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ISSUE 1 | 2018

THE LATEST NEWS

From around Australia and New Zealand

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Tackling major light rail-road intersect ions Sydney light rail to ‘get with CBD & South-Ea real’ st Canberra ﬁnally gets its trams Adelaide extends its network

NGRS ARRIVE IN BRISBANE

After they were sidelined by politics and a tricky testing process, Queensland finally gets its new trains

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ISSUE 1 | 2018

CONTENTS

COVER STORY

PLUS OUR SPECIAL LIGHT RAIL PULL-OUT SUPPLEMENT

PAGE 56 ISSUE 1 | 2018

THE LATEST NEWS

From around Australia and New Zealand

NGRS ARRIVE IN BRISBANE

After they were sidelined by politics and a tricky testing process, Queensland ﬁnally gets its new trains

YOUNG EXPERTS DAZZLE

AusRAIL with fresh ideas p46

AURIZON TAKES ON ACCC

Over network rates p65

Queenslanders have welcomed the arrival of seven New Generation Rollingstock trains on the South-East Queensland passenger network ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The first among a planned fleet of 75, the trains’ trip to the tracks hasn’t been without its setbacks.

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

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9/11/2017 9:05 am

From the Editor

AUSRAIL 8 8 10 12 12 14 18 44 50, 54

ARA releases Deloitte value paper Siemens commits to Brisbane ETCS centre Experts tackle road vs. rail debate Scales wants long-term planning in Qld Dalla Valle calls for nation-wide train control standard Inland Rail to help conquer road by 2030 Metro using onboard diagnostics to meet demand Young pros shine under AusRAIL lights Photos from the event

NEWS6 19 25 30 33 38 42

National Queensland New South Wales Victoria South Australia Western Australia

URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE 51 52 52

Indooroopilly kids win TrackSAFE design award Constance bickers with retailers over Sydney shopfronts Metro Tunnel roadworks to disrupt Melbourne for years

PASSENGER RAIL

56 57 58 60 62 62 64

Bombardier launches NGRs in Brisbane Fresh V/Line order for Dandenong Contract awarded for Gawler line WA pushing on with Metronet program First solar-powered train hits Byron NSW regional fleet shortlist announced Old Dingee station revitalised as library

FREIGHT RAIL 65 66

Aurizon questions access rates ARTC chooses GE for Newcastle

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ISSUE 1 2018 | RAIL EXPRESS

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FROM THE EDITOR

Published by:

Level 14, 309 Kent St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Tel: (02) 9994 8086 www.mohimedia.com

Oliver Probert Editor - Rail Express

AusRAIL a hit in Brisbane

he Australasian rail industry wound up 2017 with the ARA’s AusRAIL event. The annual conference and exhibition is a can’t miss event on the industry calendar, and last November’s AusRAIL PLUS in Brisbane was no exception. As usual, the variety of the rail industry was on display throughout the event, with insightful commentary from key players in the freight, bulk and passenger rail sectors, updates from the research, development and technology space, and of course a healthy helping of discussion over standards, policy and regulation. A key highlight of the event for many was the second annual Young Rail Professionals Pitching Competition. Well received in its first year at AusRAIL 2016 in Adelaide, the competition returned in Brisbane, where conference delegates heard fantastic new ideas from five young rail experts. Our full writeup starts on page 44, and you can see more of our AusRAIL coverage from page 8. Also in this edition, we discuss Barnaby

Joyce’s recent power play (page 20) the arrival of Bombardier’s NGR trains in Brisbane (page 56), the McGowan Government’s ambitious Metronet program for passenger rail development (page 60), and plenty more. Finally, you can’t miss our pull-out supplement on Light Rail, which includes exclusive interviews with engineering and operations experts, a word from ARA chief executive Danny Broad, and the latest updates from construction sites in Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide. The supplement comes a month ahead of the ARA’s annual Light Rail Conference, which this year takes place in Sydney. I look forward to seeing and hearing from many industry members at this event. Please enjoy the January-February edition of Rail Express 2018, and don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Oliver.Prober@mohimedia.com

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 Contributors Meng Koach, David Loneragan

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.

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11 Tram extension, plans for future in Adelaide 12 ACT chief minister welcomes Canberra’s first tram 14 4Tel wins Newcastle deals

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ARA LAUNCHES DELOITTE PAPER ON VALUE OF RAIL The rail industry contributes 1.6% of Australia’s GDP, injecting $26 billion into the economy per annum, according to a new Deloitte report commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association.

ARA chief executive Danny Broad at AusRAIL PLUS 2017. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

RA boss Danny Broad used the opening of AusRAIL PLUS 2017 in Brisbane to launch the association’s new Value of Rail report, prepared by Deloitte Access Economics. “As Australia’s population increases, so too does congestion and the demand for improved transport solutions,” Broad said. “To manage these challenges, Australia will have to develop its multi modal transport solutions with light and heavy rail as its spine to provide the solutions that Australia needs in shaping our cities and our regions into the future.” The report cites a potential 88% increase in freight kilometres travelled in Australia by 2050, an increase of some 2.5 million trucks and light commercial vehicles on the nation’s roads. “This growth in freight underscores the need for an efficient supply chain and for a heavy vehicle pricing framework that accurately captures the cost of road infrastructure provision and the negative externalities of road usage, such as congestion, vehicle emission and accidents,” Broad said. “It is precisely for these reasons that the ARA has been engaging with Commonwealth, State

SIEMENS COMMITS $4.8M TO BRISBANE ETCS CENTRE German multinational Siemens in November announced a $4.8 million investment into a European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling centre in Brisbane, to serve as a base for its engineers to deliver rail expertise nationwide and export knowledge to Southeast Asia.

Siemens Australia and New Zealand chief executive Jeff Connolly. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

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peaking at the company’s AusRAIL stand on November 21, Siemens Australia and New Zealand chief executive Jeff Connolly said the investment was a demonstration of the company’s commitment to rail signalling expertise in Australia. “We need intelligent rail infrastructure capable of coping with future needs,” Connolly said. “The best way to do this is to build local skills in globally proven rail standards and technology such as ETCS. This ETCS rail signalling centre is in Queensland, for Australia to the world.” The ETCS Signalling Technology Centre has started with 10 people and Siemens plans to grow the team to around 17 people over the next 12 months. Subject to demand, the company says the workforce could grow to as many as 30 to 40 employees. Connolly said he believes the industry can

The ARA launched its Value of Rail report, which was produced by Deloitte. Graphic: ARA

and Territory governments on the benefits of our National Rail Industry Plan. “[Rail businesses] create over 140,000 jobs in our cities and our regions, provide safe, efficient, environmentally and socially beneficial modes of transport,” he continued. “We ask governments to get on board and implement our National Rail Industry Plan to provide the rail industry and the broader Australian community with long-term certainty of improved transport solutions for  the benefit of all.”

get rail right in Australia with a “strategic and aligned approach”. “If we invest in proven global technologies rather than reinventing the wheel, choose to right technology partners and invest in developing technological skills of our people, then we create opportunities for future growth and make our local and national rail networks more competitive,” he said. “Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a strong demand for our rail expertise from neighbouring South Asian countries – proving that when given the right platform, Australian ingenuity can excel on the world stage. “The Queensland team has already played a significant role in ETCS implementations in Australia and Asia Pacific and are well positioned to sustain this growth.” ARA chief executive Danny Broad welcomed the announcement, saying the commitment was a “major vote of confidence in Australia’s rail industry”. “It makes sense to leverage globally proven technology and build the skills and knowledge locally to support Australia’s rail industry,” Broad said. “Although Siemens is a global and German brand, they are also very much Australian, having celebrated their 145th anniversary in Australia this year.” 

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AUSTRALASIAN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION

The ‘Getting Freight on Rail’ panel on Day 1 of AusRAIL PLUS 2017, from left to right: Arup’s Priscilla Radice, Port of Brisbane’s Tim Cope, NSW Ports’ Jonathan Lafforgue, Arc Infrastructure’s Neil Hamel, SCT Logistics’ Geoff Smith, and TasRail’s Damien White. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

EXPERT PANEL TACKLES ROAD VS. RAIL DEBATE David Loneragan

AusRAIL’s first day featured a discussion of the challenges faced by rail and rail infrastructure operators in shifting freight away from roads and on to rail, bringing together representatives from some of the industry’s leading companies.

he panel, facilitated by TasRail chief executive Damien White, featured Neil Hamel from Arc Infrastructure, Priscilla Radice from Arup, the Port of Brisbane’s trade strategy manager Tim Cope, Jonathan Lafforgue from NSW Ports, and Geoff Smith, the managing director of SCT Logistics. Smith said SCT’s construction of intermodal terminals at Wodonga on the Victoria-NSW border, and Bromelton in Queensland’s south, had helped facilitate their freight services in the Brisbane to Melbourne freight corridor, particularly in the context of competition with road operators. “I think what we look at it from the end-to-end supply chain, rather than just the rail journey – it gives us a pretty good understanding of what we are competing against,” Smith said. “On the north-south corridor, we don’t tend to think we are competing primarily against Pacific National or Aurizon, rather we are competing against the road freight industry.” He said SCT had gone from moving 50 rail wagons of freight per week in January to now

shifting approximately 300, directly shifting loads from road to rail. Arc Infrastructure’s Neil Hamel also emphasised the importance of intermodal terminals in facing competition from road freight. “We try to provide our customers with greater opportunities, so we are looking at building intermodal terminals away from the ports, which will help to bring road freight vehicles off the roads and ease traffic,” Hamel said. Along with working towards eliminating inefficiencies within ports, improving signal reliability was also an important factor, Hamel said, in improving arrival reliability on Arc’s Perth freight network. Lafforgue said the future potential capacity of the Port of Sydney, in terms of freight volume passing through it, could be unlocked by focussing on import freight. “To do that, we will need intermodal terminals,” he said. It will be important, he said, for the Port to work alongside stakeholders and use the intermodals now developing along the freight line directly into the port. Tim Cope outlined the vast gap that presently exists between rail and road freighting at the Port of Brisbane. “Our rail share for freight containers is around two and a half per cent – a little over 30, 000 containers out of 1.2 million comes to the port on rail,” Cope said. Cope said that this transfer of freight from

rail to road in Queensland was due to heavy road investment, including the Logan Motorway enhancement, the Toowoomba Range Crossing, and the port’s project to duplicate the road corridor. “Once the Range Crossing is complete, a supply-chain manager can get freight to the port gate without encountering a traffic light,” he said. Cope did nonetheless hold out hope for the transformative effects of the Inland Rail development in the long-term competitiveness of freight rail in the state, especially if a dedicated rail link to the port of Brisbane can be constructed. Arup’s Priscilla Radice questioned the framing of what she termed the “rail versus road” debate, and claimed that “smarter technology”, such as open data platforms for supply chains, or even a future “uberisation” of freight, could undermine the “oppositional mentality” that she believes exists in the freight industry. “Governments are shifting more and more towards city-shaping, and they need the freight industry to provide a co-ordinated and united voice to help provide a clearer vision of what the future will look like,” she said. Smith responded by saying that rail’s advantages when competing with road were not merely just about potentially cheaper costs for customers, but also about providing a superior and more reliable service without the pitfalls of congestion that faces road freighting. “As it stands at the moment, we are  still competing.”

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SCALES CALLS FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING, NETWORK INTEGRATION IN QUEENSLAND David Loneragan

The Queensland Government needs to maintain a long-term vision of an integrated transport network and maintain investment in the state’s rail system if the benefits of projects are to be realised.

hat’s the view of Neil Scales, director-general of Queensland’s Department of Transport and Roads. Speaking to a large audience on day two of the AusRAIL conference, Scales said it was important for the Government to look towards a 5- or 10year timetable for results on planned projects, rather than narrowly focusing on the next 12 or 18 months. Moreover, the state’s rail system, according to Scales, had to be viewed as part of a single integrated and accessible network. “We want to connect people to people, people to places, people to education, people to healthcare, people to opportunities,” Scales told AusRAIL delegates. “There is a massive freight task as well, getting goods from paddock to port and back again. We’ve therefore got to make sure everything is integrated. Transport is an ecosystem. And this means that whatever government gets in, whether federally or state-wise, they continue to invest in the transport network.” In the context of such a large state with a “massively decentralised” network, Scales said, long-term planning for such a system was necessary. The Department of Transport and Roads has been developing twelve local plans to address this decentralisation, all of which will be co-

Queensland director-general of Transport and Main Roads Neil Scales spoke on day two of AusRAIL PLUS 2017. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

ordinated towards the goal of system integration. These Regional Transport Plans, the drafts of which are set to be released in early 2018, will be developed with stakeholders from state and local government, business and industry, thereby establishing common transport priorities between the various parties. One draft plan, developed in co-ordination with the Mackay, Isaac, and Whitsunday Regional Councils has already been released, and which is now being developed towards finalisation. Scales, who addressed AusRAIL just days ahead of the Queensland Election in November, said it was important these plans were working in the same direction. “And that can be really difficult when government changes. We’ve spent a lot of time with the last government in a big planning programme, and we’ve taken the best of that forward. And that’s what we all know is important about rail: once you’ve got a plan, you have to stick to it and keep to the investment,” he told the audience. Referring to the Queensland’s New Generation Rollingstock fleet, he said that “Bombardier

DALLA VALLE CALLS WANTS NATIONWIDE TRAIN CONTROL STANDARD David Loneragan

Pacific National boss Dean Dalla Valle has called for the Inland Rail project to forge ahead and set the standard for train network control across Australia, saying it would be a great opportunity to enable freight rail to meet its future potential.

alla Valle, who became PN chief executive in 2017, made his self-described “provocative” comments on final afternoon of AusRAIL, where he joined a panel discussing the role of technology and digitisation in the future transformation of the rail industry. Dalla Valle, a former BHP senior executive, said he thought the pace of technological change within the rail industry was “underwhelming”, and currently lags behind what is being achieved in the 12

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mining sector. One reason for this, he said, was that the mining industry generally has a shorter investment cycle, with the different stages of mine development generating a need for more technology. “That doesn’t necessarily happen in the rail business,” he said. The mining industry, also, said Dalla Valle, sees operators running their own end-to-end processes, which is very different from freight rail operations in Australia. “We [Pacific National] run over five differentlyowned tracks to get from one side of the country to another, and interact with three to four other operations on the way through, and different systems all the way across,” he said. The signalling systems currently operating on the country’s freight routes had to be consigned to

has done a great job, and people will see how good they are when they are actually out on the network. Drivers like them”. He also noted that, while there have been widely-reported issues with the fleet, it had to be kept in mind that the period between the testing and rollout for Brisbane’s previous Downerconstructed fleet was not brief either, and that a meticulous testing and adjustment phase was a normal part of placing new trains on any network. The lengthy construction of the first Gold Coast light rail line between Gold Coast University Hospital and Broadbeach South was also, Scales said, standard for these kinds of systems, and that the planning and delivery process had set the groundwork for a speedier installation of the second line expanding upon it. Scales also used the opportunity to remind politicians and treasury officials that the longterm positive impact of rail development can’t necessarily be reduced to benefit-cost ratios, and said that the Australian rail industry could look to London’s Crossrail project (who’s chair Sir Terry Jones spoke at AusRAIL) as a salutary example. “Instead of concentrating on the BCR, we should be looking at the public benefits 4 or 5 years after we open a project,” Scales said. Scales finished his address to AusRAIL by emphasising rail as the backbone of an integrated transport system, but therefore also one that couldn’t exist and thrive in isolation from other transport modes. “Rail’s future, I believe, is bright. But it is not a standalone, mono-modal system – it’s part of an integrated transport network, part of an ecosystem. Rail does not exist in a vacuum,”  he concluded.

history, Dalla Valle said. Instead trains ought to be running with “selfcontrol”, and provide “dynamic and connected” connected services which Pacific National chief executive are continually learning Dean Dalla Valle. Photo: Pacific National and can adopt a new technology quickly, he argued. “I think Inland Rail is a great opportunity for Australia to a standard for train network control. Just pick one. “Someone needs to make the call. We should set ourselves a target that Inland Rail will be ‘signalless’ and say that we’re only going to set it up with a modern standard, and we are going to pick a modern standard and adopt that across the entire country. “We need to set ourselves an audacious goal like that: be bold, be brave, and set aside some of the $8.4 billion and say this part of it is going to do that and get on with it. And then I’ll think we’ll see rail achieve what it’s meant to in this country.” 

