Full V/Line response to return of replacement buses on V/Line's Albury route.
Coaches will replace the two Albury midday trains from Tuesday 2 April to allow the Australian Rail Track Corporation to accelerate its track repair program.
The two trains, the 12:00 Southern Cross to Albury, and the 12:45 Albury to Southern Cross, will run as coaches the entire trip to reduce inconvenience for passengers.
Trains will return on Sunday 30 June, 2013.
V/Line Acting Chief Executive Officer Ross Pedley said the decision to replace the two trains with coaches followed discussion with the ARTC and Public Transport Victoria.
“During this three month track closure the ARTC will be able get a lot of necessary work done resulting in fewer speed restrictions and more reliable trains,” Mr Pedley said.
“V/Line has been assured that these works will mean a better train service for North East Victorians.”
ARTC works between Seymour and Wodonga, on both the east and west tracks include: Ballast shoulder cleaning of the east track which removes fine material from the ballast shoulder allowing for improved drainage of the track; As part of the process also lifting the track and installing fresh ballast; Removing fouled ballast at key locations using track undercutting machinery and replacing it with new ballast; Ballast sledding, where the entire rail and sleepers are lifted up and fouled ballast is pushed out to create a new drainage path underneath the sleepers and track.
New ballast is then laid across sledded sections of the track and it is “resurfaced” back to the right alignment; Track formation renewal works at a number of key locations to provide an engineered and strengthened track foundation; and, Extensive drainage works to ensure drainage paths effectively drain the water away from the track structure.
A mixture of express and semi-express coaches will be used to for passengers travelling.
Coaches will run to the current train timetable.
Bikes cannot be carried on the rail replacement coaches.