ALL SYSTEMS GO ON SYDNEY METRO SKYTRAIN

NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today announced the second massive crane which will build the skytrain on the $8.3 billion Sydney Metro Northwest has been commissioned and is now fully operational.

“The two giant horizontal cranes have already completed more than 550m of the 4km skytrain between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill,” Mr Constance said.

“These two massive white cranes, officially known as launching gantries, are building the most visible section of the 36km long Sydney Metro Northwest, which will deliver a new metro train every four minutes in the peak when services start in the first half of 2019.”

The second 700-tonne crane, currently beside Old Windsor Road at Kellyville, has already built 160m of skytrain.

It will gradually move south-east from its current location near Samantha Riley Drive to cross over Memorial Avenue and then move through the Burns T-way area. It will then make its way back towards Samantha Riley Drive where it will build the skytrain towards Rouse Hill and meet the other gantry near Windsor Road.

The cranes can build about 70m a week and are a fast way of building this elevated structure while at the same time minimising impacts on seven major roads and the T-way below.

When the skytrain is completed, work will start on the new elevated metro railway stations at Kellyville and Rouse Hill – two of the eight new railway stations on Sydney Metro Northwest.