Railway_Digest__February_2018

Signalling &
Infrastructure
In the extreme afternoon heat
of Monday 27 November 2017,
Vlocity Set 18, with 1118 leading,
passes beneath a signal gantry
approaching Lara enroute to
Southern Cross Station, having
departed South Geelong Station
at 14.04. Steve Munro
Compiled by
David Campbell,
Graham Vincent and
David Whiteford
New South Wales
Airly Loop Junction (Wallerawang – Kandos
line). The STOP Block located at 213.768km
(adjacent to the Up Yard Limit Sign) was
temporarily removed on 05/12/2017 to enable
the entry of a works train proceeding towards
Kandos. The STOP Block was reinstated after
the passage of this train.
North Shore line. Commencing 02/01/2018,
new Auto signals were installed on the Up
Shore line at 24.472km (SH15.20), 23.712km
(SH14.76), 22.985km (SH14.30) and 20.265km
(SH12.60). Existing Up Auto signal SH12.40
(at 19.833km) received altered aspects. These
alterations are designed to allow for headway
improvements along this line.
Ashfield Crossover points 502A/502B and
503A/503B (Up end of station), which had been
out of use since 14/11/2015, were removed
from 06/11/2017.
Blacktown New crossover points 352 at
34.178km (which had previously been installed
from 02/09/2017) were commissioned into use
from 16/12/2017. These points allow Down
trains to pass from the Down Suburban line
to the Down Main line at the Up end of the
station with a diverging speed of 70km/h
allowed. Existing crossover points 320 (Down
Suburban to Down Main, Down end of station
at 35.964km) were removed. Shunt signal BN98
was removed. Automatic signal M21.3 was
converted to Controlled signal BN27M with
aspect changes. Controlled signal BN89M was
converted to Automatic signal M22.3, with the
Shunt indication removed. Aspect changes
were provided for signals BN29S, BN23S,
BN47S, BN73S, BN91S, BN85UP and BN87UL.
BN87 Indicator was altered to BN87 Co-Actor,
receiving aspect changes as well.
Boggabri Coal In conjunction with the
commissioning of level crossing warning
devices for the (private) Boggabri Coal
Access Road from 10/10/2017, Up signal BC14
(Boggabri Coal branch) was relocated from
528.049km to 528.390km, and Up signal BC12
(Maules Creek branch) was relocated from
528.049km to 528.413km.
Eveleigh Alterations are being made to the track
arrangements at Eveleigh as part of the Inter-City
Fleet Commissioning and Stabling Project.
Commencing 09/12/2017, the Eastern Siding was
extended in an Up direction by 26m. The existing
buffer stop was relocated accordingly, and a new
LED-type buffer stop light was provided. A new
fixed train stop was installed 2.5m prior to the
relocated buffer stop.
Fassifern (North). Commencing 30/10/2017,
crossover points 56A (Down Main) and 56B
(Up Main) (facing crossover, allowing Up trains
on the Up Main line to access the Down Main
line thence the Newstan Colliery Sidings)
were renewed and upgraded. Points 56B were
relocated 5m in a Down direction.
Ganmain (Junee – Griffith line). In conjunction
with level crossing improvement works, three
new Main Line Indicators were provided from
16/01/2018. MLI “D” faces Down trains at
538.067km; MLI “X” and “B” face Up trains
at 538.099km and 539.090km respectively.
The operation of these Main Line Indicators
is interlocked with Frames D and B to prevent
unnecessary operation of the level crossing
warning devices.
Glenfield (South Sydney Freight Line). New
points 225B were installed at 39.879km on
the Glenfield Passing Loop (Loop line) from
02/12/2017. The points will form a connection
into the future Moorebank Intermodal
Terminal, and will remain locked and secured
pending future commissioning.
Gordon (North Shore line). Commencing
04/11/2017, points 53A (catch, Local Platform
Road) and 53B (Up Shore line) were renewed
and upgraded. Points 53B were relocated 4m in
an Up direction.
Hornsby (Reference should also be made to
Railway Digest, November 2017, page 47).
Commencing 29/12/2017, the track connections
between the Shore lines and the Main lines at
the Down end of the station were removed.
Double slip points 521A/522B were removed,
with new single turnout 521A provided; the new
points align with existing 521B points to form a
simple trailing crossover between the Down and
Up Main lines. Facing crossover points 523 (Up
Main to Up Shore line) were booked out of use,
locked and secured, with some track between
these turnouts removed. Points 525A/catch
525B were locked and secured in the normal
position, allowing movements between the Up
Shore line (platform 1) and the car sidings only,
these were later removed. The low speed aspect
on Down signal HY25 (Down Main, up end of
station) was removed.
Commissioning of the Hornsby Junction
re-modelling works commenced on
02/01/2018, and are planned to be brought
into service from 16/01/2018. The junction
area on the Down side of the station was
re-configured to simplify the track layout. The
Up Loop line was re-arranged on the Down
side of the station (33.971km) towards the
Bridge Road bridge at 34.669km to form the
new Up Shore line. A new No. 1 Up Siding was
formed between 33.971km and 34.418km,
this now forms a Turnback track for the Shore
lines, terminating at a friction buffer stop.
The Inwards and Outwards Car Shed Roads
were re-configured between 34.107km and
34.459km and brought back into use, with
routes available between platforms 1 – 4 and
the Car Shed Roads. Frame B was brought back
into use.
The scissors crossover at the Up end of
platforms 1 and 2 (points 515, 516, 517 and 518)
was renewed on a new alignment, allowing
the speed of trains diverging to be increased
40
RAILWAY DIGEST