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FULLERTON PICKS INLAND RAIL TO CONQUER ROAD BY 2030

Inland Rail is set to deliver connectivity to major hubs like Parkes (pictured). Photo: ARTC

David Loneragan

The Inland Rail project will get more freight on rail and off roads along the east coast between Melbourne and Brisbane by 2030, according to the ARTC’s John Fullerton.

ullerton, CEO and managing director of the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), used his AusRAIL conference speech to lay out the details of how the Inland Rail project would transform the movement of freight, which currently, he said, operates along “a sub-standard east-coast rail network which doesn’t service the national interest”. One of the most important features of the Inland Rail project, Fullerton said, was its ability to produce rail freight transit times between Melbourne and Brisbane of under 24 hours – significantly below the current average of 31-32 hours – as well as providing multiple pathways for this movement, allowing for better reliance, flexibility and reliability of services for freight customers. These factors, he claimed, would help rail to move towards eventually outcompeting road along the eastern seaboard. “There are many times I can recall when the main south line between Melbourne and Brisbane gets cut because of extreme weather events and the like, and customers say to me: ‘We’ve got no alternative, we’ve got to put it on to road’,” Fullerton said. “Road has three major interstate freeways on the eastern coast; we only have one route, and that one isn’t even continuous because of the metropolitan network in Sydney. So Inland Rail – given that we have a network of operations on that eastern seaboard – will provide that flexibility and contingency, and that shouldn’t be underestimated.” The bisection of two of the richest farming areas of Australia – the upper NSW around Moree, and the Southern Darling Downs –

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would mean that these areas would be able to take advantage of this productivity enhancing infrastructure, and, according to Fullerton, indicates that the project’s impact extend far beyond Melbourne-Brisbane transports. “Inland Rail is not just about an engineering project and is not just about Melbourne to Brisbane freight – what is does is that it links together our ports, our regional areas, our capital cities and all our terminals with a backbone that is world-class, is efficient, and can deliver big benefits to our customers,” Fullerton told the conference audience. He then outlined how the Inland Rail project had encouraged various companies to plan terminal developments, particularly at the major hub around Parkes, where Pacific National has announced a $5-million-dollar investment in their land in the area to take advantage of the link between the eastern seaboard Inland Rail to the East-West corridor. “We’ve also seen companies like SCT commission a terminal this year in Bromelton, and they are operating 5 trains a week between Melbourne and Brisbane, which is, again, a demonstration of the faith they’ve got in rail, but also in what this project [Inland Rail] will deliver,” Fullerton said. Between Melbourne and Brisbane today, 75% of freight is moved along roads. The ARTC CEO said that to reverse this, freight customer and operator demands, many of which were gathered during business consultations in 2014 and 2015, had to be met. “They wanted train operations that were similar to those moving between the east coast and Perth, they wanted 21-tonne axle

load at 115 kilometres per hour, they wanted double-stacked freight trains, and they wanted full operability, so trains can run from Brisbane to Perth, Brisbane to Adelaide, Melbourne to Brisbane, and interchange freight at Parkes, which will become a significant node on the corridor.” The introduction of double-stacked, 1.8-kilometre trains will double the capacity of existing trains of the coastal route, and help reverse the dominance of road in freight travel. The East-West rail link provides evidence that this is possible: there, rail has an 80% market share of land transport, and the cost of movement on rail is 30-40% cheaper than road. Fullerton told the audience that if the above customer service characteristics were met, rail could move from its current 25% share for freight movements between Melbourne and Brisbane, to 60%. On the other hand, without Inland Rail to achieve these figures, if it were never constructed, road freight would double by 2030, significantly increasing congestion on city roads and interstate freeways. “Someone once said to me: ‘If we don’t build Inland Rail we can save $10 billion.’ And I said, ‘Well, if you don’t build Inland Rail, be prepared to spend double that on building a road network that can accommodate the freight volumes of the future,’” he said. “Everyone wants to see this project started, and we expect to be commencing construction on the Parkes-Narromine section of track that we currently own and operate at a regional level, to get that construction underway in the second quarter of 2018. “We’re very focussed on getting that project underway, because it’s an important signal to the rest of the Inland Rail project that we’re underway and we’re on our way.” 

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PREDICTIVE ONBOARD DIAGNOSTICS TO HELP METRO TRAINS MEET RISING DEMAND David Loneragan

Data-driven onboard diagnostics technology can predict problems in Metro Trains’ fleet and asset management, and thereby deal with the challenges arising from rising passenger demand and higher performance targets, according to Neal Lawson, the operator’s deputy CEO.

etro Trains Melbourne (MTM) has been operating Melbourne’s passenger rail network since 2009. The new MR4 agreement, which came into effect on November 30, has established tougher performance targets, including monthly punctuality targets requiring 92% (up from 88%) of trains to run within 4 minutes and 59 seconds of their

from a reactive to a predictive maintenance regime is going to be absolutely critical to keep the people of Melbourne moving.” Lawson indicated that improvements in infrastructure and rolling stock performance had been the “key driver” in providing the higher service reliability performances MTM has been delivering over the last couple of years. However, the tougher performance targets, and the disruptions that will be caused by the development of capacity and capital programmes, mean that data-driven technological change will be the best way to keep up with rapid transformations and changing conditions. “It is fortunate that technology and data information is improving and growing at such an exponential rate, because I believe that it is the absolute breakthrough and what we’re going

Metro Trains Melbourne is the franchised operator of Melbourne’s suburban heavy passenger network, and is a joint venture between Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, John Holland and UGL.

scheduled arrival time, and a new delivery target for timetable services of 98.5%. Addressing AusRAIL, Lawson said that while MTM had effectively responded to the demands of patronage growth over the last 8 years, the expected increases in this demand over the next 10 years – almost 100% on some lines – along with disruptions caused by massive government investment programmes to keep up with this growth, will place greater pressures on the operator to deliver high-performing passenger services on time. “For the world’s most liveable city, public transport is going to be the lifeblood that keeps it there. Therefore, the transport system needs to stay safe and reliable under ever-increasing load pressure,” Lawson told the audience. “And asset management and user-data and moving

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to need to harness really quickly to conform to these higher targets through the next seven years,” he said. It is above all the installation of onboard diagnostics systems on new and existing rolling stock, Lawson emphasised, that would provide the means towards realising MTM’s future performance goals. Not only will the new fleet of high-capacity trains (to be introduced by 2019) feature onboard diagnostics systems from the getgo, but the some of the currently existing and aging rolling stock will be targeted with the programme as well. This latter strategy will be key, Lawson said, towards achieving the reliability growth and performance improvements the operator seeks. Lawson drew a distinction between what

he considered the “reactive” maintenance regime of the previous MR3 era and MTM’s new “predictive” approach, characterised above all by the use of this data-driven technology. “Onboard diagnostics forms a key part of asset management strategy going forward as we move from more reactive to more proactive forms of maintenance, where the data is used to inform immediate maintenance responses, or alarms,” he said. “But far more importantly, we can use that data to understand the asset, and predict degradation rates to be able to make periodic maintenance more appropriate to the failure mode,” he told the conference audience.” This allows “condition-based” monitoring of rolling stock, Lawson said, where data provides enough information to enable trains to receive maintenance before they fail while out on the track and fixed quickly – maximising availability and minimising downtime. Lawson emphasised that the success of the programme would also rest on the ability of the diagnostics system to “leverage” the data already existing on trains, gathered, for instance, on older forms of event-recording “black boxes”. “As previous speakers have said, the data is only as good as the tools and the processing that you have to turn it into useful information,” Lawson said. “So if your infrastructure, your technology infrastructure, and your data information management plan doesn’t support what you want to do in an asset management sense, then it’s not going to succeed. The onboard diagnostics strategy is therefore heavily linked to the technology strategy.” Once captured, organised, and analysed, data will used in situations beyond day-to-day rolling stock maintenance, including timetable analysis and optimisation and the investigation of track defects through box vibration detection, with real-time data enabling teams to prevent these defects from deteriorating to critical levels. Lawson came to the end of his presentation by outlining case studies that he said proved the data-driven technology could reduce service failures, save costs, reduce repair times, improve timetabling and enable better safety investigations – all ways to help meet the challenges of MTM faces over the next 7 years of its fresh contract. “And the onboard diagnostics tool – which is only one of our planned improvements – it has been strongly proven that is does work, that it does produce benefits,” he concluded. “It’s an amazing use of technology and available data, and, ultimately, drives the improvements we will need to satisfy our passengers, which is, after all, what we’re all here to do.” 

www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 2:36:43 PM

NATIONAL

NEWS

LINFOX GOES TO COURT OVER TOLL ROADS AS NSW SPRUIKS WESTCONNEX TO BUILDERS Trucking group Linfox is headed to Federal Court to challenge the effective application of a road user charge on privately-owned toll roads around the country.

ompany founder Lindsay Fox estimates his company uses toll roads on 10% of its journeys, and has publicly challenged a number of issues over the past 18 months which he says have drastically increased the burden of tolls on his business. A key complaint from Fox, and the rest of the trucking sector, is that the taxes applied to fuel to help repair public roads, are effectively also applied to fuel burned while driving on private toll roads, which are not repaired using government money. And now Linfox, with the support of advisor Deloitte, has taken its case to the Federal Court, which will be tasked with clarifying the legislation’s use of the words ‘public road’. “Currently a Linfox truck travelling on a toll road pays the road user charge for this

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journey even though toll road repairs are not funded by the government,” a statement from Linfox says. “The Commissioner of Taxation takes the view that a toll road is a public road for the purposes of applying the road user charge … we have worked with the Commissioner of Taxation on this issue. In these discussions it was agreed that a court judgement was the best way to clarify the issue.” To illustrate its case, Linfox will attempt to show how the M2 toll road in NSW does not meet the description ‘public road’. Specifically, Linfox is asking the Federal Court to clarify section 43-10(3) of the Fuel Tax Act 2006, which states: “To the extent you acquire … fuel to use, in a vehicle, for travelling on a public road, the amount of your fuel tax credit is reduced by the amount of the road user charge for the fuel.” If its claim is successful, Linfox hopes to gain a refund of any fuel tax credits it has under-claimed.

“The decision would also mean that any other taxpayers using fuel on any roads that do not meet the term ‘public road’ would also be eligible for refunds,” Linfox added.

$1BN P.A. WESTCONNEX SPRUIKED TO BUYERS Meanwhile, the NSW Government has reportedly refined its pitch to potential buyers of its WestConnex tollroad project, saying they expect the road to generate $1 billion in earnings every year once in operation. According to a column in AFR’s StreetTalk, WestConnex bidders have been presented a set of numbers forecasting $126 million in EBITDA in FY18, rising all the way to $966 million in FY27. Bidders said to be considering the WestConnex project include Transurban, IFM  Investors and Plenary Group.

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NEWS

NATIONAL

Barnaby Joyce celebrating victory in the New England by-election on December 6, a fortnight before he assumed the role of transport and infrastructure minister. Photo: Barnaby Joyce / Facebook

RE-ELECTED JOYCE SNATCHES INLAND RAIL FROM DISAPPOINTED CHESTER Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce unceremoniously dumped one of his party’s best performers in late December, taking over the transport and infrastructure portfolio from Darren Chester in the latest cabinet reshuffle.

rime Minister Malcolm Turnbull named his new cabinet on December 20, after a reshuffle was triggered by the announcement Attorney-General George Brandis would leave Parliament to replace Alexander Downer as Australia’s high commissioner to the UK. Chester, a National who held the transport and infrastructure portfolio under Turnbull since February 2016, was dropped from cabinet entirely. He was offered an assistant minister role, but turned it down. Joyce, formerly the minister for agriculture, has reportedly had his eye on the infrastructure portfolio for quite some time, and is looking to be the champion of the Inland Rail project – a big-ticket item in the portfolio, and a key issue for many Nationals voters. Addressing the media after the reshuffle was announced, Turnbull emphasised Chester’s snubbing was not his decision, as it is up to the Nationals leader to choose ministers from his or her party. “Barnaby Joyce will no doubt be able to answer this directly,” the PM said. “Plainly the Nationals have a very large component of their party room that comes from Queensland, and Barnaby was keen to see that reflected in their representatives in the cabinet.” Chester is one of just four Nationals MPs

from Victoria. New deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie is also from Victoria. One of the Nationals’ more progressive figureheads, Chester is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, and has also advocated the party have more women in senior positions – backing McKenzie’s bid for deputy leader over the early favourite, Matt Canavan. The ousted minister was clearly disappointed by the move. “I don’t think my loyalty to the leadership team has ever been questioned,” Chester told a press conference. “I’ve gone above and beyond on many occasions to support the prime minister and the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce.” Urban infrastructure and cities minister Paul Fletcher held on to his portfolio. Taking Chester’s spot on the Nationals’ frontbench is newcomer David Littleproud, who will take on Joyce’s agriculture portfolio. The appointment of Littleproud – 41, and only in Parliament since 2016 – reportedly angered some longer-standing Nationals MPs, who were perhaps looking for a cabinet position of their own. Joyce’s self-appointment as transport and infrastructure minister came just a fortnight after he was re-elected in a New England by-election which forced by the High Court

ruling him ineligible in October, as part of the Parliamentary citizenship debacle. Joyce had announced to Parliament in August that he may have held New Zealand citizenship, a matter later confirmed by the New Zealand Government. Joyce’s first official media statement under the infrastructure portfolio focused on the first delivery of steel rail to the Parkes to Narromine section of the Inland Rail project. “This project is a game-changer for our regions,” Joyce said on January 15, “creating thousands of jobs nationwide, and returning $16 billion to the national economy during the delivery phase and the first 50 years of operation. It will improve travel times for local farmers and producers, reduce the number of heavy vehicles travelling through small towns, and slash business costs for freight operators.” 14,000 tonnes of 60kg/m steel rail will be delivered to the Parkes to Narromine section, contributing to the 262,000 tonnes to be delivered in total. “The Turnbull-Joyce Government is getting on with delivering this project, and today we have seen the first of 14,000 tonnes of steel to be delivered just for the Parkes to Narromine section,” Joyce added. “We're still on track for works to begin in May this year, and it's great to see this project take shape.” The Government has committed to order the steel rail from the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia, which was bought out after its financial collapse by UK metals firm Liberty House Group in 2017. Finance minster Mathias Cormann said Inland Rail would provide a major economic boost to Australian regions. “This important infrastructure will be the catalyst for flow-on benefits and businesses are already gearing up to make the most of the opportunity,” Cormann said. “What’s more, the reduction of heavy vehicles on the local road network will improve road safety, which remains a key issue for regional Australia.”

LABOR SLAMS CABINET MOVES A disappointed Chester turned down an offer of a minor role in the newly-shuffled Turnbull Cabinet. Photo: Darren Chester / Facebook

Shadow transport and infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese lambasted Joyce’s decisions at the end of 2017. CONTINUES PAGE 22 

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FROM PAGE 20 - RE-ELECTED JOYCE...

“It appears that the sort of division and arguments that we’ve seen within the Liberal Party are about to begin within the National Party, as a result of what’s quite a vindictive reshuffle, really,” Albanese said on Sky News the day after the cabinet announcement. “I think there will be an ongoing instability going into 2018 as a result of this reshuffle.” In a separate statement, the shadow minister offered condolences to his ousted opposite number. “I wish outgoing minister Darren Chester all the best on what must be a difficult day following his shabby and appalling treatment by his own side,” Albanese said. Albanese spent the New Year’s break turning the screws on the new transport minister, hold press briefings calling for Joyce to address transport funding issues in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. “Queenslanders voted at the end of last year and they voted overwhelmingly in SouthEast Queensland to re-elect the Palaszczuk Government,” Albanese recounted at a Brisbane press conference on December 29. “Funding

for the Cross River Rail project and whether it should proceed was a major election issue.” Albanese, who was the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd Governments’ transport and infrastructure minister, and served as deputy PM, says the Coalition’s transport and infrastructure policies have led to less jobs and less economic growth. “Barnaby Joyce must step up,” the shadow minister said. “He says he cares about Queensland; what he’s got to do is invest in Queensland and the test for him over coming months is to show that investment is there in the 2018 Budget.” In South Australia, Albanese spoke with FiveAA Radio’s Tony Pilkington, saying the Coalition was responsible for “savage cuts” in the forward estimates, suggesting the state’s share of federal infrastructure investment will drop to just $95 million in FY21, down from $921 million in FY18. “It’s very clear that Barnaby Joyce has a challenge as the Deputy Prime Minister and as Infrastructure Minister to deliver for South Australia and he needs to do that,” Albo said. “We have something like 45% of this year’s Federal infrastructure budget going to New

Barnaby Joyce’s first official announcement as infrastructure minister focused on the Inland Rail project. Photo: The Nationals

South Wales,” he continued. “We have South Australia missing out on those funds and over the coming years up to 2020-21, the Federal Government currently has no money whatsoever for that section of the North South corridor even though they themselves have said that they’re committed to its full duplication. “Malcolm Turnbull says he is committed to public transport funding but he won’t put a dollar into Adelaide’s light rail extension.” 

