NSW ACT Country & Freight Rail

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1171099260340695041

[ozbob]

Newcastle Herald --> Some regional XPT services cancelled after discovery of 'cracks' in key locomotive component

The state's decades-old XPT trains, which run through the Hunter to northern NSW and Brisbane, have been plunged into a safety crisis after the discovery of cracks in a critical component of the fleet.

Sydney Trains, which maintains the NSW TrainLink-operated trains, has been forced to begin replacing centre pins on the entire fleet of XPT locomotives.

The centre pins connect the body of a locomotive to its driving wheels. Failure of the component while a train is in operation risks causing a derailment.

The issue has forced four XPT diesel locomotives to be removed from operation and some train services to be cancelled, including the daily Sydney to Grafton service which has been replaced by buses in both directions indefinitely.

"These locomotives will be returned to service following the completion of all necessary and appropriate engineering assessments and actions," Sydney Trains said in a statement.

"The safety of our customers and staff is our utmost priority."

The replacement of the pins, if necessary, is understood to be a lengthy process due to the complexity involved in making castings and forging the steel pins.

Passenger carriages in the XPT fleet are not subject to the same loads as the diesel locomotives but Sydney Trains will inspect a number of the centre pins on carriages to provide extra safety assurances to the public.

The operator, NSW TrainLink, could not say on Friday how long the Grafton XPT train, which stops at Fassifern, Broadmeadow, Maitland, Dungog and stations all along the North Coast line, would be out of action.

The daily Sydney to Brisbane and Sydney to Casino XPT trains continue to operate and service those stops.

"The XPT fleet is maintained to the highest standard and undergoes thorough inspection every 42 days," a NSW TrainLink spokesperson said.

"The centre pins on the entire XPT diesel locomotive fleet will be replaced over the coming months."

The first XPTs began running almost four decades ago, and concerns have been raised in recent years about their aging condition.

The NSW government ordered a new $1.26 billion fleet of regional trains, which will gradually replace the XPT, Endeavour and Xplorer trains, in February.

The trains, which will be built in Spain, are scheduled to be introduced from 2023.

A new maintenance facility is being built at Dubbo as part of the contract.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/fictillius/status/1176804082347991040

[verbatim9]

NSW introduces bi mode technology for their new regional passenger fleet




https://youtu.be/3Cqn10YE8ZU

[ozbob]

Newcastle Herald --> Buses expected to replace regional passenger trains as fires wreak havoc on NSW North Coast rail line

BUSES will replace passenger trains on part of the North Coast line after fires caused substantial damage to infrastructure between Grafton and Casino.

Lengthy repairs will have to be carried out on the line with Transport Minister Andrew Constance revealing some of the damage on Wednesday.

"Some of the aftermath of the devastating bushfires currently burning in Northern NSW," Mr Constance said, alongside a photo of damaged line posted to social media.

"Stretches of the North Coast rail line have crippled by fire, with the Rappville Rail Bridge destroyed.


"Thinking of all those affected by bushfires across the state."

The Australian Rail Track Corporation, which manages the line, has confirmed extensive repairs will be needed but it is yet to conduct a fully assess the damage.

"The highway is currently closed and RFS have advised that the area is too dangerous to enter and it will be at least approximately 48 hours before detailed assessment of the track damage is possible," ARTC group executive Peter Winder told the Newcastle Herald.

"An early inspection with the RFS indicates substantial damage to bridges, track, signalling and level crossing infrastructure.

"The rail line will be impacted until at least early next week and we expect to be able to make further assessments once the rail corridor is safe to finalise track inspections and will be following NSW RFS advice with respect to this.

"ARTC is currently mobilising repair crews and materials."

NSW TrainLink services between Sydney and Grafton, Casino and Brisbane will be impacted by the line's temporary closure.

Services from Sydney will only operate to Grafton, where replacement buses will be used for the Casino and Brisbane routes.

NSW TrainLink is already battling with a reduced fleet, after it was revealed last month there was issues with a key component of XPT locomotives.

The daily Sydney to Grafton XPT service has not ran for weeks and was already expected to be replaced by buses for some months while critical fleet repairs took place.

North Coast XPT services run through the Hunter and usually stop at Fassifern, Broadmeadow, Maitland and Dungog.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1212889400146743296

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> 'A really neglected part of travel': the regional trains most likely to be running late

Three out of five passenger trains between Sydney and Melbourne run late by more than 10 minutes and the service has declined sharply over the past five years.

Meanwhile, rail passengers in Western NSW and the North Coast have faced months of delays, partly because of bushfires.

So far in the 2019-2020 financial year, the XPT service between Sydney and Melbourne has arrived on time only 41 per cent of the time according to Transport for NSW performance reports for regional trains. In 2018-2019, it arrived on time 56 per cent of the time, while five years ago reliability was 72 per cent.

