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Future upgrades on Regional Rail Link

From the Regional Rail Link Work Package E project brief part 1 and part 2, as well as Work Package G - Project Alliance Agreement.

Work Package E: Section 1000 - General Specification

The future proofing scope of works associated with Work Package E is summarised as follows. Further details are provided in Sections 3000, 5000, 6000 and 7000.

Track
  • Provision must be made for future 3rd and 4th tracks between the Up side of Middle Road (22.20km) and the Up side of Ballan Road (39.20km).
  • Provision must be made for a future metropolitan track pair between chainage 44.50km and the Up side of Ballan Road (39.70km).
  • Provision must be made for the future electrification of all tracks.

The vertical and horizontal track alignment must make provision for 4 future stations at the following locations:

(1) Truganina Station (approximate 25.55km);

(2) Davis Road (approximately 32.00km);

(3) Sayers Road Station (approximately 36.04km); and

(4) Wyndham Vale South Station (approximately 42.65km).

Stations

The design and construction of Wyndham Vale Station must make provision for the future metropolitan track pair, in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design.

The design and construction of Tarneit Station must make provision for the future 3rd and 4th tracks, in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design.

Structures

The design and construction of all Structures must make provision for the future ultimate road cross section.

The design and construction of north/western abutments for the Boundary, Dohertys, Derrimut, Tarneit, Davis and Leakes Roads’ bridge Structures must also make provision for the addition of back spans in accordance with Section 3000.

Civil works

The design and construction of all civil works must make provision for the future ultimate road and track cross sections.

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Work Package E: Section 3000 - New Road Infrastructure

Provision for future upgrades

The Contractor’s design must incorporate the following provisions in accordance with section 1003:

(1) Western Freeway Bridges

The abutments must be designed and constructed for the full width between the freeway carriageways to allow for the construction of bridging to extend the full width of the median when future widening of the Western Freeway carriageways is undertaken. The southern abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional tracks are added. The southern abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 20 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 7.1 m to the future rail level without the need to raise the freeway carriageways. Any footing/pile cap of the southern abutment must be not less than 1.2 m below both the adjacent track level and the proposed adjacent future track level.

(2) Christies Road Bridges

The abutments, including RE walls, must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 4 lane road with widening to the western side of these proposed structures.

(3) Boundary Road Bridge

The abutments must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 6 lane divided road with widening to the northern side of the proposed Structure. The eastern abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to future piers when additional railway tracks are added. The future piers must each accommodate the addition of another span, 20 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 7.1m without the need to raise the level of these roads Any footing/pile cap of the eastern abutment must be not less than 1.2 m below both the adjacent track level and the proposed future track level. The western abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional railway tracks are added. The western abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 10 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 5.75 m without the need to raise the level of these roads.

(4) Doherty’s Road Bridge

The abutments must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 4 lane road with widening to the northern side of each of the proposed Structure. The western abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional railway tracks are added. The western abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 10 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 5.75 m without the need to raise the level of these roads.

(5) Derrimut Road Bridge

The abutments must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 6 lane divided road with widening to the eastern side of the proposed Structure. The northern abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional railway tracks are added. The northern abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 10 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 5.75 m without the need to raise the level of these roads.

(6) Tarneit Road and Davis Road Bridges

The abutments must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 4 lane road with widening to the western side of each of these proposed Structures. The northern abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional railway tracks are added. The northern abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 10 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 5.75 m without the need to raise the level of these roads.

(7) Leakes Road Bridge

The abutments must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 6 lane divided road with widening to the northern side of the proposed Structure. The western abutment must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready conversion to a future pier when additional railway tracks are added. The western abutment must accommodate the addition of another span, 15 m long, and must provide a vertical clearance of not less than 5.75 m without the need to raise the level of these roads.

(8) Ballan Road Bridge

The abutments must be designed and constructed in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design and must accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 6 lane divided road with widening to the southern side of the proposed structure.

(9) Manor Lakes Boulevard

The Contractor’s design and construction of Manor Lakes Boulevard must be in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design and must accommodate and match the future layout of Armstrong Road but initially must be configured to match the initial layout of Armstrong Road.

(10) Greens Road Bridge

The abutments and retaining wall must be constructed in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design and must be designed to accommodate future upgrading to a 6 lane divided road with widening to the southern side of the proposed Structure.

