Auckland Rail Electrification Project

[Akarana]

I plan to get around the network and take some photos of the progress midway through the shutdown, so expect some images in the near future

[doloras]

As much as I admire Mike Lee's work sometimes I wonder if he thinks before he speaks.

Mike Lee makes PT policy on political rather than engineering bases. I'm not stating that as a criticism, but he does work from the "should" to the "is" rather than the other way around - eg his enthusiasm for the Helensville trial.

[pcuser42]

I plan to get around the network and take some photos of the progress midway through the shutdown, so expect some images in the near future

Did that yesterday, but haven't got around to uploading photos yet.

[Akarana]

Did that yesterday, but haven't got around to uploading photos yet.

Bet me to it huh?

[pcuser42]

My photos from yesterday and the day before (click to enlarge)

Papakura






The track connections in this photo seem odd, why is the Platform 2 track connected to the Down main and the centre track left with nowhere to go?





Manukau


MIT construction progress






Bloody Mitre 10, built their store so I can't see around the corner

Papatoetoe






Note the placement of gantries for the third main here

Mangere/Otahuhu











Britomart





Mt Albert

[kaiwhara]

Because the connection between P2 and the Down Main is only temporary Alex.

[pcuser42]

Because the connection between P2 and the Down Main is only temporary Alex.

I was hoping that would be the case

[odaikorob]

My photos from yesterday and the day before (click to enlarge)
Mangere/Otahuhu

Are there any mast bases on the roadside of the track in the above pic? If there only gantries for placement on those mast bases on the right hand side of the photo, they wont reach across all 3 tracks...eh. Furthermore, apart from those 3 bases pictured, there dont seem to be any other mast bases at all going towards Middlemore. ???

Are there any mast bases at all in these Otahuhu pics (below)? Cant see none! Not enough time surely before end January, for concrete to be poured / cured in time for portal erection and traction stringing. When KR say they will have traction done up to as far as Westfield, is their definition of 'Westfield' in fact Middlemore Station???





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[pcuser42]

Are there any mast bases on the roadside of the track in the above pic? If there only gantries for placement on those mast bases on the right hand side of the photo, they wont reach across all 3 tracks...eh. Furthermore, apart from those 3 bases pictured, there dont seem to be any other mast bases at all going towards Middlemore. ???

Doesn't seem to be, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for KiwiRail to realign the track first before pouring bases.

Are there any mast bases at all in these Otahuhu pics (below)? Cant see none!

None there either.

[Akarana]

That is just asking for trouble. Awful location for it as well

[vworp]

Furthermore, apart from those 3 bases pictured, there dont seem to be any other mast bases at all going towards Middlemore. ???

Doesn't seem to be, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for KiwiRail to realign the track first before pouring bases.

Are there any mast bases at all in these Otahuhu pics (below)? Cant see none!

None there either.

Westfield-Otahuhu-Middlemore is a construction site, and will be for some few weeks still. Masts and catenary can be installed quite simply over weekend shutdowns and during night works. This is why Mt Albert is not touched too, remember? No need to stress!

[kaiwhara]

Westfield Station officially now starts about 30 meters north of the Middlemore Platform!

[Matt L]

What was going on at Britomart, were they starting to prepare for hanging the wires/conductor rails?

[vworp]

Westfield Station officially now starts about 30 meters north of the Middlemore Platform!

The new Outer Home is just north of Papatoetoe, yes?

[kaiwhara]

Westfield Station officially now starts about 30 meters north of the Middlemore Platform!

The new Outer Home is just north of Papatoetoe, yes?

No, the Outer Home is where the Intermediate just north of the Middlemore Platform was. Station Limits Westfield now starts there.

[odaikorob]

Furthermore, apart from those 3 bases pictured, there dont seem to be any other mast bases at all going towards Middlemore. ???

Doesn't seem to be, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for KiwiRail to realign the track first before pouring bases.

Are there any mast bases at all in these Otahuhu pics (below)? Cant see none!

None there either.

Westfield-Otahuhu-Middlemore is a construction site, and will be for some few weeks still. Masts and catenary can be installed quite simply over weekend shutdowns and during night works. This is why Mt Albert is not touched too, remember? No need to stress!

Certainly understand that but In the case of Mt Albert, the concrete mast bases and masts are already in place and have been for some time, thus it will be easy to complete the traction there once the station is finished. Traction work can in fact be done from just east of Mt Albert througn Baldwin Ave, Morningside etc, leaving the Mt Albert Station section out until building work there is done.

Concrete as we know, takes some weeks to cure enough to safely support the weight of gantries ongoing so given there are no mast bases in place fully between Middlemore and Westfield right now, I doubt thus that there will be any traction completed on that part of the line until after April. Hopefully the traction crews will, once they have fully wired up Manurewa to Middlemore and Puhinui to Manukau over the next week, move on to completing by end Jan, traction from Westfield up to Ellerslie and finish the outstanding work between Whau Creek and Mt Albert Pak n Save....then it can be said that 60% of the network is wired up.

[kaiwhara]

Theres a lot work and heavy machinery around Otahuhu - there is more track alterations to come! They will not pour concrete while all of that is going on...

[odaikorob]

That is just asking for trouble. Awful location for it as well

Yes, rather silly to put a gantry in that particular place on the platform. Definite safety hazard for boarding / leaving the train. If it was in the centre of the platform it would be fine. Why can't it be like the others there and be placed on the road side of the track?

[odaikorob]

Theres a lot work and heavy machinery around Otahuhu - there is more track alterations to come! They will not pour concrete while all of that is going on...

Yes, as I said, no mast base work will be done for some weeks yet and thereafter, no mast erection / traction work will be done til at least April I reckon. The 60% of network wiring target to be met by end Jan will thus be achieved through work in other locations.

[odaikorob]

Westfield Station officially now starts about 30 meters north of the Middlemore Platform!

That it does sir!