Airport Rail Link tunnel walk.

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

 Yesterday, my wife and I took advantage of the open day for the
(Sydney) airport railway link and did the walk from International
to Domestic stations.

 The walk was farly uneventfull and the shuttle buses provided by the
bus and truck musuem were probably far more interesting!. (Id never ridden
on the double deckers when they were in service, not having much call to
ride on the routes served by the last of them when I was younger!) These
buses were running a shuttle from the Museum at Tempe to the airport
stations.  The musuem took advantage of this 'charter' by having an open
day. Unfortunatly we didnt have time to take advantage of it.

 The concourse for both stations were not open. We entered via a fire stair
at International, spiraling down until we got to the partially finished
platforms. International looks mostly complete with lifts and escalators
in place, along with most of the 'cladding', however electrical services
were not complete with wires hanging out every where!.

 We were then directed down to track level, where the circular bore has been
back filled with gravel up to the track level. The entire area is very dusty
as a result.
 The tunnel section between the two air port stations dips under the main
runway, that point being marked by a big poster. Electrical services were
not complete, but even so, signal heads (LED types) and track circuit
transformers were in place up on the walls. Many overhead support brackets
were also in place.

 Domestic station will look much like International when finished, although
at this stage it is far less advanced than International, with most of the
final 'cladding' missing, and the contruction 'hoist' still in position.
 Here our exit was via another stair, which exited into the upper concourse
area of the station. (ie the non paid area) where exit was via a large 
stair case into the open near the Ansett terminal.

 I have yet to see how my digital camera coped with the enironment, its flash
not upto the task. Hopefully I will be able to put up some pictures shortly.