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EARLY STAGE PROPOSAL
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POTENTIAL INVESTMENT OPTIONS
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INVESTMENT READY PROPOSAL
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PROJECT DELIVERY
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POST COMPLETION REVIEW
A graphic of the Australian continent. Shaded Vic and SA states. Two small dots representing Melbourne and Adelaide.
LOCATION
Melbourne to Adelaide
GEOGRAPHY
Small towns, rural communities and remote areas
SECTOR
Transport
OUTCOME CATEGORY
National Connectivity
PROPONENT
Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
PROBLEM TIMEFRAME
Near term (0-5 years)
DATE ADDED
26 February 2021
Melbourne to Adelaide freight rail improvements
Problem

The Melbourne to Adelaide freight rail corridor cannot carry double-stacked containers. This increases costs for operators and impacts on freight rail between Melbourne and Adelaide, and also to Perth.

Double-stacking containers on the Melbourne to Adelaide corridor could reduce above-rail operating costs by around 6%. It could also increase capacity by about 48%.

Double-stacking containers between Melbourne and Adelaide is not currently possible due to 1,020 structures that impact on clearance.

These include 229 significant obstructions, 218 signals and 573 minor obstructions that are preventing double‑stacking of containers on the corridor.

The significant obstructions include 35 road overbridges, one tram overbridge, seven tunnels in the Adelaide Hills and the bridge at Murray Bridge.

Early-stage Proposal

Potential options to address the proposal include removing or adjusting structures that impact on clearance to enabling double‑stacking of containers.

Next Steps

Proponent to identify and analyse potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).

 

Refer to Infrastructure Glossary for terms and definitions.