❓ Hon. Darren West asks about the removal and usability of Tier 3 rail lines. The parliamentary secretary responds, detailing removals of specific infrastructure for safety and maintenance reasons, while assuring that no major infrastructure has been removed and safety risks are mitigated.
AnsweredQoN 1113Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TIER 3
RAIL LINES — REMOVAL
1113. Hon DARREN WEST to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
(1) Has any tier 3 rail line been removed; and, if yes, at
what location?
(2) Has any of
the associated infrastructure, such as level crossings, switching apparatus or
signals, associated with tier 3 rail lines been removed; and, if yes, what has
been removed and at what location?
(3) Can the
Minister for Transport confirm whether the tier 3 lines are in a usable state
as at 23 September 2015?
RAIL LINES — REMOVAL
1113. Hon DARREN WEST to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
(1) Has any tier 3 rail line been removed; and, if yes, at
what location?
(2) Has any of
the associated infrastructure, such as level crossings, switching apparatus or
signals, associated with tier 3 rail lines been removed; and, if yes, what has
been removed and at what location?
(3) Can the
Minister for Transport confirm whether the tier 3 lines are in a usable state
as at 23 September 2015?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) Brookfield
Rail has not permanently removed any tier 3 rail lines. The turnout connecting
the Gnowangerup line to the Great Southern Rail line was removed in 2012 to
ensure the continued safety of the main line. This has been stored for
reinsertion at a later date should operations on the Gnowangerup line resume. A
diamond crossing on the Merredin–Trayning line, which connects the line
to the Eastern Goldfields Railway line, was removed on 18 August 2015. Given
there are no customers currently operating or seeking to operate on the
Merredin–Trayning line and it is officially under care and maintenance,
Brookfield Rail has removed the diamond crossing to ensure continued safe
operations on the Eastern Goldfields Railway. It is important to note that if
at any point in the future a customer was to seek access to the Merredin–Trayning
line, Brookfield Rail would review, reinstall or potentially redesign the
crossing to suit renewed operation and reinstate the connection to the EGR.
(2) No
associated infrastructure such as level crossings, switching apparatus or
signals associated with tier 3 rail lines have been removed. The tier 3 active
warning systems at level crossings have been disabled. It is normal procedure
to disable active warning systems on lines that are non-operational and under
care and maintenance as there are no train movements on this line. There are no
safety risks to the community.
(3) The tier 3 lines are currently in care and maintenance.
question.
(1) Brookfield
Rail has not permanently removed any tier 3 rail lines. The turnout connecting
the Gnowangerup line to the Great Southern Rail line was removed in 2012 to
ensure the continued safety of the main line. This has been stored for
reinsertion at a later date should operations on the Gnowangerup line resume. A
diamond crossing on the Merredin–Trayning line, which connects the line
to the Eastern Goldfields Railway line, was removed on 18 August 2015. Given
there are no customers currently operating or seeking to operate on the
Merredin–Trayning line and it is officially under care and maintenance,
Brookfield Rail has removed the diamond crossing to ensure continued safe
operations on the Eastern Goldfields Railway. It is important to note that if
at any point in the future a customer was to seek access to the Merredin–Trayning
line, Brookfield Rail would review, reinstall or potentially redesign the
crossing to suit renewed operation and reinstate the connection to the EGR.
(2) No
associated infrastructure such as level crossings, switching apparatus or
signals associated with tier 3 rail lines have been removed. The tier 3 active
warning systems at level crossings have been disabled. It is normal procedure
to disable active warning systems on lines that are non-operational and under
care and maintenance as there are no train movements on this line. There are no
safety risks to the community.
(3) The tier 3 lines are currently in care and maintenance.
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