The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) will carry out rail maintenance and improvement works on the main railway line between Sydney and Melbourne this weekend.
During the works, the railway line will be closed between Chullora and Moss Vale in New South Wales from 10.30pm on Friday 5 December to 2am Monday 8 December.
It will also be closed between Moss Vale and Cootamundra in New South Wales from 6am Saturday 6 December to 6:00pm Sunday 7 December, and Cootamundra and Tottenham in Victoria from 6am Saturday 6 December to 11pm Sunday 7 December.
Maintenance activities include re-railing, track reconditioning, structure repairs and upgrades, mudhole removal, and track tamping.
In addition to maintenance, resilience building works include the upgrade of two culverts with new reinforced concrete box culverts at Tahmoor and Bargo as well as ballast renewal at Picton in New South Wales.
Major works will be undertaken as part of the Inland Rail project, including the demolition of the Albury station footbridge to make way for a new elevated pedestrian overpass and a range of signalling, piling and construction activities on all eight Victorian sites.
Coaches and buses will replace NSW Trainlink services, including the Sydney to Melbourne XPT and V/Line Albury Line trains during this time.
ARTC has reminded motorists and pedestrians to remain vigilant for altered traffic conditions near the rail corridor, pay attention to signage and obey all road rules at level crossings, with heavy machinery active on rail lines.
Clinton Crump, Group Executive Operations, ARTC, said: “This planned network shutdown allows us to complete significant works and upgrades, maintaining the safety and reliability of the Sydney to Melbourne rail corridor.
“Key to the activities will be the ballast renewal works which are being delivered under the Network Investment Program — a $1billion resilience building partnership with the Australian Government which includes significant scope targeted at improving flood resilience and immunity in critical areas of the network.
“ARTC would like to thank the community for their patience as we undertake these important long-term improvements.”
