Auckland Technical Tours (16 & 17 September)

The unprecedented initial upgrade of Auckland’s rail network is coming to fruition. For the past three years KiwiRail, the Auckland Regional Transport Agency (ARTA) and their contractors, have been working intensively on projects that will extend the reach of the Auckland network and improve reliability like never before.

The renaissance of the Auckland Rail network was kicked off by the opening of the Britomart Transport Centre in 2003. With passenger numbers rising rapidly, in 2007 the New Zealand Government awarded KiwiRail (then ONTRACK) $600 million to extensively upgrade the Auckland rail network infrastructure, accompanied by significant regional funding for ARTA to revamp stations and trains. Project DART – Developing Auckland’s Rail Transport – has achieved significant milestones in the past three years.

From the complex new track layout at the key Newmarket Junction to the huge trench running through the busy New Lynn town centre, take a journey through the heart of Auckland and understand the unique challenges presented by a series of major construction projects within a live rail corridor.

Take in the 16km Western Line Duplication, an ambitious section of corridor widening and replacement of several major rail overbridges, and find out along the way how the next phase of Auckland’s rail development will unfold as electrification ramps up.

When: Thursday 16 September & Friday 17 September
Where: Auckland (participants to make own travel arrangements to Auckland)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: NZ$80 per person (lunch provided)

For those travelling to home from CORE 2010 via Auckland then enjoy a full day tour of the developing Auckland rail transport project including electrification.  The same tour is offered on both the Thursday and Friday.

DART 1: The complex new track arrangement at Newmarket Junction solved an historic bottleneck on the Auckland network at the key intersection of the Western and Southern lines. The new arrangement, completed in January 2010, allows service options in every direction and includes some of the first uses of slab track and curved diamonds in New Zealand. Learn about the challenges and issues faced with the Junction, the significant widening of the section between Grafton and Newmarket Stations, and the tunnelling and blasting through volcanic rock to relocate services and excavate the corridor to nearly triple its previous width. 

Travel from Newmarket along the full extent of the construction work on the Western Line out to Swanson Station where lunch will be offered in the company of the project managers, lead designers, and construction teams. A briefing on the Auckland electrification project will also be given by the Project Director.

DART 6: The New Lynn Rail Trench saw the tracks through one of Auckland’s busiest town centres duplicated and lowered into an 8m-deep, 860m-long rail trench, replacing two existing level crossings and removing the interaction between cars and trains for the first time in the New Lynn’s modern history. Following lunch you will hear about some of the significant challenges presented in terms of major construction on a narrow strip of land, adjacent to live rail and road corridors. Then you will have the opportunity to see the first use of diaphragm wall methodology in New Zealand on such a large scale

At each station there will be the choice of joining a particular technical interest group during the walkovers, e.g. stations, track, signals, etc.

Tour participants are advised to bring appropriate warm clothing, raincoat and stout shoes.  

Minimum and maximum numbers apply to these tours. Register early to ensure your place on the tours.

To visit our Registration website, click here.