(11) Black Forest Road Bridge

The abutments and piers must be designed and constructed in accordance with the Contractor’s Preliminary Design and must accommodate the ready addition of future upgrading to a 4 lane road with widening to the southern side of the proposed Structure.

(12) Werribee River, Lollypop Creek and Skeleton Creek rail bridge Structures

These bridges must be designed and constructed to accommodate the ready addition of future overhead traction gantries including the provision for attachment of these gantries.

(13) Reinforced earth abutments and retaining walls

Further to the above requirements, where reinforced earth abutments and/or retaining walls are provided at bridges design and construction of the abutments must include allowance for the future loads imposed by the widened structures without the need to demolish works provided under the Contract. Void formers must also be provided for future piles required by the widened structures.

(14) Maintenance access is to be designed and constructed under the proposed Greens Road grade separation as shown in the Contractor’s Preliminary Design.

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Work Package E: Section 5000 - New Rail Infrastructure

In addition to the above, the Contractor must incorporate the following provisions for future upgrades into its design of the New Rail Infrastructure:

(1) the curve between approximately CH 19830 and CH 21660 must be designed to allow future upgrade to a line speed of 160 km/h using Absolute Design Limits specified in section 5003 without modifying the alignment or transitions;

(2) an additional third and fourth track and the associated turnouts and loops with a line speed of 160 km/h within the Desirable Design Limits specified in section 5003 throughout the alignment except at the curves immediately on both sides of Tarneit Station;

(3) future stations and the associated station platforms, including the future conversion of the new platforms at Tarneit Station to island platforms;

(4) shortstart and stabling facilities for RRL trains, including stabling roads and associated turnouts, located between approximately CH 42000 and CH 44400 as per the Contractor’s Preliminary Design;

(5) future metropolitan tracks (with a line speed of 115 km/h within the Desirable Design Limits specified in section 5003), platforms and stabling; and

(6) the future connection to the proposed WIFT must be based on a flat junction to provide broad gauge twin track rail access from both the RRL Up and Down tracks, and must not include diamond or compound crossings. The track alignment at the flat junction must:

(A) consist of horizontal alignment and vertical track alignment on tangents only so as not to preclude the future installation of 1 in 9 turnouts required for the WIFT connection; and

(B) ensure that minimal future track works will be required to install the flat junction.

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Work Package E: Section 6000 - Contractor Signalling Interface Works

At stations the Main Cable Route must not be located under any platform, station buildings, or within the footprint of any future provisions for platforms, rail track (formation or earthworks) (as specified in section 1003) or New Stations Infrastructure.

All cable routes must be located outside the footprint of any future infrastructure detailed in section 1003 and maintain a minimum of 4 m clearance to any future rail track detailed in section 1003.

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Work Package E: Section 7000 - Railway Station General Requirements

7023.1 Tarneit Station

(a) Provision has been made in the Contractor’s Preliminary Design for the future addition of a 3rd and 4th rail track adjacent to the RRL tracks.

(b) No works or changes from the Contractor’s Preliminary Design may be undertaken that preclude or increase the amount of modifications to the New Stations Infrastructure to accommodate these future tracks as set out in 7023.1 (a).

(c) Provision must be made for the future electrification of all tracks. All electrified track clearance envelopes must be adhered to.

(d) Provision must be made to expand the bus interchange to 8 bus bays.

(e) Provision must be made for the station car park to be expanded to 1000 spaces.

(f) Provision must be made for the underpass to be lengthened to accommodate the additional tracks.

(g) Provision is to be made for a future grade separated pedestrian crossing at the Down end of the Tarneit Station platforms.

(h) Provision must be made for the side platforms to be expanded to future island platforms (to be constructed when the 3rd and 4th tracks are installed).

(i) Any other requirement listed in Section 7000.

7023.2 Wyndham Vale Station

(a) Provision has been made in the Contractor’s Preliminary Design for the future addition of a 3rd and 4th rail track adjacent to the RRL tracks.

(b) No works or changes from the Contractor’s Preliminary Design may be undertaken that preclude or increase the amount of modifications to the New Stations Infrastructure to accommodate these future tracks as set out in 7.23.2 (a).

(c) Provision must be made for the future electrification of all tracks. All electrified track clearance envelopes must be adhered to.

(d) Provision must be made underneath overhead footbridges for the future attachment of overhead protection screens above the catenary wires.

