During the recent ARTC Super Shut in the Calwalla–Dombarton area (13–15 September), Swietelsky Rail Australia (SRA) delivered a major ballast unloading program supporting upgrade works on the Main South Line.

Over 4,500 tonnes of ballast were safely pre-delivered across nine days in a sensitive community area. This was followed by the coordinated unloading of six ballast trains over three days, each carrying 1,000 tonnes, using manual operation of the Sydney Trains ballast rake. In total, more than 6,000 tonnes of ballast was strategically placed between Summit Tank Escarpment and Robertson.

The works included unloading along steep grades and reverse curves to prepare the track for the scheduled track machine program, which will deliver 100mm lifts and 250mm alignment corrections ahead of summer heat restrictions.

Delivered ahead of schedule, incident-free, and with no community or environmental complaints, the program showcased collaborative planning and strong execution across unloading crews, site management and support teams.

Effective ballast depth and profile is critical to track stability, lifecycle management and ride performance, supporting long-term reliability across ARTC’s Southern Corridor.