Regional trains serve 43 million passengers a year and are classed as "on time" if they arrive within 10 minutes of the due time. However, the publicly available figures do not distinguish between 15 minutes late and two hours late. NSW TrainLink has a goal for 78 per cent of regional trains to arrive on time.

Wagga Wagga state MP Joe McGirr, an Independent whose electorate is on the XPT line from Sydney to Melbourne, said regional trains were "a really neglected part of travel" and his constituents were "resigned" to the inconvenience and lateness of the service.

Even when trains run on time, there were only two services a day in each direction from Wagga Wagga at awkward times of day. It took more than six hours to get to Sydney, an hour and a half more than by car.

"Rail is an important way of travelling and that applies to pensioners, as well as people on low incomes and students," Dr McGirr said.

"The time is long overdue for an improvement in client service in terms of internal comfort, availability of the internet, and the timetable. It's ancient technology."

The XPT trains, which run from Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane, Dubbo, Grafton and Casino, were introduced in 1982. The XPLORER trains, which link Sydney with Armidale, Moree, Griffith, Broken Hill and Canberra, date from 1993.

Last year the NSW government announced a $2.8 billion project to upgrade the regional train fleet, but the first of the new trains is not expected until 2023. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has also hired UK rail expert Andrew McNaughton to provide advice on high-speed rail options across the state.

Trains running up the North Coast were significantly disrupted throughout the spring and summer, with passengers north of Grafton most affected. NSW TrainLink closed the rail line between Grafton and Casino in October because of the bushfires.

Just over half of Casino and Brisbane services have run on time since the start of spring, with extensive use of rail replacement buses. The Grafton service has been more reliable but passengers in Grafton and further south use all three services.

Meanwhile, the service to Dubbo has been patchy, with 95 per cent of trains arriving on time in October but only 55 per cent in July.

A NSW TrainLink spokesperson said regional trains ran late for a number of reasons "including track and signalling issues, emergency situations, extreme weather conditions and stationery freight trains".

The spokesperson said the bushfires started causing delays on some lines from September 2019, while the Melbourne and western lines were busy freight corridors.

Tamara Smith, the Greens MP for Ballina, said the situation "seemed symptomatic of letting things slide for regional communities".

Her electorate has been without a rail service since 2003. Instead there was one bus a day from the tourist hub of Byron Bay to connect with rail in Casino and the trip took two hours.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/canberratimes/status/1226377687213711361

[ozbob]

Daily Telegraph --> Outer Sydney Orbital, Western Sydney Freight Line: no corridors rezoned for M9 motorway

New electric locomotives will traverse tunnels under southwest Sydney to carry freight to and from the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Line in a move that will drastically cut emissions.

The western Sydney freight line — which will hug the Outer Sydney Orbital road going to and from the Western Sydney Aerotropolis — will be tunnelled under several southwest Sydney suburbs, relying on electric technology that hasn't been developed yet.

Transport for NSW confirmed the freight line would be tunnelled alongside the M9 Motorway under Cobbity, and use "new-technology electric locomotives" to traverse freight through the underground corridors in order to meet safety and environmental legislation.

Electric freight locomotives were phased out of widespread use across the state in the early 2000s, being replaced by diesel trains.

However, diesel trains currently in use wouldn't meet stringent environmental and safety guidelines as there would not be adequate ventilation shafts.

It means the multibillion-dollar project is relying on the completion of new technology to become a reality.

Transport expert and University of Sydney Civil Engineering Professor David Levinson said electric locomotives for freight transport had been used in NSW previously, and was used "much more widespread in Europe".

"There are no technical reasons freight trains can't be electrified, and if they have renewable power — which over the next decade will be increasingly common — electrified freight would be much cleaner than diesel overall, and due to lack of emissions, better for operations in tunnels," Prof. Levinson said.

The use of electric freight trains along the Western Freight Line comes as a Transport for NSW spokeswoman revealed no gazettals or rezonings have occurred to secure the Outer Sydney Orbital transport corridor.

Instead, the department has relied on publishing the proposed corridors in planning documents to "show there are plans for a corridor, without rezoning the land".

"Maps have been published, but no rezoning (have taken place)," the spokeswoman said.

"This is because there are still some opportunities to refine the corridor alongside land use planning that is taking place across western Sydney."

The spokeswoman said investigations and consultation for the exact route was ongoing, failing to answer questions around when completed plans would be gazetted.

"While there have been some meeting restrictions because of coronavirus, Transport for NSW has met with a number of stakeholders including landholders and council planners over the past 12 months," she said.

"To give the community certainty, the recently announced corridors for a future Rail Line between St Marys and Macarthur, Bringelly and Leppington and a dedicated freight rail line between Luddenham and The M7 have been gazetted."

