An empty northbound coal train emerging from the Ardglen tunnel at the top of the existing route over the Liverpool Range. Liverpool Range New Route Selection Study ARTC is undertaking a study to determine a potential new route across ARTC is undertaking the current study to ensure it is well prepared to the Liverpool Range in the vicinity of Ardglen. This information sheet sets respond to the actual growth in rail traffic. out the background and purpose of the study. What will the study cover? What is ARTC? The principal purpose of the study is to determine with confidence the The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) controls the interstate rail conditions under which a new alignment would be justified. network between the Queensland border near Brisbane and Kalgoorlie in A key input to this assessment will be the estimated cost of the new Western Australia, plus the NSW Hunter Valley rail network. route. ARTC commenced a 60-year lease of the NSW part of the network in To sensibly cost the new route, it is necessary to have a firm view of an September 2004. It also manages the balance of the NSW country alignment. A key task for the study is therefore to identify a preferred regional network on behalf of the NSW Government, but does not alignment. This has the added benefit of making ARTC well placed to control any of the network used for electrified services for commuters. proceed quickly with the project when the conditions are right. ARTC is a Corporations Law entity whose shares are owned by the The study will only identify a preferred alignment. A final alignment Australian Government. It operates on a commercial basis and does not would only be determined as part of the process of gaining environ- receive any recurrent funding from Government. mental approvals. This is not part of the current study, and ARTC would only seek such approvals when the need for the project was imminent. Why is a study being done? The grades of the current railway over the Liverpool Range at Ardglen What are the route options? represent a barrier to efficient rail operations. ARTC does not have any preconceived views about the best alignment. Schemes to relieve these grades have been proposed for at least 80 That will be determined by the study. years. However, the grade that the new alignment will avoid extends from Current forecasts of growth in coal volumes transported by rail over just north of Murrurundi to Chilcotts Creek, 4 km south of Willow Tree. It the Liverpool Range (see next page) suggest that the time may now be is highly unlikely that a new alignment would extend far past the extent of approaching when a new alignment would be justified. the grade at either end. LIVERPOOL RANGE NEW ROUTE SELECTION STUDY Narrabri Narrabri Junction Dorrigo Barraba Dumaresq Bellingen Armidale • Narrabri Narrabri loop Boggabri loop–Gunnedah loop Million tonnes of coal per annum Baan Baa 40 • Boggabri • Maules Creek Boggabri loop 20 Uralla Boggabri 0 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Ma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Manilla Eungai Emerald Hill Gunnedah Walcha Road Gunnedah loop Walcha • Whitehaven • East Boggabri • Belmont Tamworth Kootingal Kempsey Curlewis Nea Kundabung Breeza Telegraph Point The Gap Werris Creek • Caroona • Werris Creek Quipolly Premer Caroona Muswellbrook–Antiene Junction Wauchope Million tonnes of coal per annum Po Werris Creek–Murulla Quirindi 100 Kerewong ay Million tonnes of coal per annum Braefield 80 40 60 20 Willow Tree Kendall 40 Weetaliba 0 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ardglen Johns River 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Murrurundi Lansdowne 0 Whittingham Junction–Maitland Blandford 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 rygoen Coolah Murulla 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 WinghamMillion tonnes of coal per annum • Bickham Mt George 160 Bengalla loop–Muswellbrook Wingen Newdell Junction–Mt Owen Junction 140 Million tonnes of coal per annum Bulliac Taree Million tonnes of coal per annum 60 Parkville 120 Dunedoo 120 40 Gloucester 100 100 20 Scone 80 80 0 Togar Stratford 60 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Stratford loop 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 60 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Craven 40 Merriwa Aberdeen • Duralie Forster • Dartbrook40 • Moolarben • Bengalla Dartbrook loop 20 • Ulan Bengalla Wards River Moolarben loop • Mt Pleasant 20 Ulan loop loop Muswellbrook 0 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 • Anvil Hill 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 • Duralie 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 Duralie loader Coggan Creek Anvil Hill loop 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Antiene 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Gulgong Wilpinjong Drayton Stroud Road loop Bylong Denman Mt Owen loop Dungog Bloomfield loop–Newcastle ports • Wilpinjong Kerrabee Newdell Million tonnes of coal per annum Rixs Creek loop Hilldale 160 Wallarobba 140 Singleton Martins Creek Wambo loop 120 Mudgee Whittingham Paterson Lue Wilpinjong loop–Anvil Hill loop Mt Thorley loop Branxton 100 Million tonnes of coal per annum Greta Mindaribba 80 Saxonvale loop Belford 40 Maitland • For mine details, Nelson Bay 60 20 Lochinvar see Newcastle– Thornton 40 0 Muswellbrook map Bloomfield 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cessnock 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Kandos Pelton Kooragang Island 0 Sandgate 6 7 8 9 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Port Waratah 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Teralba Newcastle Newstan Toronto Forecast increases in rail coal traffic to the Newcastle export ports and Hunter Valley and Central Coast power stations, based on coal industry producers’ forecasts. Accordingly, the principle focus of the study is the area shown in the When would the line be built? map on the next page. ARTC would build the new alignment when the project satisfied reason- This map also shows, in broad terms, three alternative routes that able commercial criteria. have been proposed in the past. In simple terms, new alignment would be built when the value of The new alignment may or may not include a new tunnel, and the future savings in train operating costs exceeded the project’s capital cost. existing track may or may not be retained. At this stage ARTC does not know whether or when this condition is likely to be met. Will the line open up the Gunnedah Basin coal deposits? ARTC will need to use the train operating cost savings from the new alignment as the basis for funding the capital cost of the project. Accordingly, in the short to medium term the coal producers will not gain any significant net saving in the cost, to them, of moving coal to the port. This means the growth in coal exports from the Gunnedah Basin will need to occur independent of whether the new alignment proceeds. In the longer term, a new alignment will offer some savings as the initial cost of the project is paid off, especially if coal volumes exceed the forecasts made at the time the project is approved. A southbound grain train (left) waiting for an empty coal train (right) to pass it at Whether the new alignment proceeds or not, ARTC will ensure that Ardglen, near the top of a steep climb for loaded trains from Chilcotts Creek. sufficient rail capacity is available on its network for the movement, on LIVERPOOL RANGE NEW ROUTE SELECTION STUDY commercial terms, of all Gunnedah Basin coal that producers wish to export. When will the study’s findings be released? The study is expected to be completed at the end of June 2006. The results will be made public once the ARTC Board has had the opportunity to review and consider the findings. Further information: Any questions in relation to the study should be directed to James Moor, Strategic Planner, ARTC on (02) 8259 0757 or e-mail [email protected]. Murrurundi station, looking west to the Liverpool Range. eek Ardglen ree eek Pangela Doughboy Kankool Pages River Chilcotts Cr Murrurundi Willow T Blandford Murulla Werris Creek South Werris Braefield Quirindi ook Werris Cr Werris Quipolly From Gunnedah Wingen or Caroona Parkville Scone Togar Grasstree Aberdeen Dartbrook Jct St Heliers to Koolbury Muswellbr Newcastle Study area Willow Tree Existing alignment Alternative concept (date unknown) Chilcotts Creek Existing alignment Kankool Existing alignment 1917 and 1928 concepts Study area Doughboy Tunnel 1917 concept Alternative concept (date unknown) Ardglen Tu nn el Existing alignment 1928 concept Existing Murrurundi alignment Existing alignment Tunnel Pages River Blandford The study area, showing the existing route and three alternative routes identified in earlier studies, two of them with long tunnels. LIVERPOOL RANGE NEW ROUTE SELECTION STUDY.