SPANNING PAST AND PRESENT ON THE MACQUARIE

The new rail bridge over the Macquarie River carried its first train in mid-September with the commissioning of the river crossing on the Western Main Line to Bathurst.

The bridge opening to rail traffic was brought forward, after works progressed ahead of schedule, senior project manager with Australian Rail Track Corporation Wael Naser said.

Mr Naser and the ARTC

project engineer, Dean Daly, described the construction of the new 150 metre-long post-tensioned, concrete-through-girder bridge consisting of three 50-metre spans as “ a good success story”.

The project will result in speeds increasing from 10-95km/h for freight trains and 30 to 105km/h for passenger trains and has been delivered in line with budget at around $10 million.

“The new rail bridge was constructed as a replacement for the second of 12 Whitton Truss Wrought Iron Lattice Bridges that were constructed in the 1880s,” Mr Naser said.

“With the new bridge constructed on a parallel alignment to the old one, allowing the old bridge to be retained for its heritage value, the construction was able to proceed without excessive delays to trains.

“In order to re-align the track to pass over the new bridge the commissioning was completed in two stages. It included track, bridge, earthworks and signalling works, and involved numerous contracts for the various specialised activities.”

Mr Naser and Mr Daly said the works on the new bridge started in February, 2009 with the final commissioning scheduled in October 2010 shutdown.

However, the commissioning was brought forward to September as the works progressed ahead of schedule.

The details

THE new railway bridge over the Macquarie River is three spans, 150 metres long, post- tensioned.

This includes around 2000 cubic metres of concrete and 500 tonnes of steel reinforcement.

Track works include new 1:15 60 kilogram head- hardened rail with monoblock crossing installed on concrete bearers, almost 1000 sleepers, 1000 metres of new and reclaimed rail installed, relocation of an existing turnout, realigning 300 metres of existing track, and 850 metres of earthworks for new and realigned track.

Signal works included five signal relocations, six signal aspect changes, new M84 Westinghouse motorised points, 800 metres of new cabling, re-programm-

ing signal software and upgrading signalling power.

Electrical works included replacement of one timber and three concrete power poles and relocating 11kV and 66kV overhead power lines.