SMSF BODY SETS SIGHTS ON INFRASTRUCTURE Australia’s peak body for Self-Managed Super Funds has asked the Turnbull Government to improve access to the infrastructure sector for SMSF investors.

n its pre-Budget submission to the Federal Treasury, the SMSF Association noted the growing $700 million SMSF sector is excluded, in many ways, from the infrastructure building sector. “The SMSF Association recommends that the Government and the Treasury work with industry to review and explore opportunities for infrastructure projects to be funded by SMSF capital,” the association’s submission reads. “The superannuation sector plays an important role in funding infrastructure investment in Australia, but the $701 billion SMSF sector is largely precluded from investing in and funding infrastructure.” According to the Association, super funds had $78 billion invested in the infrastructure sector as at September 2017, with two types of super – industry funds and public sector funds – representing 83% of this investment. The Association forecasts the SMSF sector to grow to roughly $2.8 trillion by 2035. Infrastructure investments appeal to many SMSF investors as they provide a long-term, reliable return, the Association explained. “Allowing SMSFs to invest in infrastructure projects will deliver retirement income benefits for SMSFs that are seeking stable, long-term

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Melbourne’s Southern Cross railway station is owned, operated and maintained under a public-private partnership between the Victorian Government and a major superannuation fund. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

income to fund income streams and manage longevity risks,” the Budget submission states. “SMSF investors are also traditionally ‘sticky investors’ that undertake investments with long-term investment timeframes in mind,” the submission continues. “This makes SMSFs suitable for investing in infrastructure if the product is appropriately structured.” The Association recommends the development of a unitised, liquid market for

infrastructure investment to cater to SMSFs. “Infrastructure investments act as an important investment class that offers a riskreturn point between cash/fixed interest and equity investments. “This is attractive as younger demographics enter the SMSF space and a need for longer term investments arises due to increased life expectancies amongst the population.” 

www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 1:53:12 PM

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NEWS

NATIONAL

CRITERIA RELEASED FOR $10BN RAIL FUND Innovative financing such as value capture must at least be evaluated by a project proponent, before the Commonwealth will consider funding it under its $10 billion National Rail Program, the program’s newly-released criteria states.

hen-transport and infrastructure minister Darren Chester, and minister for urban infrastructure Paul Fletcher released the National Rail Program criteria on December 13. The 16-page document follows the Turnbull Government’s May 2017 commitment to spend $10 billion over the next decade on transformational rail projects in major cities, and in surrounding regions. State governments, local governments, and body corporates are eligible to make funding proposals. Two key themes of the document are that proposals should present value for money, and proposals should have sources of additional funding and financing. One component of this is a requirement that all proposals include the consideration of options like value capture – the act of charging

an additional land tax around a new piece of infrastructure, to help fund it. Chester said the criteria for the NRP reflected the Australian Government's commitment to take a direct role in ensuring state-based infrastructure investments delivered value for money. “Better rail connectivity also makes it possible to grow the regions, reduce congestion in our cities, create thousands of new jobs, and support our efforts to decentralise,” the transport and infrastructure minister said. “The NRP will deliver funding for both planning and construction over the next 10 years, recognising that large scale rail projects have long lead times.” Darren Fletcher said the NRP had been designed so that the Government can target its investment in transformational rail projects that deliver the greatest economic and social

The National Rail Program is the Turnbull Government’s solution to the challenge of assigning federal funding to statelevel projects. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

benefits. “By investing in transformational rail projects, travel times for commuters will be cut, and families and businesses will have affordable options to live and invest,” he said. “Projects under the NRP will need to address identified deficiencies, deliver economic benefits and consider innovative funding and financing solutions. “Funding decisions will be informed by state and territory transport plans with projects seeking over $100 million in Commonwealth funding needing a positive assessment from  Infrastructure Australia.”

DIGITAL, WIRELESS TRAIN COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO BE INTRODUCED ON TRANS-AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY Planning is underway to introduce and test new technology that will supplant traditional signalling systems along a 1,280-kilometre section of track between Tarcoola in South Australia and West Kalgoorlie in Western Australia on the Trans-Australian Railway.

hen implemented, the Advanced Train Management System will replace on-track signalling by using GPS and wireless technology for the real-time delivery of train information and location data, overseen by digital network control centres controlling all train traffic.

Kalgoorlie Station, the western terminus of the Trans-Australian railway. Photo: Creative Commons / JarrahTree

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Clearance authorities can also be enforced by the ATMS if individual trains are at risk of exceeding them. “The Australian Government has committed $50 million to ARTC to support the roll-out of ATMS which will revolutionise the way we manage rail freight services by

increasing capacity and improving operational flexibility, safety and reliability,” Darren Chester said in November, when he was the infrastructure minister. “That means we can run more trains, more often and safer than ever before through highly innovative in-cab technology and modern telecommunications systems.” Development and testing of the ATMS has been carried out over the last eight years on a rail network in South Australia owned by the Australian Rail Track Association, and the rollout between Tarcoola and West Kalgoorlie will mark the next phase in the trial of the technology. The ARTC has been working with Lockhead Martin to introduce the ATMS in Australia, and ARTC CEO John Fullerton said that they are expecting that, by late 2018, the technology will be the accredited safeworking system between Port Augusta and Whyalla. “Advanced trials of the system have been successfully taking place between Port Augusta and Whyalla since 2015, and additional on-track tests, using locomotives and an ATMS fitted road-rail vehicle, are planned for later this year,” Fullerton said. “These on-track trials provide the opportunity for users of the system—network controllers and train drivers—to provide feedback on how it is working and exposes  ATMS to real-world operations.” www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 1:53:12 PM

NATIONAL QLD

CROSS RIVER RAIL SAVED AS LABOR WINS ELECTION Brisbane’s $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project is set to go ahead after the Labor Party won the 2017 State Election in November.

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ith four seats added to the state’s Legislative Assembly since the 2015 election, 47 were needed to form a majority at the November 25, 2017 election. And Labor won that majority with 48 seats, ahead of 39 won by the Liberal National Party, 3 by Katter’s Australian Party, 1 by One Nation, and 1 by the Greens. In the lead-up to the election, Labor vowed to fully-fund the Cross River Rail project, despite the Turnbull Government’s refusal to commit funding due to an inferior review of the project’s business case from independent advisor Infrastructure Australia. The Liberal National Party, led by Tim Nicholls, did not include Cross River Rail in its transport plan during the campaign, and spoke against the project. The LNP’s pre-election transport policy document supported the Brisbane Metro plan, a surfacelevel high capacity public transport line through the Brisbane CBD, proposed by Brisbane Mayor Graham Quirk, also of the LNP. Speaking after the vote, re-elected premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was time to get on with the job. “It is now my job to work with people who feel somehow separated from the normal hustle and bustle of politics,” Palaszczuk said, after 13.8% of Queenslanders voted for One Nation with their first preference. In December, Palaszczuk named her new cabinet, elevating former transport minister Jackie Trad to

Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) was re-elected as premier at the Queensland election at the end of 2017, with Labor winning 48 of the 97 seats. She named Mark Bailey (left) her new minister for transport and main roads. Photo: Annastacia Palaszczuk / Twitter

the role of treasurer. Cameron Dick was named minister for state development, manufacturing, infrastructure and planning. Mark Bailey was named minister for transport and main roads. Prior to the election, there were fears in the Labor camp Trad could lose her seat, if enough LNP voters chose to rank the Greens ahead of Labor on preferences, in her seat of South Brisbane. The LNP ranked the Greens last on its ‘How to Vote’ cards in all 93 seats. But if enough LNP voters went against the cards, and placed the Greens ahead of Labor in South Brisbane, a pre-election poll suggested Trad may have lost her seat to Greens candidate Amy McMahon. In the end, Trad received 36.0% of the primary vote, down 6% on the 2015 election. The Greens received an 11.7% bump, to 34.4%, and LNP candidate Simon Quinn received 24.3% of the primary vote, down 8%. After preferences, Trad won with 53.6% of the vote.

ALBANESE CONDEMNS NICHOLLS FOR CROSS RIVER RAIL BASHING Shadow transport and infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese slammed Nicholls for

Contact Alexandra Walker Market Intelligence Limited Sales Representative for InnoTrans (Australia) alexandra@fruitnet.com T + 61 4 1642 8561

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his opposition to Cross River Rail, saying in the days before the election the LNP leader “should stand condemned”. The shadow minister spoke with Rail Express on the sidelines of AusRAIL PLUS in Brisbane, just two days before the election, and voiced his support for the ARA’s National Rail Plan. “The industry is very clear. The National Rail Plan, put together by the industry, is a plan full of merit, full of thought, full of not just the interests of the rail industry, but the impressive thing about it is it clearly outlines why it is in the national economic interest to have a strong rail sector,” Albanese said. The member for Grayndler said that while the ARA plan calls for a bipartisan approach to infrastructure development, it wasn’t Labor’s fault Cross River Rail had become a divisive issue. “[The plan] does call for bipartisanship,” he said. “I find it remarkable, that Tim Nicholls, as treasurer in the Newman Government, presided over all of those cuts, one of which happened to Cross River Rail. “We sat down [in 2013] with the treasurer, with the premier, Campbell Newman, who acknowledged this just recently in an interview I did with him on Sky News. It was all signed

The proposed alignment of the Cross River Rail project. Graphic: Queensland Government

Cross River Rail was a key talking point for Anthony Albanese at AusRAIL 2017, which took place in Brisbane, the week before the election. Photo: ARA / Informa

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off in 2013, following Infrastructure Australia’s 2012 recommendation. “Tim Nicholls presided over that delay after Tony Abbott said he wouldn’t support any rail projects, and now he’s saying that this Saturday, if he is elected premier along with One Nation, who also oppose the project, that they will stop Cross River Rail in its tracks.” Albanese said if Cross River Rail doesn’t go ahead, it will mean “disastrous consequences for urban congestion in Brisbane, and also disastrous consequences for those growth corridors on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast”. “Tim Nicholls deserves to stand condemned, for walking away from a project that every expert agrees is absolutely necessary.” Speaking after the election, Albanese called on Malcolm Turnbull to “heed the clear message” from Queensland voters, and invest Commonwealth funding into the project. “During the Queensland election campaign, the LNP rejected Cross River Rail,” he said this week. “The LNP’s flogging at the hands of voters … particularly in Queensland’s southeast, sounds a clear message to Mr Turnbull that Queenslanders understand the importance of infrastructure investment to economic and employment growth. “Mr Turnbull should listen.” Cross River Rail would provide a second rail crossing of the Brisbane River in the city’s CBD, easing congestion on the existing rail network, and the CBD’s road network. An earlier iteration of the project was approved by Infrastructure Australia, and looked ready to go ahead under LNP Premier Campbell Newman in 2013, but was cancelled after the roads-only Abbott Government came into power at that year’s federal election. Albanese is adamant Infrastructure Australia’s disapproval of the latest Cross River Rail business case is a mistake. “Since Mr Turnbull ousted Tony Abbott, he has expressed rhetorical support for public transport projects,” the shadow minister said. “But he has maintained the Coalition’s refusal to invest in Cross River Rail, leaving the Palaszczuk Government to go it alone on this important project.” 

BHP LOOKING TO BOOST COKING COAL OUTPUT As the price of coking coal reached a seven-month high of around US$236 a tonne in early January, BHP was studying its options to potentially boost production from its Queensland assets, according to multiple reports.

ealthy demand for the product, which is used in steelmaking, drove the benchmark price up 33% in November. And according to The Australian, BHP’s Australian minerals boss Mike Henry has described the company’s recent mediumterm guidance of 48mtpa of coking coal from Queensland as “light”. In fact, the company could be set to advance plans for two of its low-cost open pit expansion projects in Queensland, which could add over 20mtpa to that production figure. Given BHP cites cash costs for its coking coal operation at US$59 a tonne – and trending downwards – it makes sense the miner would look to capitalise on recent high prices as soon as possible. “There is no sign of weakness in the coking coal market,” ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes was quoted as saying by The Australian. “While Chinese buyers have been relatively subdued, Japanese and Indian buyers have been very active in recent days. “Continued constraints on Queensland exports have seen steel mills become increasingly desperate to secure any available cargoes in the market.” BHP is said to be investigating a potential expansion at its Blackwater mine, which would add around 4mtpa to its coking coal capacity. After this, it could add 5.7mtpa of capacity to its Caval Ridge mine and wash plant, and as much as 15mtpa via expansions at its underground mines at Goonyella and Wards Well. 

www.railexpress.com.au

9/02/2018 11:10:39 AM

QLD

PITT ACCUSED OF MISLEADING PARLIAMENT OVER QR UNION DEAL

NEWS

The LNP has accused Curtis Pitt of misleading Queensland Parliament amidst turmoil at Queensland Rail, during his time as the state’s treasurer. Photo: Curtis Pitt

Former Queensland treasurer Curtis Pitt has been referred to Queensland Parliament’s ethics committee by the LNP opposition, after the latter claimed to be in possession of documents revealing Pitt misled the House over the details of a Queensland Rail enterprise agreement signed with industry unions in late 2016.

pposition leader Deb Frecklington in January said the documents show that Pitt and former transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe had instructed the QR board to accept the new enterprise agreement during the driver-shortage crisis, despite the board’s misgivings about a deal that would see driver pay increase by 3% per year over 4 years. NewsCorp reported the board’s chair Nicole Hollows had written to Pitt and Hinchliffe on 13 December 2016, stating that “the operational, timetabling and financial impacts” of the agreement had not been subject to “robust” assessment and analysis. “Full costings of the proposed agreement have not been provided to the board and no external benchmarking has been undertaken in relation to the proposed arrangements,” she wrote. Of particular concern to the QR board was a new split meal break deal, which would see the current single 40-minute break replaced by two 30-minute breaks, an arrangement which, Hollows wrote, would “reduce flexibility and constrain efficient train operations”, thus impacting on QR’s ability to meet service demands. However, mere days after this letter was sent, the acting chair of the QR board, Davie Marchant, wrote to the same ministers, indicating that subsequent discussions with the unions regarding the outstanding mealbreak and rostering issues had been resolved “in a form that is consistent with the board’s approval”. Pitt told parliament in February last year that there had been no “informal direction” regarding the deal given to QR by any Labor ministers. “Apart from that, what we have done— both myself and the former minister Stirling Hinchliffe—is put very clearly our views of what should be happening in this space on the record and to the board for their consideration,” Pitt said then. “We did not issue a direction.” Frecklington said the discrepancy between the information contained the documents and Pitt’s statement in Parliament meant that there

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was a “clear case” the former treasurer had to answer for, and that she would write to the Parliament’s Ethics Committee. “Queenslanders ask one thing from their politicians and that is honesty,” Frecklington said. “After looking at those documents it is clear that Curtis Pitt has failed that test of honesty.” Pitt denied that he had misled Parliament. “I categorically refute any suggestion that I have misled parliament and I would be more than happy to provide the speaker with any further information or clarification should he request it,” he said. A Government spokesperson said in a statement that the details of the enterprise agreement were consistent with the recommendations of the Strachan Inquiry. The inquiry’s report, released in early 2017, said QR’s staffing issues – including a chronic undersupply of train crew – were a major cause of the significant train service delays and cancellations in 2016 and had consistently impeded the operation of a fully-reliable network timetable. Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the process of implementing the inquiry’s recommendations had to take into account both the demands of financial responsibility and necessity of providing fair payment and conditions to the staff operating QR train services, and, moreover, that the new agreement had been a pathway towards achieving these goals. “The government has already made strong progress implementing the recommendations of the inquiry to deliver reliable, convenient services that Queenslanders rely on,” she said. “We want to ensure strong financial management of the budget but, like any responsible employer, we also want to ensure our train drivers and frontline employees are appropriately paid.”

service and innovation. Easy said Roach’s appointment added over 18 years of high-level customer service, changedriving and innovation experience to the rail operator’s executive team. “Natalie is a proven leader working for organisations such as Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom, where she led the response to major incidents, was involved in the opening of a new terminal, and was responsible for 1,100 staff supporting more than 30 airlines,” he said. Easy will no doubt hope Roach’s appointment will be a major step towards resolving ongoing customer dissatisfaction, after QR endured the staffing ‘rail fail’ at the end of 2016, and the delayed rollout of the NGR trains. Easy said Roach’s said her appointment was a key commitment in QR’s ‘Fixing the Trains’ plan, which was a direct response to the Strachan Commission’s Inquiry into the operator’s issues. “I welcome Natalie to the Queensland Rail Executive Leadership Team and look forward to continuing to drive change and improvements in South East Queensland's rail network,” Easy said. “In [her time at Qantas], Natalie has driven transformation and efficiencies in complex, highly regulated, customer-facing environments; improving the customer experience and service levels.” Roach commenced her role in the second week of January. 

