William Scott
Essential rail maintenance and improvement works are set to be undertaken by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) across the Hunter Valley and New South Wales North Coast railway networks.
Works will close the Hunter Valley line between Islington Junction and Telarah, from 3:00am 8 February to 1:00am 10 February, as well as the North Coast line between Telarah and Acacia Ridge from 5:00am 8 February to 7:00pm 9 February.
The shutdown is part of ARTC’s annual maintenance program and is a significant investment in the network.
The Hunter Valley works will involve:
- Crews will focus on critical maintenance and defect removal along the main lines between Islington Junction and Telarah
- The scope includes track geometry repairs, track component replacements, and other scheduled maintenance
- Additional activities will include vegetation control at various locations, cable replacements, and inspections
ARTC Group Executive Operations, Clinton Crump, said that this shutdown gives ARTC the opportunity to carry out significant work across the Hunter Valley line, including track resurfacing, re-sleepering and essential maintenance to various structures.
The New South Wales North Coast railway works will involve:
- Crews will be working along the 800km train line, investing more than 4,000 work hours in critical maintenance
- This includes track resurfacing, structures upgrades and repairs as well as track formation upgrades and turnout component replacements
- Additional activities will include vegetation management at various priority locations
“Regular maintenance ensures that the North Coast line continues to operate as a vital part of the economic supply chain and provide travel connections throughout New South Wales and south east Queensland,” Mr Crump said.
“With freight and passenger services paused during this time, our teams can focus on detailed structural inspections and other essential tasks that can’t be completed while trains are operating.
“These works are being carried out in the middle of summer under challenging conditions, and we truly appreciate the efforts of our crews. ARTC also thanks the community for their understanding and patience as we make these important long-term improvements.”
ARTC crews will minimise the impact of the work wherever possible, including positioning light towers to shine away from residences, watering down work areas and limiting the number of machines operating at any one time.
ARTC has reminded motorists and pedestrians to remain vigilant for altered traffic conditions near the rail corridor, pay attention to signage and to obey all road rules at level crossings, with rail machinery active on rail lines.
