Wolli Creek Junction (Again)

Ashley Wright (ajwright@ozemail.com.au)
Wed, 28 May 1997 08:58:49 GMT

Hi, over the past few weekends work has been going on at Wolli Creek
Junction on the UP/DOWN Main Illawarra lines. The weekend before last
(17/18th May) the down Illawarra was moved eastwards, presumably to
allow construction of Arncliffe North station during a complete line
shutdown. However during this past weekend (24th/25th) while I was in
Canberra the up line was moved in parts, creating some very
interesting track configuration, which poses as always a question or
two.

Below is a rough diagram of the tracks after the 17/18th shutdown.
Please forgive my drawing skills, and also the scale of the drawing.

To East Hills

| \
| \
\ \
To Arncliffe \ \ To Tempe/Sydney
----\----------------------------------\------------\------ Local Up
--\--\----------------------------------\------------------ Local Down
---\--\---------------------------------------------------- Main Up
----\--------\ /---- Main Down
\ /
\------------------------------------/

The above shows the new points installed near Arncliffe, the
modifications done to the East Hills line last month, and also the
movement of the down Main Illawarra.

Below is a rough diagram of the tracks after the 24/25th weekend.

To East Hills

| \
| \
\ \
To Arncliffe \ \ To Tempe/Sydney
----\----------------------------------\------------\------ Local Up
--\--\----------------------------------\------------------ Local Down
---\--\---------------\ ---------------- /----------- Main Up
----\--------\ \ / /---- Main Down
\ \--------------------/ /
\------------------------------------/

The above drawing shows the very interesting track config that I am
curious about. Does anyone know why this has been done?? I cannot see
any logical reason for doing this, as they have placed track in the
area that I thought would be used for the new Arncliffe North Station.
The only explanation I can give is the line has been moved temporarily
to allow some work on the station.

Also does anyone know if this was done during a shutdown, or were
the trains able to use the local lines during the weekend?? (I spent
most of last week and the weekend in Canberra, and Monday morning I
was suprised to see the new track)
-------------------------------------------------------
| Ashley Wright, Sydney Australia |
| ajwright@ozemail.com.au or |
| a.wright@student.canberra.edu.au |
| |
| www: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ajwright |
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