NEW CUSTOMER BOSS FOR QR QR in January appointed former Qantas customer experience boss Natalie Roach as its new executive general manager of customer

QR’s new customer service and innovation boss, Natalie Roach. Photo: Queensland Rail

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 2:24:21 PM

NEWS

QLD

DOWNER AND ADANI PART WAYS, CHINA BACKS OFF

AURIZON LOOKING INTO WICET BUY

Indian energy giant Adani has cancelled $2.6 billion in potential contracts with Downer for drilling, blasting, coal and waste haulage at its proposed Carmichael project in the Galilee Basin.

The Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal at the Port of Gladstone in Queensland is doing enough to stay in business in the short term, but will likely not survive a $3.5 billion debt repayment due by September 2018, the company’s annual report has indicated.

owner told the ASX in December the sides had mutually agreed to part ways on all Letters of Award relating to the mine services and related infrastructure, which have been in place since 2014. Adani said it plans to move forward with the mine, rail and port project as an owner operator. Downer said it would provide transitional assistance to Adani until March 2018. Downer boss Grant Fenn said the company remained “committed to growing its Mining division and continuing to deliver outstanding service for its customers”.

the supply chain, Adani has decided to develop and operate the mine on an owner operator basis,” the Indian company said. “Adani remains committed to develop the Carmichael project and will ensure the highest level of standards and governance. “This will not affect our commitment or the number of local jobs across Queensland. This is simply a change in management structure and ensures that the mine will ultimately be run out of our Adani Australia offices in Townsville.” A number of Chinese banks also said they were not interested in the project. Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) issued a statement saying it would not be involved in Carmichael. “ICBC has not been, and does not intend to be, engaged in arranging financing for this project,” ICBC said on December 3. “ICBC attaches great importance to its social responsibilities and keenly promotes ‘green financing’. In Australia ICBC has provided financing to a series of renewable energy projects.” The statement followed similar comments from China Construction Bank, which recently said it “is not involved with, nor considering involvement with, the Adani Carmichael Mine project”. The pair added to a growing list of around two dozen of the world’s largest financial institutions who have ruled out funding Carmichael, including each of Australia’s ‘big four’ banks. Greens senator for Queensland Andrew Bartlett welcomed the news Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, detailing the newly re-elected State from the Chinese banks, saying Government’s plans to veto Adani’s proposed NAIF loan. Photo: the banking sector knows Carmichael Annastacia Palaszczuk / Twitter is “a bad investment and will be an environmental catastrophe”. It is unclear what the news means for “They know Australians want investment the Carmichael project, which has been in renewable energy, not the dying fossil targeted with strong opposition from fuel industry that tries to get its way by certain groups, on both environmental and giving millions in payments to Labor and economic grounds. the Coalition and employing their former Adani said it was making the move after MPs as lobbyists,” Bartlett said. the Queensland Government formalised Carmichael was a crucial talking point its veto of a potential $1 billion loan in the lead-up to the state election, with for the Carmichael project from the several key seats hinging on the issue. Commonwealth’s Northern Australia After supporting the project throughout Infrastructure Facility. much of 2017, the Palaszczuk Government “Following on from the NAIF veto last made its NAIF veto vow just days before week and in line with its vision to achieve the vote. Opposition leader Tim Nicholls the lowest quartile cost of production supported the project.  by ensuring flexibility and efficiencies in

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ail operator Aurizon confirmed in December it was in talks with consortium partners – believed to include Macquarie and Brookfield – to buy WICET, along with a selection of coal mines that feed the port, for roughly $4 billion. In the process of acquiring those assets, the consortium would refinance the outstanding debt, allowing the export terminal and the mines to continue operations in the medium term. But if that doesn’t occur, WICET’s existing ownership could be in serious trouble. WICET’s annual report, released in December, described a “material uncertainty” over the terminal’s future due to the looming debt repayment. It said the terminal is generating the positive cash flows in needs to stay afloat – delivering $368.8 million in operating cash in FY17. But one news report stated there was “significant doubt over the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern” due to the $3.5 billion repayment. Several reports said the prospective bid from Aurizon, Macquarie and Brookfield would see WICET’s remaining senior lenders repaid within 10 months by the consortium. Without such a move, major banks – including ANZ and NAB – may be forced to write down as much as $1 billion of that debt. “As part of a consortium proposal, Aurizon would acquire WICET and other consortium members would acquire one or more of WICET’s source mines,” Aurizon told the ASX. “The consortium proposal would secure long-term volumes for WICET. In addition, through restructuring and the proposed introduction of lower, marketcompetitive port charges, there would be incentive for miners to increase throughput at the port. “This could also incentivise expansion tonnages from existing mines and new mines.” The bold move was the latest in a string of major steps taken by Aurizon since former Rio Tinto executive Andrew Harding became its chief executive in December 2016. “Aurizon, which operates rail infrastructure and train haulage services for coal customers in Queensland’s Bowen Basin, sees strategic alignment with the acquisition of WICET,” the company said. “If successful, the consortium’s proposal would provide a long-term, sustainable and economic solution for this important state and national infrastructure asset.” Another Fairfax report in January, however, suggested one of the key mines involved in the prospective deal, Wesfarmers’ Curragh, was sold to American group Coronado Coal. Curragh, and Glencore’s Rolleston mine, were two of the key WICET customers expected to be snapped up by Macquarie and Brookfield. 

www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 2:24:22 PM

Light Rail 2018 1 – 2 March 2018 | Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney

Photo courtesy of Transport for NSW

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25/01/2018 10:05 AM

NEWS

NSW

DRAFT PORTS AND FREIGHT STRATEGY HIGHLIGHTS INLAND RAIL’S ROLE The NSW Government’s draft plan outlining key challenges and priorities to improve the efficiency of freight transportation across the state emphasises the imperative of harnessing Inland Rail’s potential into the future.

eedback from those involved in the freight industry is being sought on the NSW Draft Freight and Ports Plan, with formal submissions able to be lodged until late March. Melinda Pavey, state minister for roads, maritime and freight, said with an exponentially expanding international demand for Australian exports, NSW’s freight system had to respond with an effective strategy that satisfied customers. “Our major commercial ports at Port Botany, Port Kembla and Newcastle are managing increasing volumes of imported and exported goods, requiring faster, more efficient road and rail access with our Sydney and regional NSW markets,” Pavey said. “We need a strong plan to ensure that our farmers, miners and industries can respond to all opportunities, delivering successful outcomes for the NSW economy and local communities.” Among the most important challenges identified by the draft plan is the longterm projected increase in NSW population growth, which is increasing the freight task and influencing the direction of freight flows. The encroachment of residential and commercial developments on freighting precincts and corridors is also highlighted, along with the constraints caused by the sharing of infrastructure (e.g. freight movements having to take place along lines used by passenger rail services). To meet the growth in freight demand, the report states, freight will need to have increased access to the rail network between freight facilities, gateways and corridors. This will include planning Transport for NSW actions such as expanding and upgrading the network to enable higher productivity, and pursuing “opportunities to provide dedicated rail networks for passengers and freight, to reduce sharing of busy rail corridors”. The draft plan also emphasises the need for NSW to focus on ensuring the Inland Rail project optimises the movement of freight in regional NSW through efficient links to Port Botany, the Port of Newcastle, and Port Kembla, thereby encouraging opportunities for the development of “economically sustainable” freight hubs by the private sector along the route, and, further, the development of intermodal terminals. The final NSW Ports and Freight Plan

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Inland Rail’s indicative alignment in the context of NSW’s existing rail network. Graphic: NSW Government

will be closely integrated with other major transport and infrastructure plans that have been established by the NSW government, including the State Infrastructure Strategy, the Future Transport 2056 Strategy, and the Regional and Greater Sydney Services and Infrastructure plans. The Australian Logistics Council has quickly embraced the release of the draft plan, with managing director Michael Kilgariff saying that the priorities outlined complemented those included in other significant NSW government transport plans and echoed the sentiments of the federal government’s Freight and Supply Chain Strategy. “It is pleasing to see the draft plan also supports increasing road and rail capacity around Port Botany, including duplication of

the freight rail line at the port. This is a vital national economic imperative, and its positive impacts would be felt beyond the borders of NSW,” Kilgariff said. “ALC also welcomes the Draft Plan’s recognition of the increasingly important role intermodal terminals will play in meeting our freight task, the need to develop efficient rail linkages from the Inland Rail to existing ports in NSW and additional investment to separate freight and passenger rail to alleviate congestion on the Sydney rail network.” The draft NSW Freight and Ports Plan is open for feedback until March 25. 

www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 1:09:18 PM

NSW

NEWS

STAPLES ELEVATED TO HEAD OF TFNSW Sydney Metro project director Rodd Staples has been named the new secretary of Transport for NSW.

former Arup engineer, Staples has worked in various roles for NSW Government’s transport group since 2005, and has been the project director for the Sydney Metro project since it was launched as North West Rail Link in 2011. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Staples had a long and distinguished career in both the public and private sectors, specialising in delivering customer outcomes and value for money. “I’ve witnessed Rodd leading complex projects at very close range, first as transport minister and then as treasurer and premier,” Berejiklian said, “and I have always been impressed by his command of the detail

alongside his focus on the big picture.” The premier said she was impressed with the state of the Sydney Metro project so far. “The fact that Metro Northwest is being delivered on time and on budget and that Metro City & Southwest is already underway is testament to his extraordinary leadership and strong record of delivery,” Berejiklian said. Staples took on the new role in January. State transport minister Andrew Constance said he had “enormous confidence” in the expertise of Staples, who holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business (Finance) from the University of Technology, Sydney. “He is a 21st century Bradfield,” Constance

Rod Staples. Photo: Transport for NSW

said, referring to engineer John Bradfield, the early 20th-century architect of Sydney’s underground railway network, as well as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. “[Staples] is incredibly well respected across the Government and amongst our private sector partners,” Constance said. 

DOWNER EDI AWARDED INTERCITY NETWORK MODIFICATIONS CONTRACT

COAL WORKERS SHUT OUT AT PORT KEMBLA AS OPERATOR STRUGGLES TO COMPETE

Downer EDI has been awarded the contract to carry out modifications to Sydney’s suburban and intercity network to make way for the new Intercity train fleet in 2019.

Roughly 60 workers were shut out at the Port Kembla Coal Terminal in January, after the terminal’s operator accused unions of putting the long-term viability of the site at risk.

o enable the trains to operate on existing networks, modifications will be undertaken by Downer EDI to stations and signalling systems, with works to include platform extensions, overhead wiring adjustments and train location technology. “Work will get underway early next year and where possible it will be completed as part of the existing rail maintenance schedule and track work weekends so we can minimise the impact on our customers,” a Transport for NSW spokesperson said. The new trains will carry passengers between Sydney and the Central Coast, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and the South Coast. Dubbed “state-of-theart” by Transport for NSW, they will reportedly feature improved on-board technology, including CCTV cameras, customer help point alarms and fire detection, as well as providing customers

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the ability to charge their mobile phones. Two-by-two seating, tray tables, cup holders, digital screens, air conditioning, accessible toilets and dedicated space for luggage, prams, bicycles and wheelchairs are among other features of the carriages, over 500 of which are to be constructed by RailConnect NSW, an unincorporated joint venture between Hyundai Rotem Company, UGL Limited and Mitsubishi Electric Australia. A train maintenance facility designed specifically for the trains is to be built at Kangy Angy on the Central Coast by John Holland Rail, which was recently awarded the contract. The first trains will be delivered in 2019, with the rest of the fleet being subsequently rolled-out progressively through to 2022. 

KCT is owned by Tahmoor Coal, South32, Centennial Coal, Wollongong Coal and Peabody Energy. According to operations manager John Gorman, the site is struggling to compete – in its current state – with the massive coal terminals at Newcastle, 190 kilometres to the north. Gorman says production levels at the port are down “significantly” from where they were a year ago, and his customers have said the terminal is not “commercially competitive” in the export market. “Our 5.1 million tonnes [of throughput in 2018] will be the lowest throughput on record and I’ve been telling my employees for many, many months it is absolutely critical to right now set up the safe, sustainable operation of PKCT so it’s here in the long term,” Gorman was quoted as saying to Fairfax in January. “There are some significant risks to that at the moment and we need to be doing everything we can – and having a competitive enterprise agreement is a significant element of that.” The lockout at the coal terminal, which sits in the southern half of

Wollongong, was triggered after Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) members moved to take protected industrial action over PKCT’s desire to scrap the existing enterprise agreement. PKCT is undergoing a $300 million upgrade, which includes the introduction of modern, highlymechanised loading equipment. It wants to reduce what it perceives to be generous superannuation rates granted to workers, as well as extensive sick leave benefits. It is also trying to wrest control from the union over key rostering and team management rights. Speaking with ABC, CFMEU southwest district vice-president Bob Timbs called the five-day lockout “madness”. “I’ve been in the heavy industry for 30 years and I’ve never seen an attack like this,” Timbs was quoted as saying. “I don’t know why they’re doing this, and I don’t know what the end game is for them. We’ve done everything we can to try and get an agreement with this company. It seems like it’s everything or nothing.” 

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 1:09:38 PM

NEWS

NSW

$40M TO RE-RAIL SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS LINE The Australian Rail Track Corporation has expedited $40 million in infrastructure upgrades on the Southern Highlands rail line.

he upgrade program is aimed at improving service reliability between Goulburn and Macarthur, the ARTC said. Re-railing works were underway in December, replacing rail that was over 20 years old with new, Australian-sourced steel rail. The older rail gets, the more likely defects will arise, leading the ARTC to enforce temporary speed-restrictions, potentially impacting on train service punctuality, the track operator says. “We are very conscious of the concerns of our customers operating through the Southern Highlands and are working closely with them to improve performance – and in particular reliability,” ARTC’s interstate network group executive Peter Winder said. “Pleasingly, we have seen positive results due to the re-railing and other work ARTC has already delivered between August and November, but there is more to do.” The whole project is expected to be compete in 2020, and Winder said that it was important the upgrades were undertaken to

Photo: RailGallery.com.au

increase train numbers on the line and the reliability of their services. “That’s why we have brought this massive $40 million infrastructure investment forward to build further reliability into this part of our rail network,” he said.

Areas where works were undertaken during December included Menangle Park, Menangle, Douglas Park, Maldon, Picton, Bargo,  Yerrinbool, Mittagong and Burradoo.

