Sydney's New Laser Tech Scans Wires, Boosts Train Safety

0:00This is Sydney News Today, every story, every city, every day. Sydney's train operators have rolled out 22 new laser devices to scan overhead wiring across the 1700 km network. The goal is to catch thin spots that could cause failures like the one at Homebush last May, which halted passenger services for days. These French May tools rolled out this week, right on the 100th anniversary of Sydney's first electric passenger train. They replace old binoculars that crews use for visual checks, which often miss problems due to distance and high voltages. Transport Minister John Graham says the lasers make inspections twice as fast and far more precise, spotting where a key points where train parts rub against wires. Sydney trains chief executive Matt Longland agrees, calling them a game changer for avoiding disruptions. This upgrade is part of a $4.23 million safety push after last year's issues. In the past six months, crews have fixed more than 1700 defects, beating their targets.

1:02So far, the devices have not flagged any major faults. Train performance has improved, too, with 92% of suburban services on time in February, up from last year. This story is shared with support from our sponsor. Comfort you can hear. Sound you can relax into. S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com