Illawarra residents have found themselves grappling with disruptions to their rail services ever since the deluge hit the area in the early hours of Saturday morning. 

The cancelled or restricted services have highlighted the precarious state of the South Coast train line. Thursday, buses continued to replace South Coast Line trains between Kiama and Bomaderry.

Trains on the rest of the South Coast Line are running to a reduced timetable between Sydney and Kiama and between Wollongong and Port Kembla.

The reduced timetable resembles a weekend timetable. Commuters are advised to allow extra travel time, listen to announcements and check information displays for service updates.

NSW Transport announced that following last week’s extreme weather, urgent track repairs were required on the South Coast line with damage occurring at Coalcliff and between Kiama and Bomaderry. Buses will replace trains between Wollongong and Waterfall on both Saturday and Sunday. 

250 Sydney Trains crew worked continuously over a 90 hour period to repair 200km of track and restore services north of Kiama by Tuesday morning this week.

Work between Kiama and Bomaderry is still underway, with truckloads of ballast being delivered to Berry station to restabilise rail lines.

250 Sydney Trains crew worked continuously over a 90 hour period to repair 200km of track and restore services north of Kiama by Tuesday morning.

Tony Horneman from the Illawarra Rail Fail community group expressed the all-too-common frustration among commuters, citing the lack of infrastructure investment as a glaring issue, particularly during severe weather events.

He told the ABC: "Down the South Coast the commuters have kind of got used to this. We have a third world rail service on the South Coast line and most people have developed a Plan B, but the reality is not all of us can work from home.

"There's a lot of jobs where you have to be physically at work, like at Sydney Airport, so they have to come up with creative ideas."

Minister for the Illawarra, Ryan Park, has assured residents that efforts are underway to expedite repairs, acknowledging the vital role of the railway in the region's commuter network.

However, the disruption isn't just logistical; it carries significant emotional and financial burdens for residents. 

As Transport for NSW assesses the damage and works towards restoring normalcy, residents confront the harsh reality of their region's vulnerability to extreme weather events and the pressing need for sustainable infrastructure and comprehensive support mechanisms.