Watch the new Castlereagh Road Rail Bridge be moved into position

[p38arover]

For the past several months, a new railway bridge has been being built beside Castlereagh Rd in Penrith. Over the next few days, (starting tonight with the removal of the old bridge), it's going to be lifted, rotated, and driven down a ramp to replace the existing railway bridge over Castlereagh Rd.

The works start tonight after the road closure at 10pm.

There are 6 self-propelled transporters that have been brought in ftom Belgium for this project.

It is being streamed on-line at Home (http://mcd-mulgoaroad.lightbox.net.au/HomeDiscovery.aspx)

At the end of the project there will be a 45 second time-lapse available.

Here are a few pics I've taken - the first 3 months ago, the latest, yesterday.

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Ready to go.

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The bridge it's replacing.

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The self-propelled trucks - there are 6 of them.

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Note the pivoting bogies that lift it all off the ground.

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[austastar]

Hi,
Some problems there for Android.
Cheers https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191225/f00daae616adb4bd10411705d2ae6bda.jpg

[p38arover]

The pics were uploaded from my PC and display OK on an iPhone.

[disco gazza]

Thanks for the news Ron.

That will cause a few problems for the roads around the area,especially if you come from the north.[bigwhistle]

Thank god I moved out of the area when I retired earlier in the year,it was getting to be a nightmare getting into

Penrith from Castlereagh anytime after 0800 hrs.:soapbox:

cheers

DG

[p38arover]

Penrith from Castlereagh anytime after 0800 hrs.:soapbox:

And after 1500 hours.

The traffic lights at High St/Gt Western Hwy and those at Jane St are not well synchronised. The southbound lights at High St go red before Jane St lights so traffic continues to flow. Then traffic trying to get out of Jane St to turn south into Castlereagh Rd can't move because that short bit of road between Jane and High is blocked - often cars are stuck in the intersection at Jane St thus also stopping traffic turning right into Castlereagh.

I suggested to the RMS that the Jane St lights go red first to allow traffic to clear between Jane and High but I was ignored.

[p38arover]

I just had a look at the pix - the bridge was lifted up between 10:04pm and 10:09pm. One can see that when switching between the images on the RHS of the page on the Mulgoa Rd Bridge Cam South (It says Mulgoa Rd but it's really Castlereagh Rd). Mulgoa Rd is on the southern side of the Gt Western Hwy/High St., Castlereagh on the northern side.

I wonder when it will move? They may rotate it but the old bridge has to be removed and earthworks done before the new bridge can be moved into position.

BTW, one can zoom in. The resolution is quite good.

[speleomike]

BTW, one can zoom in. The resolution is quite good.

Yes. Have a look at this classic :-) Looks like its LHD.

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[p38arover]

12:14 The self-propelled bogies have been rotated and the bridge has commenced moving down the slope.

[rick130]

Are they widening Castlereagh Rd, Ron?
It was a bottle neck back in the 90's.

[p38arover]

Yes, the Mulgoa Rd-High St/Gt Western Hwy-Castlreagh Rd intersection is being widened. More lanes (3 each way under the bridge), extra turning lanes, etc.

The new bridge is almost in position - currently beside and parallel to the old bridge.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSTESVhYRWI

[p38arover]

Dunno why they call this section (where the bridge is) Mulgoa Rd, it's Castlereagh Rd.

[4bee]

I suggested to the RMS that the Jane St lights go red first to allow traffic to clear between Jane and High but I was ignored.


Probably only because their dimwits didn't think of it first. [biggrin]

"Having a member of the public telling us what do do? Heaven forbid! Just because they pay our fat salaries Whatever next?"

[rick130]

Dunno why they call this section (where the bridge is) Mulgoa Rd, it's Castlereagh Rd.Yep, it has always been Castlereagh Rd there.
Mulgoa Rd is south of the old highway/High St.

[Graeme]

IIRC Mulgoa Rd ended east of Castlereagh Rd whereby traffic heading south out of Castlereagh Rd did a left onto the hwy then right into Mulgoa Rd. The diversion of the hwy to along the railway line was news to me when I was in the area again probably more than 30 years ago.

