Downer given an extension on Waratah
RailCorp has released a statement saying that the Practical Completion inspection process for the first Waratah train would now continue through to June 3, effectively giving Downer EDI a two-week extension.
While the contract between RailCorp and Reliance Rail sets out that RailCorp should either approve or reject Downer’s first train set 20 business days after it was submitted for inspection, which has already passed, RailCorp said that the extension was “consistent with the four to six week timeframe anticipated by Downer when it presented the train to RailCorp on 20 April”.
Reliance Rail and Downer must demonstrate that the train meets safety, reliability and passenger amenity requirements before RailCorp can introduce the train into passenger service.
“Introducing a new train is a significant undertaking and we want to ensure this process delivers customers the best outcome,” RailCorp said in the statement.
ARTC controllor ‘forgot’ rail yard was occupied
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its report into an incident involving a near miss between a freight train and an empty Country Link Xplorer passenger train at Manildra last year which found an ARTC controller had “forgotten” that the Manildra rail yard was already occupied.
According to ATSB’s report on the incident, in February last year a passenger train was authorised to travel through the rail yard on the main line, however, at the same time a freight train was already standing on the main line.
ATSB’s investigation concluded that an Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) network controller failed to enter information into the computer system identifying that both the main line and loop were occupied.
The controller had later forgotten about the track occupancies when authorising the passenger to travel through the yard.
ATSB said in its report that while a number of defences served to avoid a collision in this case, the event posed a “serious safeworking irregularity” where one train had been authorised to proceed over track occupied by a second train.
“The ARTC, Pacific National and the Manildra Group have put processes in place to ensure shunt orders are not fulfilled unless all shunt operations have ceased and either the main line is clear or a form of train protection has been implemented in accordance with the network rules,” the report stated.
Leighton wins HK contracts
Australia-based Leighton Holdings has won two major contracts worth $547m from MTR Corporation to build the South Island rail line project in Hong Kong.
One of the two contracts was awarded to a joint venture between Leighton Asia and John Holland.
Under the contract, Leighton will build  2km  of viaduct that will form the above-ground section of the railway, a 115-metre long Aberdeen Channel railway bridge, 1.1kms of tunnels, two elevated stations at Ocean Park and Wong Chuk Hang, two underground stations at Lei Tung and South Horizons and related plant and ventilation buildings. Cut-and-cover construction methods and drilling and blasting will be used for tunnelling works.
Construction works are scheduled to begin this month and should be completed by 2015.
The South Island Line (East) will be a medium-capacity railway covering approximately 7km from Admiralty Station to South Horizons Station with intermediate stations at Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang and Lei Tung. It will provide fast and reliable railway service for communities in the south of Hong Kong Island and help ease traffic congestion at critical bottlenecks like Aberdeen Tunnel and the central business district.
GCRT ahead of schedule
Queensland transport minister Annastacia Palaszczuk has told State Parliament that early works for Gold Coast Rapid Transit are ahead of schedule and the first 13km section from Parklands to Broadbeach should be completed by 2014.
"Following the completion of roadworks later this year, construction of the light rail corridor will begin, with the track expected to be laid in the second half of 2012," Palaszczuk reportedly said.
NRW Holdings wins BHP contract
NRW Holdings has scored a $158m 12-month contract with BHP Billiton Iron Ore.
The contract  comprises three sections including the Goldsworthy to Finucane Island rail duplication earthworks, the Mooka access road and Mooka marshalling yard.
 
 
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