Rail Futures Institute president John Hearsch has cast doubts on claims by a Victorian government minister the state is moving closer to a "gold-class" rail freight network.
Freight Minister Melissa Horne said the recent budget set aside $181m for rail freight, which would mean a network tailored to the fast and efficient movement of exports to ports was much closer.
But Mr Hearsch, a former V/Line chief operating officer, said all the government had done was bring the lines back to the standard they were meant to be.
"That's just words, it's hyperbole, and it doesn't really coincide with reality," Mr Hearsch said.
"A gold class freight system for Victoria would be 23-tonne axle load capacity and freight trains running at no less than 60/kph, preferably 80k/ph.
"That would be near enough to a gold-class, by Australian standards, and we are nowhere near that."
Victoria was being left behind other states, such as NSW, he said.
Ms Horne said the $181m set aside in the budget built on the $83 million investment, delivered as part of the government's COVID-19 stimulus package.
The $83m focused on replacing sleepers, repairing ballast and renewing level crossing equipment across almost 400 kilometres of critical freight-only rail lines.
"That investment reduced the numbers of temporary speed restrictions to their lowest level since the database commenced in 2005, and as a result our tracks are in the best condition they have been in a generation," she said.
"You can expect to see us investing heavily in new track, in new sleepers and new ballast on lines in the north and north-west of the state, particularly those that handle grain and will benefit most from the higher axle loads that the upgrades will bring."
Ms Horne said the budget shifted the focus from maintenance to capital upgrades, so more of the network could be converted to carry 21-tonne axle loads and trains could be run at higher speeds.
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Mr Hearsch said V/Line had been doing "some pretty good work" in the last 12 months, particularly in lifting speed restrictions.
But he said there was nothing the the public domain as to where the money, outlined in the budget, would be spent.
"We need to be concentrating on getting speeds increased where they are very low - for instance the Manangatang line north of Boort is only 40 kilometres and hour, even though it is in quite good condition," Mr Hearsch said.
"We would want it raised to at least 50kph - it doesn't sound much but it does make quite a big difference, over a long distance."
Most of the lines were 19-tonnes axle loading (TAL) but needed to be increased to 20 or 21 TAL
"Two tonne extra axle load equates to eight tonne extra payload on each wagon," he said
"That really makes a massive difference to productivity.
"We are being left behind in productivity in the freight network, compared with what is happening in other states."
He said NSW was working towards 25 TAL, which would make a huge difference, and the state was also running bigger trains.
A Graincorp spokeswoman said the company was pleased to see funding allocated to the freight rail network, "which we hope will be put into immediate use to address the overdue maintenance requirements of the lines and to improve the network.
"GrainCorp will work with other industry partners, rail operators and government to ensure we get the most optimal outcomes from the funding."
Meanwhile, the federal opposition has called on the government to deliver the Murray Basin Rail Project and work with the state government to complete the original business case.
Opposition Transport spokeswoman Senator Briget McKenzie and Nationals Mallee MP Dr Anne Webster said the previous federal government delivered a $195 million rescue package in 2020 to bring their total project contribution to $440 million.
"Industry, farmers and primary producers have every reason to be on edge over the future of the freight rail," Senator McKenzie said.
She said industry and producers wanted to see a transparent business case which genuinely addressed the concerns of all stakeholders.
The state government has been contacted for comment.