AusRAIL PLUS 2017 by Prime Creative Media

SPECIAL EDITION

The official publication of

AusRAIL PLUS 2017

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CONTENTS

AUSRAIL PLUS 2017 | SPECIAL EDITION

SPECIAL EDITION

COVER STORY

PAGE 56

The Rail Manufacturing CRC is looking for candidates for its third round of project funding. The CRC works with industry members, to partner them with the appropriate academics for Research & Development initiatives. Rail Express spoke with Rail Manufacturing CRC boss Dr Stuart Thomson about the organisation’s agenda.

The official publication of

AusRAIL PLUS 2017

Funding now open for rail innovation Rail Innovation Gateway funding open for Australian rail businesses and universities to address today’s rail challenges

8 10 12

Complete the online application form at http://rmcrc.com.au/register-your-project/

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 9 March 2018.

16 28 34

35 36 39 44 46 30

AusRAIL comes to Brisbane

National

New South Wales Queensland

South Australia Tasmania Victoria

Western Australia New Zealand

FEATURES 48 52 54 56

A word from ARA chief executive Danny Broad

NEWS UP FRONT

Front Cover image courtesy of Rail Gallery

Up to $1,000,000 funding is available for each project, to be matched by the participating rail business and paid to an Australian university to deliver rail research that truly innovates.

From the editor

New PN boss Dalla Valle gives his views on the state of play Palaszczuk puts Adani rail funding on election agenda

Farmers not happy with Inland Rai alignment Rail Manufacturing CRC looking for third round of projects

Funds scratching heads over Australian infrastructure

RAIL SUPPLY 58 60 77 64

Wearply could be big for rail joining Schaeffler’s bearing polisher boosts turnaround times

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

AusRAIL PLUS 2017 Conference Guide Featured Exhibitors

AusR ILPLUS 2017 | Brisbane

Conference & Exhibition

21-23 November

This special edition of Rail Express includes a supplement on the AusRAIL PLUS Conference and Exhibition, which takes place in Brisbane from November 21 to 23. 4 10 11 12 13 14

Conference guide

Axiomtek’s embedded computers on display

Metromatics leads the way in signage

Tools supplier Specialised Force provides unique knowledge Siemens to show off innovative solutions

ADLINK riding digital disruption wave

See centre pages of magazine

Enerpac adds to hydraulic cylinder range

ISSUE 3 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

PASSENGER RAIL 62 63 68

Alstom, Siemens pair up to push CRRC HCMT mock-ups on display

Siemens on how digitalization can revolutionise rail

LIGHT RAIL 64 66 67

George St retailers hoping for Christmas relief Tracks laid in Canberra

2 stages in planning for Parramatta

FREIGHT RAIL 74 78 80

Meridian Engineers shows off new weighing product Cane growers hit by price dip

Newcastle volumes stable in through good price stretch

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FROM THE EDITOR

Published by:

Oliver Probert Editor – Rail Express Level 14, 309 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: (02) 9994 8086

INDUSTRY MAKES CLEAR PUSH FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURING t the start of this year, ASX-listed miner FMG took delivery of the first of eight new iron ore ships from China. It was a big deal for FMG, but not a particularly notable one in the grand scheme of things. But when you really think about what’s going on, things get a little weird. Here we have an Australian iron ore miner, paying a Chinese firm to build steel ships – potentially made from Australian iron ore in a smelter burning Australian coal – with the final aim of moving even more Australian iron ore to China. Add in that FMG secured a half-billion-dollar loan from a Chinese bank to help pay for those ships, and the whole thing starts to seem truly odd. Australia has all the knowledge, manpower and material it needs to build its own ships. But the simple economics of comparative advantage have directed that, at least in recent memory, the most efficient way for an Australian company to build a ship is to send the material to China, and have it built there instead. To many this trend is not only unsurprising; it is a good thing. It is through this same economic mechanism that over time, many of our goods have become cheaper, and our standard of living has improved. The same process seen in shipbuilding has taken place in the automotive market, with more major car plants shutting down this year. The pain is very real for workers who lose their livelihood when factories close, but in the long run, many economists would argue Australia will benefit.

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And the process has, of course, also taken place in the rail sector. Victoria is the only state where significant rolling stock manufacturing continually takes place, while other states order their trains from massive factories in Asia and Europe. From pages 16 to 22 of this magazine we examine the findings of the recent Senate Committee review into Australia’s rail manufacturing sector. One thing the report makes overtly clear is that the rail industry is not happy with the degradation of its local manufacturing sector. And the politicians appear to agree, with directives from the Committee for state and federal governments to take steps encouraging development of more local manufacturing capacity. The Australasian Railway Association welcomed the Committee report, and many in the rail sector would no doubt love to see its recommendations followed through. But even if this happens, the burning question will still need to be answered: Is an Australian rail manufacturing sector sustainable in the long run, without excessive government support? It’s questions like that which make events like AusRAIL PLUS 2017 so great. Nowhere in Australasia will you find a greater collection of rail businesses, academics, and decision makers, to discuss this issue, and a hundred more. I hope you enjoy this special edition of Rail Express. And I look forward to seeing, and hearing from, as many businesses and individuals  as possible during this fantastic event.

Publisher Michael Mohi Tel: +61 (2) 9994 8086 Email: Michael.Mohi@mohimedia.com

Editor Oliver Probert Tel: +61 (0) 406 111 902 Email: Oliver.Probert@mohimedia.com

Head of Marketing Daniel Macias Tel: +61 (0) 427 277 074 Email: Daniel.Macias@mohimedia.com

Sales Executive Margaret Shannon Tel: +61 (2) 9994 8086 Email: Margaret.Shannon@mohimedia.com

Production Manager Ronda McCallum Tel: +61 (0) 411 045 046 Email: Ronda.McCallum@mohimedia.com

Design and Layout Jo Fuller Designs Tel: +61 (0) 414 289 699 Email: jodesign@bigpond.net.au

Oliver.Probert@mohimedia.com

Image courtesy of RailGallery.com.au

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE:

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www.RailExpress.com.au The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. © Copyright 2017 – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher. Printed by: Spotpress

ISSUE 3 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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AUSTRALASIAN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION

ARA

RAIL INDUSTRY CALLS FOR A NATIONAL RAIL INDUSTRY PLAN FOR THE BENEFIT OF AUSTRALIA

ustralasian Railway Association (ARA) Board members visited Parliament House in Canberra on 12 September 2017 to attend a Ministerial Roundtable with the Hon Darren Chester, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Paul Fletcher, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and the Hon Arthur Sinodinos, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and their advisors to discuss the implementation of a National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia that was developed by the ARA. Currently, the rail industry makes a significant contribution to the Australian economy of around $26 billion a year. Australian Federal, State and Territory Governments understand the increasing importance of both passenger and freight rail to Australia as an integral part of the national transport solution. Between the governments, investment in rolling stock, integrated intermodal solutions and supporting rail infrastructure is likely to exceed $100 billion by 2030. With such commitment from these governments, a National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia will significantly assist the rail industry to achieve its full potential. The Plan calls for a coordinated and collaborative approach between all governments, key stakeholders and the industry to take advantage of all the lessons learnt and position the industry for the future. The aim of the National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia is to highlight the important role that rail plays in the national

transport task and the Australian economy and to obtain maximum economic growth, efficiency, productivity and social benefits from the substantial investment currently being made. This will include in the areas of growth and employment, individual and company capabilities, productivity and innovation, integration of transport modes, local and export market opportunities, housing options and to provide the rail industry with greater certainty into the future. It is imperative to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the national rail endeavour, provide a manageable, realistic set of initiatives for both government and industry to implement in a realistic timeframe, and to provide a structured way forward, seeking agreement amongst stakeholders, with outcomes that add value and that can be measured. The five key areas of focus of the National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia include:

• Recognising the importance of rail for Australia’s infrastructure development, urban planning and freight movements • Harmonising standards, minimising regulations and maximising economies of scale • Growing the capabilities of individuals and companies • Maximising opportunities for rail companies • Fostering innovation, research and development.

DANNY BROAD

Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Railway Association

Australia depends on an efficient integrated transport system. The contribution rail already makes to our economy, environment and social cohesion cannot be underestimated. Each year almost one billion passenger journeys transport Australians on heavy and light rail networks in our capital cities and on regional services. Around 1.5 billion tonnes of freight, primarily bulk commodities, are moved on rail each year. This passenger and freight task is growing rapidly. Rail is a large employer, with close to 200,000 directly or indirectly involved through freight and passenger operators, track owners and managers, manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, consultants and government administration. A collaborative approach which engages Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments with the rail industry will enhance our economy through greater efficiencies in public transport, in freight and in the jobs created in building, augmenting, managing and maintaining rail networks. All Australians will be the beneficiaries. An important era lies ahead of us. It is a pivotal time and a National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia will ensure the rail industry can realise its full potential. This is an area where the ARA is currently working with industry and all governments to encourage commitment to the Plan to be well positioned for the future.  The National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia can be found on the ARA website at https://ara.net.au/national-rail-plan-benefitaustralia.

