Queensland Rail’s North Coast Line fully reopened over the weekend, following significant flooding that caused major damage between Townsville and Cairns.
The section between Townsville and Cairns had been closed for a month as Queensland Rail crews completed repairs to 164 sites on the line.
The line suffered damage to nearly seven kilometres of track, with major washouts and scouring requiring culvert repairs, bridge rebuilds, resurfacing works and new formation poured in several locations.
The Central West Line between Longreach and Winton has also reopened.
Queensland Rail Head of Regional Scott Cornish said: “The North Coast Line runs the length of coastal Queensland and spans 1,600 track kilometres so inspecting and repairing so much track and damage has been a mammoth job.
“We are so pleased that containerised freight, sugar, grain and livestock, as well as our Spirit of Queensland services, can run again from Brisbane to Cairns.
“Queensland Rail continues to invest heavily in our rail lines and when we undertake renewal and maintenance works, we are always focused on increasing the resilience of the network.
“We know how important this vital link is in connecting our communities and I want to thank our hard-working crews who have done an incredible job.”
With the resumption of rail traffic, Cornish warned road users and the local community to take extra care around level crossings.
“Safety is our number one priority and we are reminding road users to take care around level crossings now that trains are passing through once again,” he said.
“Please look out for trains and pay attention to the signs and signals in place for everyone’s safety.”
