Wednesday 2 February
V/Line passenger train services will return to Swan Hill from this Friday (4 February) after flooding cut sections of the track on 16 January.
Good weather has allowed V/Line to fix sections of rail between Kerang and Mologa where flood waters washed away 400 metres of ballast, rock and track embankments.
V/Line Operations General Manager Geoff Arthur said a train will return travel between Swan Hill and Bendigo tomorrow (Thursday, 3 February) as part of the recommissioning of the line.
"It is good news trains are returning so soon after some sections of track were completely washed away," Mr Arthur said.
"People have understood the difficulties involved in running rail replacement buses with the large number of road closures and diversions in place for the last three weeks.
"It is pleasing for everybody services can now return to normal."
Track repair work began on 26 January. To replace 400 metres of track the materials used included:
• 5000 tonnes of road base
• 5000 tonnes of ballast
• 1000 tonnes of crushed rock and
• 300 new sleepers
More than two million litres of water was pumped from the rail reserve to allow repair work to start and give access to three 20 tonne excavators and three two tonne excavators.
"It is a credit to our track repairers to have the work finished so quickly, and in difficult conditions," Mr Arthur said.
"Not only did they contend with a huge amount of water left behind, but also difficult access, rain, and temperatures of more than 40 degrees this week."
With the passenger line closed for almost three weeks motorists and pedestrians are reminded to obey all directions and signage at level crossings.
"Motorists should have been obeying level crossing signs even when trains were not running," Mr Arthur said.
"However with the return of passenger trains it is more important than ever motorists are vigilant in obeying the law."
The first service to resume will be the 07:13 Swan Hill to Southern Cross while the Southern Cross to Swan Hill train will depart at 07:43.