Photo: Ettamogah Rail Hub

ETTAMOGAH RAIL HUB SHORTLISTED FOR NSW INVESTMENT A project to extend the rail siding at Albury’s Ettamogah Rail Hub has been shortlisted for funding as part of the NSW Government’s $150 million investment in the first round of its Fixing Country Rail infrastructure program.

he rail siding requires an extension of 3,500 metres to enable 1,800-metre trains to have access to the Hub, an intermodal transport facility for national and international freight passing through the Albury-Wodonga region. The rail siding has direct access to the main freight rail line between Melbourne and Sydney. It is reasoned that longer trains along the rail corridor will lead to cuts in delivery times and increases in the loads being transported by 32

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train, improving the efficiency of services. “The addition to the shortlist is great news for the area and means the siding expansion is in line to potentially share in $150 million in funding,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. The project is one of 27 shortlisted for funding across regional NSW, after expressions of interest for the Fixing Country Rail program yielded 49 submissions. Final funding recommendations will follow the preparation of business cases and their

assessment by Infrastructure Australia early next year. State roads minister Melinda Pavey said the investment program was aimed at projects that would boost productivity and efficiency of freight movements in regional NSW. “Transport costs can make up a third of the price of goods sold by regional producers harvesting grain, cotton, citrus, meat or other commodities and moving them to market,”  Pavey said. www.railexpress.com.au

9/02/2018 11:12:26 AM

VIC

NEWS

LABOR SHAPING UP AIRPORT LINE AHEAD OF 2018 ELECTION Photo: Melbourne Airport

Federal and state representatives have briefed key industry and community stakeholders to get the ball rolling on a world-class rail link to Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne.

he Australian Government committed $30 million in the Federal Budget to develop the Tullamarine Airport Rail Link business case. Urban infrastructure minister Paul Fletcher and then-infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester held the project’s first key meeting in the final week of November. Chester said the business case would look at potential corridors for the rail link, existing and future rail upgrades across the metropolitan network, and proposals from private industry. “The Australian Government is delivering a record $20 billion investment in rail,” he said. “We are getting on with the job of delivering this vital rail link between Australia’s second busiest airport and the city with $30 million already set aside in the Budget.” Fletcher said planning work on the project was part of the Australian Government’s record $75 billion investment in infrastructure with the airport link set to benefit local communities as well as airport travellers. “Melbourne Airport rail is a missing link in the urban transport network in Victoria,” Fletcher said. “Sydney has a rail connection between the airport and the city, Brisbane has one, Perth is building one—a city of the scale and importance of Melbourne deserves such a connection and that’s why the Turnbull Government is getting this important process underway.” The business case will be delivered in two stages: a preliminary case will be completed in 2018 for consideration by both governments, ahead of a detailed business case which will be based on the emerging preferred alignment.

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Melbourne Airport is the second-busiest airport in Australia, but is the only member of the top four without an existing rail link, or one under construction. Photo: Melbourne Airport

A joint statement from the ministers said the business case will ensure the Melbourne Airport Rail Link: • Addresses network pressures in and around Melbourne, including population growth and increasing congestion; • Ensures financial and economic sustainability of the rail link; • Maximises benefits for passengers through frequent and reliable services and improved amenity; and, • Integrates the rail link into the urban and transport network. A 2013 report from Public Transport Victoria said 107,000 person-trips are made to and from the airport on a typical weekday. The report suggested an airport rail link would need to target a 30-minute journey to make it viable against other modes, along with a service frequency of at least 10 minutes. Tullamarine Airport’s 24-hour operation would necessitate a 24-hour rail service, the report suggested, and trains and platforms should cater for people travelling with luggage. The study in 2013 also shortlisted four route options, preferring the ‘Albion East base case’, which would utilise an existing freight corridor through Sunshine North, and new tracks within the Sydenham rail corridor to Southern Cross.

Other options, including a direct tunnel, were considered. Victorian Labor is likely hoping to have a good project case to present to voters before the state election, scheduled for November 24. Labor premier Daniel Andrews late last year said the airport line could be ready for service in 2026. “It would change the way people work and live,” Andrews said. “And it would change the face of our state forever.” Melbourne Airport says it “actively supports” the development of a rail link. “We welcome the commitments … from both Federal and State Governments to provide funding for a feasibility study,” the company said. “A rail link will be a necessary addition to today’s mix of transport modes, as airport passenger numbers are forecast to exceed 60 million by 2033.” Melbourne Airport ranks second in Australia in terms of passenger numbers, handling 34.9 million passengers in FY17, but is by far the busiest without a rail link. Ignoring Perth – where a rail link is under construction – the next-largest Australian airport without rail is Adelaide, which handled just under 8 million passengers in FY17. 

After campaigning for rail over road in the 2014 election, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will look to make the Tullamarine Airport Rail Link a major component of his 2018 campaign. Photo: Creative Commons / Swinburne University of Technology

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 2:43:22 PM

NEWS

VIC

MELBOURNE STATION UPGRADES UNDERWAY IN THE NEW YEAR Works are underway in the new year to upgrade facilities at several Melbourne train stations, including further construction at Flinders Street Station, where the Victorian Government is spending $100 million on redevelopment and refurbishment.

Photo: Creative Commons / Michael Phams

RCR WINS $70M MURL DEAL ASX-listed engineering and infrastructure firm RCR Tomlinson has been awarded a $70 million contract by Metro Trains Melbourne to deliver station upgrade works within the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop.

CR said the project works package includes engineering, design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning of system upgrades for three MURL stations: Parliament, Melbourne Central and Flagstaff. “We continue to see growth in our pipeline of rail infrastructure projects and this award clearly shows RCR’s capability to support a range of complex rail systems projects,” RCR managing director and chief executive Paul Dalgleish said. “We look forward to working with MTM to

deliver a safe and reliable project,” he added. The State Government said the project included the installation of new platform smoke extraction systems, upgraded station sprinklers and a new alarm system. “More than 111,000 people use Melbourne’s City Loop each day,” acting transport minister Luke Donellan said this week. “These vital upgrades will continue to keep them safe and ensure they have a reliable journey.” 

NEW STATION OPENED ON MELBOURNE’S FRANKSTON LINE

ork began in the second week of January to build a new entrance to Flinders Street Station’s Platform 10, which, once it opens in April, will provide direct access from Southbank’s Riverside Walk. “Flinders Street is the heart of our train system and the heart of our city – we’re restoring it and making it more accessible, safe and user friendly for passengers,” acting premier James Merlino said. Works will begin in Brunswick this week for the redevelopment of the Jewell Station precinct. The station forecourt is to be upgraded, with a community garden area and artistic and cultural spaces to be installed along with creased bike parking and an upgrade to the Upfield bike path. “The transformation of Jewell station means the historic station building will provide new shops, services and community spaces for everyone to enjoy,” acting transport minister Luke Donnellan said. From the commencement of construction at the precinct this Thursday, the currently existing commuter car park will permanently close and the Upfield shared user path will be diverted. 

Photo: Nick Staikos MP / Twitter

The new Southland station has opened on Melbourne’s Frankston line between Highett and Cheltenham stations, at a location close to the Southland shopping centre.

orks had been carried out on the $21 million station since August 2017, including improvements to the thoroughfare connecting the station and Westfield shopping centre car park, allowing for pedestrian walkways and ramp access. “This station has been talked about for more than 130 years – it was the Andrews Labor Government that got it done,” transport minister Jacinta Allan said. Roughly 4,400 passengers are expected to use the station on the average day, and it is hoped that it may ease road congestion in the area. 34

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The twelfth station built by the Labor Government, Southland’s design was refined from an original plan based on feedback received by Public Transport Victoria in its community consultations with the area’s residents back in 2015. Accessible toilets, shelter and CCTV have been installed on both platforms, while bicycle hoops have also been erected in the station’s precinct. “We’re getting it done – delivering new stations, more trains and the biggest pipeline of public transport projects in Victoria’s history to get people home safer and sooner,” Allan said.

Nick Staikos, Labor’s member for Bentleigh, said that access to the nearby shopping precinct had been improved by the construction of the station, which will also provide an economic boost to the area by giving workers better contact with available jobs. “We promised a new station at Southland and we’ve delivered – right on time for the busy Christmas period,” Staikos said.  www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 2:43:23 PM

we’ve changed our name

Some things won’t change, but our name has. You may have known us as Brookfield Rail. Our new name is Arc Infrastructure. We will continue to provide vital rail infrastructure that connects our State to the rest of the country and the world. Safely connecting and contributing to Western Australian communities is what we do, and we’re in it for the long haul.

connect with us

If you have any questions about our company please contact ask@arcinfra.com

NEWS

VIC

PUFFING BILLY GETS FUNDING BOOST Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Puffing Billy, the heritage railway in the Dandenong Ranges, is to receive a $8.2 million in funding for major works aimed at increasing patronage and bringing more business to the region.

popular tourist attraction, Puffing Billy is reportedly currently running at visitation capacity, with more than 487,000 people travelling on the railway in 2016-17, 60% of whom were overseas visitors. For a non-profit, narrow gauge steam heritage railway, these patronage figures are

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the highest in the world. But without new investment in strategic infrastructure, the railway would not be able to cope with the further increase in demand projected for the coming years, the operator says. The $8.2 million in funds provided by the Victorian Government will be used to build a

new discovery centre at Lakeside Station, which will feature educational and volunteer facilities, a cafĂŠ, and space to host events and meetings. With construction to start before the end of 2018, the works will form the beginning of the first phase of a 10-year investment plan for the railway, which the organisation

www.railexpress.com.au

8/02/2018 2:43:23 PM

VIC

NEWS

INVESTIGATION OPENED INTO SPAD EVENT AT GEELONG The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has opened an investigation into a signal passed at danger event (SPAD) by a V/Line train at Marshall in Geelong, Victoria, at the beginning of the year.

he empty passenger train was travelling to Geelong from Waurn Ponds during the afternoon of 2 January when it passed two stop signals at Marshall. The train then entered, without authorisation, the single line between Marshall and South Geelong, upon which another V/Line passenger train was travelling, but in the opposite direction. The trains were halted only 300 metres away

from each other along the stretch of track. No injuries or damages were incurred during the incident. Transport Safety, the Victorian Chief Investigator responsible for safety-related incidents involving rail transport, will conduct the investigation on behalf of the ATSB under the  Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.

V/LINE REVISES HEAT RESTRICTIONS Victorian regional operator V/Line has revised its heat restrictions for the freight network over the coming summer, and will no longer be cancelling services on most lines in times of extremely hot weather.

Puffing Billy is a tourist railway in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. Photo: Puffing Billy

believes will need to carry out $78 million in works to preserve and enhance the service for the future. It is expected that this investment would create a further 270 jobs and generate additional economic value capture of around $19 million to the region. Currently, the railway delivers $10.2 million in value added economic activity, and provides 101 paid and 900 volunteer positions. 

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ast summer’s restriction guidelines meant freight trains had to stop running on days when temperatures reached 33˚C, leading to service cancellations during last year’s record grain harvest. Responding to concerns from sections of the freight and farming industries that last year’s restrictions would remain in place this summer, V/Line has announced that only two parts of the network – the tracks between Toolamba and Echuca and between Dimboola and Rainbow – will close when the temperature reaches 33˚C. Elsewhere on the network, trains will be able to operate at reduced speeds when the temperature reaches 36˚C. “Our track team has been hard at work completing maintenance and upgrades on the freightnetwork ahead of the warmer months, and we’ve been able to make the changes to the allowable train speed in some sections of the network,” V/Line chief executive James Pinder said. “We’ve communicated the changes to freight train operators, so they can manage their operations and we’ll continue to be in constant contact throughout the summer.” The issue of heat restrictions was the first on which the new Freight Advisory Council was consulted. The 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. The Council’s chair, Peter Tuohey, an industry

leader and a former president of the Victorian Farmers Federation, welcomed the change. “The revised heat-related speed restrictions were well received by our group, which represents the whole rail freight supply chain,” he said. “These changes mean farmers and industry can transport more produce this summer, as freight trains will still be able to run even during the hottest part of the day.” 

Heat is a major challenge for Victoria’s regional railways. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 2:43:24 PM

NEWS

SA AIMS FOR 50MTPA MAGNETITE MINING, PROCESSING SECTOR South Australia would mine and process 50 million tonnes of magnetite products a year under a 15-year plan released by the State Government on December 8.

he state’s new Magnetite Strategy lays out a plan to deliver an “ambitious target” of $10 billion of investment in the state’s magnetite resource by 2030. “By capitalising on the emerging global demand for higher-grade iron products, South Australia has an opportunity to position itself as a leading global magnetite-producing region,” strategy committee chairman Ted Tyne wrote in the 36-page document.

South Australia has 44% of Australia’s magnetite, the Government estimates, but currently produces just 3 million tonnes of the steel precursor each year. Just two operators – GFG Alliance and CU-River Mining Australia – currently produce magnetite in the state. The strategy, released at the South Australian Exploration and Mining Conference in Adelaide on December 8, 2017, sets out to encourage further investment not only by attracting new

producers, but by promoting South Australian magnetite to international steelmakers. The first goal of the strategy is to establish a magnetite research and development alliance in the state by December 2019. Future goals include the opening of magnetite mines on the Eyre Peninsula, the Braemar Province and Far North South Australia by 2027, with a new deepwater port on the Spencer Gulf providing export capacity. The plan also recognises new Whyalla Steelworks owner GFG Alliance’s own ongoing assessment of South Australia’s magnetite sector. GFG Alliance – comprising the Liberty House Group and SIMEC Group – bought the steelworks earlier in 2017, and is assessing options to grow magnetite ore production from the current capacity of 2mtpa to as much as 20mtpa. Improved local procurement strategies from governments at the state and federal levels would support this, the strategy explains, while exports would remain the major driver of growth. “Increasing global demand for more energy efficient, high-grade magnetite has created an opportunity for South Australia to unlock the potential of its substantial magnetite assets,” South Australian resources and energy minister Tom Koutsantonis said. “South Australia already has two magnetite exporters and this Strategy will enable us to more than double that number by encouraging investment in several world-class projects.” Koutsantonis, also the state’s treasurer, said the strategy would help strengthen and diversify the South Australian economy by creating jobs, boosting exports and generating new business opportunities for regions. “Not only do we want to attract investment, we want to ensure we maximise the benefits to the South Australian community and build the State’s international reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality magnetite products,” he added. 

The Department of State Development says if South Australia can capitalise on its iron ore deposits and increase magnetite exports each year, there will be “significant opportunities” for economic growth and jobs in the supply chain around this industry.

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NEWS

JOHN HOLLAND CONTRACTED FOR ADELAIDE-TARCOOLA RERAILING John Holland has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to upgrade rail track between Adelaide and Tarcoola.

he rerailing work, directed by the Federal Government, is an effort to improve the efficiency of freight movements between the east and west of Australia. The works will install new rail, and provide other upgrades as part of the $252 million Adelaide-Tarcoola Rail Upgrade Acceleration Project. John Holland executive general manager for rail, Gary Seabury, said he was “delighted” by the news. “We look forward to working collaboratively with the ARTC to upgrade this key section of the Trans Australian railway,” Seabury said, “and being part of a project that will stimulate significant local and national economic growth.” John Holland will start work in March. ARTC boss John Fullerton said: “It is great to see this important project progressing, which has

secured additional volumes at the Whyalla steel mill, created local jobs, and will boost rail freight performance between the East and the West of our nation.” The Turnbull Government says the rerailing work provide up to 130 jobs across South Australia and provide an economic boost for the regions between Adelaide, Whyalla, Port Augusta and Tarcoola. “Local businesses and suppliers will reap the flow-on benefits of this multi-milliondollar rail investment, with the project already having helped secure additional steel volumes at the Whyalla steel mill, creating dozens of jobs—and more on the way,” former infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester said in December. “This is an upgrade that will boost freight rail performance between Australia's eastern

and western states, boosting productivity, jobs and confidence in local communities across South Australia in particular. It will allow faster and heavier trains to operate between Adelaide and Perth.” The project is increasing the rail size along the interstate line – from 47kg per metre to 60kg per metre – along with other works that will enable higher axle loads (25 tonnes at 80km/h), and thus the operation of larger and heavier freight trains to operate at faster speeds along the track. In preparation for John Holland’s works, over half of the 72,000 tonnes of the steel required has been delivered from Whyalla to various worksites along the track. The Adelaide-Tarcoola Rail Upgrade Acceleration Project is expected to be complete  by the middle of 2019.

