AURIZON has reopened the rail corridor that was damaged by a train derailment and collision in Marmor, Queensland.
The track between Gladstone and Rockhampton had been closed since a Pacific National freight train and an Aurizon coal train collided on 29 January.
It reopened at 1700 on Saturday (11 February) after rail operator Aurizon completed its recovery works. The first train ran through the site shortly afterwards.
Aurizon initially expected the recovery process to take five days, but storms delayed the operation.
The two-week recovery process involved replacing two kilometres of rail, inserting more than 2000 new concrete sleepers, laying 2300 tonnes of ballast and recovering the overhead power system.
Aurizon praised the rail teams and contractors for their work to recover the track for coal, freight and passenger trains.
“The recovery teams did an outstanding job in often challenging conditions with very hot weather and frequent rain,” Aurizon said in a statement.
“They were mobilised to work 24/7 on the recovery, while ensuring the work was delivered safely and within all fatigue requirements.”
The rail corridor is part of Aurizon’s Central Queensland Coal Network, which to ports of Abbot Point, Gladstone and Rockhampton.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator are investigating the incident.
ATSB anticipates the investigation will be complete in the third quarter of 2023.