Senator the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, the Hon Darren Chester MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Bob Herbert AM, Chairman, ARA and Danny Broad, CEO, ARA at Parliament House on 12 September 2017 discussing the National Rail Industry Plan for the Benefit of Australia. Photo: ARA 10

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WELCOME TO BRISBANE THE 2017 EDITION OF THE AUSTRALASIAN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL AUSRAIL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION BRINGS THE RAIL INDUSTRY TO BRISBANE. HOME TO 2.4 MILLION, QUEENSLAND’S CAPITAL IS A PRIME HOST CITY FOR AUSRAIL FOR ITS BIENNIAL ‘PLUS’ YEAR.

risbane is the third-largest city in Australia, and over the last ten years, it has also been third in population growth. Between 2006 and 2016, the city’s population rose by 452,000, behind only Sydney (773,600) and Melbourne (964,600). It’s no surprise, then, that Brisbane is also a hotspot for recent rail projects, and remains in the middle of the never-ending battle between

the states for the Federal Government’s attention when it comes to building new transport infrastructure. To the city’s north is the recently-completed Redcliffe Peninsula rail line. The new line, which was known as the Moreton Bay Rail Link during construction, is the latest addition to CONTINUES PAGE 14 u

About the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre Cost $170 million of Queensland Government funding to build Opened in 1995, expanded in 2012 Exhibition hall floorspace of up to 20,000m2 Great Hall with capacity for 4,000 Auditoriums with capacity for 620 and 430 Home to the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL, and the Queensland Firebirds of National Netball League

The Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre hosts AusRAIL PLUS 2017. Photo courtesy of: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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Queensland Rail’s urban passenger network, and links Petrie to Kippa Ring via 12 kilometres of railway and six new stations. At the southernmost tip of the region’s transport network is the Gold Coast Light Rail network, known as the G:Link. With a first stage operational since mid-2014, construction is now underway to connect the line to the heavy rail line at Helensvale, and the wheels

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are in motion for a third stage to be added in the near future. And of course, among the biggest storylines in Australia’s passenger rail sector in recent months, is Cross City Rail, proposed for Brisbane’s CBD. The State Government has committed to fund the tunnel and station project, but certainly wouldn’t mind federal help. A negative assessment from Infrastructure

Australia earlier this year has made that federal help unlikely, however, and the state must now adjust its approach. With AusRAIL PLUS bringing an unrivalled collection of politicians, academics and businesses to Brisbane, there is little doubt these storylines will be well in the mix, along with the countless other national, regional, and  global trends on the table.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 2 2017

NEWS

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LOCAL MANUFACTURING KEY TO SENATE RAIL PLAN THE AUSTRALIAN RAIL INDUSTRY HAS WELCOMED A RECENT SENATE COMMITTEE REPORT CALLING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL RAIL MANUFACTURING PLAN, AND A COORDINATED RAIL PROCUREMENT STRATEGY.

he report, from the Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, makes nine recommendation targeting improved efficiencies in Government procurement, with the aim of boosting competitiveness, continuity of work, and the overall ‘capacity’ of Australia’s rail manufacturing sector. Squarely in the crosshairs of the Committee’s recommendations is maximising an expected $46 billion of investment in rail in Australia, over the next decade. The paper calls for the re-establishment of a Rail Supplier Advocate to promote the rail industry in dealing with Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and industry bodies. “Australia is currently a net importer of rail equipment,” the report explains, citing IBISWorld data indicating $1.4 billion of rail equipment imports in FY15, versus just $98.8 million in exports, and a Rail Manufacturing CRC estimate that rail equipment imports will grow 13.1% over the next five years.

“

The report suggests a concerted effort to stabilise the local manufacturing sector could be supported with a renewed focus on training. Photo: Rail Gallery, courtesy of Bombardier.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

THE COMMITTEE WAS TOLD … THAT IMPORTED ROLLING STOCK OFTEN DID NOT REPRESENT VALUE FOR MONEY.

Australian Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee report.

”

“Stakeholders stressed that the purchase of less expensive imports – at the expense of our own manufacturing industry – has only created another level of problems for the rail industry,” the paper says. “The committee was told, for example, that imported rolling stock often did not represent value for money. “There had been reports of poor quality, equipment requiring modification to meet Australian needs and significant costs associated with maintenance of imported equipment – including rolling stock … stakeholders also indicated that in addition to a lack of quality, imports frequently required expensive modifications to meet Australian requirements and standards.” As a first step to resolve these ongoing issues, the report suggests a National Rail Manufacturing Plan be developed, with the CONTINUES PAGE 18 u

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t FROM PAGE 16 – LOCAL MANUFACTURING ...

aim to “smooth out the peaks and troughs in market demand and create more certainty and predictability for manufacturers servicing the rail industry”. It also recommends a National Rail Procurement Strategy to cultivate procurement contract measures that “allow for the development of industrial capabilities for small and medium sized enterprises”. “The lack of a strong pipeline of investment in rolling stock has resulted in a lack of continuity in rail manufacturing,” the report states. “If Australia’s rail industry is to be sustainable, this situation needs to change. The current ad hoc approach to rolling stock orders continues to create uncertainty for manufacturers and is a disincentive for businesses to invest in expensive capital and research and development. The Rail Manufacturing CRC refers to this lack of investment certainty and ‘stop-start’ cycle of production as the ‘valley of death’, a term used in defence manufacturing.” The public transport wagon manufacturing sector was specifically highlighted in the investigation as being based around a ‘boom and bust’ or ‘lumpy’ spending cycle. “In recent times, the rail manufacturing sector has been shaped by the lack of a strong pipeline of investment in the manufacture of rollingstock. It was noted that this lack of investment and certainty has been a key contributor to low levels of innovation and R&D investment.” The paper recommends a coordinating body seek the buy-in of the federal, state and territory governments, to deliver and maintain both the Plan and the Strategy. The body would work with state and territory governments, and the rail industry, to develop the local manufacturing supply chain, by developing and expanding industry capability networks. The coordinated Strategy would also require parties to help cultivate critical skills in the rail sector by working with state and territory governments, and the rail industry, to develop Rail Industry Skills Centres at local TAFEs and colleges. Together the Commonwealth, the states and the territories should also work together to maximise local content in the manufacturing of passenger, freight and light rail rolling stock, the report suggests. An added benefit of this coordination would be the harmonisation of safety regulations – an issue highlighted early in the Senate paper. “The committee received a number of submissions which pointed to inefficiencies within the rail manufacturing industry,” the report says. “It was noted that regulatory structures, in relation to matters such as safety, training and recognition of qualifications can differ considerably under different regulatory structures and across different jurisdictions.”

“

WE WERE TAKING ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE YEARS TO BUILD A STANDARD. MY VIEW OF THAT WAS THAT, IF IT TAKES THREE AND FIVE YEARS TO BUILD A STANDARD, INDUSTRY DOES NOT NEED THAT STANDARD.

RISSB chief executive Paul Daly.

”

(above) The Senate Committee’s report recommended serious efforts be made to manufacture more rollingstock in Australia. (below) Australia is a major net importer when it comes to rail equipment, and experts estimate the gap between imports and exports will widen. Photos: Rail Gallery.

CONTINUES PAGE 20 u

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An added benefit of a more co-ordinated effort in rail manufacturing could be the harmonisation of safety standards and regulations, the report suggests. Photo: Rail Gallery.

t FROM PAGE 18 – LOCAL MANUFACTURING ...

Submissions to the Committee’s investigation were “consistent in their view” that greater harmonisation of standards, regulations and procurement practices across all rail sectors was “required” for the industry to thrive, with the Australasian Railway Association’s asserting that “best practice in tendering will reduce the cost burden”. “It was acknowledged, however, that the process required to reach this end has remained a wicked problem,” the Committee conceded, however, reviewing the history of the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB), and its recent separation from the ARA. Asked during the investigation whether he was satisfied with the progress made by RISSB to harmonise standards across Australian jurisdictions, RISSB chief executive Paul Daly didn’t mince words. “When I first started with RISSB [in 2016], I would talk to industry – we were going through the transition at this time – and my own staff and ask them for their views on how RISSB in particular and [how] the standards were going,” Daly said in evidence. “We were taking anywhere between three and five years to build a standard. My view of that was that, if it takes three and five years to build a standard, industry does not need that standard. So we heavily revamped our processes. We have taken it from what some in the industry saw as an organic process into a project management process. It must be done.” CONTINUES PAGE 22 u

“ 20

WE MUST STANDARDISE THE ROLLING STOCK PLATFORM USED IN THIS COUNTRY INSTEAD OF DESIGNING A NEW MODEL EACH TIME A GOVERNMENT DECIDES TO ACQUIRE NEW TRAINS OR TRAMS.

Shadow minister for transport and infrastructure, Anthony Albanese.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

”

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t FROM PAGE 20 – LOCAL MANUFACTURING ...

