KiwiRail’s efforts to get critical upgrade work completed in the Wairarapa before the line reopens on 9 February is going to plan. It involves the complete replacement of track, sleepers and ballast inside Remutaka Tunnel, as well as undertrack work at several level crossings.
Programme Director Andy Lyon says the team is on the job 24/7 getting work done that can only be completed while trains are out of action.
“While the tunnel work is the main event, we’ve had a team at Ngaumutawa Road laying new concrete slabs under the tracks and replacing median strips at the approach to the crossing,” Lyon said.
“Next week we do the same thing at Renall Street, which will mean a full road closure between 21st – 25th Jan during the day and at night while we carry out major excavation work.
“Thank you for your patience while we get this work done. Road closures are inconvenient, and in this case unavoidable, and we working as fast as we can to minimise disruption.”
In Carterton there will be ‘stop – go’ traffic management from 20 Jan at Pembroke Street and Belvedere Road, and the full road closure at Kent Street continues through to mid-February.
Remutaka Tunnel is nearly 70 percent complete with the team reaching just past the six kilometre mark this week. KiwiRail has a 100 plus strong team working in shifts around the clock to complete the job of replacing tack inside the almost nine kilometre long tunnel.
“Overall we’re on track and making satisfactory progress across the line, and it is hard grind in the tunnel,” Lyon said.
“The team is doing a great job and will be pleased I’m sure to reach the end knowing this brings us another step closer to a strong and more resilient rail infrastructure, with safer level crossings across the region.”
This work is all part of the Wairarapa line upgrade in preparation for faster, more frequent trains from 2029.
