Watch out! Trains about between Moree and North Star
The Moree to North Star section of the rail line is back in service after two and a half years. Locals and visitors are urged to take extra care near the rail line and at level crossings.
October 19, 2023
Work on the northern section of the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 Inland Rail project alignment has finished and the line will be operational from 27 October 2023.
This means trains can run again between Moree and North Star.
The track has been inactive since 1 March 2021 when construction on the line started for the Inland Rail project. The section between Narrabri and Moree was returned to service in November last year and this year Inland Rail construction contractors Trans4m Rail have been putting the finishing touches on the section between North Camurra and North Star, in the lead up to operations resuming on 27 October 2023.
As part of Inland Rail’s commitment to improving rail corridor safety, 57 public and private level crossings and road approaches have been upgraded along the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 alignment.
Between Moree and North Star alone, six locations have been upgraded to active crossings, meaning they will now have boom barriers, bells and flashing lights instead of just stop or give way signs. These include:
- County Boundary Road, Milguy
- Croppa Creek Road, Crooble
- Buckie Road, Croppa Creek
- Croppa Moree Road, Croppa Creek
- Croppa Creek Road, North Star
- I B Bore Road, North Star
Inland Rail has also delivered a brand new dedicated active pedestrian crossing at Buckie Road in Croppa Creek.
All crossings now have bigger and brighter signage (see image), upgraded road approaches and new rubber crossing panels, which reduce the time it takes for a vehicle to traverse the level crossing.
But just because level crossing safety has been improved, local communities cannot get complacent about driving across the track.
Locals and visitors travelling near the rail line and using level crossings are urged to take extra care, especially north of Moree. Grain trains and other rail vehicles can run at any time.
Inland Rail utilises a consistent safety-based approach for determining public level crossing treatments. This includes a national system called the Australian Level Crossing Assessment Model (ALCAM) which considers factors including road and rail traffic numbers (based on 2040 estimates), vehicle types, speeds, and sighting distances.
IMAGE: An upgraded private level crossing with bigger and brighter signage and new rubber crossing panels, in Crooble with GrainCorp silos in the background.