THE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SENATE’S REPORT:

Industry welcomes Senate plan

Danny Broad, chief executive of the Australasian Railway Association, said he was pleased the inquiry’s focus on the importance of maximising the benefits of the Australian rail manufacturing industry echoed the ARA’s National Industry Plan detailed in its own September report. “The nine recommendations from the Senate Committee further validate the importance of State, Territory and Commonwealth Government’s getting behind a National Rail Plan to ensure there is greater rail coordination nationally,” Broad said. “The ARA thanks the Committee for acknowledging the ARA’s efforts in putting together a truly national plan and looks forward to its continued support.” Federal Opposition transport and infrastructure Spokesman Anthony Albanese supported the report’s call for a national coordinated procurement strategy for rail.

Australian Government should 1 The establish a National Rail Manufacturing

Plan should develop a mechanism 2 The to smooth out the peaks and troughs

Commonwealth body should be 6 Aestablished, headed by a tripartite

Industry Plan to maximise the benefits of $46 billion of expected investment over the next decade.

in market demand, creating more certainty and predictability for rail manufacturers.

State and territory governments should endorse the Plan, and agree on methods to adequately support, resource and progress it.

Commonwealth, in coordination 4 The with states and territories, should

develop a National Rail Procurement Strategy. As signatories to the Strategy, states and territories should include measures in their procurement contracts which facilitate the development of industrial capabilities for SMEs. Consideration should be given to: •

Photo: Anthony Albanese / Facebook

“Under current arrangements states are doing their own thing on procurement, with 36 different train models in our public transport fleet, many being purchased overseas,” Albanese said. “We must standardise the rolling stock platform used in this country instead of designing a new model each time a government decides to acquire new trains or trams. Action must be taken to preserve the strategic capabilities of Australian rail  manufacturing.”

• •

Maximise local content for rollingstock procurement The relevant financial and non-financial costs and benefits of each project Requirements for contractors to undertake training strategies that educate and engage local apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets Commitments to local industry development and supply chain engagement Harmonisation of safety standards

The Strategy should be used to maximise local research and development, engaging with universities and research agencies.

council, to drive and coordinate both the National Rail Manufacturing Industry Plan, and the National Rail Procurement Strategy.

Rail Supplier Advocate should 7 The be re-established, to promote

the rail industry in dealing with Commonwealth, state and territory governments, and industry bodies.

Commonwealth coordinating 8 The body should be given direct terms

of reference to work directly with the rail manufacturing supply chain in developing and expanding industry capability.

The Australian Government should work with state and territory governments, and the rail industry, to develop Rail Industry Skills Centres at local TAFEs and colleges.

Image courtesy of RailGallery.com.au

Don’t miss the

Urban Infrastructure feature in the January/February edition of Rail Express

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ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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NATIONAL

NEWS

LYON TO LEAVE IPA INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA WILL SEEK A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AFTER BRENDAN LYON ANNOUNCED HE WILL LEAVE THE LOBBY GROUP NEXT YEAR.

yon will depart at the end of his current contract in the second quarter of 2018, after a decade as chief executive. “While I will be sad to leave next year, after a decade it’s time for me to seek new opportunities and I am very grateful to the board for their support as I move on to my next role,” Lyon said on October 16. “IPA is a very different organisation to what it was a decade ago, with a clear mandate, solid resources and very skilled professional staff and I am looking forward to seeing a new CEO appointed to take IPA even further.” IPA chairman Adrian Kloeden said Lyon – who plans to seek roles in business – had been a crucial piece of the body’s development over the past ten years. “In his decade as CEO, Brendan has led IPA from a tiny start-up, into one of Australia’s most respected and successful public policy organisations,” Kloeden said. “Brendan has been an outstanding CEO and we will miss his leadership, passion and skill, but we support his decision and look forward to seeing him move to a senior role in business, next year. Until then, it will be business as usual for IPA.” Kloeden said Lyon’s impact on infrastructure policy during his time at IPA had been “deep, positive and sustained”. He said IPA was well prepared to find a new CEO.  “We expect a strong field of candidates,” Kloeden said.

Brendan Lyon. Photo: Infrastructure Partnerships Australia.

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The Opposition believes the Government’s $10 billion rail plan is actually going to delay funding for a number of key projects. Photo: Rail Gallery.

LABOR PROBES “SHAM” NATIONAL RAIL PROGRAM OPPOSITION CRITICISM OF MALCOLM TURNBULL’S $10 BILLION NATIONAL RAIL PLAN HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY TESTIMONY FROM A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL DURING A SENATE ESTIMATES HEARING, CONFIRMING THERE IS NO INTENTION FOR ANY OF THE MONEY TO BE SPENT PRIOR TO THE 2020 FINANCIAL YEAR.

hadow transport and infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese has repeatedly targeted the National Rail Program, labelling the 2017 Budget announcement a “sham”. The Government committed $10 billion to the Plan in the Budget, but has only included $600 million in spending in its forward estimates (i.e. over the next four financial years). “Under the so-called National Rail Program, not a single dollar is available for building rail in this entire term of Parliament,” Albanese

Photo: Creative Commons / Jpp 26

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

said following the Budget this year. “Nothing this year, nothing next year, and nothing the year after that.” Albanese has said there are a number of rail projects deserving of funding that could be supported by the Program, but the Turnbull Government’s idea of due process means none of these projects will get funded any time soon. The former deputy-PM’s criticisms were confirmed at a Senate Estimates hearing on October 23 when Jessica Hall, the Department

of Infrastructure and Regional Development’s general manager for infrastructure policy, further outlined the Program. “At the moment, we’ve got the $200 million profiled in 2019-20 and then another $400 million profiled in 2021,” Hall said. “The profile after that is outside the forward estimates, and we haven’t actually worked out how that will be profiled at this stage.” Asked by Labor senator Glenn Sterle how the first $200 million would be spent, Hall had no answers. “There have been no decisions on the expenditure for the National Rail Program at the moment,” she said. “We’re still waiting for business cases and other like from states and territories, but we anticipate that there’ll be a range of projects coming forward over that period of time. “The reason that the profile of the $10 billion is outside the forward estimates at this particular point of time is that we recognise that a lot of these projects are actually quite large and that, in addition, they’ll also take a considerable period of time to build.” Hall said all projects valued at over $100 million would still go through the Infrastructure Australia process, as per the Commonwealth’s infrastructure mantra. Albanese also criticised the Senate Estimates hearing’s further finding of $3.9 billion in Coalition “underspending” on infrastructure over the last three budget years, calling it evidence of “the Abbott-Turnbull Government’s ineptitude”. Federal spending on infrastructure was $1.7 billion lower in FY17 than what was outlined in that year’s Budget, due to lower actual figures across a range of programs. This followed similar figures of $1.2 billion in FY16, and $829 million in FY15. “[The Coalition] Government is either misleading Australians about its actual spending intentions, or is too incompetent to deliver its promises,” Albanese said after the hearing. “In infrastructure, it is not uncommon for money allocated one year to be delayed into the following year because of factors like weather delays or difficulty finalising contractors to complete work. However, when this happens, the extra spending is delivered in the following year.” What the Coalition’s figures show, the shadow minister says, is less of a year-by-year correction process, and more of a trend of underspending on infrastructure. “The Coalition is drastically underspending its infrastructure budgets year after year with the figure increasing each year,” the member for Grayndler continued. “It appears the tactic here is promise big on Budget night, when Australians are watching the Treasurer’s Budget speech, but then fail to deliver what was promised in the hope nobody will notice. This deceptive behaviour lets down Australians. “Investing in the right railways, road and other infrastructure generates economic activity in the short and medium term, and boosts economic productivity in the longer term.” 

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Moorebank Intermodal terminal. Graphic: Qube

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NSW

QUBE TAKEN TO COURT OVER RARE PLANT REDISCOVERY THE DISCOVERY OF A SHRUB UNSEEN BY EXPERTS FOR ALMOST 200 YEARS FORCED QUBE TO MAKE CONCESSIONS ON ITS MASSIVE MOOREBANK INTERMODAL DEVELOPMENT, AFTER A COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP TOOK IT TO THE NSW LAND AND ENVIRONMENT COURT IN OCTOBER.

he Court held a three-day hearing after action was brought by the Residents Against Intermodal Development Moorebank (RAID), supported by the NSW Environmental Defenders Office. According to reports, Qube’s lawyers had attempted to block RAID’s action via a motion to dismiss at the NSW Supreme Court, but were rejected on October 9, clearing the way for the full hearing. RAID’s case was based around the discovery of hibbertia fumana at the Moorebank site during surveys late last year. Hibbertia fumana is described as a low-lying shrub, and is listed as a critically endangered species. Originally discovered in 1802 near South Head, and in Western Sydney, the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage says the Moorebank population of hibbertia fumana

is now the only known extant population, saying the plant is “currently only known from a single population at Moorebank but potentially elsewhere in greater Sydney”. Qube’s development already received approval from the state Planning Assessment Commission, but RAID is arguing via its appeal that the PAC was not fully aware of the shrub’s rediscovery when it handed down its original decision. According to a Daily Telegraph report, Qube made a number of concessions at the hearing, in the process preventing RAID from outright blocking the project. The group has also challenged Moorbank over sound pollution issues. “Qube indicated to the court that concessions would be made in respect to the issues raised about the future of the rare and threatened plant species, and also made

A rare plant was discovered on the Moorebank site after the project had received planning approval. Photo: NSW Office of Environment & Heritage.

new concessions in respect to noise,” RAID vice president Jennifer French was quoted as saying. RAID has also raised concerns over increased traffic in the local area, and the potential of the project to pollute the Georges River. “The potential for dangerous diesel particulate pollution in our city area alone makes this project an exercise in irresponsibility, but the traffic implications and environmental damage are also a huge concern for residents,” French was quoted. A Qube spokesperson was also quoted, saying the company was “pleased that during the course of the hearing, the residents’ group confirmed that it was no longer asking the court to cancel our approval but, instead, to consider changes to the current conditions”. 