Shadow Western Sydney spokesman Greg Warren said freight lines and the Outer Sydney Orbital should be available from day one of the Western Sydney Airport opening.

"Rail extensions to Macarthur and Leppington could still be decades away," he said.

"Transport links for Western Sydney can't come fast enough, but it looks like the people of Western Sydney won't be able to access their own airport for years.

"Connectivity to Western Sydney Airport from all parts of the metropolitan area – particularly Western Sydney – is vital to ensuring economic prosperity and jobs growth as well as ensuring the airport can reach its full potential."

[ozbob]

About Regional --> Tenders open for abandoned regional rail line

The next step in investigating the potential reactivation of the Blayney-to-Demondrille railway is underway, with tenders open to develop a concept design that will examine the condition of the line and associated infrastructure.

This development marks a solid commitment from the NSW Government to a project that has long been a thorn in its side, with local communities refusing to scrub the discarded rail network which essentially provides an inland transport route between Harden-Murrumburrah and Blayney, and west to Grenfell, Eugowra and Forbes.

The network, also known as the Cowra Lines, served regional NSW for many years until it was progressively suspended between 2007 and 2009. ...

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Peak-hour commuter delays after freight train fire in Sydney's north  $

Train services to Sydney's north and west were experiencing peak-hour delays after a freight train caught fire on Thursday afternoon.

They returned to normal about 8.30pm.

Northern Line, North Shore and Western Line, as well as some services to the Central Coast and Newcastle were experiencing delays in both directions after power had to be switched off while emergency services were trying to contain a freight train fire in Hornsby. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1365785758276022273

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Storms lash NSW North Coast, bringing down trees and stopping the XPT

Severe storms have left a trail of damage, felling trees from the Clarence Valley to the Queensland border and causing a 200-litre diesel spill from a damaged XPT train.

The line of storms hit the region late on Tuesday, bringing wind gusts of almost 80km/h.

The winds brought trees down across parts of the Clarence Valley, including on the train line at Warragai Creek, 20 kilometres north of Grafton.

Superintendent Luke Unsworth from NSW Fire and Rescue said an XPT passenger train hit the debris about 7pm, causing a branch to pierce its fuel tank.

"We immediately raced to that location and found that there was approximately 200 litres of diesel that had leaked out onto the train corridor," he said.

Emergency services were able to stem the leak, but it took some hours. ...

[Cazza]

The North Coast Line can't catch a break!

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/1382486038615093249

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkJesser/status/1399202012382650371

[ozbob]

^

Rail Express --> Ettamogah railway siding completed

A $12.2m upgrade of a rail siding at the Ettamogah Rail Hub near Albury is now complete, providing "significantly increased" efficiency for freight and passenger rail services.

Deputy PM and infrastructure minister Michael McCormack said the new siding extension would work with Inland Rail to improve regional freight connectivity and cut freight costs.

"The Australian government invested $2.6 million in the 2020–21 federal budget to deliver this rail siding and it's fantastic to see it already complete and operational," the deputy PM said.

"With trains previously having to stop on the mainline to exchange wagons at the hub. This new siding now allows rail operators to move up to 1,800metre long freight trains off the Main South Rail Line while they are being loaded, allowing other rail traffic to pass. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1407115434407587841

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SammyPoate/status/1407257473119969280

====

9 News --> Three seriously injured after train hits car in NSW Hunter region

Three people have been seriously injured in a car and train crash in the NSW Hunter region.
Four ambulance crews and two rescue choppers were called to Dungog Road in Wallarobba just before 4.40pm on Tuesday. ...

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Grassroots campaign secures NSW parliamentary debate on level crossing safety

A petition calling for improvements to the safety of level crossings in New South Wales has received enough community support to prompt debate in state Parliament.

Petition organiser Madeline Bott's fiance Ethan Hunter was killed at a level crossing near Young earlier this year.

More than 20,000 people have signed the petition — the number needed to schedule debate on the topic in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.

Ms Bott said she wants the state government to implement "long overdue" safety measures.

"In particular, we're asking for lights — so train activated warning lights on all level crossings in Australia and for locomotives to have strobe lights and reflective material on them," she said. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/OperationalInc1/status/1482121023357353984

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RailExpressNews/status/1539465209235922944

[ozbob]

SMH --> Another multibillion-dollar NSW train project at risk of delays, cost overruns $

The state's purchase of new Spanish-built passenger trains is at serious risk of delays and cost overruns due to a dispute between the NSW government and a consortium responsible for the $2.8 billion project, internal documents reveal.

The dispute over "contentious design issues" comes as a separate fleet of Korean-built intercity trains is at the centre of a prolonged stoush between the government and rail unions, which has led to major disruptions for commuters.

