During the early 90s I worked on a job that tied land slip detection into the signalling system in the Otford to Coalcliff and Scarborough to Wombarra sections of the Illawarra line. It was being installed following the Coledale landslide in 1988 :
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1525428/coledale-landslide-disaster-could-it-happen-again/ http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1525428/coledale-landslide-disaster-could-it-happen-again/
This article is pretty graphic in its description of the instability of the railway, particularly when combined with flooding, and the propensity in the area for land slippage.
Tony G
> On 27 Jun 2017, at 5:36 pm, Richard Youltressteleg@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:
>
>
> An interesting side result of the Stanwell Viaduct closure only days before the official electrification opening resulted in a few single deck interurbans trains being isolated in Wollongong to perform suburban services there.
>
> When maintenance was required they were diesel hauled up to Moss Vale.
>
> Regards,
>
> On 27 Jun 2017, at 12:03 pm, 'Noel Reed'noelreed10@... mailto:noelreed10@bigpond.com [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@... mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> I have heard about that proposed tunnel for the Illawarra railway years ago
>> when there was a major failure of the Stanwell Creek viaduct causing a
>> closure of the line when the electrification to Wollongong was about to be
>> introduced.
>>
>> Freight trains to and from the Port Kembla area have to travel through the
>> Sydney metropolitan area to access the Illawarra line or to travel via the
>> Moss Vale - Unanderra line.
>>
>> The Maldon - Dombarton railway would seem the best route for freight
>> traffic. The 25Kv electrification system was proposed but then stopped after
>> preparatory work was done.
>> It could still be completed and used for diesel hauled trains by use of a
>> ventilation system as installed for the Otira Tunnel in New Zealand.
>> Noel Reed.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:TramsDownUnder@... mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com]
>>
>> Sent: Tuesday, 27 June 2017 10:22 AM
>> To:TramsDownUnder@... mailto:TramsDownUnder@yahoogroups.com
>> Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Wollongong-Sydney train tunnel could slash
>> commute, report to NSW Cabinet says - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting
>> Corporation)
>>
>> On 27/06/17 10:07, Tony Gallowayarg@... mailto:arg@aapt.net.au [TramsDownUnder] wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > Deceit and corruption - core values of the NSW kleptocracy :
>> >
>> >>
>> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/secret-rail-tunnel-from-wollongong-to- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/secret-rail-tunnel-from-wollongong-to-
>> sydney-revealed/8653008
>> >
>>
>> An EIS was done for that tunnel when I was a teenager. And then buried
>> to be forgotten about.
>> One of the issues was the freight trains would have to be electrically
>> hauled, and even in the 80s, the electrics were not favoured any more.
>> Also there was the issue of what to do with the old line - it wouldn't
>> be viable to keep it running (one of the reasons for the tunnel was to
>> bypass unstable geology), so a handful of stations would close and the
>> locations loose their rail service.
>>
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>>
>> Yahoo Groups Links
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>
>