(left) Moorebank represents a significant injection of intermodal capacity for the Sydney region. Graphic: Moorebank Intermodal Company.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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The new Newcastle Interchange is at the site of the old Wickham Station. Photo: Revitalising Newcastle.

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NSW

NEWCASTLE INTERCHANGE OPENS TO PUBLIC NEWCASTLE’S NEW HEAVY RAIL TERMINUS HAS OPENED, IN WHAT IS BEING HERALDED AS A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR THE CONTROVERSIAL LIGHT RAIL DEVELOPMENT IN THE GROWING NSW CITY.

evitalising Newcastle, the NSW Government body tasked with overseeing the delivery of the light rail line, and the subsequent overhaul of the city’s transport network, announced in late September the Newcastle Interchange had been opened to the public at Wickham. “Newcastle Interchange will be your final stop when arriving into Newcastle on the Central Coast and Newcastle, and Hunter train lines,” the body said on its Facebook page. Commuters can use the terminal to get to and from shuttle buses, travelling between the interchange and Newcastle’s CBD.

The shuttle service will eventually be replaced by the new light rail line, which will service roughly the same route the old, heavy rail line into central Newcastle used to service. Some local residents and businesses have complained this dynamic makes the light rail line a pointless – and expensive – project, but the State Government believes the line will help evolve the city’s public transport network, while encouraging substantial development along its route. Revitalising Newcastle program director Michael Cassel, who spoke with the Newcastle Herald, no doubt hopes the

opening of the new Interchange will help improve public opinion. “You only have to stand here today and talk to a few people around to know it has been well and truly worth it,” he was quoted as saying. “This is the first major milestone for that $650 million [investment in Newcastle]. If we can get the outcome for the rest of the corridor to this standard, we’ll be quite happy. “This part of the city was chosen as the CBD moves further west. We’re right now in the centre of where the CBD will be in the future, as the east becomes more of a  residential village.”

BROADSPECTRUM EXTENDS BLUESCOPE MAINTENANCE DEAL AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE FIRM BROADSPECTRUM HAS BEEN AWARDED A FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION ON ITS DEAL TO MAINTAIN 78 KILOMETRES OF RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE BLUESCOPE STEELWORKS AT PORT KEMBLA, NSW.

roadspectrum, which was publicly traded as Transfield Services until it was acquired by Ferrovial in 2016, announced the new deal in October. The news extends the existing contract – which started in 2001 – to at least 2021. Broadspectrum said its new status meant it could collaborate with Amey, a fellow Ferrovial subsidiary which specialises in utilities and transport maintenance.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

This collaboration allows Broadspectrum to enhance its offering to BlueScope, with the new contract now covering asset management, facilities management, shutdowns and project management services, the company said. “I would like to thank the team for their long-term dedication to BlueScope and for their initiative to implement our rail capabilities as a value-add to our industrial

services,” Broadspectrum’s resources chief executive Tom Quinn said. The company’s transport chief executive, Peter Richardson, added: “By working together with our Resources team, we are leveraging our own rail capabilities to deliver a comprehensive set of essential services to add value to our clients.” The new five-year contract will start on  December 1, 2017.

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NSW

The Future Transport 2056 strategy from the Greater Sydney Commission aims to create three city centres across the Sydney region. Graphic: Transport for NSW.

THREE-CITY SYDNEY, RAIL PROJECTS OUTLINED IN NSW 40-YEAR PLANS A THREE-CITY SYDNEY CONNECTED BY NEW RAIL LINKS, AND A RANGE OF OTHER REGIONAL, LIGHT AND PASSENGER RAIL PROJECTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN A PAIR OF MAJOR PLANNING DOCUMENTS RELEASED BY THE NSW GOVERNMENT IN OCTOBER.

ransport for NSW released its Future Transport 2056 draft strategy, in conjunction with the Greater Sydney Commission’s draft Greater Sydney Region Plan, on October 23. Together, the plans aim to deliver a 40-year blueprint for the NSW Transport system. Greater Sydney Chief Commissioner Lucy Turnbull outlined the three-city plan,

which breaks Sydney down into a Harbour City to the east, a Central River City at Parramatta, and a Western Parkland City. “Reshaping Greater Sydney as a metropolis of three cities – Eastern, Central and Western – will rebalance it, fostering jobs, improving housing affordability, easing congestion and enhancing our enviable natural environment across the entire region,” Turnbull said.

Turnbull said the plan was “particularly exciting” for Western Sydney, where “an entirely new city” will emerge west of the M7. “The new Western Sydney Airport and the surrounding aerotropolis will support tens of thousands of jobs,” she said. “Penrith, Liverpool and Campbelltown will become university towns, which means even greater opportunity for young people growing up in Greater Sydney’s west.”

The joint plans have technology as a key facilitator to transport development. Graphic: Transport for NSW.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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To support Sydney’s new tri-city model, Transport for NSW’s Future Transport plan proposes a new strategy aimed at getting 70% of residents within 30 minutes of their place of work. “Five years ago, we provided a blueprint about what transport would begin to look like over the next 20 years,” NSW transport and infrastructure minister Andrew Constance said. “With most of these projects either being built now or in planning, it is time to refresh the blueprint given what we’ve achieved. This time we’re looking at what’s possible over the next 40 years, not 20.” Transport proposals include a potential mass transit/rail link between Parramatta and Kogarah, to eliminate the need for passengers to move via the Sydney CBD. There’s also a future plan to link the growing Norwest region – currently being linked to the wider network by the Sydney Metro Stage 1 project – to Parramatta by mass transit. The program outlines some potential for extensions to light rail in Sydney, Parramatta and Newcastle, and the expansion of the Metro network to extend the reach of the “30-minute city”. Also part of the Government’s 40-year plan is a blueprint for regional NSW, which includes the potential of light rail or mass transit connections to Tweed Heads and Queanbeyan, and electrification of the rail network to Bathurst, Goulburn, Telarah and Bombaderry. The much-discussed, on-and-off-again Maldon to Dombarton link is also rolled into the report, with the aim of improving EastWest connectivity and port access. Roads, maritime and freight minister Melinda Pavey said the plan would handle the projected 25% growth expected in freight movements across regional NSW by 2056, and the doubling of freight movements expected in metropolitan areas in the same timeframe. “That’s a big number and an even bigger task to manage these increases safely, especially with the regional population expected to top 3.6 million over the same period,” Pavey said.

Transport for NSW’s 40-year program also includes regional transport projects. Photo: Rail Gallery.

