Project adviser and former acting general manager James Bolton said the “commercial nature of the report and confidentiality obligations with the parties involved” meant council could not comment further.

US rail giant Genesee & Wyoming (GWA) signed a framework agreement with council on April 5, 2017, but further details have been scarce. When asked for comment, a spokesman for GWA referred The Daily Advertiser to council.

First announced in 2012, the highly-anticipated hub has already received more than $20 million in state and federal funding, touted as an “inland port” that would open up “hundreds of millions of dollars” for Wagga’s economy. But there have been years of delay and false starts for the project with the first commercial partner, Patrick-Asciano, backing out of a $15 million deal and the second venture with rail infrastructure specialist Traxion falling over when that company went into voluntary administration in 2015. 

However, Mr Bolton seemed to be hopeful about securing more NSW government funding, with an announcement on the Fixing Country Rail grants expected in the coming months.