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As part of the ongoing investment in supporting rail infrastructure on the NSW North Coast, Australian Rail Track Corporation has commenced rail grinding between Stratford and Kempsey this week.
Rail grinding is an important procedure that ensures the profile of the rail matches the wheel profile on the train wheels.
The purpose of rail grinding is to provide a smoother wagon ride as the train traverses the corridor.
Rail grinding also combats the occurrence of ‘wheel squeal’, by allowing the wheel and the rail to engage smoothly.
This procedure will also mean a smoother ride for Country Link passengers travelling on the line and improve the overall efficiency and safety of the rail corridor.
The work will be conducted ‘as traffic permits’, which means that no trains will be delayed due to rail grinding.
ARTC CEO David Marchant said that this type of maintenance was part of the overall commitment to deliver a reliable and efficient rail asset between Sydney and Brisbane.
“ARTC is making a significant investment in the Brisbane to Sydney rail link. Periodic rail grinding compliments the concrete resleepering recently completed on the North Coast as well as the construction of new passing loops and signal upgrades.”
“Once the re-sleepering, additional passing lanes, loops and signalling upgrades are completed on the entire North South corridor, ARTC will be able to offer the freight industry transit times as low as 10 hours 40 minutes between Sydney and Melbourne and 15 hours 35 minutes between Sydney and Brisbane.”
“Rail will be more than competitive again and as each 1500 metre long train can replace 100 semi trailers we could see less trucks on our major roads,” Mr Marchant said.