The works included:
- Replacing close to 34,000 wooden sleepers with new concrete sleepers along 30 kilometres of track. This improved the stability of the track and increased reliability of services along the train line
- Upgrading of signals and points, which will lead to a more reliable service and reduce the possibility of major disruption due to signal failures
- Upgrade of two major at grade level crossings
Downer completed the works within a short timeframe without any train delays or speed restrictions to the track. An important objective of such an intensive program of works is to minimise ongoing passenger disruption through one longer period of line closure, rather than more frequent disruptions. This strategy enables such major renewal tasks to be completed in a more efficient and effective manner.
During this nine day shutdown Downer also completed a record number of concrete ties on the Metro network installing more than 3,600 ties in a 12 hour shift and 5,400 in a 24 hour period.