THE third and final V/Line daily train to the Border is expected to be back in service by the middle of next month.
While officials and politicians are not saying anything, sources have told The Border Mail the only potential delay will be signalling work required in Albury.
They say the train will be back before Easter.
The resumption of the third service comes more than 1200 days after buses replaced all rail as part of a $524 million upgrade of the train line and Wodonga rail bypass.
The first of the daily V/Line trains returned last June.
The line was plagued by problems, most notably mudholes (see video below) that slowed the trains and caused safety concerns.
A second service was added in late October.
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The daily early morning train from Southern Cross and the lunchtime train from Albury are the only V/Line North East trains yet to resume.
Victorian Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said progress was being made but could not commit to a return date.
“I understand that good progress is being made on barriers to returning the third train such as the provision of specific signalling,” he said.
“It is not just V/Line and the Victorian Department of Transport involved.
“Both Victorian and NSW rail safety regulators have specific requirements.
“There is a new requirement imposed by the NSW rail regulator with which V/Line will have to comply when its trains travel into the dead-end platform at Albury station.
“The Coalition government will advise Border residents in advance of the exact date of the third daily V/Line Albury train’s return when a small number of remaining issues are fixed.”
But member for Benambra Bill Tilley said that as disclosed by The Border Mail on Friday, the federal government’s Australian Rail Track Corporation still had more work to do.
“The number of speed restrictions on the standard-gauge lines is gradually declining,” he said.
“Train timekeeping is better than some months ago but still not as consistent as passengers would like it to be, with the midday train from Southern Cross more reliable than the 6.01pm to Albury.
“The removal of some harsh speed restrictions is good because the locomotive-hauled North East trains are supposed to operate at top speeds of 115km/h along most of the track.
“Albury-Wodonga residents want this third return V/Line train back.”
Buses were substituted for trains in November 2008 as part of a project to create the Wodonga bypass and convert the V/Line track between Albury and Seymour to standard gauge from broad gauge.
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