Kia ora Thomas,

I'd like to acknowledge receipt of your official information request for information on the track infrastructure issue near Newmarket.

We received your request on 27 October 2023, and will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 24 November 2023, i.e. the 20 working days after the day your request was received.

If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

Britton Broun, who is cc'd, will be looking after your request, so any questions please get in touch with him at [email address] or on 027 406 7345.

Thanks,
Scarlett Dellow  |  Communications Coordinator
MOB: +64 27 234 0003
Second Floor, KiwiRail Building Millennium Centre, 604 Great South Road, Ellerslie, 1051 | Private Bag 92138, Auckland 1142, New Zealand

www.kiwirail.co.nz
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Thomas,

 

Thanks for contacting us.

 

KiwiRail monitors the condition of the rail network on an ongoing basis
through a variety of inspection methods to ensure it remains safe for all
rail users. The track infrastructure issue is due to a type of rail
defect, known as rolling contact fatigue, being identified on a turnout in
the Newmarket area.

 

As a result a 10km/h speed restriction had to be put on that section of
track while we investigated and worked to resolve the issue.
Unfortunately, as this is such a busy part of the network, the slower
speed caused congestion and delays to occur through Newmarket junction. To
help manage this, the metro operator Auckland One Rail introduced a number
of planned cancelations during morning and afternoon peak periods to help
improve the overall on time performance of the timetable.

 

If this type of defect is identified in a straight section of rail then
replacement can be completed relatively easily and quickly. Unfortunately,
in this instance, the defect was identified in the “frog” component of the
turnout. The turnout forms part of a “scissors” arrangement (see image
below), which allows trains to cross between tracks in either direction.
As KiwiRail did not have a spare for this particular component available
within our stores, we have been working to replace it with one already
installed on the network, but at a much less used location (on the Western
Line near Kingsland).

 

This work was completed on Tuesday night and the speed restriction at
Newmarket has now been removed, allowing AT services to return to their
normal timetable.

 

We appreciate commuters’ frustration with situations like this. We are in
the middle of a major upgrade programme, raising the entire Auckland
network to a modern international metro standard – which will better
ensure the reliability of services and enable more frequent services when
the City Rail Link begins operating in the next few years.

 

The scissors in Newmarket are included in our renewals programme and will
be upgraded with a new design and all new materials, which are currently
on order with the manufacturer. We expect to have received these and
completed the renewal within the first half of next year.

  

[1]IMG_6481.jpg

 

Thank you,

 

Britton Broun   |   Senior Government Relations Advisor
Level4, Wellington Railway Station, Bunny Street, Wellington 6011 | PO Box
593, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

[2]Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01D46098.E77643D0

[3]www.kiwirail.co.nz

 

Please consider the environment before printing

 

The content of this message and any attachments may be privileged or
confidential. If you
have received this email in error please notify the sender and delete the
email - unauthorised
use is expressly prohibited. This email may have been corrupted or
interfered with. KiwiRail
does not warrant that this email and its contents are free from computer
viruses or other defects.

 

 

 

 

 

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