback region.

Moggill Construction will source building material and plant hire from local suppliers where possible, Ipswich West MP Jim Madden said.

The upgrade works are expected to be finished by 2020 and are expected to significantly reduce time and costs spent on maintenance and inspections.

The new project follows the upgrade of five timber rail bridges on the Ipswich/Rosewood line at Karrabin, Walloon, Rosewood, Sadliers Crossing and Thagoona which were replaced with more durable, concrete structures between 2015-2016 to improve the reliability and safety of services on this rail corridor.　

Which bridges will be upgraded

    2.5km NE of Dalby 
    9km NW of Toowoomba 
    28km SE of Chinchilla (7km NW of Warra) 
    10km SE of Laidley   2km W of Forest Hill 
    4km SE of Helidon 
    1km SE of Helidon (three bridges) 
    2km SE of Murphys Creek 
    3.5km E of Murphys Creek 
    1.5km SW of Rosewood 
    5km SW of Rosewood 
    Grandchester 
    Laidley 
    1km SE of Grandchester 
    1.5km NW of Laidley 
    9.5km SE of Warra   

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Queensland rail bridges made stronger

Queensland Rail has announced that its $28 million project to replace 18 timber rail bridges with more durable structures is now complete.

"Over the last two years, Queensland Rail has been eliminating ageing timber rail bridges on the western line – some of which were more than 100 years old – and replacing them with stronger, more reliable, low maintenance steel structures," said the minister for transport and main roads Mark Bailey.

The work included the replacement of a combined 830 metres of combined bridge length at 18 locations between Rosewood, near Brisband, and Chinchilla, and final works were completed at a bridge at Dalby in late October.

"The new steel structures are set to significantly reduce the time required for bridge maintenance moving forward," said Bailey.

The structures now use untreated steel girders to serve as a more cost-effective alternative to concrete. Steel was sourced from One Steel and local companies were used for crane hire and labour, according to the government.

"It's fantastic to see this investment not only bolster the strength of the rail line, but also support the local jobs and businesses along the way."

The bridges are all along the western line rail network, which is a major freight artery for the Darling Downs and South West Queensland regions, transporting about 7,000 freight and passenger trains each and every year,

"It's fantastic to see the West Moreton timber bridge replacement project reach the finish line. This major investment has modernised our infrastructure on the line and will ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of the West Moreton rail system."