John Holland will perform rerailing work from Adelaide to Tarcoola (pictured), in the far north of South Australia. Photo: Creative Commons / Peter Bell

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8/02/2018 2:52:38 PM

$174M DEAL SIGNED FOR OAKLANDS CROSSING REMOVAL

NEWS

The level crossing near Oaklands station south of Adelaide sees the Seaford line cross the busy intersection of two roads. Graphic: South Australian Government

Detailed design works to remove a major level crossing south of Adelaide will soon begin, after an alliance of McConell Dowell, Mott MacDonald and Arup were awarded a $174.3 million contract.

he PTP Alliance was awarded the major crossing removal contract after a competitive tender process, federal cities and urban infrastructure minister Paul Fletcher announced on January 16. “Building a rail underpass at Morphett Road will significantly reduce delays for 42,000 vehicles which travel through this level crossing each weekday,” he said. The Oaklands Crossing is where the Seaford line meets an already busy road intersection, between Morphett and Diagonal Roads. Congestion is worsened by nearby shops including Bunnings and the Westfield Marion centre, the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, and the adjacent Oaklands railway station. “On an average weekday the boom gates at Oaklands Crossing are lowered for approximately 25% during peak traffic times,” Fletcher said. “Removing this level crossing will slash delays for people using this part of the southern suburbs road network by more than 90 minutes a day.” The Oaklands Crossing project is being jointly funded: $95 million from the Federal Government, $74 million from the SA Government, and $5 million from the City of Marion. SA transport and infrastructure minister Stephen Mullighan said the PTP Alliance had been ordered to prioritise South Australian workers, contractors and suppliers where possible. “This project will support approximately

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160 jobs during major construction, which is expected to start in mid-2018 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2019,” Mullighan said. “Removing the level crossing will significantly reduce congestion for vehicle traffic held up by the boom gates, while also improving train services for more then 15,000 passengers who use the Seaford line each day.” To deliver the project, PTP Alliance will lower the Seaford line under the major road intersection, and will rebuild Oaklands station to align it with the new track.

Kris Hanna, Marion’s mayor, said the project would also improve bus and train interchange at the station. “Pedestrian and cycling connections throughout the Marion precinct and local neighbourhood will also be improved, including a shared use path under Morphett Road adjacent to the underpass,” Hanna said. “The council is also working with the State Government on the opportunities for recreational spaces, parking, residential and commercial developments around the new Oaklands Station.” 

The Oaklands Crossing project includes lowering the railway below the road, and rebuilding Oaklands station to suit. Graphic: South Australian Government

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 2:52:39 PM

NEWS

WA Photo: RailGallery.com.au

CBH ENJOYS BUMPER CROP, EXTENDS INTERIM DEAL WITH BROOKFIELD Grain co-operative CBH returned a record rebate to its growers in the 2016/17 harvest, on its way to a record surplus in the 12-month stretch, the company said on January 15.

67% BOOST TO FREMANTLE RAIL SUBSIDY

he subsidy for freight operators moving their containers to the WA port of Fremantle by rail increased from $30 to $50 per twenty-foot container (or equivalent) on January 1. WA transport minister Rita Saffioti said the subsidy increase is part of the State Government’s goal to boost rail’s share of containers to the port from around 15% to 20%. The goal stems from the McGowan Government’s election commitment to cancel the Perth Freight Link road project, and find alternative options to boost the Port of Fremantle’s capacity. Saffioti said the subsidy will continue to be passed on, in full, to rail customers. The minister said the subsidy would be paid for all loaded containers that move between North Quay Rail Terminal, Forresfield and Kwinana, as well as for containers filled with hay that are received by rail at NQRT for export. “The rail service plays a significant role in achieving greater efficiency in the container supply chain as well as improving community amenity and environmental benefits along metropolitan roads that link to Fremantle Port,” Saffioti said. “That is why the McGowan

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Government has delivered on its election commitment to increase the container rail subsidy to encourage more container movements on the port rail service.” Fremantle is Australia’s busiest container port west of Melbourne. The State Government has launched the Westport Taskforce to develop a future plan for the inner and outer harbours at Fremantle, as well as the road and rail options that will help facilitate that growth. The Taskforce held its first meeting in December. The State Government says increasing the rail share for container haulage is one of several initiatives to improve efficiencies at the Inner Harbour to facilitate trade growth until additional port facilities are viable. Enabling development of the broader rail supply chain, including intermodal facilities to enhance rail system efficiencies and minimise truck movements on Perth roads, is another initiative outlined by the Government. “It's pleasing to see the integrated plan for freight and trade in WA coming together, which will help drive economic growth and jobs for years to come,” Saffioti concluded. 

mong the records outlined in CBH’s annual report for the 2016/17 harvest – the 12 months ending September 30, 2017: a record 16.6 million tonnes of grain delivered to storage and handling facilities, a record $156.3 million rebate ($12.75 a tonne), and a record surplus before rebates of $247.6 million. “Our co-operative had a strong 2016/17 financial year that culminated in the return of a record rebate to growers,” CBH chief executive Jimmy Wilson said. “Our Operations and Marketing and Trading divisions as well as our investments performed well, with each returning a rebate to growers in the face of an international grain environment that continues to provide challenges.” CBH’s net profit after tax was $91.3 million, up 83% year-on-year. Overall revenue increased 6.3% to $3.5 billion, driven by the larger number of tonnes traded, but partially offset by lower grain prices. The co-op’s Operations division reported a pre-rebate surplus of $197.6 million, while Marketing and Trading reported a $58.3 million surplus before rebates. “In the past four years Western Australian growers have delivered above average crops, with crop production growing faster than initially modelled in certain areas,” Wilson said. “While managing such a large amount of grain can create challenges, CBH has responded by building additional storage and catering for unexpected events such as flooding and frost. “Marketing and Trading continue to maintain market share despite the intense competition from the Black Sea region that resulted in

high global grain stocks and historically low prices,” he reflected. “Grain processing investments recorded an improvement in profitability, with our oats processing business Blue Lake Milling performing strongly, and profits from our Interflour flour milling joint venture reinvested for growth projects including the US$70 million Intermalt facility in Vietnam.” In late December CBH announced a 12-month extension to the interim access deal it has with rail network operator Arc Infrastructure. Unable to agree to terms on a long-term access agreement, CBH and Arc Infrastructure – formerly known as Brookfield Rail – have operated on interim rail access deals since 2015. The new interim deal extension covers CBH access from January 1, to December 31, 2018. It is the fourth extension of the interim access agreement. The interim deal allows CBH wagons to use Arc’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 rail lines as well as the Miling line. CBH wants to secure a longterm deal that opens as many of WA’s 509 kilometres of Tier 3 rail lines as possible. As network operator, Arc Infrastructure has questioned the financial viability of opening many of these lines, after it shut them down roughly four years ago. The sides are also, understandably, negotiating over rates on all tiers of rail line. CBH general manager of operations David Capper said the interim deal extension meant business as usual for growers in the upcoming harvest. “The agreement ensures there are no disruptions to growers and their harvest programs,” Capper said. 

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NEWS

AMID FEDERAL IRON ORE DOUBTS, ROY HILL TARGETS GROWTH Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill iron ore operation has moved for a 60 million tonne annual capacity, despite the Australian Government forecasting a 20% drop in iron ore prices throughout 2018.

n an application to Western Australia’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Roy Hill is seeking approval for a 60mtpa operation at its mine and processing plant 270 kilometres south-east of Port Hedland. Roy Hill has in the past cited a production target of 55mtpa for its Pilbara project, and still lists a 55mtpa capacity for its facility at Port Hedland, as well as the 344-kilometre heavy haul railway it built between the mine and the port. Roy Hill’s move to grow its allowed capacity in the Pilbara comes as the latest figures from Port Hedland show the massive iron ore port had a record month in December.

46.2 million tonnes of iron ore left Port Hedland in December, smashing the previous monthly record of 44.1 million tonnes, set in May 2017. The price of iron ore has held up to the volume growth, for now, with the commodity price sitting at around US$77.70 earlier this week. The Australian Government is expecting the iron ore price to drop substantially throughout 2018, however. The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science’s quarterly update for December forecasts the iron ore price to average just US$51.50 a tonne throughout 2018 – around

US$26 lower than it is right now, and roughly US$13 lower than the 2017 average. “Steel production cuts in China have placed downward pressure on the price of Australia’s biggest export – iron ore – in the December quarter,” chief economist Mark Cully wrote. “Continued moderation in Chinese steel production, coupled with increased supplies from both Australia and Brazil, are expected to weigh further on iron ore prices over the next two years.” Cully added coal would likely be impacted by the same trend. “Coal prices, both thermal and metallurgical,” he wrote, “are also forecast to weigh heavily on Australia’s export earnings in the next two years, due to rising global supply and  moderating demand.”

Photo: Arc Infrastructure

FLOOD-DAMAGED NEWDEGATE LINE REOPENED FOR FREIGHT Grain freight movements resumed along the Newdegate line in December, after Arc Infrastructure repair and restoration works to infrastructure damaged by extensive flooding earlier in 2017.

he Newdegate line had been closed since the track was inundated with floodwaters in early February 2017, when the Newdegate-Lake Biddy area received more rainfall in two weeks than in any similar period since 1955, according to Bureau of Meteorology statistics. In some sections, stretches of track, rail structures and culverts were completely washed away, while other parts of the network in the Lakes District remained submerged by floodwaters for months. Paul Lowney from Arc Infrastructure said there had been delays in carrying out its planned

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project to not only repair the line but prevent flood damage into the future. “While we had wanted to restore services to this final section of the network earlier, a large volume of water remained in the Lakes District and further recent rains delayed the safe return of rail operations in the area,” Lowney said. In June the company said it been investigating a number of solutions to get the Newdegate line up and running again, including draining Lake Biddy and pumping away water from the area. The eventual project, delivered by Arc Infrastructure and project partners and recently

concluded, involved lifting the existing track to allow the formation to be built-up by 1 metre, which would help reduce the impact of flooding to the line in the long term. The project area stretched over approximately 50km of freight rail line from Lake Grace to Newdegate. “Throughout this process we worked closely with the sole customer of the line to ensure they were kept informed of progress and we thank our employees, contractors and CBH for their hard work, support and understanding during the clean-up efforts and look forward to working with them as services resume,” Lowney said. 

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

8/02/2018 2:46:08 PM

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT The 2017 pitching competition participants at the AusRAIL Gala Dinner in Brisbane. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

‘SMART’ ASSET MANAGEMENT IDEA WINS YOUNG PITCHING COMPETITION The Young Rail Professionals Pitching Competition, a feature of the final day of the AusRAIL PLUS conference in Brisbane last November, saw five industry newcomers present their ideas to innovate the rail industry.

his was the second time the competition had been held, after Aurecon engineer Michelle Doolan took out the inaugural prize at the 2016 AusRAIL event in Adelaide. The 2017 winner, announced at the Gala Dinner on the final night of AusRAIL, was Jamie Ross-Smith, the head of asset systems at UGL Limited. Ross-Smith had presented his concept of an “intelligent asset management system” (IAMS) – an innovation, he said, that would enable the rail industry to ride the wave of the coming “data revolution”.

The burgeoning of digital data systems across the rail industry, Ross-Smith told the audience, could not be effectively supported by existing traditional asset management strategies: a more sophisticated approach incorporating recent technological developments would be required. “With the emergence of data acquisition, IAMS aims to push the rail industry from the reactive to the predictive, and from the isolated to the integrated, to optimise the use of the world’s next natural resource,” Ross-Smith said. The IAMS combines artificial intelligence capabilities – such as machine learning and pattern recognition and prediction – with the

integration of data system networks. Such a system, Ross-Smith explained, enables fast, data-driven solutions to a variety of incidents across the areas of asset condition and maintenance planning, network control and operation systems, safety management and logistics, and resource planning and scheduling. “The culmination of these benefits is a level of certainty for asset owners, managers, and operators that their asset will be utilised safely, reliably, and cost-effectively, with minimal disruption on the network – and to the end customer – when presented with an issue.” CONTINUES PAGE 46 

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT 

FROM PAGE 44 - PITCHING COMPETITION

According to Ross-Smith, the IAMS can take an incident, such as the failure of an asset, and compare the details of this failure with millions of historical data points, thus providing a list of previous incidents with the same features for the system’s probability and prediction monitoring functions. Once the system determines the incident’s causation, again by using the system’s historical data, it will then point technicians towards procedures for its rectification. Once rectified, the issue and its associated

data and results will be fed back into the system, thereby helping with future prediction modelling for similar incidences. Ross-Smith indicated that, while it would find its most full and appropriate application with greenfield developments, it would be possible – though cost-intensive – to “retrofit” the IAMS to allow it to work with older existing data technology. And, during the question and answer session, he acknowledged that one of most difficult aspects of adopting a predictive system like the IAMS would be the handling of the cultural

Jamie Ross-Smith, from UGL Limited. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

Q&A WITH PITCHING COMP WINNER JAMIE ROSS-SMITH Rex: If implemented widely today, where would you see IAMS taking the rail industry over the next 5-10 years? Jamie: I would expect to see further investment in rolling stock projects, as well as greater adoption by both freight and passenger users, given the improved service reliability, reduced network headways, reduced service interruptions and cancellations, reduced maintenance and lifecycle cost and improved public perception associated with widespread implementation of the Intelligent Asset Management System concept. What are some of the challenges you might anticipate in the rollout of IAMS? The Intelligent Asset Management System concept is predicated on decentralised system integration, often between private and public entities. This introduces particular challenges around security, data governance and intellectual property. I believe the development and introduction of considered, standardised processes and integration protocols would provide a platform capable of managing these challenges. Rex: What is your area of study? I have degrees in Engineering (Renewable Energy) and Commerce (Finance), as well as professional certification as an Enterprise Architect. Rex: What attracted you to a career in rail? Jamie: I joined the rail industry as part of a 12-week internship at UGL Unipart in 2012 at the end of my penultimate year of university.

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change instigated by the shift in technology and management strategy. “What I would suggest for a project of this size and scale is to start small, choose one pain-point in an organisation or operation, and look towards automating or integrating that component,” he said. “Prove the concept, get people on board, generate excitement, and then you can start to filter it throughout the rest of the  organisation.”

WINNER I was attracted to rail as the industry itself had considerable expansion on the horizon, with very minimal technology penetration and adoption, which I saw as a great opportunity to be involved in the development of, and transition towards, a technology-based, digital rail industry. Rex: What do you do now at UGL? My role at UGL is Head of Asset Systems within the Transport and Technology Division. My responsibilities are to manage the development and adoption of asset systems, research and partner with contemporary technology providers, develop interface and integration capabilities with our partners and clients and support the design and development of next generation asset systems for emerging rolling stock platforms.

I would like to progress to leadership positions within the rail industry, with a continued focus on innovation and technology adoption. I aim to progress the Intelligent Asset Management System concept, and work with industry bodies to develop and establish the frameworks and protocols required to enable adoption throughout the industry. Rex: How do you think being a younger professional gives you a different perspective of the industry, especially regarding its approach to technology and innovation? Having grown up with technology, my childhood and formative years were molded by technical progress, giving me an awareness of innovative applications and opportunities within my environment. 

Rex: Where do you see your career with the rail industry going in the long-term?

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

AUGMENTING THE REALITY OF RAIL MAINTENANCE

Anderson addressing the AusRAIL crowd. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

Sydney Trains rolling stock engineer Oliver Lake gave a compelling outline of how providing technicians with augmented reality (AR) glasses can improve asset maintenance strategies and procedures, and thereby enable rail operators to meet the demands of increasing passenger numbers and rising freight volumes.

