Vossloh will supply concrete sleepers for an economically important line in Australia. The company has won the contract to manufacture and deliver 250,000 concrete sleepers.
Delivery of the sleepers to the construction site is planned over a period of 12 months, between September 2026 and September 2027, and their installation and other work related to the project are scheduled to be completed in 2028, subject to obtaining the necessary approvals.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) wants to modernize the line and replace the degraded wooden sleepers with more durable concrete ones.
Vossloh will supply approximately 220,000 sleepers from its factory in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and another 30,000 products from its facility in Geelong, Victoria.
“We are delighted to be able to contribute to this important project. The high quality and durability of our sleepers will make this economically important line much more efficient and safer,” said Oliver Schuster, CEO of Vossloh AG.
The 170 km line connects Maroona to the port of Portland and is of great importance for the export of grain and other goods from the state of Victoria. The modernization aims to make the line more reliable, safer, and more efficient.
Restrictions eliminated thanks to new concrete sleepers
This line in Australia is subject to restrictions on train weight and speed. The maximum axle load is 19 tons instead of 23 tons, and the maximum speed is 40 km/h instead of 80 km/h.
“The upgrade of the Maroona–Portland line will significantly improve its safety and reliability in western Victoria and bring significant efficiency and productivity benefits to train operators and freight carriers,” said Heather Parry, Infrastructure Projects Director at ARTC.
The project is being funded by the Australian government with AUD 150 million (EUR 90 million) and will remove speed restrictions.
Once completed, the line will allow for heavier loads and faster trains, thereby increasing the efficiency of rail freight transport and reducing the region’s need for road transport.
The Maroona–Portland line sleeper replacement project is part of the ARTC Network Investment Program, a joint initiative with the Australian government to strengthen and protect the national rail infrastructure for the long term. Over the next five years, until 2030, more than AUD 1 billion (EUR 594.8 million) will be invested to ensure the efficient movement of goods across the country.
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