“Some of this will be managed through technology driven improvements, but a lot of it will be through offering customers safe and reliable choices. We want to grow the industry as a whole and give people new and different travel options, not even dreamt of a decade ago.” Business Chamber welcomes plan

The representative body for Sydney businesses said if the new 40-year program is properly implemented, the city could manage its growth “while remaining a productive and competitive economic region”. Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe welcomed the draft plan, saying it fulfils the Commission’s brief by bringing land use and transport planning together in a whole-of-government strategy. “[The joint plan] recognises that Sydney faces significant challenges to manage its growth,” Forsythe said. “Three things stand out in the draft plan, and that is the overt linking of growth with transport infrastructure; a recognition that future development may be shaped by digital technology that may alter how cities and their

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networks function; and the importance within the big framework of the role of place-based planning so that precincts and suburbs will have the capacity to develop strong and unique characteristics within the broader region,” she continued. The key to getting things right will be successfully extrapolating central Sydney’s current success, across the new growth areas, Forsythe said. “What is clear is that the Eastern City, Sydney’s global city, is already a highly competitive economic region when compared to other global cities but that for all of Sydney to achieve its potential, the job opportunities in the Parramatta CBD and the future Western Sydney Airport Region will have to be a focus of government strategy and enhanced spending on infrastructure.” Forsythe said the relationship between state, federal and local governments will be crucial. “What the Plan makes clear is that land use and planning cannot be delivered in a silo and that various Agencies of Government cannot embark on their own strategies in isolation from the agreed plan,” she concluded. 

dŽŽůŝŶŐ Θ ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ DĂŝŶƚĞŶĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ůĞĐƚƌŝĮĞĚ ZĂŝů EĞƚǁŽƌŬƐ dZ < D /Ed E E ͬ KE^dZh d/KE ͬ ^/'E >>/E' ͬ Ks Z, dZ d/KE Tension Stringing and Hauling Equipment ,ǇĚƌĂƵůŝĐ ƌŝŵƉŝŶŐ͕ ƵƫŶŐ͕ ^ƚƌĂŝŐŚƚĞŶĞƌƐ͕ >ŝŌŝŶŐ͕ WƵŵƉƐ ƵƐƚŽŵ ĂŶǀĂƐ ĂŶĚ Ws ^ƚŽƌĂŐĞ ^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ ĂďůĞ >ƵďƌŝĐĂŶƚƐ͕ ƵĐƚ ^ĞĂůĂŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ dƌĂŶƐĨŽƌŵĞƌ ZĞƉĂŝƌ dŽĞ :ĂĐŬƐ͕ ŚĂŝŶ ,ŽŝƐƚƐ͕ ŽŵĞĂůŽŶŐƐ͕ ǇŶĂŵŽŵĞƚĞƌƐ dĞƐƚ ƋƵŝƉŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƌƚŚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ZĞƐĐƵĞ &ŝďƌĞŐůĂƐƐ ^ƟĐŬƐ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƵůĂƟŶŐ WW >ŝŶĞ DĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŶŶĞĐƚŽƌƐ

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QLD

The Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation Project looks to simplify a complex junction of road and rail in Adelaide’s south. Graphic: Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, South Australian Government.

SA RAIL WORKS SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE OVER $200 MILLION WORTH OF RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FROM THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S 2017-18 BUDGET WERE SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE PARLIAMENTARY PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER.

he projects include the $31.4 million relocation of Adelaide metropolitan rail Operations Control Centre from its existing premises near SAMHRI to Dry Creek, the $16.4 million Port Adelaide rail spur, and the $174.3 million Oaklands Crossing. “South Australia is experiencing a once-in-ageneration infrastructure boom as we deliver the rail, roads, schools and hospitals our state needs,” transport and infrastructure minister Stephen Mullighan said. The minister also stressed that the investments would open-up job opportunities for South Australians and support local businesses. “By setting strict requirements for local content, and putting more apprentices

and trainees into work, we’re making sure South Australians reap the benefits of our investments,” he said. The Port Adelaide rail spur project will reinstate train service to the centre of Port Adelaide for the first time in almost 30 years, linking the Port’s commercial centre and the Dock One residential precinct to the Adelaide CBD. “It’s exciting to see our plans coming along for returning train services to Port Adelaide for the first time in almost 30 years,” Labor Member for Port Adelaide Susan Close said. “This is a significant project in the ongoing renewal of Port Adelaide and with more and more people choosing to live and work here

it’s important they have access to fast and reliable public transport.” The Port Dock Railway Line Project will see the construction of new dual mainline connections from the Outer Harbor Line to the Port Spur, as well as track upgrades and the building of supporting infrastructure on the spur line. A new Port Adelaide Railway Station is also to be built as part of the project, while a new railway signalling system to control the junction and spur line is to be installed. The relocation of the Adelaide metropolitan rail operations control centre to the Dry Creek depot will mean that the existing North Terrace control centre is to be demolished and the site made available for the development of a new medical research facility. Under the Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation Project, the rail line will be constructed under Morphett Road, along with modifications to road junctions along Morphett Road and Diagonal Road located either side of the rail crossing. “The Oaklands Crossing is one of the busiest intersections in the southern suburbs and everyone who travels through the area, whether it’s to access local shops and businesses or the aquatic centre, school or medical facilities knows how much of a difference the underpass will make,” Labor Member for Elder Annabel Digance said. A new 160-metres-long Oaklands Park Railway Station is also to be built that to cater for longer trains and to support the passenger growth on the Seaford line, while on Morphett Road a grade separation of the Marino Rocks Greenway pedestrian and cycling shared use path will be carried out. “I have long campaigned for this upgrade and it is great to reach another milestone in the project which will have a big impact on the  lives of local residents,” Digance said.

HARVEST BEGINS EARLY ON EYRE PENINSULA

he company’s western region operations manager, James Murray, said crops on western Eyre Peninsula were ahead of other areas. “Importantly, our sites are ready to go when growers are able to start. We’re well prepared to handle a range of quality characteristics and have the ability to be flexible with grades and segregations as harvest progresses,” Murray said. “We aim to help growers capture as much value from their grain as possible while meeting buyers’ needs at the same time, and

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

encourage growers to provide feedback at any stage during harvest.” Viterra says it has worked closely with a number of visiting grain buying delegations this year to make South Australia their origin of choice. “Here on the EP we hosted a delegation from United Arab Emirates and they were impressed by the farming practices and the quality control and food safety within our supply chain,” Murray continued. “This year we have a new declaration process for growers at receival which helps to meet increasingly tighter requirements from export markets, critically important in an export region like the Eyre Peninsula.” Viterra is still moving the record 2016/17 crop out of the Eyre Peninsula, with over 3 million tonnes exported between October 2016 and September 2017.

“Viterra has shipped 3.09 million tonnes of grain from the Eyre Peninsula since October last year, which is the second-largest total on record,” Murray said. “This has been remarkable effort by our employees and transport partners, achieved with exceptionally low vessel wait times. “New season shipping is expected to start about mid-November, with nine different exporters committed to exporting from the  Eyre Peninsula in 2017/18.” www.railexpress.com.au

Photo: www.Viterra.com.au

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AGRIBUSINESS VITERRA RECEIVED ITS FIRST EYRE PENINSULA LOAD FOR THE 2017/18 HARVEST INTO ITS POOCHERA RECEIVAL SITE ON OCTOBER 10.

Aurizon’s coal volumes were improved in the September quarter thanks to a major new contract. Photo: Rail Gallery

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ANOTHER MINING EXPERT JOINS AURIZON BOARD MINING INDUSTRY LIFER MARCELO BASTOS HAS BEEN NAMED THE NEWEST NON-EXECPublished by Rail Express and endorsed by The Australasian Railway Association

UTIVE DIRECTOR OF AURIZON, JOINING THE RAIL OPERATOR’S BOARD ON NOVEMBER 15.

astos has more than three decades of experience in the mining sector, working in major project development, operations and logistics across multiple sectors, including iron ore, gold, copper, nickel, zinc and coal. A non-executive director of Iluka Resources, and an external director of Golder Associates, Bastos spent the last six-and-a-half years as chief operating officer of MMG Limited, an ASX-listed, Melbourne-headquartered ChineseAustralian resources business, which has base metals operations in three continents.

Marcelo Bastos is the latest addition to Aurizon’s leadership team. Photo: Aurizon.

Before working at MMG, Bastos spent seven years with BHP, where he spent time as president of Nickel Americas, president of Nickel West, and chief executive officer of the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance. Bastos also had a 19-year career with Brazilian mining giant Vale, performing a range of senior management and operational roles. Aurizon chairman Tim Poole said Bastos would be a valuable addition to the board. “Marcelo has extensive operational and project management experience in the resources sector globally,” Poole said. “Marcelo has an excellent understanding of our business, our customers and our opportunities and will further diversify the skills and experience of the Aurizon board.”

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Bastos joins fellow former mining executive, Andrew Harding, who was Rio Tinto’s iron ore chief executive before becoming Aurizon’s managing director.

The Australasian

Coal volumes bolstered by AGL deal

Rail Directory

Aurizon’s coal haulage volumes jumped 7% year-on-year in the September quarter, thanks in part to the commencement of its 8.7 million tonnes per annum AGL Macquarie deal in NSW. The Brisbane-headquartered operator won the AGL contract, which used to belong to competitor Pacific National, late last year, and commenced services in July 2017. The contract is to haul coal from the Wilpinjong mine and Mangoola mine to AGL’s Bayswater and Liddell power stations, in the NSW Hunter Valley. The additional volume helped Aurizon deliver 13.3 million tonnes of coal haulage in NSW in the September quarter, up 15% year-onyear. Queensland volumes were up 5% to 41.6 million tonnes. Combined, the operator hauled 54.9 million tonnes of coal in Queensland and NSW, up 7%. “September Quarter 2017 volumes of 54.9mt were the highest quarter coal railings since December 2013 (56.2mt) … largely resulting from strong customer demand following Tropical Cyclone Debbie in Goonyella, and commencement of the AGL Macquarie contract in NSW,” the company told the ASX. Aurizon’s annual guidance remains at 215-225 million tonnes for the 2017/18 financial year. Elsewhere, a full quarter running of IMEX and K&S volumes, which commenced in September 2016, led to a 6% year-on-year increase in intermodal container volumes, to 105,900 TEUs. The operator also outlined a 4% drop in other bulk volumes, to 14.2 million tonnes. This decline was due to the closure of the Mt Isa Freighter service at the end of January, and temporary production issues for one of Aurizon’s iron ore customers during the  quarter.

