Kyabram fertilizer traffic

["Thommo" <mjthom@hdc.com.au>]

 Roderick Smith posted a thread re Shepp snippets
22.6 regarding Kyabram fertiliser traffic I shall compose a new heading for
this subject.
The private siding owned by the Schoons company at Kyabram is positioned on
the up side of the station precinct about 1 km from town. It can accommodate
at least 9 bogie open wagons and has seen it's fair share of traffic over
the years, a train from Shepparton served the siding on an as required basis
performing the run around at Kyabram. The siding until recently had been
host to 4 VOBX and a shunt recently reduced this to two.  However it has
seen little traffic since the opening of the bulk  pivot handling depot at
Congupna 5 km nth of Shepp which opened around 2 years ago  and includes a
dedicated rail unloading facility which consumes generous amounts of traffic
during peak periods.

While on the Kyabram line which is the cross country section between
Toolamba and Echuca a rumour from a very reliable source indicates that this
section of track will again see regular traffic from areas north of Echuca
at the expense of the Bendigo Echuca section. Trails have been held and a
total upgrade was carried out last year although X classes, lesser and/or
equilivents  will be allowed to traverse the section with 40 km/h
restrictions in some sections,due to the condition of some bridges and short
track lengths of 47kg  rail . I guess the move could capture the industries
such as Nestles Tongala, Henry Jones I.X.L Kyabram, Containers packaging,
Tatura milk, and Unileaver (Rosella), whom all abut the rail and were
staunch users of rail with their own dedicated sidings. Although most of
this traffic is containerised and transhipped to Mooroopna's loading
facility. Could this move also indicate the abolition of the double track
section on the Bendigo line as some people are lead to believe?

R.I.P. V/LINE

Thommo