The Blue Mountain Rail Line in Australia has completed its upgrading as well as development works. As a result, passenger services on the main western rail line are scheduled to resume in early 2023.
While speaking about the project, the Deputy New South Wales Premier and Minister for Reginal New South Wales confirmed that the repairs between Linden and Lawson are complete. Therefore, Paul Toole added, the 3.49 am service from Lithgow to Sydney will be the very first passenger train through.
The Blue Mountain Rail Line project scope
Initially, the rail line has damage to infrastructure that spanned approximately 10 kilometers. The damages observed were broken rails as well as broken concrete sleepers. Moreover, the electrical assets and signaling equipment were also reported to have been damaged.
The project’s crew removed and disposed of a total of 15,000 concrete sleepers. Furthermore, the crew worked on well over 18 kilometers of a broken rail. Additionally, the crew carried out the removal of 24,000 tonnes of ballast and spoilt. Quite impressively, they also worked on the removal of 92 pieces of critical signaling equipment.
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The Blue Mountain Rail Line installation process featured the replacement of more than 15,000 concrete sleepers, with each weighing 300kg approximately. Furthermore, the installation process also included 26,500 tonnes of new ballast that would help stabilize and build the track. Furthermore, the installation and placement also included more than 18.1 kilometers of brand-new rail.
In ensuring efficient alignment, over 210 sections of the rail underwent thorough welding and adjustment. The project’s crew also worked on the installation of 92 pieces of brand-new critical signaling equipment alongside 1.1 kilometers of electrical leads. Taking it a step further, the crew ran tests over approximately 16 kilometers of signaling infrastructure. Furthermore, the project’s team carried out inspection and adjustments over 17 kilometers of overhead wiring.