2018

NEW RAIL DIRECTORY 2018 OUT NOW! To order your copy, please call Daniel Macias on 0427 270 774 or email: info@railexpress.com.au

Image courtesy of RailGallery.com.au

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 2 2017

Photo: Creative Commons / Stephen Edmonds.

NEWS

TASMANIA

HOBART LIGHT RAIL SUBMITTED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY LIST TASMANIA SUBMITTED A $200 MILLION LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IN HOBART FOR CONSIDERATION IN INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA’S NEXT INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY LIST, AS PART OF ITS PLAN TO INCLUDE THE PROJECT IN THE PROPOSED HOBART CITY DEAL WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

nfrastructure Australia opened submissions for the 2018 edition of Infrastructure Priority List on August 17. The list ranks projects worth more than $100 million, with the aim of informing the Commonwealth Government on funding decisions. The Hodgman Government in Tasmania has been in talks with the Turnbull Government over a City Deal for Hobart – a joint effort between the State and the Federal Governments to fund development – with light rail at its core. “I recently toured the rail line with federal minister for cities Angus Taylor and spoke very positively about the potential for light rail to

be further progressed as part of the Hobart City Deal,” Tasmanian infrastructure minister Rene Hidding said on October 30. “[Infrastructure Australia] referral will add further weight behind this business case.” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull promoted the potential of a Hobart City Deal while talking about a similar deal – the Launceston City Deal – in August. “Will [Hodgman] and I have been talking about a similar deal in Hobart,” the PM said, “we want this to be the model for federal engagement and infrastructure investment.” “A Hobart City Deal will help improve our capital’s livability, and take what is already a

world-class city to the next level,” Hodgman said at the time. “I will continue to work on a City Deal for Hobart and to partner with federal and local governments to improve quality of life, and seize new opportunities for our community.” Along with the light rail line, Tasmania is also submitting the third tranche of the Tasmanian Irrigation Project, and the development of the island’s future energy opportunities, to the Infrastructure Priority List. Among the Tasmanian projects already on the IPL, is the Burnie to Hobart freight corridor strategy, which addresses the growth of the  state’s highest volume freight corridor.

Image courtesy of RailGallery.com.au

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Light Rail feature in the January/February edition of Rail Express

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ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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NEWS

TASMANIA

Biarri’s system will use TasRail’s freight data with the aim of boosting efficiency. Photo: TasRail.

AUSTRALIAN COMPANY AWARDED TASRAIL PLANNING SOFTWARE CONTRACT

utilising excel spreadsheets and across a number of departments”. Parton said that the new system would enable better use of TasRail’s railway assets and its organisation of planning activities. “This will result in more effective and efficient planning to meet our customers’ needs and ensure we continue to deliver freight in a safe, timely and competitive manner,” Parton said. Biarri’s tender won out over five other mainland-Australian and overseas companies. While the Request for Tender was in step with TasRail’s “Buy Local” policy, no Tasmanian firms submitted a tender for the new software development. Tom Forbes, Biarri Rail’s CEO, said that they would be providing an innovative solution which would provide measurable outcomes. “Boss MP is a new concept in planning and scheduling software, bringing together man and machine through a great user experience and powerful algorithms to help manage the complexity associated with railway planning,” Forbes said. “Ultimately, this helps railways save money, improve asset utilisation and drive efficiency.” The software will be introduced to TasRail’s operations in three separate stages, while the complete system is expected to be finalised in early 2019. Three requests for tender released

BIARRI RAIL HAS BEEN AWARDED A CONTRACT TO DELIVER NEW PLANNING AND SCHEDULING SOFTWARE FOR TASRAIL, INCLUDING PROGRAMS THAT WILL REPORTEDLY CREATE EFFICIENCIES IN TRAIN SCHEDULING.

n Australian-based developer of planning and scheduling software, Biarri Rail will soon undertake the design of a Boss MP cloud-based system for Tasmania’s major rail operator. The reported aim of the new software is to provide TasRail with improved train design planning, locomotive selection, rollingstock utilisation, rostering and train pathing. Freight data provided by a customer (such as freight tonnage) will be able to be entered

into the system, which will then determine various efficiency measures that can be taken by TasRail, providing the operator with an estimation of the number of days the trains need to be run, the amount the wagons, the time of day, and the preferable organisation of the driver and crew roster. According to Bob Parton, TasRail’s freight services general manager, this would mean a marked improvement on the existing system, where “planning is currently undertaken

“

NEW TRACK WORK THROUGH LEVEL CROSSINGS REDUCES ONGOING MAINTENANCE ... AND ENHANCES TRACK QUALITY FOR TASRAIL’S ROLLINGSTOCK.

Damien White TasRail CEO

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

”

TasRail also recently released three requests for tender for significant track and level crossing upgrades, forming part of the $119.6 million Tasmanian Freight Rail Revitalisation Program jointly funded by the state government and the Commonwealth. The tender packages feature track works on the Western, Fingal, Bell Bay, and Melba lines, and level crossing upgrades at Foster Street in Railton, and Westbury Place in Deloraine. TasRail CEO Damien White said the investment program was focusing on important developments that would enhance reliability and competitiveness of freight services on the Tasmanian rail network. “The Bell Bay track works will improve the reliability of the intermodal and log traffic to and from George Town, while the Melba Line works will focus on the removal of maintenance-intensive mechanical rail joints as well as new line,” White said. “New track work through level crossings reduces ongoing maintenance, improves the facility for pedestrians and road vehicles and enhances track quality for TasRail’s rollingstock.” The state government’s Buy Local policy means that tenderers will be required to demonstrate support for Tasmanian industry and business. Track works on the Western, Fingal and Bell Bay lines are expected to begin in December 2017. The Melba Line welding and track works and the level crossing upgrades at Railton and Deloraine planned to start in January 2018. The requests for the tender close in late  November.

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VICTORIA

NEWS

(left) Melbourne’s tram network saw a slight dip in fare compliance in 2017. (right) Fare compliance dipped to 94.2% on Victoria’s regional network. Photos: Rail Gallery.

PUNCTUALITY UP, FARE COMPLIANCE DOWN IN VICTORIA PUBLIC TRANSPORT VICTORIA OFFICIALS WILL BE PLEASED WITH IMPROVED EFFICIENCY IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WILL NO DOUBT HAVE AN EYE ON FARE COMPLIANCE MEASURES AFTER TICKET DODGING ROSE ON MELBOURNE’S TRAMS.

ublic Transport Victoria boss Jeroen Weimar praised Metro Trains Melbourne for hitting a 12-month high for service punctuality in September, after implementing a new timetable with 30 extra services. Metro delivered 92.8% of services on time in September, up from the 90.2% 12-month average, and the highest mark since at least September last year. “We’re seeing a continuing trend of better punctuality on our metropolitan trains, and with stronger contracts being introduced later this year we expect Metro to continue to provide a better service for our passengers,” Weimar said. “This is the first full month of the new Metro timetable, with 30 extra weekly services providing room for an additional 27,000 passenger trips at the busiest times of the day.” The Sandringham line was the most punctual in September, with 95.3% of services running on time, while the Cranbourne line set the lowest mark, at just 84.7%. Weimar also praised V/Line for 87.1% punctuality in September, the highest mark since October last year. The country operator also introduced a new timetable in September, with 151 additional weekly services. “V/Line is now running more than 2,000 regular services every week for the first time in its history, and it’s pleasing to see this has been achieved alongside an increase in on time running,” Weimar reflected. “On-time performance on the Warrnambool line is progressively improving each month and as more level crossing upgrades are completed, temporary speed restrictions can be removed …”

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90.0% of Warrnambool line services were on time, up from a woeful 12-month average of just 50.7%. Melbourne’s tram network also had a good month, with 84.5% of services on time, up two percentage points on the 12-month average, and the highest mark since January. “This is a great result for passengers, and shows that Yarra Trams are capable of meeting tougher performance thresholds being introduced later this year to run 82% of services on time,” Weimar said. “Yarra Trams operate for the most part in a shared environment with vehicles on the biggest tram network in the world, and the new contract will deliver $81.5 million in maintenance works every year to improve reliability.” Dip in fare compliance

Fare compliance on Victoria’s metropolitan and regional transport networks dropped over the past year, according to a separate survey from Public Transport Victoria. PTV’s survey data – which was taken in May, and released in early October – shows compliance dipped on Melbourne’s tram network to 95.1%, compared to 96.4% recorded in October 2016. Compliance rose slightly on Melbourne’s trains – from 97.4% to 97.6% – while a substantial drop in bus compliance – from 93.6% to 89.2% – meant PTV’s overall metropolitan network compliance fell from 96.2% to 94.8% in the May 2017 survey. Meanwhile, regional train fare compliance was 94.2% in May, down from 95.9% in October 2016.

