Railway Digest Magazine November 15 Back Issue

GrainCorp’s Project Regeneration NSW rail upgrades underway
On 5 June last year, eastern Australia grain marketer GrainCorp announced its Project Regeneration, a $200 million project to enhance the efficiency of its grain storage network in Queensland, NSW and Victoria over three years. A key aspect of this investment is the enhancement of train loading and rail infrastructure at selected existing GrainCorp storage sites in NSW and Victoria. John Hoyle takes a look at the current progress.

The AvonLink celebrates its 20th anniversary
The AvonLink, the standard-gauge commuter service operated by Transwa between Perth and the Avon Valley, was almost axed at the end of 2013, but reprieved thanks to an injection funds from the Western Australian Government’s Royalties for Regions Program. Since then it has been operated with an expanded timetable, making the service more attractive to tourists and commuters. On a wet Saturday morning 12 September, a group of people gathered on Toodyay Station to greet the 10am AvonLink service and to celebrate the train’s 20th anniversary. David Whiteford reports.

The Goods Line
New York has The Highline and now Sydney has The Goods Line. David Matheson reports on an interesting urban renewal project that utilises part of Sydney’s original goods railway, opened in 1855 to connect Darling Harbour with the growing NSW railway network, and carry the state’s agricultural riches to the harbour wharves for export.

The Goulburn Conundrum
For around two years the community group Southern Tablelands Rail Users’ Group (Strug) has been lobbying for improved rail services between Goulburn and Sydney. Amongst the group’s concerns are the timing of the two morning NSW TrainLink Intercity services (formerly CityRail services, operated by Endeavour railcars) from Goulburn. The group is largely advocating for a return to the services provided in the 2009 timetable. Ben Chatwin takes a close look at the pros and cons.