A tender is open to replace 100,000 timber sleepers and lay over 400km of track in Queensland’s south.
State minister for transport Jackie Trad announced the contract earlier this month.
“Queensland Rail will replace approximately 100,000 timber sleepers and lay over 400km of track along the western line,” Trad said.
The western line links the south east region to Charleville and towns in the state’s south west.
Trad said the government intended to roll out an upgrade of the line, and said the project would support around 120 local jobs.
“The Palaszczuk Government is committed to supporting local industries and creating jobs for Queenslanders and today’s announcement is a major boost for local timber suppliers.”
Trad said the replacement of timber sleepers would ensure the reliability of the western line is maintained.
“More than 6,500 trains travel on the western line each year, including both passenger and freight services, supporting local tourism and our agriculture and resource sectors,” she said.
“The replacement of timber sleepers across the West Moreton and Toowoomba West regions will ensure that we continue to support these industries with a reliable rail network for years to come.”
The configuration of the track on the western rail network still requires the use of timber sleepers, which are smaller in depth than other models.
Tenders close on June 19.