Confidential board papers for a state-owned rail corporation reveal that the government has been embroiled in "claims and disputes" over the new regional trains with the private consortium led by Spanish manufacturer CAF, which built trams for Sydney's inner west light-rail line, found to have cracks. ...

[ozbob]

SMH --> NSW's $2.6b train fleet running three years late, confidential documents show $

The delivery of a fleet of new Spanish-built passenger trains for NSW is running more than three years late due to a dispute between the state government and the manufacturer over design changes to carriages.

Confidential documents and emails show the dispute between the government and a consortium led by Spanish company CAF centres on directives by transport officials to modify the trains, which have been purchased for key rail lines from Sydney to other capital cities and across NSW. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RailExpressNews/status/1599277333135134720

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Dispute over design changes to new train fleet in deadlock $

The NSW government still does not know when a multibillion-dollar passenger rail fleet will arrive from Europe despite originally promising the first trains would enter service next year.

More than a year after inking a so-called resolution agreement, Transport for NSW is no closer to settling its long-running dispute with a consortium led by Spanish manufacturer CAF, which will build and maintain the trains.

Confidential documents show the consortium is standing firm in its dispute with the government by continuing to report a 35-month delay to the delivery of the trains after the state's transport agency demanded design changes to carriages.

The documents produced to NSW parliament and obtained by the Herald reveal the consortium known as Momentum Trains warned the government in June this year that delivery of the new fleet was expected to be 35 months late. ...

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Broken Hill line set to reopen

The Parkes to Broken Hill line in New South Wales is set to finally reopen on the week commencing January 23, after being closed in October due to damage from severe weather events.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has been working diligently to restore services that were significantly impacted by the record-breaking flooding that hit the central west of the state in late 2022.

The reopening of the line will restore full capacity on the ARTC network between NSW, South Australia, and Western Australia.

On the section between Condobolin and Ivanhoe, 18 sites required substantial repair, with ballast and formation washed away.

Up to 60 workers utilising 45 items of major plant have worked over 22,000 hours across the sites to repair damage. Works conducted include track repair, restoring 10,500 tonnes of ballast, tamping, and restoring impacted level crossings and signals.

Upon reopening, temporary speed restrictions will be in place at the repaired sites and will be gradually removed. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/smh/status/1622662033253572623

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1624049152823857155

[#Metro]

Let's not have yet another state-specific new train factory added to the list. Use the existing ones in Perth, Qld and Melbourne.

The Perth and QLD ones will be brand new factories!

Some background to the subject:
https://transportsydney.wordpress.com/2021/12/06/manufacturing-trains-and-trams-domestically/

A good compromise might be to build a large bus and train manufacturer in the ACT. That way the parochialism is avoided...

[JimmyP]

There are already two rail manufacturing plants in the Greater Newcastle area

[SurfRail]

There's no point in debating it anymore, the Perth facility is already producing trains.  Torbanlea is going to happen, whether the correct idea or not.  I remain very skeptical.

[#Metro]

There are already two rail manufacturing plants in the Greater Newcastle area

Which ones were those?

[JimmyP]

UGL (The old Goninan) around Mayfield (that area.. can't remember exact suburb, but the line from the facility comes out at around Woodville Junction) and Downer at Cardiff

[SurfRail]

^ Both are long out of passenger rollingstock given nearly all of NSW's rollingstock in the last decade have been imported with only limited fitting work carried out locally.

[achiruel]

UGL (The old Goninan) around Mayfield (that area.. can't remember exact suburb, but the line from the facility comes out at around Woodville Junction) and Downer at Cardiff

Goninan (now UGL) was in Broadmeadow, but is likely to be bulldozed for a housing development.

https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2022/12/06/broadmeadows-goninan-rail-factory-to-be-rezoned-for-housing/

According to the video, UGL will relocate to the Central Coast, but no specific location was stated.

[JimmyP]

^ Both are long out of passenger rollingstock given nearly all of NSW's rollingstock in the last decade have been imported with only limited fitting work carried out locally.

While they haven't built passenger stock locally for quite some time, I doubt that would preclude them from tooling up for it again at some point if needed. Whether they want to, especially with UGL having a rather large loco order book at this point, is another question though.

UGL (The old Goninan) around Mayfield (that area.. can't remember exact suburb, but the line from the facility comes out at around Woodville Junction) and Downer at Cardiff

Goninan (now UGL) was in Broadmeadow, but is likely to be bulldozed for a housing development.

https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2022/12/06/broadmeadows-goninan-rail-factory-to-be-rezoned-for-housing/

According to the video, UGL will relocate to the Central Coast, but no specific location was stated.

Thanks! I hadn't seen that!

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1655947531757707264

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/hot_rails/status/1684346610569076738