Adelaide rail revitalization

175km

track construction

Adelaide rail revitalisation

TransportAustraliaTransport

An effective construction program

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INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Economic growth, social advancement and action against the climate emergency depend largely on investment in infrastructure, sustainable industrial development and technological progress. Today, about 1 billion people live more than 2 km from a roadway, 940 million live without electricity, and 663 million lack improved drinking water sources.

ACCIONA participates in the entire infrastructure construction value chain, from the identification of opportunity, design and execution, to the operation and maintenance of the constructed works, using the most advanced and innovative techniques.

Performance quality and safety are two of the criteria that maximize the company's value proposal in the development of large infrastructure projects and that differentiate it from other competitors in the construction field.

SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Today, cities represent 3 % of the planet's surface and concentrate more than 50 % of the population. A figure that will rise to 70 % by 2050. In addition, cities generate more than 80 % of the world's gross domestic product (GDP).

In addition to facilitating access to essential services for life - such as energy and water - ACCIONA contributes to making cities places of productive well-being in which to live, favouring people's socio-economic development.

As part of the South Australian (SA) Government’s $2 billion plan to revitalise the public transport network over a 10- year period, the entire existing rail passenger network was upgraded.

Coleman Rail, an ACCIONA company together with joint venture partners, were awarded the Adelaide Metropolitan Rail Revitalisation project by the Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure.

 

The Adelaide Metropolitan Rail Revitalisation was the centrepiece of the SA Government’s investment and transformed the metropolitan passenger rail network by delivering a number of rail initiatives including gauge standardisation of the rail network and concrete re-sleepering of the metropolitan passenger rail network using sleepers suitable for gauge conversion in the future.

Revitalisation of the rail network was an extremely large and complex project, requiring a significant amount of detailed planning with many factors to consider such as developing options to minimise the disruption to commuters and the surrounding community, analysing options for alternative passenger services during construction and managing the staging of construction works.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Location: Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Contract type: Design and construction.
  • Infrastructure: Transformation of the metropolitan passenger rail network by delivering a number of rail initiatives including gauge standardisation of the rail network and concrete re-sleepering of the metropolitan passenger rail network using sleepers suitable for gauge conversion in the future.
  • Project value: AU $274.9 million.
  • Year of project completion: July 2012

KEY ASPECTS

For Coleman Rail, the Adelaide Revitalisation project consisted of several sub projects. These included, the Belair Rail Upgrade, Noarlunga Rail Revitalisation Stages 1, 2, 3 & Adelaide Yard, Gawler Rail Revitalisation Stages 1 & 4 and the Tonsley Line, collectively referred to as the ECI Upgrades.  

The works included replacement of timber and steel sleepers with concrete gauge convertible sleepers, replacement of ballast, formation repairs and renewals, upgrades to and construction of new trackside drainage systems, turnout upgrades and the replacement and/or refurbishment of existing rail.

In total the Adelaide ECI Upgrade comprised the following major works:

  • Replacement of ballast, formation and upgrade to trackside drainage.
  • Over 60 turnouts upgraded, including 16 new turnouts with new signalling arrangements.
  • More than 400.000 m3 of spoil removed from site, 50 km of subsoil drainage and 100 km of cess drainage.
  • 175 km of track construction (concrete sleepers and rail remediation).
  • Level crossing upgrades of over 30 level crossings.
  • Over 100 pedestrian crossings managed and reinstated during construction.
  • Replacement of 36 km of rail.
  • Rail rectification of 139 km of existing rail (in excess of 10,000 defects).
  • Track upgrades through two major tunnels.
  • Four significant structure upgrades of river crossings.
  • Four main road overbridge rail upgrades.
  • Five pedestrian subway upgrades for new track alignments.

 

BENEFITS

  • An effective construction program was developed to minimise disruption to the community and to rail users.
  • The revitalising works in this project contributed to the increasing use of public transport. This aligned with one of the SA Government's four priorities for the development of transport infrastructure, with the aim of reaching an additional 10% of metropolitan weekday passenger vehicle kilometres travelled by 2018.
  • The project also embraced, and cooperated with, the SA Government’s 'adopt a station' program, where a team of over 500 volunteers look after gardens, remove graffiti and offer similar helpful contributions at railway stations and tram stops within the network.

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