The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has been undertaking a $20 million maintenance blitz along the Hunter Valley rail network over the past week.
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More than 100 projects were delivered in the 65 hour maintenance shutdown which started at 6am Tuesday and will finish 8.30pm Thursday.
“These works are an essential part of keeping one of the busiest rail networks in the country running safely,” said ARTC’s HV Executive General Manager Jonathan Vandervoort.
The works have been taking place within the rail corridor from Kooragang Island, north to Narrabri and also along the Ulan line from Muswellbrook.
It includes track reconstructions, new rail, level crossing improvements, ballast cleaning, rail corridor tidy-up works, signalling maintenance and piling works beneath the rail bridge overpass at Farley which resulted in Wollombi Road being closed for a period.
“We thank the community for their patience with us while this important work takes place,” Mr Vandervoort said. “The works also coincide with Rail Safety Week. We ask the community to use this as a reminder to be cautious around the rail corridor, take care near work sites and be aware there may be more trucks than usual,” he said.
Some passenger rail services were impacted on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday including services between Scone and Maitland, some trains between Telarah and Maitland and trains to the North West.