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR A BETTER COMMUTE The first finalist to speak was Ross Anderson, an engineer with Frazer-Nash Consultancy, who pitched his app-based approach to an integrated, multi-modal transport system that, he proposed, would help secure the future of rail by “reimagining” a more desirable commute for passengers.

nderson first started with FrazerNash as an intern while undertaking a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and sustainable energy engineering at The University of Adelaide. After completing his studies in 2016, he returned to the company as a graduate engineer, a role which currently sees him providing requirements and management support across a number of level crossing removal projects in Melbourne. Corridors is Anderson’s app-based interface. It aims to make rail travel a more attractive option for commuters – at a time when public transport makes up only 18% of Australia’s daily transport movements – by allowing users to tailor their journey to suit their needs. “Given the predicted rise in population across our city-centres and the significant investment pledged for public transport – including $12 billion in NSW alone – there is a strong need to alter the perception of rail to make it a mode of choice for the future,” Anderson said. After entering the start and end points of their journey into the Corridors app, the user would be presented with the various times and costs for the range of travel options – partly determined by user-data collection – for their journey’s completion. These would include a selection of privatised transport modes best suited to the “first and last mile” of the commute, such as short-term car rentals, e-bikes, and taxis, alongside public transport services such as rail. Presented in this app-format, Anderson said, transport options can be integrated and available via single method of access and payment for the entire journey, making it easier for users to www.railexpress.com.au

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move seamlessly from one mode of transport to another in the most cost-effective manner. The app would also provide the user with interactive street and station maps for guidance during their travel, notifications for station stops and changes in fare or duration of travel, options for sending user feedback and discreet distress signals to the network operator, and suggestions for external services – such as cafes and dry-cleaners – based on the user’s arrival information. Additionally, rail operators and maintainers would be able to utilise the data collected by Corridors to precisely determine commuter demand, thereby enabling improved timetabling and network planning to help manage and shape these trends. In a hypothetical scenario in which Corridors has been in operation for five years – and where the app is used by 80% of Sydney and Melbourne’s commuters and in which the mass-transit market share has increased by 5% – Anderson estimated that the rail industry could experience a potential revenue increase of $1.2 billion a year. And, said Anderson, given the strides being made in app-based solutions in recent years, especially in the US, it might not be a long wait before a platform like Corridors becomes available to the public. “With the rise in app-based technology, streamlining multiple travel modes into a single user experience creates a service that customers will actively seek out, and one that is ready for implementation in Australia.” 

ake graduated from The University of New South Wales in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Since early 2017 he has been working with Sydney Trains as an AMS rolling stock engineer. As population growth in cities continues to accelerate and freight volumes expand, Lake said, rail operators and maintainers CONTINUES PAGE 48 

Oliver Lake believes augmented reality can make rail maintenance safer and more efficient. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

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RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

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FROM PAGE 47 - TURNING FOOTSTEPS..

will require greater reliability and availability of their rail assets to satisfy increasing demand. “One such method to deliver more services for our customers is to be strategic in the optimised maintenance of rolling stock,” Lake told the audience. “Despite new digital maintenance methods, train availability is still hindered by quality assurance of maintenance tasks, human errors leading to unsafe situations, and lack of up to date training.” AR glasses, Lake informed the crowd, are able to provide technicians with superimposed computer-generated images and text relating to precise data on rolling stock equipment, and can display procedural instructions in realtime for the safe and efficient repair and maintenance of this equipment. Technical data, asset management data, and maintenance facility workflow systems could all be linked to the AR glasses, according to Lake, and various train components can in this way be recognised and identified within the field of view of a maintenance worker wearing the technology, with further procedural instructions displayed while tasks such as the assembly and disassembly of the component are carried out. This would therefore eliminate, Lake said, “the need to constantly stop and refer to procedurals and manuals,” and speed up the process of getting rolling stock back on to tracks to resume services. As effective outcomes for the technology are dependent upon the integration of multiple systems, the AR technology may seem only applicable to greenfield environments. But, Lake said, the glasses are “scalable” according to available data, and therefore could also be applied in brownfield contexts, including when there are changes in maintenance procedures, or when new systems are applied to legacy rolling stock. Lake doesn’t limit his idea to rolling stock: “In any environment where the railway’s asset management data can be integrated into the AR software, similar strategies can be deployed to other rail assets, such as track infrastructure,” he said. “Additionally, AR could also be used to highlight danger-zones when working in the rail corridor.” 

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Pacific National’s Tylor Plowright presenting his idea to AusRAIL. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

CUTTING DOWN ON FREIGHT RAIL ENERGY WASTAGE Tyler Plowright, a rolling stock engineer from Pacific National, guided the audience through the complexities of using dynamic brake batteries to save energy on heavy haul freight operations.

lowright first presented the audience with an outline of the energy wastage currently prevalent on diesel-electric and electric locomotives. “When you're using dynamic brake, traction motors connected to the dynamic brake dissipate energy as heat, thus slowing the train down. However, when you're doing this, the diesel generator or overhead power is then used to power the traction motor blowers and other ancillaries to keep the locomotive running,” Plowright explained. “During this time the diesel engine will increase its power output in order to supply this power, thus increasing fuel consumption and wasting additional energy.” The fuel and energy wastage of diesel locomotives can be mitigated, Plowright said, by utilising batteries to store energy – generated by dynamic braking and currently emitted as heat – which can be used by the locomotive at a later point in time for auxiliary and traction power. According to Plowright, heavy haul services would be best suited to the application of these dynamic brake battery systems, despite the lack extensive testing so far. Also, while there have been attempts to

develop effective storage mediums for this purpose, the technology is currently not far enough progressed to make it worthwhile for operators. “Currently, the key restriction is the storage technology,” Plowright said. While the technology for these battery systems will be developed towards a more sophisticated level within 3 to 4 years, he said he expects it will only become commercially viable in the years after this, as fuel prices go up or battery prices come down. “At the moment, a high-percentage saving can be produced, but the cost-benefit of constantly changing and replacing the storage medium is not currently viable." He nonetheless maintained that the need for the technology remains, especially as the demand for diesel locomotives remains robust. Each year, locomotive diesel locomotives use 84 billion litres of diesel, pumping out 250 million tonnes of CO2 annually worldwide. It is therefore important, Plowright concluded, for the rail industry to move towards dynamic brake battery technology and, in so doing, improve the sustainability and efficiency of freight fleets. 

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8/02/2018 3:06:20 PM

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Victoria Burke pitching her energygathering tiles idea. Photo: ARA / Informa Australia

TURNING FOOTSTEPS INTO LIGHT Victoria Burke, a graduate engineer with Metro Trains Melbourne, outlined her idea of powering station facilities – including lighting, ticket barriers, and wireless hotspots – using the kinetic energy generated by passenger footsteps.

aving graduated from Victoria University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Burke has been working with Metro Trains since early 2016. The young engineer called to the audience’s attention the vast amount of energy necessary to power railway networks, and the great expense this requires. She adroitly suggested, however, that a non-negligible part of those enormous electricity costs could be eliminated by utilising a resource right under our noses: our footsteps. “What if we could get the 500,000 passengers who travel on Melbourne's network per day to work for us while they travel?” she asked the audience. “And what if I told you we could do this without them even knowing it?” Burke’s idea involves installing special energy-harvesting tiles into station floors, platform surfaces and stairs. Downward pressure upon the tiles from passenger steps stimulates rotations in electro-magnetic generators lying beneath the surface, converting the kinetic energy of the footstep into electrical energy. Up to 20 watts per module can be produced

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in this manner, Burke said, and can either be utilised immediately for low-voltage applications or stored in batteries for later use. A similar approach was implemented on a small scale during London’s Olympic Games in 2012: tiles were installed on the walkway between West Ham Station and Olympic Park, generating enough power to light up the streetlights at full strength during the night and at half-strength during the day. According to Burke, this kind of technology would be perfect for powering parts of the station precinct – not only the lighting systems, but ticket barriers and mobile wireless internet hotspots as well; just 5,000 passenger-steps would produce 120 watt-hours to power a single router. “Why should we allow Melbourne’s 500,000 passengers worth of energy go to waste when we could be turning it into electricity?” Burke’s analysis of Melbourne’s busy Flinders Street Station determined that, on an average day, 5,600 watt-hours could be produced there using foot-traffic, “which is the equivalent to powering 20,000 mobile phones in a day”. Indeed, one person can generate 5 watts of

continuous power while they walk, producing enough power to light up an area of 15 squaremetres. In this way, Ms Burke said, walkways featuring user-generated LED lighting could be established, providing safer journeys at night for passengers moving between station platforms and carparks. Enumerating the benefits of the technology, Burke stated that, unlike standard nonrenewable electricity generation, kinetic plates do not emit pollutants, burn fuel, or produce any hazardous wastes. Furthermore, by utilising this technology, “and showing passengers that they genuinely care about environmental sustainability,” operators could enhance the network’s public image. With steadily increasing population growth and rising energy prices, this kind of pollutantfree, energy efficient electricity generation could be, Burke proposed, “the future advance we need to create a smarter approach to our stations by increasing sustainability and  reducing our carbon footprint”.

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OUT & ABOUT Photos: Informa Australia

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URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Left to right: TrackSAFE executive director Naomi Frauenfelder, Indooroopilly High School principal Lois O’Reilly, students Clarissa Zhong, Angela Yang, Mokuren Abe and Nhi Pham, their teacher David Lau, and Sindy Symons of Queensland Rail.

HIGH SCHOOLERS DESIGN PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SAFETY MODEL The TrackSAFE Foundation in November recognised four students from Indooroopilly High School in Queensland, for winning first place in a national high schools competition for their innovative design aiming to reduce injuries or fatalities at level crossings.

ndooroopilly High School’s Mokuren Abe, Nhi Pham, Angela Yang and Clarissa Zhong were recognised at a special assembly attended by TrackSAFE executive director Naomi Frauenfelder. Frauenfelder said she was particularly impressed with the clever design thinking undertaken by the students to create an original device to make young people’s crossing experiences safer. The year nine students designed a reflective barrier to address distraction by mobile phones at pedestrian level crossings. They created a video to pitch their idea to competition judges. “When a pedestrian approaches the

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The students’ idea combined a reflective, attention-grabbing surface with a forced re-routing of the pedestrian’s railway crossing.

crossing looking down at their phone or listening to music, the reflective material reflects light and catches the pedestrian’s attention,” Frauenfelder explained. “They then have to manoeuvre through the barrier, causing them to stop and look around. A simple, yet elegant solution to combat mobile phone distraction at pedestrian level crossings.” TrackSAFE’s youth-focused program is driven by figures showing 35% of pedestrian level crossing accidents in Australia involve people

under the age of 25. “Our high schools competition challenged young adults to become the brains behind this mission and create an innovative solution to reduce the chances of incidents occurring,” Frauenfelder said. “On behalf of the TrackSAFE Foundation I would like to congratulate the students for conducting such a thorough investigation to identify the risks and safety issues for young people in particular at  pedestrian level crossings.”

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URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

MINISTER CLASHES WITH RETAILERS AT GEORGE STREET PRESSER

George Street was decorated during the festive season to encourage shoppers to return to retail outlets along the stretch.

It was supposed to be a ribbon-cutting photo-op to open Sydney’s George Street for Christmas shopping, but it quickly devolved into a verbal sparring match between the minister for transport and a pair of angry retailers.

SW transport minister Andrew Constance looked to shut down complaints from retailers who showed up to his early-December press conference to show off the newly pedestrianised George Street, complete with six gigantic wreaths and more than 5,000 lights to celebrate the festive season. Retailers have become disenfranchised with the Sydney CBD & South East Light Rail project, after construction hoardings impacted foot traffic for many George Street and nearby businesses. The State Government has provided rent assistance to some of those impacted, and has reiterated the project will be a boon for retailers and property owners in the long term. But many retailers, like jewellers Mark and Jennifer Duff, are still very unhappy. “We are talking about collateral damage that you don’t care about,” Ms Duff told Constance at the press conference, according to the ABC. “That’s what we are.” “Well your business is about to pick up massively,” Constance rebutted, “because guess what, here it is!” After the Duffs pointed out this predicted pick-up in business would follow two years of light rail construction cutting into revenues,

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Transport minister Andrew Constance’s reaction to a pair of hecklers at his George Street press conference in December. Photo: ABC

the transport minister rolled his eyes, and told the pair the Government had done its part via rent assistance. “We have provided rental assistance,” the minister said. “I hope you applied. I'm here to answer questions from journalists … Run your own press conference mate.” With over half of the light rail project’s 25-kilometre route now built, the State Government has provided 30 retailers with rent assistance, after 51 applied. According to the ABC, at least once business received over $100,000.

Hoardings were removed along the festive stretch along George Street, between King and Park streets, in the lead-up to Christmas. “Digging up one of Australia’s oldest streets has certainly had its challenges, but it’s clear to see it has all been worth it,” Constance said. “We thank those businesses who have been patient as construction has continued along George Street.” Finishing work is still planned along the stretch, including small areas of paving, intersections, smart poles and systems, as well as construction of the QVB light rail stop, Transport for NSW said. Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe welcomed the development. “This opening and Christmas activation comes as a Christmas gift for businesses who have been impacted by the light rail construction work,” Forsythe said. “The NSW Government has fulfilled the commitment it made to business that these zones would be open from December 3. Consultation with businesses and stakeholders on the progress of the CBD and South East Light Rail project has been thorough with regular briefings for representatives of key  business groups.”

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URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

METRO TUNNEL

WORKS TO BRING YEARS-LONG DISRUPTION TO ST KILDA ROAD AND GRATTAN STREET Major construction works on Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel project got underway at the start of 2018, leading to long-term lane reductions and road closures.

or up to four years, St Kilda Road will be reduced to one lane in both directions on an 800-metre stretch between Kings Way/Toorak Road West and Dorcas Street, once work begins in mid to late February. Normal tram operations are expected to be mostly maintained, with pedestrian and cycling access also remaining. A 300-metre stretch of Grattan Street, between Royal Parade and Leicester Street, will close for up to five years, with some diversions for cyclists to be introduced and pedestrian access to remain.

Announcing the changes, acting public transport Luke Donnellan said that motorists should expect to plan ahead and allow extra travel time when travelling along the reduced stretch of St Kilda Road or through Parkville. While a new tram stop is being built on Park Street in South Melbourne in February, buses will replace trams on a section of Route 58. During the school holidays, major excavations in the middle of St Kilda Road will cause buses to replace all trams along a section while tram tracks and traffic lanes are reconfigured. Approximately $25 million is to be spent on road and traffic upgrades across the Melbourne to help the city deal with the disruptions caused in the construction of the $11 billion Metro Tunnel project, and will

Around 800 metres of St Kilda Road will be reduced to just one lane in either direction throughout construction. Photo: Melbourne Metro Rail Authority.

include creating more traffic lanes on alternative routes, widening and re-marking roads and reprogramming more than 100 traffic lights at key intersections. “These works will be disruptive but are absolutely necessary to build the badlyneeded Metro Tunnel as safely and quickly as possible,” Donnellan said. “We’re making up for four years of nothing under the former Liberal Government – building the Metro Tunnel to free up space for more trains, more often across  Melbourne.”

A 300-metre stretch of Grattan Street will be closed for up to five years. Photo: Melbourne Metro Rail Authority.

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OUT & ABOUT

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OUT & ABOUOT Photos: Informa Australia

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PASSENGER RAIL

The new Bombardier NGR trains. Photo: Bombardier

QUEENSLANDERS WELCOME FIRST NGR TRAINS The first of South-East Queensland’s new passenger trains entered service in December 2017, in a development welcomed by passengers and manufacturer Bombardier alike.

ueensland Rail put the first three trains of the New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) fleet into service on the Gold Coast Line on Monday, December 11. Two more followed in early January, and another two were entered into service in early February. In their first 30 days of service, the trains moved 20,000 passengers. Once all 75 trains are on the tracks, network capacity will be increased by 26%, through the addition of 10,000 new seats. The trains’ arrival has come after lengthy delays, however. Initially ordered by the Newman Government in 2014, delivery of the first NGR trains was halted in March 2017 by the Palaszczuk Government, in the midst of an ongoing management debacle at QR which included the dismissal of several high-ranking employees, as well as former transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe, who handed the portfolio back to Jackie Trad. Trad and Palaszczuk at the time blamed

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operational and design issues — in the braking system, air-conditioning, ventilation and driver visibility — which had been apparent since ontrack testing began last year, for the delay. Train manufacturer Bombardier, blamed by Queensland’s mainstream media, has maintained that the trains are of the highest calibre, and issues found in testing were not abnormal for a project of this scale and for a brand-new fleet entering an existing rail network. Bombardier managing director Andrew Dudgeon in early December welcomed the news the trains would finally enter passenger service. “Today is a very special day for the people of South East Queensland, and all involved in the delivery of this vital rail project,” Dudgeon said. “These trains are state-of-the-art. Built for Queensland’s commuters, the NGR fleet was locally designed and engineered, and will be maintained by a dedicated team of industry professionals over the next 30 years.” Bombardier Transportation is delivering the

trains as part of the Qtectic consortium, which also includes John Laing, ITOCHU and Aberdeen Standard Investments. QR boss Nick Easy, who is newly-appointed after QR’s Government-driven overhaul at the start of the year, said the NGR trains were essential to meeting demand during the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which will take place on the Gold Coast. “More trains will be rolled out on the Gold Coast to Airport line over the coming months, including some services to Doomben and Northgate, and will eventually operate across the entire South-East Queensland passenger rail network,” Easy said. “As the NGR fleet commences passenger services for the first time, each train’s performance will be closely monitored.” Initial feedback from the NGRs’ first passengers was positive. Some took to Twitter and Instagram to praise the amount of room inside the trains, their large windows, and the ability for passengers to easily move through all six of each train’s carriages. Easy praised the joint efforts of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Queensland Rail and Qtectic in ironing-out design-issues and carrying out tests to ensure the trains were ready and safe for service. “I’d like to thank the teams from TMR,

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PASSENGER RAIL

Qtectic, and Queensland Rail who have worked extremely hard behind the scenes to get to this milestone,” he said. Qtectic Chair Bill Haughey drew attention to the close collaborative work was required to bring the project to this point. “We are excited to present the new fleet to the people of Queensland. Our consortium would like to thank the Queensland state government, TMR, and QR for their continued support and close collaboration. These new trains will provide passengers with a safe, more comfortable, and digitally-enabled environment,” Haughey said. Bombardier said there are currently 175 employees at the Wulkuraka Maintenance Facility, with a plan to ramp up to over 200 employees once maintenance activities commence.

