The Main Western Line is on track to reopen to critical freight services next week.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Sam Farraway, said critical freight operations will return to full capacity at night from next week, and passenger services are expected to resume from July, 30.
This is two weeks earlier than anticipated, thanks to crews working around the clock to restore the line after extensive damage was caused by the major landslip halfway between Blackheath and Mount Victoria.
“There was a serious threat of job losses across the Central West region and industries like agriculture and critical minerals that have been already hard hit with the recent extreme weather,” Mr Farraway said.
“Transport will now work towards restoring a full timetable for passenger services, such as the Bathurst Bullet and XPT services, to better connect customers between Sydney and the west,” he said.
The crews have restored the line by moving about 40,000 tonnes of gabion rock used to build up the embankment.
Last month’s landslip on the Main Western Line, situated halfway between Blackheath and Mount Victoria, caused the collapse of the embankment along a 20-metre stretch of track, creating a landslip more than 60 metres deep.
