Victorian government to implement high capacity signalling on new rail line

The Victorian government, Australia has awarded CPB Contractors and Bombardier Transportation the contract to deliver the US$790 million (AU$1 billion) Rail Systems Alliance in Melbourne, which includes the roll-out of a 55 kilometre long high capacity signalling (HCS) and communications system. HCS allows trains to safely run closer together, meaning they can run more often. The technology will enable trains every two to three minutes, creating a ‘turn-up-and-go’ train network for Melbourne. The signalling
July 18, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
The Victorian government, Australia has awarded CPB Contractors and 513 Bombardier Transportation the contract to deliver the US$790 million (AU$1 billion) Rail Systems Alliance in Melbourne, which includes the roll-out of a 55 kilometre long high capacity signalling (HCS) and communications system.


HCS allows trains to safely run closer together, meaning they can run more often. The technology will enable trains every two to three minutes, creating a ‘turn-up-and-go’ train network for Melbourne.

The signalling will operate the 65 new high-capacity trains currently being built in Victoria, which will run on the Sunbury to Cranbourne-Pakenham line via the Metro Tunnel. Dedicated control centres will be built in Dandenong and Sunshine to support the new technology. The centres will be staffed by experts who will monitor trains on the new Metro Tunnel line.

Additionally, expressions of Interest will open this week to deliver the final major works package of Metro Tunnel, the Rail Infrastructure Alliance.

The US$790 million (AU$1 billion) contract will be to design and construct the eastern tunnel entrance in South Yarra, the western tunnel entrance in Kensington and associated works across the Sunbury to Cranbourne-Pakenham corridor, including upgrading track power and conventional signalling.

Related Content

  • April 11, 2013
    Pöyry to design Helsinki’s Western Metro extension
    Finnish consulting and engineering company Pöyry is to provide design services for the eight kilometre Western Metro extension in Espoo, the third largest city in Finland. It will be part of the metro system in the Helsinki capital region. The US$8.25 million contract, awarded by Länsimetro Oy, will bring the metro within the reach of 50,000 people in south-western parts of Espoo, and is expected to be complete by 2018. Pöyry has also provided track engineering, rock and geotechnical engineering, architect
    Read More
  • November 13, 2014
    Colombian highway sees ITS tested to the extreme
    One of the most challenging road construction and ITS projects currently underway is the upgrading of the road from Bogota to Villavicencio. Currently it takes four hours to make the 86km journey between Bogota and Villavicencio using the existing single lane in each direction road which passes through some very challenging terrain. It is the only ground connection between central Colombia and the eastern region which represents 40% of the country’s territory.
    Read More
  • May 4, 2016
    Priority boosts ridership and cuts congestion
    Transit priority is proving a win-win in Europe and Australia. David Crawford reports. Technology that integrates with the Australian-originated Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS) is driving bus signal priority and performance analysis initiatives on both sides of the world; in its homeland, with a major deployment in 2015, and in the capital of the Republic of Ireland.
    Read More
  • November 20, 2015
    Thales brings metro expertise to Australia
    Thales has been selected to provide the central control and communication systems for Sydney Metro Northwest, the first fully-automated metro rail system in Australia, which opens in the first half of 2019 with a train every four minutes in the peak. Thales will deliver both systems to the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium (NRT) as a key supplier to NRT’s systems joint venture. With an approximate value of US$5.5 billion, Sydney Metro Northwest is the first stage of Sydney Metro, which aims to deliver a
    Read More

Highlighted Content