(e) Provision must be made for the station car park to be expanded to 1000 spaces.

(f) Provision for the future metropolitan electrified track pair to be extended from Werribee to the Up side of Ballan Rd must be made in the design.

(g) Provision must be made for the Down side platform to be expanded to a future island platform (to be constructed when the metropolitan track pair is installed).

(h) Neither the initial Down side platform, nor the future island platforms are to preclude the future installation of an escalator

(i) Any other requirement listed in Section 7000.

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Work Package G: Scope & Technical Requirements

9.2 West Werribee Junction

9.2.2 Future Requirements

9.2.2.1 General

The design of the RRL Works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all broad gauge tracks in the longer term.

9.3 West Werribee to Wyndham Vale

9.3.2 Future Requirements

9.3.2.1 General

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all broad gauge tracks in the longer term.

The design of the RRL Works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

9.3.2.2 Track and Signal

Enable future connectivity to third and fourth track.

Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

Provision for future connectivity to a suburban stabling site from Wyndham Vale is required (Ref 7).

Provision for a turn-back siding to the south of Black Forest Road is required. To avoid at-grade conflicts this needs to be positioned in between the main Up and Down lines or other more appropriate location (Ref 4 and 5):

• the siding should be able to accommodate two 250 metre long trains;

• signalling needs to allow for movements in and out of the siding without restricting high speed train movements on adjacent tracks. Additionally the design needs to also enable trains to be stabled in the siding without compromising high speed movements on the Up and Down main lines; and

• the siding must enable short starters to merge/de-merge with through Geelong line services with no “at-grade” conflicts in the Up and Down directions respectively.

In the longer term it is planned to extend the existing Werribee suburban service to Wyndham Vale to improve connectivity with the Geelong Line and Tarneit Stations as well as access the proposed future suburban stabling yard to the north of Ballan Road. This would be a separate operation to RRL trains and require an independent track pair and platforms at Wyndham Vale and proposed future Wyndham Vale South Station. Specifically, the design of RRL infrastructure must make passive provision for the following:

• two new uni-directional broad gauge tracks running from West Werribee (eastern connection) junction to Wyndham Vale alongside the RRL track pair to the east of the corridor reservation (Ref 6);

• two new platform faces of 250 metres in length for suburban tracks at Wyndham Vale and Wyndham Vale South Stations which provide suitable passenger connectivity with RRL platforms; and

• connections from the suburban platforms at Wyndham Vale into a proposed major train stabling facility located to the north.

9.3.2.3 Stabling Requirements

To support the longer term need to operate a high frequency short starter service from Wyndham Vale South there is likely to be a need for train stabling at the site. This will need to offer the following functionality:

• two stabling roads situated to the south of the Station in between the main Up and Down lines. Sidings will require access to both short starter platforms (Ref 3); and

• each stabling road needs to be able to accommodate two 250 metre long trains.

To support the longer term train requirements on the suburban network there will be a need to construct a major new stabling facility to the north of Wyndham Vale Station. This will need to offer the following functionality:

• stabling roads to accommodate 20 suburban trains (Ref 7); and

• Each stabling road needs to be able to accommodate suburban trains of 240m in length.

9.3.2.4 Station Provision

Provision needs to be made to construct an additional station in the corridor to the south of Wyndham Vale Station on the corner of Black Forest Road (this Station is notionally referred to as Wyndham Vale South). It is proposed that in future this Station would be the main interchange Station between Geelong regional services, short starter regional services and Werribee line suburban services. As such the Station footprint needs to accommodate the following (Ref 4):

• a total of six platforms: one in each direction for Geelong regional services, two for short starter services operating to SSS via Tarneit and two for extended Werribee line suburban services. All platforms must be 250 metres in length;

• the two platforms provided for short starter services would need to be located in between the main Up and Down lines to enable short starters to terminate and originate from Wyndham Vale South Station without conflicting opposing Geelong services;

• short starter platforms are required to have cross platform connectivity with through Geelong services; and

• must enable short starters to merge/de-merge with through Geelong line services with no “at-grade” conflicts in the Up and Down directions respectively.

9.3.2.5 Freight Provision

It is not proposed to schedule freight movements via the RRL tracks between West Werribee and Truganina, therefore no provision is required by the Project.

9.4 Wyndham Vale To Deer Park Junction

9.4.2 Future Requirements

9.4.2.1 General

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all broad gauge tracks in the longer term.

