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Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has announced the completion of the $6.3 million upgrading of its signalling system in the Werris Creek area located 250 kilometres north west of the coal port of Newcastle, which is a major rail junction between the north west, north and west rail lines
“The upgrade of the signalling systems has significantly streamlined the passage of coal, freight and passenger traffic through this major junction by replacing slower, manual methods of signalling with modern centralised train control operated from ARTC’s Network Control Centre in Broadmeadow.” David Marchant CEO of ARTC said today.
“In conjunction with the signalling upgrade an extended crossing loop has been provided for the passing of longer coal trains travelling on the single track between Muswellbrook and Narrabri offering rail operators greater flexibility in train operations through the area.” Mr Marchant said
ARTC commenced its NSW wide Train Control Consolidation (TCC) programme in 2004 in order to modernise trackside signalling and to transfer train control from manual and dispersed signal boxes to two modern centralised train control facilities in NSW at Broadmeadow and Junee.
Werris Creek is the last of the signal boxes in the northern region of the state to be replaced under the Program providing the network controllers at Broadmeadow with continuous control and visibility of all trains between Newcastle and Werris Creek on the computer based “Phoenix” signalling control system. Previously trains were required to stop periodically to report their position and obtain further train running authorisation.
Other projects are also in progress to further extend the centralised train control system. These include on the single line from Werris Creek to Narrabri and from Muswellbrook to Gulgong to support planned increases in export coal tonnages and, on the North Coast line between Casino and Acacia Ridge in Queensland.
The CTC upgrade of the North Coast Line should be completed from Casino to the Queensland border by the end of 2007 and through to Greenbank in February 2008 as part of ARTC’s new CTC system for the entire NSW network
Signalling works are being carried out under ARTC’s $89 million Train Control Consolidation programme by the Hunter and North Coast Signalling Alliance, an alliance between ARTC and Ansaldo STS.
Contact:
David Marchant
CEO ARTC
0419 733 201
Prue Regan
(02) 8259 0716
0419 297 004