Freight Rail – Major Works Agreement Executed

Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd (ARTC ) and Union Switch and Signal Pty Ltd (US & S) today signed the first Alliance Agreement of ARTC’s major $1.4 billion investment in its North South Strategy.

US & S, a subsidiary of Italian Ansaldo Signal has been chosen by ARTC as Alliance Partner under its North Signalling Alliance for the Hunter Valley and North Coast Corridors

The contract estimated at $134 million will cover a range of works including:

  • Signal reconfiguring to achieve consistent 10 minute headways in the Lower Hunter on the double track between Maitland and Antiene
  • Maximising capacity by reconfiguring level crossings and passing loops and placement of speed boards on the Hunter Valley and North Coast corridors
  • Dynamic turnout indicators on the North Coast corridor
  • New signalling installations and/or upgrades and reconfiguring of existing signalling on new projects including the track duplication between Antiene and Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley corridor and on crossing loop extensions on the North Coast Corridor on the Ulan Line and between Muswellbrook and Werris Creek

Also covered will be the replacement of electric staff working with Centralised Train Control in the Muswellbrook to Ulan Colliery in the Hunter Valley Corridor and the Casino to Acacia Ridge on the North Coast Corridor which includes part of the Queensland rail network.

The contract was signed in Sydney today by Barry Murphy Chairman of ARTC and David Marchant Managing Director ARTC with Lyle Jackson, CEO Asia Pacific Region US & S and Peter Chadwick Director and General Counsel US & S.

“ARTC is pleased to have its first package underway only 4 months after going to the market for alliance partners for the 6 packages of works on ARTC’s North South Corridor and Hunter Valley network.” David Marchant said.

“ARTC looks forward to working with the US&S Alliance with work to commence immediately on this 3 year programme,” David Marchant said.

This first contract marks another milestone in ARTC’s journey to turn around the market performance of rail and to meet our objectives of improved transit time, reliability, capacity and yield above and below rail.” ARTC Managing Director David Marchant said.

US & S’s core business is the development and installation of advanced signalling, communications and train control technologies and we are very pleased to have been selected by ARTC as their Alliance Partner for the Hunter Valley and North South Corridors.” US & S CEO Lyle Jackson said.

ARTC’s innovative approach to the whole program has been refreshing and is a most important step forward in the competitiveness and future sustainability of rail in this country.” Lyle Jackson said.

The signalling project will follow the basis of all the other works packages of sequencing and coordinating the roll out of the works efficiently and effectively, while ensuring there is no negative impact on current operations.

ARTC has committed to invest over $1.4 billion in the interstate freight network over the next 3 to 4 years to cover over 100 major capital works projects on the Hunter Valley and interstate rail network on the Australian eastern seaboard (Melbourne- Sydney- Brisbane).

ARTC was pleased with the Alliance framework as it provides certainty with regards to the rates and availability of resources for a diverse range of projects and enables a partnership approach with the alliance provider in the delivery of a significant programme.

ARTC will be executing further major alliances over the next few weeks.

5 October 2005

Contact: ARTC : Prue Regan 02 8259 0716 or 0419 297 004

Go to top