AUSTRALIA: The upgraded Tottenham - Dynon rail link was officially opened on 8 April, five years after the start of the A$45m project to provide a 7 km double track standard gauge connection between the Tottenham yards and the Port of Melbourne's intermodal terminal.
Opening the line, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Local Government Anthony Albanese said investment by the federal government had doubled the capacity of the line to handle an additional 500 trains a week. 'Put simply, it means more freight transported more quickly', he said. 'The upgrade will also benefit local commuter rail services, with the movement of passenger trains made smoother'.
The A$174m Dynon Port Rail Link was completed at the same time, separating road and rail access to the port. A notorious level crossing on Footscray Road has been replaced with a road flyover, easing road congestion and lifting restrictions on the number of trains entering the port.
