Blue Mountains line to be shut after extensive fire damage

Passenger trains will have to wait until damage to power equipment and signals is repaired after the horror fire at Gospers Mountain. The line is said to be closed for the next couple of months between Lithgow and Mount Victoria with passengers being ferried onto small diesel-powered trains and buses in the meantime.

The infrastructure will continue to be rebuilt and damage to 100 power poles repaired. 200 trees around the track will also need to be cut down.

Xplorer train passengers from Broken Hill and XPT train passengers from Dubbo are taking buses from Sydney and those travelling to Sydney are taking buses from Lithgow and then switching back to rail at Mount Victoria.

The bushfires have also affected other parts of the state’s transport with authorities still assessing the full extent of the damage. Roads have been closed, rail lines shut and passengers rerouted from trains to buses and buses to trains. 

“Our thoughts go to everyone affected by these devastating bushfires and we commend the brave rail workers who still continue to give 100% to their work despite the trying conditions in these areas. Our members understand their priorities and are dedicated to servicing the needs of commuters in their charge, even when they may have been directly affected by the fires and or have been one of the many volunteers, as many of our members are within their communities,” said Bob Hayden, RTBU NSW Loco Division Secretary.

“There’s still a lot of work ahead in the coming months as the damage is assessed and we hope to help members in any way we can.”

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