Weimar looked on the positive, noting fare compliance remains roughly 10% higher than it was a decade ago, when the first survey showed 86.6%. Weimar also noted the survey was the first since the introduction of a new fare compliance system, which saw better training for Authorised Officers, and the removal of on-thespot penalty fares on January 1. “Over the past decade we’ve seen a huge improvement in the number of passengers doing the right thing and it is great to see that continuing,” Weimar said. “At the same time we have also seen a reduction in the number of complaints about Authorised Officers, following the introduction of the new simpler and fairer compliance system.” Despite the vast majority of Victorian passengers travelling with a valid ticket, PTV says fare evasion still cost $36.5 million in lost revenue in the last financial year. Common reasons for not having a valid ticket were concession fare breaches, and having regional train passengers having an  ‘insufficient balance’ on their myki cards.

Melbourne Metro fare compliance was up, and the operator delivered 92.8% on-time running in September. Photo: Rail Gallery.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 2 2017

NEWS

VICTORIA

A TBM used for Brisbane’s Legacy Way

TBMS NEEDED FOR MELBOURNE METRO TUNNEL THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT IS CASTING OUT ITS NET FOR A SUPPLIER TO BUILD THE FOUR TUNNEL BORING MACHINES (TBMS) THAT WILL BE USED TO CONSTRUCT MELBOURNE’S METRO TUNNEL.

he four TBMs required for the $11 billion project in Melbourne’s CBD will reportedly be over 100 metres long and weigh up to 1,000 tonnes. They will also need to be custom-built to deal for the unique ground conditions in the city. The Metro Tunnel project will include the construction of five new underground stations, two of which will be directly connected to Flinders Street and Melbourne Central. The two nine-kilometre tunnels linking the stations will be dug by the new TBMs once they have been built and delivered to the launch sites in the city. “We’re building a world-class, turn-up and go train system for Victoria and will use the world’s best to get the job done,” Premier Daniel Andrews said. “These giant custom-made TBMs will work day and night beneath the ground, building the Metro Tunnel to run more trains, more often, across Melbourne.” It is expected that it will take around 18 months to construct the machines. They will then be tested and shipped to Melbourne in segments before being delivered to launch sites at Arden and Domain in 2019, where they will be lowered into the ground and reassembled on-site by local workers. While digging into the earth under the city, the TBMs will also progressively install concrete linings to support the excavated tunnel. Initial works for the Metro Tunnel project are underway at City Square, and, later in the month, windows will be installed in the giant timber fences along Swanston Street to create a viewing area where people can see the former underground City Square car park demolished and removed. “The new viewing area at City Square will give Victorians a behind the scenes look as major construction ramps up to build a new underground station,” state transport minister Jacinta Allan said. “The project will create thousands of jobs, and a true underground train network for Melbourne. After years of delay under the former Liberal Government – who abandoned the Metro Tunnel — we’re getting on with it.” 

(top) Concept image of the planned CBD North station. (left) Concept image of the planned CBD South station. Graphics: Melbourne Metro Rail Authority.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

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2018

Canberra

27-28 November

CALL FOR PAPERS

The AusRAIL 2018 Technical Papers Committee invites you to submit a 400-600 word abstract of a proposed paper in your area of expertise related to the railway sector. The conference theme for 2018 will be announced at AusRAIL PLUS 2017.

All abstracts will be reviewed by the technical committee. Relevance, timeliness, and quality are the key factors in assessing proposed papers.

ABSTRACTS ARE DUE BY 9 MARCH 2018. By submitting an abstract you are agreeing to comply with the conditions of the papers process and understand that if you miss key deadlines your paper will be removed from the program. ABSTRACTS CAN BE SUBMITTED:

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Online at www.ausrail.com/abstracts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; By email at ausrail@informa.com.au

www.ausrail.com

NEWS

VICTORIA

VIC’S NEW FREIGHT ADVISORY COUNCIL TO REVIEW HEAT RESTRICTIONS THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED AN ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT WILL GUIDE V/LINE IN IMPROVING THE STATE’S FREIGHT RAIL NETWORK, AND WILL BEGIN BY REVIEWING PLANNED RAIL HEAT RESTRICTIONS FOR THE COMING SUMMER.

he Freight Advisory Council is made up of leading industry representatives, who will share information with the rail operator, and make expert recommendations and consultation efforts across the freight rail industry, reaching out to stakeholders such as farmers and freight train operators. “Our farmers and primary industries across Victoria rely on the rail freight network – it’s vital we make it as efficient and safe as possible,” state transport minister Jacinta Allan said. Some of the advice that V/Line will receive from the Council will relate to operational requirements, restrictions and rail freight project delivery including the Murray Basin Rail Project, which is currently underway. This project involves standardising the rail freight lines servicing the Murray Basin region in the north-west of Victoria, and will also increase axle loading on these lines from 19 tonnes to 21 tonnes, allowing more efficient and competitive freight exports due to a reduction in logistics costs.

Victoria’s new Freight Advisory Council will examine measures brought in last summer to deal with track conditions on hot days. Photo: Rail Gallery.

“With the Murray Basin Rail Project underway to revitalise our freight network, this group will look at the entire supply chain from farm to port and recommend ways to make it easier for farmers to transport their produce,” Allan said. The first area that the Council will address is V/Line’s proposed heat restrictions for the coming summer. It will review the measures brought in last summer to stop trains travelling on days when temperatures reach 33˚C. Many in the freight and farming sectors are concerned about the impacts these measures on export logistics, particularly after the restrictions led to freight service

cancellations during last year’s record grain harvest. The Council, which came together for the first time in October, is chaired by Peter Tuohey, an industry leader and a former president of the Victorian Farmers Federation. “This group will enable regular communication across the entire rail freight industry, including farmers, freight train operators, port managers and V/Line,” Mr Tuohey said. “The council will be ideally placed to provide expert advice to V/Line on operational requirements, heat and temporary speed restrictions and rail freight project delivery including the Murray Basin Rail Project.” 

BALLARAT LINE UPGRADES UNDERWAY CONSTRUCTION WORK HAS BEGUN AT HOPKINS ROAD IN ROCKBANK, MARKING THE FIRST DELIVERY OF UPGRADES FOR THE BALLARAT LINE IN VICTORIA.

lanning requirements for the project were approved by the Labor government in September. Once complete, the Ballarat Line will be provided with new extended station platforms, car parking and pedestrian links, train storage facilities, and passing loops. Works will reportedly enable extra morning and afternoon services, plus a train every 40 minutes in the off-peak period, on stops on the line between Ballarat and Melbourne. “We are getting on with the Ballarat Line Upgrade, which will deliver more frequent and reliable train services to people in Melbourne’s booming outer western suburbs, Melton, Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Ballarat,” state transport minister Jacinta Allan said. The Hopkins Road works will include building site offices, toilets, storage facilities and access tracks, all of which will allow duplication

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

works for 18 kilometres of track between Deer Park West and Melton to begin. “These works mark an important milestone for this project, ensuring we are on-track to deliver the Ballarat Line Upgrade by late 2019,” Labor Member for Buninyong Geoff Howard said. Site investigations are being carried out at Deer Park West and Melton to identify essential utility services along the Ballarat corridor that might need protection during major works for the project. To protect them from damage during construction, endangered native species such as the spiny rice flowers and large-fruit groundsels will be removed and relocated to a nearby location. The government expects that the Ballarat upgrades will see the creation of up to 400 jobs during the construction phase, with

10 per cent of the work to be carried out by apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets. “This project is great for workers and our local economy, and will mean Ballarat commuters get more frequent and reliable services to meet the increased demand,” Member for Wendouree Sharon Knight said. 

Victorian transport minister Jacinta Allan Photo: Jacinta Allan / Twitter.

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VICTORIA

NEWS

MELBOURNE METRO DEAL HIGHLIGHTS STRONG QUARTER FOR CIMIC CIVIL ENGINEERING AND SERVICES GROUP CIMIC HAS NAMED ITS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND HAS FIRMED UP ITS STRONG PROFIT GUIDANCE FOR THE 2017 CALENDAR YEAR.

IMIC, formerly known as Leighton Holdings, announced on Wednesday it will promote Michael Wright to managing director and chief executive officer, on December 1. Wright will replace Adolfo Valderas, who recently accepted a role with Spanish civil engineering company ACS Group. Wright is being promoted from his current role as CIMIC’s deputy chief executive officer. Meanwhile, the company also announced revenue of $3.3 billion in the third quarter of the 2017 calendar year, up 22% year-on-year, contributing to a full nine-month revenue of $9.6 billion, up 26%. EBITDA is up 38% through the first nine months, to $1.1 billion, and net profit after tax is up 21% to $501 billion. A number of major contract wins, totalling $4.5 billion, highlighted the third quarter, with a seven-year deal to service Melbourne Metro trains punctuating this.

