Intermodal hub planned for Sydney's outskirts

Intermodal hub planned for Sydney’s outskirts

Staff WriterNovember 1, 2006, 12:00 amNovember 1, 2006

South west Sydney could see an open access, multi-user intermodal terminal up and running within two years. Macarthur Intermodal Shipping Terminal (MIST), on the outskirts of Sydney, is working with adjacent property owners ING and Austrak to develop the Greater Minto Terminal. The &#8220freight village&#8221 was designed with space for significant warehousing development, links to the interstate road and rail network, and the capacity to house a new locomotive fleet. MIST at present houses road interest Bowport Allroads and rail concern, Lachlan Valley Rail Freight. On October 13, MIST managing director Steve Heraghty acquired 1.6 ha of land with a rail siding adjacent to his freight terminal from Toll Holdings. Toll sold the land to Mr Heraghty under the Toll-Patrick divestiture agreement, handed down by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The acquisition is the final piece in an industrial property puzzle five years in the making. If developed to plan, the Greater Minto Terminal could accommodate trains 1.5 km in length. MIST is awaiting approval from the Campbelltown Council to develop two lengths of rail track outside the present facility. Each track would be approximately 2 km in length, on the eastern side of the Main Southern Rail Line between Ben Lomond Road and Rose Payten Drive. "That would give us a hell of a marshalling yard out there &#8211 we could get the locos and wagons off the main line, and into these collective properties," Mr Heraghty said. The application has been publicly exhibited and notified to affected land owners. A spokesperson for Campbelltown Council said a decision on the development would not be handed down until the first quarter of 2007. MIST’s rail plans are extensive. In addition to the proposed 4 km of rail track outside the terminal, Mr Heraghty plans to build approximately 2.7 km of track within it &#8211 comprising two 645-metre lengths of track, and two 700-metre tracks, adjacent to the main southern line. Early last year Mr Heraghty purchased 16 locomotives from Denmark. The locos, fitted with 2,700 kW engines, are now being refurbish. Mr Heraghty plans to brand the new fleet &#8220Independent Rail&#8221. The fleet is due for service mid-2007. The proposed Greater Minto Terminal development would mirror Austrak’s Somerton intermodal venture, Mr Heraghty said. Improvements on the rail line between Minto and Somerton would enable a fast rail service, with times competitive to road transport. Improvements on the Melbourne-Brisbane rail line &#8211 including the creation of new passing loops &#8211 build the case for an express rail service. Additionally, a new dedicated freight line between Chullora and Macarthur will be built past the MIST site. "Big movements of rail traffic between Minto and Somerton, from outskirt to outskirt, will help ease congestion,&#8221 Mr Heraghty said. &#8220It will also create a link from the intermodal terminal to the port. "The rail service becomes competitive with a truck. &#8220Before [Australian Rail Track Corporation investment&#93, there were a lot of single-line sections between the Sydney and Melbourne, allowing one train at a time on the line. &#8220Now they’re actually building parking bays so you can pull a train up, to allow another to get past.&#8221 &#8226 Full story in Lloyd’s List DCN , out tomorrow.