By Ashley Karen
The Sydney Metro City & Southwest project has entered its next stage, with trains currently operating deep under Sydney Harbour for the first time in the state’s transport history.
Now, the new metro trains are moving in the almost 16km twin metro railway tunnels, which develop the Metro North West Line from Chatswood Station to Sydenham Station, as part of a strict testing and commissioning schedule.
The railway is the first one crossing beneath Sydney Harbour, and once operational in 2024, it will transfer more people across the Harbour in peak hours than the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel combined.
Testong’s first stage is finished at low speed, with trains manually operated at a max speed of 25km/ph. Then, the trains cautiously move into high-speed testing, where the trains reach a max speed of 110km/ph.
In addition, each train will experience acceleration and braking testing on the newly constructed track and achieve a series of system checks to guarantee it can perform reliably under operating conditions.
On-track train testing and commissioning will carry throughout 2023, ahead of passenger services beginning through the Sydney CBD in 2024.
Once passenger services begin in 2024, customers will be able to move from Central Station to Chatswood Station in 15 minutes, from Martin Place Station to Sydenham Station in eleven minutes, and from Victoria Cross Station in North Sydney to Barangaroo Station in only three minutes on a fast and reliable metro service.
