Essential rail maintenance and improvement works on the main railway line between Sydney and Melbourne, and Cootamundra and Parkes will be carried out by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) this weekend.

During the works, the railway line will be closed:

• Between Chullora and Moss Vale in NSW from 11pm on Friday 12 September to 6pm Monday 15 September.

• Between Moss Vale in NSW and Tottenham in Victoria, and between Cootamundra and Parkes in NSW from 6am Saturday 13 September to 6pm Monday 15 September.

Group Executive Operations ARTC, Clinton Crump said the planned network shutdown allows for the completion of more than 20,000 hours of work, maintaining the safety and reliability of the rail corridors.

Maintenance work will include re-railing, track reconditioning, structures upgrades and repairs as well as mudhole removal and track ballasting and tamping activities.

“It is a critical corridor for ARTC, so the Sydney to Melbourne line will be shut this weekend and we’ll be carrying out several large-scale maintenance activities including some re-railing and track reconditioning. We’re working on some bridges and other track repairs to maintain the resilience and reliability of the network,” Mr Crump said.

“We are part of a larger supply and logistics chain, so we coordinate our works the best we can for our customers and the travelling public. Doing it twice a year, we do appreciate that it does cause some inconvenience; it is the most efficient way to carry out large-scale maintenance works.”

Major works along the corridor include completing crossover installation works and replacing signalling infrastructure at Werai as part of the Southern Highlands Overtaking Opportunities (SHOO) project.

The Werai site will be commissioned during the corridor closedown, marking a significant milestone in the project. It will allow ARTC to begin utilising the benefits of SHOO, such as more efficient movement of freight and passenger rail services between Sydney and Melbourne.

“It is great to see progress being made on our Southern Highlands Overtaking Opportunities project, which means we can start realising some of the benefits that project will bring, ensuring the rail corridor will continue to serve as a vital link in the economic supply chain,” Mr Crump said.

Major construction will also be undertaken as part of the Inland Rail project, including the demolition of the Kemp Street bridge at Junee, NSW, and the Hamilton Street bridge at Broadford, Victoria.

“ARTC would like to thank the community for their patience as we undertake these important long-term improvements,” Mr Crump said.

Coaches and buses will replace NSW Trainlink services, including the Sydney to Melbourne XPT and V/Line Albury Line trains during this time.

For up-to-date journey information, customers are encouraged to visit Transportnsw.info or vline.com.au for assistance in planning their journey.

ARTC is reminding motorists and pedestrians to remain vigilant for altered traffic conditions near the rail corridor, pay attention to signage and to obey all road rules at level crossings, with heavy machinery active on rail lines.

Information on road closures or diversions and alternative routes can be found at Live Traffic NSW (livetraffic.com) and VicTraffic (traffic.transport.vic.gov.au).