[rick130]

IIRC Mulgoa Rd ended east of Castlereagh Rd whereby traffic heading south out of Castlereagh Rd did a left onto the hwy then right into Mulgoa Rd. The diversion of the hwy to along the railway line was news to me when I was in the area again probably more than 30 years ago.That's how it used to be, Mulgoa Rd ran alongside Sinclair Ford, then it was realigned to opposite Castlereagh Rd 20 something years ago when the new council chambers went in on the opposite comer where Ron Barrett Motors used to be.
I left the area in '01

[4bee]

I left the area in '01

Very quickly Rick, or could you take your time? [biggrin] [wink11]

[rick130]

Very quickly Rick, or could you take your time? [biggrin] [wink11]No hordes of husbands with flaming pitchforks pursuing me that time. [emoji50][emoji23]

[p38arover]

That's how it used to be, Mulgoa Rd ran alongside Sinclair Ford, then it was realigned to opposite Castlereagh Rd 20 something years ago when the new council chambers went in on the opposite comer where Ron Barrett Motors used to be.

I used to frequent the Total servo on the diagonal corner from Ron Barrett (BMC dealer**), near the Ambulance Station (which is about t be demolished). We went Total because (a) we lived just up the road in Ladbury Ave and (b) he allowed us to open an account when we moved back from Carnarvon in 1972.

** I was very tempted to buy a brand new long Leyland Terrier V8 that he had on the floor for $400 - I wanted it for my Transit van.

[4bee]

No hordes of husbands with flaming pitchforks pursuing me that time. [clears throat]

Please elaborate on "that time"? One takes it there were other times? [biggrin]



Naaaaahh, maybe better not, there may be kids reading this.[smilebigeye] You wouldn't want inc's Server to catch fire would you?

[p38arover]

The old bridge is down: Photo Gallery Discovery (http://mcd-mulgoaroad.lightbox.net.au/PhotoGalleryDiscovery.aspx?installationID=12737)

I was talking to a bloke at the site this morning and he expected the new bridge to be in place tonight.

[rick130]

I used to frequent the Total servo on the diagonal corner from Ron Barrett (BMC dealer**), near the Ambulance Station (which is about t be demolished).

Another Penrith landmark bites the dust.

Dad had his fuel account for the business at Barrett's when I was little, if you remember they were BP agents back when they had bowsers.

I last drove through about five years ago, the traffic was horrendous on a Saturday morning.

[rick130]

[clears throat]

Please elaborate on "that time"? One takes it there were other times? [biggrin]



Naaaaahh, maybe better not, there may be kids reading this.[smilebigeye] You wouldn't want inc's Server to catch fire would you?I'm a nice boy, Des. [emoji56][emoji23]

[4bee]

Aren't we all when it suits us? [biggrin]

[p38arover]

Rick, the road was re-opened today. Note how the new bridge is twice as long as the old one - there's room for 3-4 more lanes under the bridge.

(Images taken from website.)

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[4bee]

I bet some shonk has their eyes on those trailer tyres & is waiting for dusk so him or (her) & their mates can proceed to stack bricks under the trailer?[biggrin]

[disco gazza]

Hopefully they'll complete the new road in record time(doubtful,especially if council is doing it).

When I was living at Castlereagh, the traffic used to be back almost to Andrews road between 0820 - 0930.

Used to take almost an hour to get to Westfields from what some of the drivers at my old work said.

DG

[p38arover]

When I was living at Castlereagh, the traffic used to be back almost to Andrews road between 0820 - 0930.

Used to take almost an hour to get to Westfields from what some of the drivers at my old work said.

At peak hour (morning and arvo) to get across to Emu Plains from Richmond/Windsor, I go down Coreen Ave (partway), then across Lemongrove Bridge, then down Henry St to join High St near Westfield. Much quicker.

[disco gazza]

I have gone that way quite a few times when I've had to go down to Penrith late in the afternoon.

It certainly is quicker.

DG

[JDNSW]

Am I correct in assuming that the reason for the new bridge is to provide for the extra lanes?

[p38arover]

Yes, for the extra lanes.