The loop, some 1600m long, can cater for 1500m trains passing through Nana Glen and will enable trains to pass each other as one train enters and waits while a passing train passes by at regular speed.

Efficiency gains and increased capacity on the line is anticipated with the new loop coming after recently constructed loops at Tamrookum and Greenbank just over the Queensland border.

ARTC chief executive David Marchant said the new passing loop at Nana Glen, opened last week, would result in shorter transit times between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

“ARTC is pushing forward with our plans to upgrade the Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne corridor and make rail transport more competitive,” he said.

“This passing loop is another important milestone in the north-south strategy to cut the transit time from Melbourne to Sydney to as low as 10 hours 40 minutes and 15 hours 35 minutes between Sydney and Brisbane.”

He added that the passing loops ARTC is building along the rail corridor, in addition to the new concrete sleepers and the signal upgrades, could perhaps form the biggest rail project since the track was originally laid.

“The investment in this corridor upgrade will see rail becoming competitive, and as each 1500 metre long train can replace 100 semi-trailers we could see less trucks on our major roads,” Marchant said.