- Major upgrades across 30 sites to improve freight reliability
- 64-hour shutdown to remove speed restrictions and improve network performance
- Signalling and track upgrades to improve safety and prepare for summer conditions
Freight trains will travel up to 40 minutes faster between Maroona and Maryborough following major upgrades to ARTC's section of the East-West corridor, improving the efficiency of freight journeys between South Australia and regional Victoria.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) will deliver the improvements during a 64-hour shutdown from 5am Saturday 29 August to 7pm Monday 31 August, with 18 work sites in Victoria and a further 12 in South Australia.
Two sections of the East-West corridor will be covered:
- Mile End (SA) to Serviceton (VIC)
- Serviceton (VIC) to Laverton (VIC)
The shutdown is the result of 12 months of detailed planning to coordinate the works, crews and access to the rail network while minimising disruption to freight customers.
The program includes a major signalling upgrade at Ararat in western Victoria, replacing the existing manual, relay-based system with modern computer-based signalling.
The new system will streamline train movements, improve safety by reducing the need for workers to manually set train routes and contribute to journey time savings of up to 40 minutes between Maroona and Maryborough.
Works will also remove six temporary speed restrictions across the corridor and address track and signalling constraints, helping improve the reliability and efficiency of freight moving through Victoria and between states.
The shutdown will also strengthen the corridor ahead of summer, when extreme heat can affect track conditions and severe weather, including flooding and debris on the track, can disrupt freight services.
Crews will correct track geometry and undertake ballast undercutting to improve track stability, reduce defects and help prevent weather-related delays.
Further resilience works
Further resilience upgrades will be delivered on the Pimba to Tarcoola section of track in South Australia from Thursday 3 September to Tuesday 8 September, under the almost $2.8 billion Network Investment Program, which is a joint initiative with the Australian Government to strengthen and future proof the nation's rail infrastructure.
Crews will replace five ageing culverts with reinforced concrete box culverts, reducing flood risk and strengthening the railway against extreme weather.
Similar upgrades along the East-West corridor have already demonstrated their resilience, with nine upgraded locations - including Little River in Victoria - withstanding the 2026 floods.
The new works will build on this by reducing the risk of flood-related disruptions and helping to keep freight moving safely and reliably during heavy rainfall.
Motorists are advised to plan ahead and follow signage near work sites, with information on road impacts available via VicTraffic.
A coach service will replace two Adelaide-Melbourne Overland services on 30 and 31 August. For travel information, customers should contact Journey Beyond directly or call 13 21 47.
Heather Parry, Director Infrastructure Projects, ARTC, said:
"This is a step change for a critical national freight corridor that supports the movement of goods across the country.
Cutting up to 40-minutes off journey times means moving everything – from groceries to heavy manufacturing materials – is faster and more reliable.
At the same time, we're improving safety and building the resilience we need to keep freight moving as demand grows."
