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The Cowan Bank is a 8.6 km double-track section of standard gauge railway line between Cowan railway station 48.8 km north of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and Hawkesbury River railway station 57.4 km north of Sydney. It is part of the main north railway line between Sydney and Newcastle (168.1 km north of Sydney), one of the busiest rail corridors in Australia.
It has an average grade of 2.5% (1 in 40) rising from close to sea level at Hawkesbury River railway station to a height of 200m on the ridge top at Cowan railway station.
The Cowan Bank has 5 tunnels (of which 4 are still in use), no level or grade crossings and two road bridges. The line crosses under the Pacific Highway twice, once using a road bridge near Cowan station and again while passing through Boronia #1 tunnel. It crosses under the Sydney-Newcastle Expressway while passing through Boronia #2 tunnel. The line was built through very rugged and heavily forested terrain on the western edge of the Kuring-gai Chase National Park. Because of its isolated location there are very few places from where the track can be observed - sections of the Pacific Highway on the ridge between Cowan and the Hawkesbury River provide a few vantage points.
Bank engines were attached to the rear of trains at Hawkesbury River station to assist them in the climb and were detached at Cowan station. After assisting a train up the bank, the bank engine would usually return to Hawkesbury River station to await the next train. Bank engines are no longer used on the line.
Because of its long grade and proximity to locomotive manufacturing and maintenance facilities in both Sydney and Newcastle, the Cowan Bank is often used to test locomotives and power cars.
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Legend
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† Diagram not to scale |
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The single track line between Cowan and Hawkesbury River stations was completed in 1887[1]. Five tunnels (Boronia #1 to Boronia #5) were built as double track tunnels but initially only a single track was laid through them[1]. The line was duplicated in stages between 1907 and 1909[1]. Boronia #5 tunnel was abandoned when the tracks were realigned during the duplication[1][2].
The track loading gauge (maximum allowed width of carriages) has been progressively increased, with subsequent widening of the tunnels, between 1910 and 1973. The line was electrified in 1959[1].
Bi-directional running was introduced in 1996 to allow faster up trains to use the adjacent down track to overtake slower freight trains climbing the bank. Track cross-overs were installed at Cowan railway station, between Boronia #1 and #2 tunnels, and just south of Hawkesbury River railway station.[3]
Five serious incidents have occurred to date on the Cowan bank.