The design of the RRL Works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

9.4.2.2 Track and Signal

To cater for long term demand on the corridor and serve the proposed future stations, a short starter service will operate from Wyndham Vale South to SSS serving intermediate stations. In turn this would free up capacity on Geelong services to operate an express pattern through the Tarneit corridor. In future up to 16 trains per hour would operate on the corridor.

If only two tracks are provided along the corridor, trains from Geelong would be slowed to operate at the same speed as the stopping services. Therefore to protect, and potentially improve, travel times for Geelong trains with the introduction of new stations, passive provision should be made for express tracks that would enable Geelong services to overtake short starters. Specifically the design should not preclude the ability to construct the following:

• two new Up and Down tracks to enable express running through the section. The track configuration must enable Up-Up-Down-Down operation to enable conflict-free merges and de-merges. This may initially be staged as a three track arrangement with ‘Up’, ‘BiDirectional Express’ and ‘Down’ tracks (Ref 8);

• new tracks that enable speeds of up to 160 km/h;

• turn-outs on approach to Deer Park Junction to enable express tracks to merge with new lines (Ref 11);

• turn-outs should enable high speed operation on express tracks; and

• upgrading of signalling system to new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

9.4.2.3 Stabling Requirements

No requirements.

9.4.2.4 Station Provision

To serve future residential catchments additional stations have been proposed along the Tarneit corridor.

Passive provision needs to be made for stations at the following intersections:

• the intersection between Sayers Road and Shanahans Road (Ref 9);

• to the east of the intersection of the rail corridor and Davis Road (Ref 9);

• the intersection of the rail corridor and Dohertys Road (Ref 9);

All stations need to provide for platforms up to 250 metres in length.

Platform provision is required only on the outside ‘Up’ and ‘Down’ tracks at these future stations.

Additional platform provision will also be required at Tarneit for stopping services on the third and fourth tracks.

9.4.2.5 Freight Provision

Freight connectivity from future terminals around the Truganina area may need to be accommodated pending a decision by the Department (Ref 10).

9.5 Deer Park Junction

9.5.2 Future Requirements

9.5.2.1 General

In future, the growth in population, infrastructure and rolling stock improvements and corresponding increase in train volumes during the peak periods will necessitate the grade separation of Deer Park Junction to eliminate the timetable at-grade conflicts between Ballarat trains with Melton and Geelong trains (Ref 12).

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all tracks in the longer term.

The design of the RRL Works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

9.5.2.2 Track and Signal

Provision is required for a new flyover to enable Ballarat trains to cross from one line to the other conflict free. Specifically, a footprint must be provided for the following:

• connectivity of the RRL tracks to a new track pair between Deer Park Junction and Sunshine.

• provide a full grade separation of Down Ballarat movements and Up RRL movements (Ref 12);

• provide a full grade separation of Up Ballarat and Down Melton movements (Ref 12);

• maintain connectivity between the Ballarat corridor and RRL corridor for Up and Down Ballarat services.

Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

9.5.2.3 Stabling Requirements

No requirements.

9.5.2.4 Station Provision

No requirements.

9.5.2.5 Freight Provision

Freight connectivity from future terminals around the Truganina area may need to be accommodated pending a decision by the Department (Ref 10).

9.6 Deer Park Junction to Sunshine

9.6.2 Future Requirements

9.6.2.1 General

To ensure that Geelong and Ballarat express trains are not delayed by Melton services stopping at Ardeer and Deer Park, a new RRL track pair will be required on the south side of the corridor forming a 2x2 uni-directional four-track configuration (Up-Down-Up-Down).

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all tracks in the longer term

The design of the Works must maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

Provision must be made, where reasonably practicable, for future grade separation of level crossings and pedestrian crossings not being grade separated by the Project.

9.6.2.2 Track and Signal

Two new uni-directional broad gauge tracks will be required between Deer Park Junction and Sunshine station to tie in with the design of Sunshine Station.

Platforms will be required at Deer Park and Ardeer on the northerly track pair only.

The RRL tracks will not require platforms at Deer Park and Ardeer.

Future tracks must enable speeds of up to 160km/h between Deer Park and Ardeer, then slowing on the approach to Sunshine Junction where train speeds will need to decrease for the existing curve.

Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation signalling incorporating in-cab signalling.

9.6.2.3 Stabling Requirements

No requirements.

