[NSW] Parramatta Rail Link - Details from EIS

["Christopher Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

I had a look at the EIS on display at the RAC's headqurters last week.

The display consists of over 30 parts including the EIS proper, passenger
analysis, technical analysis, drawings, Parramatta precinct
plans..................  Too much info to
wade through in a short period of time.

Some technical information from the EIS that did stand out was (and from
memory):

TUNNELS
2 x single track bore from Tunnel entrance at Roseville to a few hundred
metres in.
1 x double track bore to Lane Cove River (inc. UTS Ku-ring-gai station)
1 x double track bore from Lane Cove River a few hundred metres in.
2 x single track bore to just short of Carlingford
1 x double track bore to Carlingford portal
2 x single track bore (predominantly/all?) Rosehill portal to Westmead.

JUNCTIONS
WESTMEAD - up and down dives will be outside current main lines, that is NOT
between the respective main and suburban lines.  The suburban/main cross
overs will be moved to between Westmead and Wentworthville to PRL link
trains will only use platforms 1 & 4 at Westmead.
EPPING - 2 x single bore tunnels will surface on the outsides of the Main
North just south of the M2 overbridge.  The PRL connection and the Main
North will merge closer to Cheltenham.
ROSEVILLE - From memory this tunnel portal was to be between the existing
North Shore lines, but if that's the case then why single track bores.
Numerous options were explored.  The North Shore and PRL junction will be
just south of Chatswood station.

ALIGNMENT
GRADES - Maximum grades on the new line appear to be 1 in 40 (2.5%).  The
line is not as heavily graded as I thought it may be.  Grades on the rebuilt
Carlingford line will be 1 in 34 in places in association with curvature
easing but with most remaining at 1 in 37.
CURVATURE - Must curves are about 800m radius.  Curves on the Carlingford
line have been eased where possible but largely within the existing
easement.  The up and down lines take different paths from Epping to the
North/West.  The down line is on a 400m radius curve while the up line is on
a 300m radies curve (thus the two lines indicated to the north of Epping on
the map in the EIS summary doc main map).  The up line has a longer route
and sharper curve to swing beneath the up Main North connection.
SPEED LIMIT
The general line limit will be 115km/h subject to curvature etc.

SIGNALLING
Signalling provided for 3" headways on the Westmead - Epping section and 2"
(that's right 2") on the Epping - Chatswood section.  The EIS states that
these headway designs will allow adequate recovery if service delays occur.
The 2" headway section is related to the Olympic Park line in terms of its
signalling nature.

STATIONS
All have two platforms.
There is to be a platform either side of the paired lines at:
Rosehill/Camellia
Rydalmere
Dundas (?)
Telopea (?)
Carlingford
UTS Ku-ring-gai

Island platforms at:
Parramatta
Epping
Macquarie University
Macquarie Park
Delhi Road

OTHER
The drawings on display also show future connections for the Warringah
Railway just inside the Roseville portal of the PRL.  Also the Castle Hill
Railway junction between Epping and Carlingford, an extra link to Homebush
Bay near Rosehill/Camellia and a connection for a Hoxton Park Railway to the
west on the new Parramatta station.

Also shown are alternatives for extra tracks between Chatswood and North
Sydney and the the City (Metro West).

A single volume EIS will be available from 1 Feb 00.  Comments on the EIS
are due by 1 Mar 00.

Chris