North East Link Program is continuing to deliver innovative sustainable measures, with the installation of new low carbon rail sleepers as part of ongoing works on the Hurstbridge Line.
Crews have been completing track, signalling and equipment upgrades between Macleod and Greensborough stations, and conducting investigations for future works along the rail corridor.
A significant part of these works was completed late last year alongside Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and involved replacing sections of track and ballast with new materials, including the removal of existing wooden sleepers and the installation of new Low Carbon Content (LCC) replacements within the Macleod station precinct area.
The LCC sleepers have a 25-30% lower carbon footprint than standard concrete sleepers, and were developed by Austrak in collaboration with Cement Australia.
Almost 500 LCC sleepers were installed, and this is the first time such sleepers have been used on the MTM rail network.
The initiative was a collaboration with MTM, and is part of North East Link Program’s ongoing commitment to achieving its emission reduction targets.
Additional closures are scheduled throughout 2023 as Victoria’s Big Build continues works on the Hurstbridge Line.
Buses will replace trains between Heidelberg and Eltham stations, from 8pm Friday 10 February to last service Sunday 12 February.
Buses will also replace trains on parts of the Hurstbridge Line from Friday 3 March until Tuesday 7 March as crews work to upgrade tracks, signalling and equipment in preparation for the future extension of the rail tunnel beneath Greensborough Highway.
And 6 weeks of major construction will be undertaken from 16 March to the end of April to complete works on the new, modern stations at Greensborough and Montmorency, as well as adding 3.5km of new rail track duplication.