The $97 million Sydney Trains Rail Repair Plan is halfway complete and ahead of schedule, with 80 per cent of the 1,900 high-priority defects fixed.
The program was announced in June to improve the reliability and resilience of the rail network.
Rail Repair trackwork on this line has culminated in the installation of a new back-up airline hose across the bridge – for the first time in history – meaning trains can keep running while critical signalling repairs are made.
At the six month mark, the Plan has seen:
- 1,536 of 1,900 high-priority defects removed (yearly average from regular trackwork is 600)
- 800km of track repairs, including grinding and resurfacing
- 166 electrical backlog inspections completed (surpassing the initial target of 144)
- 88 speed restrictions removed (repairing the issues that require trains to slow down, like go-slow signs for roadworks)
- 489 train stop rams refurbished (vital fail-safe emergency braking systems)
The New South Wales Government has said that while the Sydney Trains network is 150 years old in parts and will never be free from incidents, Sydney Trains’ on-time running data has improved, especially over the past three months.
New South Wales Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen, said that keeping Sydney’s most iconic train line in top condition is no easy feat.
“I’m thrilled to visit the Sydney Harbour Bridge to personally see the specialised work underway and thank the dozens of workers calling it their office for the weekend to complete these vital upgrades,” Ms Haylen said.
“We are delivering for commuters both above and beneath our harbour, with both Sydney Trains and Metro work underway to support the people of New South Wales who travel on our network.
“This milestone of fixing 80 per cent of high-priority defects well ahead of schedule means we can now get even more work done than we anticipated, and that’s a great outcome for passengers.
“There will never be a silver bullet to make the Sydney Trains network perfect, but I’m proud to be delivering the state’s largest ever program of rail maintenance with real results.”
Sydney Trains Chief Executive, Matt Longland, said that the Harbour Bridge is a key part of the City’s rail network and by investing in this infrastructure reliability is being improved for the entire network.
“I’m thrilled to say the Harbour Bridge rail line is the most resilient it’s been in history, with a number of first-time works complete, such as a new airline hose and upgraded overhead wiring,” Mr Longland said.
“Our peak on-time running is improving, so with the exception of some unavoidable incidents, we’re beginning to see a pattern of more resilient and reliable services for passengers.
“I want to thank all our passengers for their patience during this time – while we do our best to limit disruption, this trackwork is essential for a healthy rail network.”
