QR National has completed its $A 1.1bn ($US 1.1bn) Goonyella - Abbot Point expansion project by opening a 69km line to connect the Goonyella and Newlands rail networks in the northern Bowen Basin coalfield. The 20-month project was completed one month early.

AUSTRALIA's federal infrastructure and transport minister, Mr Anthony Albanese, and New South Wales premier, Mr Barry O'Farrell, have announced the approval of a jointly-funded $A 1.1bn ($US 1.15bn) upgrade of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor. The work encompasses the 160km section from North Strathfield to Newcastle and is intended to eliminate a bottleneck in northern Sydney improving access to the area for freight traffic.

IRJ at AusRail Plus: Lance Hockridge, CEO of QR National, announced today that 12 months after their successful IPO the railway will switch next month from being organised as business units to the functional model favoured by North American Class 1 railways.

IRJ at AusRail Plus 2011, Brisbane: Leighton Contractors and Swietelsky have formed a joint venture company called LS Rail to offer highly-mechanised track maintenance and renewal in Australia, initially on the standard-gauge network.