City Rail Link Ltd

The new KiwiRail Auckland Rail Operations Centre is an important part of the work to get CRL ready for 2026. It's needed to successfully manage the greater operational complexity to come and ensure the smooth running of services. #rail #railsystems #auckland #cityraillink Auckland Transport Auckland Council Auckland One Rail

Incoming delivery!  Standing tall and proud in between Te Waihorotiu Station’s Albert Street entrance (near Victoria St) and the iconic Sky Tower, check out the latest addition to midtown’s streetscape upgrade programme. We're loving the look of this native puriri tree, helping to “green” our city centre. Can you also spot the new cycle racks installed in the background?  #auckland #streetscapes #trees

Earlier this week, we shared a video about rail grinding and now we have some photos to share from inside the cabin. Teams from KiwiRail and Speno Rail Maintenance Australia Pty Ltd undertook the rail grinding, checking the condition of the rails and cleaning up with a special purpose vacuum the next day. What is rail grinding? Its main purpose is to ensure any defects in the tracks are smoothed out and helps to prevent damage later – keeping the rails in top condition for longer. Rail lubricators release oil onto the tracks as trains go past to reduce friction between the train wheels and the rails- see last photo. The two together means the CRL tracks are well prepared for trains to start running on them. Reducing friction and ensuring the tracks are smoothed out not only increases their lifespan, but also reduces any potential noise or vibration for passengers who will be riding the train or waiting on a CRL platform. #rail #railway #railwaysystems #construction #auckland

If you’re on a train travelling to and from Grafton Station, you may notice these elegant protective barriers on the Ruru Street extension, heading toward Mt Eden Road from Maungawhau Station. These metal barriers are being fitted on top of the concrete wall to the right of the picture, overlooking the Western Line.  They’ll replace the temporary black mesh on top of the concrete wall, bring the station one step closer to completion. If you look closely at the top of the picture you can also see the yellow posts on Mt Eden Road where the mid-block level crossing will be is located to take future commuters safely across Mt Eden Road and onto the station plaza. #rail #railwaystation #auckland

We've finished grinding the rails to make a smooth ride for our test trains. It's a surprising step - but before we can bring any trains into the tunnels, all of the almost 8km of track needed to be ground down by a Hi-Rail vehicle with specialised abrasive rotating grinding tools. Rail grinding is important because it polishes the track surface, smoothing out any surface defects or irregularities. Smoothing the rails also helps to reduce potential noise levels and vibrations, and helps prevent more severe wear and tear. In the video, you can watch some of the process as the vehicle travels through the tunnel. The sparking happens when the metal rotators move against the metal tracks which is why we put protective scrim along the station platforms. KiwiRail #railgrinding #cityraillink

Meet Hao Ding, a testing and commissioning engineer. Before we can let the first train into the tunnels, we need to make sure the tracks and tunnels are ready for this. Before you can use CRL, we are carrying out a huge programme of testing in conjunction with our partners. This is to ensure all the new systems are working together and are seamlessly integrated into Auckland’s existing rail network. #rail #railways #railwaysystems #engineers #engineering #infrastructure #tunnels #tunneling #tunnelling

As floor tiling continues at City Rail Link stations, so to does installation of customer infrastructure. At our new midtown Te Waihorotiu Station, take a look at this shiny new bench, just installed on the passenger platform. While trains are expected to pass through frequently, there are plenty of places on the platform to pause and catch a breath. Can I offer you a seat? #rail #railway #railwaystation #auckland

For the last few years, Link Alliance has hosted the country’s largest outdoor ‘walk-able’ art gallery. Hundreds of metres of hoardings, used to safely contain our construction sites were transformed into large scale artworks, mostly by artists also residing near the construction sites. As we edge closer to the final phase of station building construction, these art hoardings are coming down and planning is now underway to ensure that, if condition and circumstance allows, many of these much-loved artworks may enjoy a life beyond the construction site. Watch this space! The CRL is well underway with urban realm. Scrim (mesh looking) panels showcasing local businesses and the benefits of the CRL will adorn fences where hoardings have been removed and work has transitioned form civils work to utilities and urban realm. Of course, even though building construction is coming to an end, there’s lots to do as, before you can use CRL, we need to carry out a huge programme of testing in conjunction with our partners. #rail #railway #art #auckland #streetscapes #hoardings

We received some questions about how traction power and overhead line equipment (OLE) work after our update on commissioning an OLE switchroom. Your curiosity is appreciated!   Traction power is the 25kV electricity that powers trains on the rail network. It’s delivered through OLE – which is the electrical hardware connected to the top of the CRL tunnels or sits on masts in the wider network.   As trains move along the tracks, a pantograph (an apparatus mounted on top of the train) presses against the OLE’s contact wire, drawing power to the train's electric motors, converting it into mechanical energy to propel the trains forward along the tracks.   Some 14 kilometres of overhead line equipment (which carries traction power) has been installed along the CRL’s twin tunnels and along the section of Western Line/North Auckland Line rebuilt by the CRL project.   Traction power supply was enabled from both ends of the CRL project (close to Waitematā and Maungawhau stations) earlier in 2024 – this connected the tunnels to electricity sources for Auckland’s wider rail network.   A lot of work with Link Alliance and KiwiRail has gone on to ensure that OLE is installed and traction power is commissioned and will work as intended.  #rail #railwaysystems #auckland #railwaysystems

The end is in sight…for the country’s longest escalator! With some of the scaffolding removed, we’re starting to get a clear view along our 40-metre escalator at Karanga-a-Hape Station’s Beresford Square entrance. The first image shows the view from the second underground level, with the second image showing the view from platform level, 33-metres under Pitt Street. The third image shows one of two glass lift shafts at Beresford Square with some glass panels having been installed. This lift goes from street level – just inside the station entrance building – to the second underground level, where tickets can be purchased. The other lift, at the eastern end of the station beneath Pitt Street, then takes passengers from down to platform level. But while this is happening, there’s a lot more to go. Before you can use CRL, we need to carry out a huge programme of testing in conjunction with our partners. This is to ensure all the new systems are working together and are seamlessly integrated into Auckland’s existing rail network. #rail #railway #escalators #construction #building #infrastructure #railwaystation #auckland