Bridge Upgrades Improve Midland Rail Line
February 12th, 2009
The reliability and efficiency of the Midland rail line is being improved significantly as result of a programme to replace and improve wooden bridges. Over the past five years, $21m has been spent on 77 bridge replacement and upgrade projects. Much of the work is being undertaken west of Otira and is in addition to the new rail bridge at Arahura under constructed south of Hokitika and the new rail bridge completed over the Grey River in 2005.
Ongoing bridge replacements. One of the larger projects is the replacement of 18 wooden piers with steel reinforced concrete piles on the bridge across the Taramakau River near Jacksons. The work started in late 2007 and is not due to be completed until the end of 2009. The milestone 75th bridge replacement was completed in January at Red Jacks just north of Stillwater. Typically bridges are being upgraded or replaced every three to four weeks. Despite good progress being made on deferred maintenance and capital works on the line in recent years, it is still likely to be up to 20 years before all the bridge work identified as necessary is completed. The exact timeframe for the completion will depend on future levels of funding. The upgraded bridges will allow speed restrictions as low as 25km/h to be lifted to 70km/h as well as cater for heavier trains. This should result in improved transit times for coal trains and greater overall carrying capacity as well as reduced wear and tear on locomotive engines and cuts in fuel consumption.
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