Southern Sydney Freight Line

The Southern Sydney Freight Line (SSFL) is a freight-only railway line in the south-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The line was built to segregate freight trains from the Sydney Trains network. It forms part of a dedicated freight only corridor between Port Botany and Macarthur. The line is managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

Route The SSFL runs from Chullora to Macarthur. It is an unelectrified, bi-directional single track with 1,800 metre long passing loops at Leightonfield and GlenfieldTackling Congestion on the Sydney Rail Freight Network Minister for Infrastructure and Transport 5 February 2009 with an additional loop at Cabramatta. Apart from its end points, the SSFL has no interface with the Transport Asset Manager network.

The line commences at Chullora connecting with the Metropolitan Goods line from Port Botany, passing beneath the Bankstown line from where it parallels the Main South line. Just to the north of Glenfield, the line crosses to the west of the Main South line via a flyover. It joins the Main South line to the south of Macarthur station.Corridor Description Australian Rail Track Corporation

History

Delays to freight services operating to and from Sydney via the Main South line had long been a problem, but it wasn't until the formation of the National Rail Corporation that any plan was devised to resolve it.The Glenfield - Ingleburn Passing Loop Project Railway Digest August 1994 Page 8

In February 1992, the Federal Government allocated $71 million for the construction of a dedicated freight line from Chullora to Macarthur as part of the One Nation infrastructure project. It soon became apparent that to complete the project would cost in the region of $250 million. Instead the funding was used to complete a number of smaller projects, including building a 6.6 kilometre relief line between Glenfield and Ingleburn. This single, non-electrified line was used by both CountryLink passenger and freight services.

Construction In May 2006, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) revived the project.Southern Sydney Freight Line Parsons Brinckerhoff April 2006Southern Sydney Freight Line Submissions Report Parsons Brinckerhoff August 2006 Approval was obtained in October 2008 and construction commenced in early 2009, focusing on the section between Sefton and Cabramatta. By August 2009 construction was under way along the whole corridor. In November 2009, poor planning led to the ARTC suspending the project for 10 months while it relocated utilities.Planning snags halt rail project Sydney Morning Herald 3 November 2009Southern Sydney Freight Line cost blowout Rail Express 30 March 2011

In September 2010, the ARTC announced the resumption of the project.Southern Sydney Freight Line Back on Track Australian Rail Track Corporation 14 September 2010. On 24 June 2012, the Chullora to Leightonfield section opened allowing the connection from the BHP yard at the latter to the RailCorp network to be severed.SAFE Notice 2-1707 Australian Rail Track Corporation June 2012Southern Sydney Freight Line and Metropolitan Freight Network Shared Rail Corridor Network Rules & Procedures Australian Rail Track Corporation 2 July 2012 The rest of the line opened on 21 January 2013.New Line to Reduce Congestion on Sydney Rail Network Opens Australian Rail Track Corporation 21 January 2013

In 2019, a triangular junction to the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal opened.Qube's Moorebank intermodal hub a major infrastructure boost ABC News 12 June 2015Moorebank construction finally begins Sky News Australia 6 April 2017Construction begins on Moorebank Logistics Park Minister for Infrastructure & Transport 6 April 2017

In 2024, an additional 1,650 metre passing loop between Cabramatta and Warwick Farm stations was completed, running mostly parallel to the existing track.Cabramatta Loop Project Australian Rail Track CorporationBotany duplication and Cabramatta loop approved Rail Express 13 August 2020

Station works The construction of the new line required modifications to several stations along the route. Sefton, Warwick Farm, Casula and Minto received upgrades. A new concourse was constructed at Cabramatta and the footbridge was extended at Leumeah.

Services The line is normally only used by freight services, but during engineering possessions on the adjacent Transport Asset Manager tracks, NSW TrainLink XPT services have travelled on it. Freight trains travelling to the Minto Intermodal Terminal continue to travel on Transport Asset Manager tracks.

Southern Sydney Freight Line

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