Asciano's coal division, Pacific National, has officially opened its new $180 million train maintenance facility in Nebo, Queensland.
According to Pacific, this facility will support its coal haulage operations and increase its services along the Goonyella, Blackwater, and Newlands rail networks.
The rail haulage company initially announced the construction of the facility, along with other maintenance and provisioning facilities at Waitara, Dysart, and Callemondah, mid last year.
The rail firm stated that the construction of these facilities will create 322 jobs, with 220 full time jobs during peak construction and an additional 102 ongoing positions, including 65 qualified and apprentice train drivers as well as 37 maintenance staff.
At the time Pacific National coal director David Irwin stated that “the construction of the new train maintenance and provisioning facilities at Nebo is a significant milestone in our investment in Queensland’s coal haulage market.
The five kilometre long facility at Nebo will also allow for the refueling of trains, routine inspections, and general maintenance work.
"Nebo is the first facility of its design in Australia and includes some of the most innovative design and maintenance techniques seen within the rail industry today, with capacity to support up to 25 coal trains, with eight bays for locomotives and two main tracks for wagon maintenance,” Geoff Featherstone, Pacific National's general manager operations QLD, said.
These new facilities have also been designed to work with QR National's rail network.
Pacific National added that the two coal haulage companies have negotiated a Connection Agreement to ensure the integration of the facility with the existing network.