The first section of Inland Rail has been completed

The first section of Inland Rail, Parkes to Narromine (P2N) has been completed in regional New South Wales. Works commenced in 2018, with 98 kilometres of existing track upgraded and an additional 5.3 kilometres of new track laid over the following years. 

With a focus on sustainability, the project announced a number of waste-reduction achievements:

• 297,000m3 of blended ballast and ash reincorporated into the formation. By using locally sourced ballast the project reduced the social and traffic impacts from hauling materials to site

• 98% of the existing rail was removed for re-use on other rail projects.

• 85% or 46,000 timber sleepers were tested and approved for re-use by a third party for civil engineering or landscaping

With respect to emissions, the project installed more than 22,600 tonnes of carbon-neutral precast concrete culverts, and as a whole, once complete will reduce:

• carbon emissions by 750,000 tonnes a year

• truck volumes in more than 20 regional towns

• road congestion on some of Australia’s busiest highways

Parkes to Narromine is one of the thirteen projects that make up Inland Rail, with the next section soon to commence between Narrabri and North Star.

Ballast being placed on the track during Inland Rail construction between Parkes and Narromine