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A new seven-year deal to service Melbourne Metro trains highlighted CIMIC’s third quarter. Photo: Rail Gallery.

A number of mining services contracts were also received during the quarter, including at FMG’s Solomon Hub through to 2020, the Jellinbah East coal mine in Queensland until 2020, and the Gunung Bara Utama and Mahakam Sumber Jaya coal mines in Indonesia through to 2024 and 2021, respectively. Chairman Marcelino Fernández Verdes said the result showed CIMIC’s ability to leverage its workforce across Australia, New Zealand and Asia into revenue in the infrastructure, services and public private partnership (PPP) markets.

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 2 2017

NEWS

WA GOV TO FUND SMES AS PART OF METRONET PROCUREMENT WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN INVITED BY THE MCGOWAN GOVERNMENT TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO HELP PREPARE FOR WORK ON THE METRONET PROJECT’S ROLLING STOCK PROCUREMENT.

he government announced at a railcar industry briefing that it would be providing eligible businesses with up to $20,000 in dollar-for-dollar funding, with an aim towards encouraging engagement opportunities between prospective railcar manufacturers and Western Australian small to medium enterprises. At the event, which was attended by around 150 people, major manufacturing and rail companies likely to tender for the Metronet’s rolling stock procurement presented information to SME representatives about entering the local supply chain. “The Metronet Local Capability Fund round will assist highly skilled businesses across the State to be prepared for involvement in the historic Metronet project,” WA premier Mark McGowan said. “This funding will assist local businesses to pre-qualify for inclusion in the supply chains of

Metronet is the McGowan Government’s staged expansion of Perth’s passenger rail network. Photo: Rail Gallery

rolling stock manufacturers and improve their competitiveness in this sector and beyond.” The funds can be used for equipment purchases and upgrades, improvements to internal business infrastructure and systems, and expert consultancy fees. Businesses seeking to apply for the funding must be able to demonstrate evidence of their engagement with manufacturers seeking involvement in the Metronet rolling stock project, or with manufacturers with existing

CHINA POLLUTION PLAN TO KEEP LOW-GRADE ORES DOWN LOWER GRADE IRON ORES LIKE THOSE EXPORTED BY FORTESCUE METALS GROUP WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE STYMIED BY TOUGHER CHINESE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS, AFTER THE COUNTRY INDICATED IT WILL CONTINUE WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS IN THE LONG TERM.

ccording to multiple reports, China’s environment minister Li Ganjie recently said pollution control measures put in place during the winter months in northern China would become more common. “This campaign started in September and will last until March next year,” he was quoted by Fairfax, “but it will not be a one-off. We will continue it in the following years as a long-term project. This campaign is not just a temporary measure.” The comments are bad news for Fortescue, which has been forced to sell its lower grade iron ore at a larger discount since the regulations were put in place. FMG’s 56.3% grade ore was being offered at a 40% discount from the benchmark price for November deliveries, according to research from the AFR. This continues the trend from

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

September, which was a wider discount than the 32% discount seen in August. Meanwhile, a 23% discount was seen for FMG’s 58.5% grade ore for November deliveries, also in line with September, but a wider discount than the 21% seen in August. As the largest lower-grade iron ore miner, the discount FMG accepts impacts smaller producers. US miner Cleveland-Cliffs president Lourenco Gonclaves – without naming FMG – said its lower-grade WA iron ore business was under threat of going under due to the major discounts being accepted. “I have a competitor over there that is 13 times our size in Australia giving their stuff away,” Gonclaves said in October. “So that is the problem we have over there, they will dictate the fate of what’s going on  with the [discount].”

interstate or international project exposure. According to government plans, a total of 102 railcars are to be procured to provide for Metronet Stage 1 projects, and at least 50 per cent of rolling stock manufacturing is to be done locally as part of a 15-year railcar strategy. Future fleet maintenance and repair of the new electric rolling stock is also included in the project. Applications for the first round of the Local Capability Fund will close on January 31, 2018.

t FROM PREVIOUS PAGE – MELBOURNE METRO DEAL ...

Fernández Verdes confirmed CIMIC’s net profit after tax guidance of $640 million to $700 million, subject to market conditions. “We remain positioned to meet our 2017 guidance supported by the diverse nature of our operations and markets, and our proven experience in growing sectors,” he said. “Our positive outlook has its foundations in our unchanging focus on maintaining a strong balance sheet, generating cash, and being disciplined in tendering.” Fernández Verdes said CIMIC’s new $2.6 billion working capital cash facility would help it thrive in Australia. “The financial flexibility provided by the new facility supports our existing operations, as well as our pursuit of business and capital allocation opportunities, including into PPPs,” he said. “Australia has one of the world’s most well-developed PPP markets, which is expected to grow considerably in coming years. To date, CIMIC has delivered more than 20 PPP projects with a value of around $32 billion, demonstrating our core capability in this area and providing a  strong platform for further growth.”

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Photo: Rail Gallery

NEWS

CBH SETS RAIL RECORD CBH GROUP OPERATIONS MANAGER DAVID CAPPER HAS CREDITED THE WA COMPANY’S RESPONSIVE SUPPLY CHAIN WITH RECORD SHIPPING AND RAIL FIGURES OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

he WA grain handler shipped 15.01 million tonnes in the 12 months ending September 30, 2017. 8.65 million tonnes of that was transported by rail. Both figures were new record marks: CBH’s previous shipping record of 13.88 million tonnes, and rail record of 8.53 million tonnes, were each achieved in the 2013/14 season. “These new records would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment by our regional port teams,” Capper said on October 12.

NEWS

“We have been working on optimising our shipping volumes for the past few years, and it is great to see our focus in this key piece of the supply chain resulting in a new all-time record.” Capper said more than half of the volume shipped – just over 9.8 million tonnes – was exported between January and June 2017, “demonstrating CBH’s supply chain’s capacity to respond to global demand”. “It also proves that our strategy to continue to increase total tonnages available through our shipping system and better berth utilisation is capable of handling high volumes,” he added. Capper said the decision to invest in new rail infrastructure had helped the company increase volumes, while also minimising the cost of getting growers’ grain to market through reduced freight rates.

“We are always looking to provide real value to our growers. Through our Network Strategy, we’ll be focused on delivering an efficient and optimal supply chain from paddock to port to help our growers compete in the global  market,” he concluded.

Photo: Creative Commons / TrainboyMBH

KIWIRAIL HAILS 30 YEARS OF TRANZALPINE JOURNEYS

NOVEMBER MARKS THE 30-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE TRANZALPINE, NEW ZEALAND’S TOURIST PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE OPERATING BETWEEN THE EAST AND WEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND.

he TranzAlpine travels 223 kilometres in under five hours, and operates daily between Christchurch and Greymouth, via Arthurs Pass. The train journey has been heralded as among the world’s best by National Geographic and The Travel Luxury Expert. Over 100,000 passengers have taken the trip in the last 12 months.

ISSUE 2 2017 | RAIL EXPRESS

Peter Reidy, KiwiRail’s chief executive, said that despite coming from “humble beginnings”, the service had become one of New Zealand’s most popular attractions for tourists. “The idea for the TranzAlpine was born more than 30 years ago, after it became clear how much passengers on our Christchurch-toGreymouth service enjoyed the scenery on their journey,” Reidy said.”

The first TranzAlpine Express ran on 22 November 1987, featuring refurbished carriages, a buffet service, alcove-style seating, and panoramic windows to allow passengers to soak up the breathtaking scenery as the train travelled across the Canterbury Plains, and through gorges and river valleys of the Waimakariri River on its approach to towards the Southern Alps. The train also passes through 16 tunnels, including the 8.5-kilometre Otira Tunnel, and crosses four viaducts, including the 75m Staircase Viaduct. These days, an open-air platform (added in 1991) is available on the train, and commentary guides passengers through the sites and scenes of the South Island countryside. “What hasn’t changed is the stunning scenery they pass on their journey, including the Canterbury Plains and their famous ‘braided’ rivers, dramatic gorges and river valleys, High Country sheep stations, beech forests and the Southern Alps themselves,” Reidy said. Reidy said that TranzAlpine has become an “integral part” of communities such as Greymouth on the South Island’s west coast, and that residents were always welcoming of passengers. “In return, our train brings valuable tourism dollars to local businesses. We carry around 55,000 passengers a year into Greymouth, and West Coast Tourism estimates that the TranzAlpine brings in excess of $15 million per annum to the region,” he said. “We invite both returning and new passengers to come and experience the journey for themselves, as we celebrate 30 years of a  New Zealand icon.” www.railexpress.com.au

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AusRAIL PLUS 2017

CONFERENCE PROGRAM CONFERENCE DAY ONE

Tuesday 21st November 2017

08.30

Registration and welcome tea and coffee

09.00

Welcome and opening remarks • Danny Broad, CEO, Australasian Railway Association