9.6.2.4 Station Provision

No requirements.

9.6.2.5 Freight Provision

Freight connectivity from future terminals around the Truganina area may be considered (Ref 10) and are to be determined.

9.7 Sunshine Junction and Station

9.7.2 Future Requirements

9.7.2.1 General

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all tracks in the longer term.

The design of the Project works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

Future upgrade projects will be required and will involve rail/rail grade separations. As a result, the design of the Project works needs to appropriately accommodate and fully identify a realistic staging of future infrastructure in the area that could be implemented with the minimal disruption of rail services.

9.7.2.2 Track and Signal

The long term provision needs to enable the possible stopping of regional services at Sunshine as well as the grade separation of Melton and Bendigo services. The following functionality must be enabled:

• Melton Up services shall be able to access the Sydenham Line.

• The Bendigo services must be grade separated from the Melton services, as Bendigo and Melton services will need to arrive at the Sunshine junction at similar times in order to swap pathways at Sunshine.

• The grade separation of the Down Sydenham line from the Up Melton line to remove at-grade conflicts at the merge point between Sydenham and Melton lines (Ref 23). This grade separation would be an extension of the grade separation required to eliminate conflicts between Bendigo and Melton services.

• Provision for a grade separation of Up Bendigo and Down Sydenham services on the Down side of Sunshine where the four track section merges together (Ref 21).

• Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

9.7.2.3 Stabling Requirements

No requirements.

9.7.2.4 Station Provision

Provision is required to extend all regional platforms at Sunshine to 250m and all metropolitan platforms to 230m in the future (Ref 24).

9.7.2.5 Freight Provision

Provision needs to be made for an additional ARTC main line track through Sunshine on the easterly side of the station. No platform provisions are required for this additional track (Ref 29).

9.8 Sunshine to South Kensington Junction

9.8.2 Future Requirements

9.8.2.1 General

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all tracks in the longer term.

The design of the Project works shall maximise track centres and clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

9.8.2.2 Track and Signal

Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

9.8.2.3 Stabling Requirements

No requirements.

9.8.2.4 Station Provision

Provision for 230 metre long platforms for Sydenham services is required at Footscray, Middle Footscray, West Footscray and Tottenham.

9.8.2.5 Freight Provision

The design of the Works must not preclude expected future freight operations and a possible future freight bypass track between Spion Kop and the Sims Street Goods Line at South Kensington.

9.9 South Kensington to Southern Cross Approaches

9.9.2 Future Requirements

9.9.2.1 General

Provision must be made for the potential electrification of all RRL tracks in the longer term. The design of the RRL Works shall optimise track centres and provide for clearances to adjacent infrastructure, where reasonably practicable, to accommodate the possible widening of the permissible kinematic envelope for passenger rolling stock in the future.

9.9.2.2 Track and Signal

Provision must be made for the future installation of new generation Signalling incorporating In-Cab signalling.

Passive provision for the grade separation of Spion Kop Junction of Up and Down RRL services between SSS 1 and 8 and Platforms 15 and 16 is required. This is required to accommodate higher off-peak service frequencies in the future and the potential relocation of inter-peak stabling to a location west of South Kensington. This would result in a higher contra-peak flow.

9.9.2.3 Stabling Requirements

Additional stabling facilities and supporting track-work will be required to support the growth in regional and suburban train services. To accommodate this growth, the following specific works are potentially required in the future:

• upgrade of the Storage Yard as a dedicated metropolitan stabling yard capable of accommodating nine metropolitan trains of 250 metres in length (subject to the development of an inner city stabling plan for metropolitan and regional rail operations) (Ref 41); and

• rationalisation of metropolitan and Melbourne Arrivals Yard to accommodate additional V/Line stabling.

9.9.2.4 Station Provision

Re-allocation of Platforms 8 and 8 South at Southern Cross Station to be dedicated suburban platforms requiring activation of overhead power supply.

Platforms 15 and 16 at Southern Cross Station to be extended to 246 metres in length.

Option to provide for a new island Platform 7/8 at North Melbourne.

9.9.2.5 Freight Provision

The RRL Works shall identify footprint for freight connectivity to docks area. Identify footprint for a standard gauge headshunt from the east end of North Dynon yard (Ref 39). RRL Works shall not preclude a future reintroduction of log trains from Gippsland through Spion Kop via the Through Goods Siding

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