EastRail — a joint venture between UGL and ADCO — is making solid progress on the expansion of the Bellevue Railcar Maintenance Facility, right in the heart of Western Australia (WA).
Commissioned by the State’s Public Transport Authority, this transformative project is all about supporting WA’s growing public transport needs. The expanded facility will not only boost local railcar manufacturing but also streamline ongoing maintenance for years to come.
Led by an expert crew on the project, the site is buzzing with activity. From civil works to electrification, track construction to high-voltage connections — every detail matters.
“We're close to finishing the bulk earthworks,” says Snow Smolenski, UGL General Superintendent on the project. “We’re sitting at 90% complete, and we’re pushing to wrap up the remaining 10% before winter.”
Underground works are also moving ahead with precision. To date, the team has laid an impressive 9 kilometres of pipework — including stormwater systems, subsoil drainage, and key underground services.
John O'Loughlin, UGL Rail Superintendent, shares an update from the tracks:
“We’ve installed 14 turnouts and 200 metres of plain line track so far. Every section we lay gets us one step closer to enabling future construction activities to kick off ahead of schedule.”
These foundational works are critical, and by staying on track (and ahead of time), the team is setting the pace for the next phases of this important infrastructure project.
UGL is also handling the electrification and signalling works, along with installing vital trackside equipment. A major focus in March has been on integrating these systems with the site’s existing high voltage traction power substation — a key step in powering the future fleet.