Work on the long-awaited Mernda Rail Extension running smoothly thanks to Australian-first u-trough construction method

WORK is progressing quickly on the $600 million Mernda Rail Extension project. Take a look at exclusive photos of the progress.

THE Mernda Rail Extension is running full-electric ahead complete with an Australian industry-first innovation.

John Holland contractors last month had excavated 18 thousand cubic metres of basalt rock from the South Morang Station forecourt area and underneath McDonalds Rd since work on the $600 million project began in April 2017.

The rock is crushed on site and most excavated material will be reused as part of the project for haul roads or underneath the new train tracks.

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In further developments, the team has broken through the rock underneath South Morang Station and is expected to connect the rail line over the next month.

Work on the elevated track is progressing well. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Work on all three stations, Marymede, Hawkstowe and Mernda has begun with the latter being the most progressed.

What has engineers most excited though is the use of an emerging product known as a “u-trough”.

First look at the steps leading to the new Mernda Station platform. Picture: Tim Carrafa

The u-trough is a concrete segment joined together like Lego which runs along the elevated sections of the track. The innovation has been used overseas but this is the first time it has been applied to any rail project in Australia.

John Holland project director Joseph Aygur said the u-trough construction method brought many benefits to the community.

“The u-trough wall reduces the noise of the trains as they pass through,” he said.

“There’s also less visual impact as the train tracks sit lower down than traditional bridges.”

Contractors are preparing to join the new track to the existing South Morang line. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Level Crossing Removal Authority project director Graeme Chambers said the u-trough design would eventually be used on other rail projects around Melbourne.

The LXRA is maintaining the rail won’t be open until early 2019 despite earlier speculation the first trains would start rolling by the middle of 2018.

@paulshapiro1117