The damaged XPT train which derailed and claimed the lives of two people will begin its journey back to Sydney on Wednesday.
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Transport for NSW contractors loaded the lead locomotive on a specialised flatbed truck, designed for carrying large loads, on Tuesday and will be joined by two carriages removed from the track at Wallan for the trip back to Sydney via Albury-Wodonga.
The remaining two carriages will stay on site until the initial convoy trucks return to load and remove them later in the week.
The site clean-up works come on the same day the identity of the second victim of the train crash was revealed.
He was Sam Meintanis, 49, from Castlemaine with the train driver being 54-year-old John Kennedy from Canberra.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation also began the next phase of works to repair the track yesterday when materials arrived at the site.
They include 300 sleepers, 20 lengths of rail and 800 tonnes of ballast.
Signalling works will then commence after being impacted by a fire in a signal hut earlier this month.
"The site is being carefully controlled to ensure the safety of all those who are now involved in the site recovery and repair," an ARTC spokesperson said.
"We acknowledge that the community is seeking to understand what caused the incident and we will continue to provide full support to the ongoing investigation which will look at all potential factors.
No timeframe has been put on when the track will be able to be used by trains again with buses being used by Transport for NSW between Sydney and Melbourne and by V/Line between Albury and Melbourne.
Meanwhile, the ARTC is awaiting the outcome of the investigations into the Wallan derailment before confirming any impact on the $235 million upgrade of the North-East railway line.
Early works for the project began early last year and included ballast improvement, tamping and works to improve timber bridges and cross-over installation.
The major works have started from Wodonga and are moving south.
More than 100 people are working on the project with ballast trains have also been delivering ballast to various planned work sites.
