Sandgate Flyover
The Sandgate Flyover is a grade-separated railway flyover that carries the Main North line across the Kooragang Island line, located in Sandgate, in the City of Newcastle local government area of New South Wales, Australia.
Sandgate Flyover | |
|---|---|
 The Sandgate Flyover, with a Kooragang-bound coal train passing underneath | |
| Coordinates | 32°52′19″S 151°42′10″E |
| Carries | Main North line |
| Crosses | Kooragang Island line |
| Locale | Sandgate, City of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Begins | Sandgate station (east) |
| Ends | Ironbark Creek (west) |
| Named for | Sandgate |
| Owner | Transport Asset Holding Entity |
| Maintained by | Australian Rail Track Corporation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Grade-separated railway flyover |
| Material | Prestressed concrete |
| Rail characteristics | |
| No. of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| History | |
| Constructed by | |
| Construction start | May 2006 |
| Construction cost | A$80 million |
| Opened | 14 November 2006 |
| Inaugurated | 24 November 2006 by Mark Vaile, Deputy Prime Minister |
| Replaces | At-grade junction |
| Location | |
| |
Description
Situated to the west of the Sandgate station, the overpass was built in 2006 by the Australian Rail Track Corporation to allow coal trains to access the Port of Kooragang without conflicting with services on the Main North line. The previous at-grade junction required that approximately 120 coal trains per day had to cross from the coal lines over the main lines to reach the branch line to the port. The main lines also carried about 120 trains per day. At the time of its construction, it was estimated that the project, once completed, would increase bulk coal handling capacity of between 15 and 20 million tonnes (17 and 22 million short tons) per annum.[1][2]
At the time of the construction of the flyover, the main lines were raised over the junction of the coal lines to the Kooragang branch, so that the conflict between trains was eliminated. The junction improved line speeds with the 25 km/h (16 mph) points replaced by ones that allowed trains to operate at 60 km/h (37 mph). The flyover opened on 14 November 2006.[3][4]
Adjacent to the flyover lies a siding used by Crawfords Freightlines.[5]
References
- "Sandgate flyover project commences" (PDF) (13). Australian Rail Track Corporation. May 2006: 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2020. Cite journal requires
|journal=(help) - "Sandgate rail flyover near completion". ABC News. Australia. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- "Sandgate Rail Flyover Open" (PDF) (Press release). Australian Rail Track Corporation. 14 November 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- "ATRC Sandgate Flyover Opened by Deputy Prime Minister" (PDF) (Press release). Australian Rail Track Corporation. 24 November 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- Vincent, G. F. (2008). "Sandgate Flyover" (PDF) (Map). SA Track and Signal. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
External links
- NoseconeOz (11 August 2009). XPT Crossing Sandgate Flyover (streaming audio and video). YouTube.
- HIMARK CONSULTING GROUP PTY LTD (August 2008). "REVIEW of ARTC CAPITAL EXPENDITURE for the SANDGATE RAIL GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT, Newcastle: Final Report" (PDF). Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales.
- "Improved safety and relief of a major rail bottleneck". Sandgate Rail Grade Separation. Arup Group. 2007.