Easy said QR will continue to deploy NGR trains in the lead up to April’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, with the rollout to continue on the Gold Coast and Airport lines. “Following the Commonwealth Games, and as more trains are deemed ready for service, the fleet will gradually be deployed across the entire South-East Queensland network,” he said.

DISABILITY ACCESS STILL AN ISSUE One design issue still being worked through is disability access on the new trains. QR and TMR made a joint application to the Australian Human Rights Commission, to grant a temporary exemption to the Disability Discrimination Act and Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport.

BOMBARDIER SIGNS DEAL FOR MORE DANDENONG TRAINS

The temporary exemption allows noncompliant trains to operate while work to redesign and rectify other NGR trains continues. “As the rectified NGR trains are expected to progressively roll-out onto the South-East Queensland rail network in 2019, NGR trains in their existing design will be utilised for passenger service in the interim,” Easy said. Advocacy group Spinal Life’s chief executive officer, Michael Powell, called on the Commission to reject the application, however. “The right to accessible and reliable transport services should be mandatory, not an optional extra,” he said. Spinal Life criticised the NGRs for including toilets inaccessible to most wheelchair users, and a guard cab at the rear of the train, rather than in the centre. 

Bombardier says its VLocity diesel multiple unit railcars achieve over 69% local content. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

Rollingstock manufacturer Bombardier has announced a new $146 million deal to deliver a further 27 VLocity diesel multiple unit railcars to Victoria’s regional network.

he new deal will bring V/Line’s total fleet of VLocity trains to 264 railcars – delivered in 88 three-car sets – by 2019. Bombardier has built its VLocity trains at its Dandenong plant for over a decade. The trains are designed to operate at a maximum speed of 160kph, and can carry over 230 passengers each. Bombardier Transportation’s Australian managing director Andrew Dudgeon said the company was “delighted” to continue its partnership with the Victorian Government. “This order demonstrates confidence in our VLocity vehicle platform which was designed, engineered and manufactured

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in Victoria, for Victorians,” Dudgeon said. “These trains will provide an improved travel experience for passengers, and help address the mobility needs of a rapidly growing population.” Bombardier says the new trains will achieve over 69% local content, and will support over 600 jobs across the rail industry. The manufacturer will also install in-train 4G signal technology across the regional fleet, after a successful pilot program earlier this year. The program is part of the Victorian Government’s $18 million Regional Rail Connectivity Project.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

9/02/2018 9:01:52 AM

PASSENGER RAIL

$615M GAWLER ELECTRIFICATION DEAL SIGNED Lendlease will electrify Adelaide’s Gawler line as far as Salisbury, under a $615 million contract announced January 18.

tage 1 of the Gawler Rail Electrification Project will see the Gawler line electrified between Adelaide and Salisbury – the first 20 kilometres of the 40-kilometre line. Lendlease will expand its NorthHub employment and training facility to deliver the project. “This investment by the State Government will see a significant expansion of Adelaide’s electrified rail network, ensuring services between Adelaide and Salisbury are faster, cleaner and more frequent,” Lendlease engineering and services chief executive Craig Laslett said. The state’s Labor Government says it could have announced the deal on December 14 last year, but was stalled by Liberal members of the Public Works Committee in charge of approving the project. Early in January, transport and infrastructure minister Stephen Mullighan accused Liberal MP David Pisoni of misleading South Australians, when he told ABC Radio he couldn’t delay the project, despite allegedly doing just that. “Despite receiving independent advice that his actions are holding up the project, David Pisoni is still refusing to allow the Public Works Committee to progress which would allow construction to start,” Mullighan said on January 11. “This pathetic, political posturing by David Pisoni and the Liberals is putting jobs at risk.”

Graphic: South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

South Australians will head to the polls on March 17 in the 2018 state election. With the Stage 1 deal signed, Mullighan said the state needs a funding commitment from the Federal Government to proceed with the second stage of the project, which will see the electrification extended to Gawler. “Even with the contract signed and works to commence within weeks, a funding commitment by the Federal Government would allow us to extend to contract to deliver the entire project from Adelaide to Gawler and would support an extra 95 jobs a year during construction,” the minister said. Detailed design works on Stage 1 of the project will begin early in 2018, with electrification to

Leadlease will expand its NorthHub site to facilitate the project. Photo: Lendlease

being in the third quarter of 2018. Stage 1 covers the installation of a 25kV overhead wiring system, including masts and gantries, as well as the installation of a new signalling system, new fibre optic communications cabling, and fencing works, and vegetation trimming and removal. 

South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

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PASSENGER RAIL

METRONET TEAM BEGINS ELLENBROOK SPUR LINE CONSULTATION Public consultation has begun on the extension of the Perth rail network to the growing northern suburb of Ellenbrook, the latest development in the McGowan Government’s flagship Metronet program.

he State Government announced in mid-January the public would be consulted on a proposed 21-kilometre spur line from the existing Midland line, just east of Bayswater station, to Ellenbrook. The alignment currently being considered for the extension runs via Morley, Noranda,

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Malaga, Bennett Springs, and Whiteman to Ellenbrook. WA transport minister Rita Saffioti said communities along the future MorleyEllenbrook Line would assist in the planning process via an online survey. “I have worked closely with the Metronet

The Forrestfield-Airport Link was adopted as the first major project under the McGowan Government’s ‘Metronet’ umbrella, and has been joined by a number of additional projects in recent months. Photo: Metronet

team, local governments and stakeholders – it’s now time to hear from the local residents,” the minister said. “To ensure the rail line represents the best outcome for the local community, we want to understand and hear from residents on what your community means to you, and what you’d like to see it look like in the future.” Work is already underway to assess the technical feasibility of the preferred alignment, Saffioti said. “Building a rail line to Ellenbrook is a major priority for the McGowan Government, and since starting the project from scratch last year, we have made significant progress.” The announcement follows the release of a planning tender for the line in September 2017. A major consultancy tender will be

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PASSENGER RAIL

FIG 1

awarded in coming weeks, the Government said on January 16. The Morley-Ellenbrook project is part of the McGowan Government’s Metronet program, and is in the first stage of the WA Government’s program for Metronet projects, the ‘Preliminary Planning’ stage. Metronet, the transport program the McGowan Government ran on in the most recent state election, adopted the ForrestfieldAirport Link as its first major project, and includes a suite of additional projects across the Perth rail network, along with the rollout of Automatic Train Control, and a major new railcar program. Metronet projects joining the MorleyEllenbrook project in the Preliminary Planning phase include an 8-kilometre extension of the Armadale line south to Byford, the relocation and upgrade of Midland station on the Midland line, and the construction of a new station on the Mandurah line at Karnup. Further along in the Metronet planning phase, in the ‘Develop Business Case’ stage, is a program to remove up to 31 level crossings across the Transperth network, starting with four crossings identified in Kelmscott, Maylands, Carlisle and Cannington, with removals to take place over the next four years. Aside from the Forrestfield-Airport Link, the two Metronet projects furthest through their development are the Yanchep Rail Extension, and the Thornlie-Cockburn Link, which are both listed in the ‘Project Definition Plan and Precinct Master Plan’ stage. More than 320 industry representatives attended a briefing at the Perth Convention Centre in September 2017 to hear from the Public Transport Authority about the Thornlie-Cockburn Link, which involves

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FIG 2

Fig 1. The Morley-Ellenbrook Line is in the first stage of the Metronet development program. Graphic: Metronet

FIG 3

Fig 2. The Thornlie-Cockburn Link is one of two Metronet projects currently in the third stage of development. Graphic: Metronet Fig 3. The Yanchep Rail Extension will extend the Joondalup line from Butler to Yanchep, and includes three new stations. Graphic: Metronet

building 14.5 kilometres of new passenger railway between Thornlie and Cockburn Central stations on the Mandurah line and Thornlie-Armadale line respectively. It also covers the duplication of 3 kilometres of railway between Beckenham and Thornlie stations on the Thornlie-Armadale line. The Government says a connection between the Mandurah and Armadale lines will open up new opportunities for integrated, liveable communities around the proposed Nicholson Road station and better public transport connections for the light industrial area surrounding Ranford Road. A project definition plan for Thornlie-

Cockburn is set to be finalised in early 2018, and construction is planned to begin in 2019. On the same timetable is the Yanchep Rail Extension, a 13.8-kilometre extension of the Joondalup line, from the current terminus at Butler station, to a trio of new stations at Alkimos, Eglinton, and Yanchep. Both the Yanchep Rail Extension and the Thornlie-Cockburn Link have been submitted to Infrastructure Australia as early advice for their potential inclusion on the Infrastructure Priority List, in a long-term effort by the State Government to gain more Commonwealth funding for the Metronet program. 

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

9/02/2018 12:24:21 PM

PASSENGER RAIL

SOLAR TRAIN ENTERS SERVICE IN BYRON BAY A solar-powered passenger train has entered operation at Byron Bay in New South Wales, with limited services until Christmas, and a full schedule launched in the new year.

he first official trip of the Byron Bay Railroad Company’s new solar train, which the company says is the first of its kind in the world, left The Sun Bistro on Bayshore Drive around 11am on Saturday, December 16. The train, which has a capacity for 100 passengers at $3 an adult ticket, operates between The Sun Bistro at Byron Beach and the burgeoning North Beach precinct, along a three kilometre stretch of the Casino to Murwillumbah line. It is made up of two restored carriages from the ‘600 class’, manufactured at the Chullora Workshops in Sydney in 1949. “We searched the country and found a dilapidated vintage train, restored it, and are now powering it with a 4.6-billionyear-old power source,” Byron Bay Railroad development director Jeremy Holmes said. “We partnered with the incredible Tim Elderton from Lithgow Railway Workshop to restore the train and to oversee the solar conversion along with our other partners

Nickel Energy and Elmofo. Local rail industry expert Geoff Clark has been guiding the project and helping to navigate the complex regulations and safety requirements.” “This is an exciting world first, powering a train with solar power, day, night and in every type of weather,” Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said. “It shows Australia’s fantastic sunshine can be harnessed in smart ways not just to power our homes and businesses, but to address another pressing problem - cutting emissions in the transportation sector. “With no support from government at any level the Byron Bay Railroad Company have delivered the world’s first solar train. “True innovation meets roadblock upon roadblock so we congratulate them on their

THREE SHORTLISTED TO DELIVER NEW NSW REGIONAL FLEET Transport for NSW has shortlisted three bidders to deliver a new fleet of trains to the state’s regional railways.

onsortium leaders announced on the shortlist on November 30, 2017 are Downer, Bombardier, and CAF. The Regional Rail contract is to deliver trains to replace the 60 XPTs and over 50 XPLORER and

Endeavour trains currently operating between Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and major regional centres. It also includes construction of a maintenance facility, with the NSW Government saying it The Regional Rail fleet will replace 60 XPTs and over 50 XPLORER and Endeavour trains currently operating between Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and major regional centres. Photo: RailGaller.com.au

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After 13 years there is activity on the Byron Bay train line, with the launch of what the operator says is the world’s first solar train.

incredible achievement. Hopefully this one train in regional Australia can demonstrate the possibilities of solar technology and the power of perseverance.” After opening day on December 16, the train operated eight times per day in each direction, from December 18 to December 23, before closing until December 27. The operator launched a full schedule in January, running hourly services in either direction between  10am and 6pm.

would like such a facility to be built at Dubbo. “We are looking for high-quality, innovative and value for money proposals from the three applicants,” NSW transport and infrastructure minister Andrew Constance said. “They will be asked to provide details of how they will deliver trains that provide improved comfort, safety and reliability for regional customers. This program gives us the opportunity to incorporate modern benefits for those travelling long distances as we replace trains which are up to 35 years old.” Deputy Premier John Barilaro said a maintenance facility at Dubbo to service the trains would be a huge win for the local economy. “I am glad to see this project progressing well, and it means we are getting closer to rural and regional NSW getting a much-deserved improvement to transport,” Barilaro said. “This project has the capacity to bring long term, sustainable jobs – including traineeships and apprenticeships to the Orana region. We want to make sure that services that deliver for country areas are supported by local jobs.” Transport for NSW aims to award a contract for the new fleet in 2019, with the first trains anticipated to be on the tracks in the early 2020s. The trains will be operated by NSW TrainLink, the NSW Government’s regional rail and coach  service operator.

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OUT & ABOUT (L to R) FNG Group director Justin Ferguson, VicTrack property group general manager Peter Chau, VicTrack community building program manager Jean Parson, VicTrack project manager Denis Cronin, and Quadratum Architecture architect Fraser Brown. Photos: VicTrack.

OLD DINGEE STATION BUILDING OPENED AS LIBRARY The old station building in the northern Victorian town of Dingee has been transformed into a new community library, following $500,000 of renovation work carried out at the end of 2017.

he formerly vacant building, located on the Swan Hill Line, was opened at a community event attended by state transport minister Jacinta Allan on November 9, 2017. “This new library will be a huge asset to the Dingee community, providing them with a place to meet and learn in the heart of the town,” Allan said.

“Conveniently located at the station, the new library is easily accessible to everyone and avoids the need for people to make the trip into Bendigo to visit the library.” It is the first permanent library for Dingee, 50 kilometres north-west of Bendigo, which previously relied upon a mobile library service. Loddon Shire Council has sub-leased the building to the Dingee and District Country

Women’s Association and Goldfields Library Corporation, both of which now manage the library and meeting space. “The Goldfields Library Corporation will rotate stock from other libraries, so the people of Dingee will always have access to new books and information – vital resources to help the regional town to continue to thrive,” Allan said. Refurbishment work was carried out by Bendigo’s FNG Group, and heritage architects Quadratum Architecture. Work included structural repairs to the floor and walls, restoration of heritage features, and the construction of accessibility features, such as external ramps and accessible toilets. The project was managed by VicTrack through their Community Use of Vacant Rail Buildings Program, which provides $1.5 million every year to restore disused railway buildings. Work under the program was completed earlier in the year at Avoca Station, while works are currently underway at Willaura Station. 

(L to R) Loddon Shire mayor Neil Beattie, Victorian public transport minister Jacinta Allan, Dingee & District CWA secretary Dianna Linton, VicTrack property group general manager Peter Chau, and Goldfields Library Corporation acting CEO Mark Hands.

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FREIGHT RAIL

AURIZON RILED UP

Photo: RailGallery.com.au

OVER DRAFT ACCESS FRAMEWORK Rail operator Aurizon “will consider the full range” of options to challenge the Queensland Competition Authority’s new draft access framework for the Central Queensland Coal Network.

he QCA on December 15 handed down its draft figures for the fifth access undertaking (i.e. UT5), to cover Aurizon’s operation and management of the CQCN from FY17 to FY21 (inclusive). The state competition authority’s calculations come to a maximum allowable revenue (MAR) for Aurizon of $3.893 billion over four years, some $999 million below the MAR calculated by Aurizon in its UT5 submission and, “implausibly,” $40 million below the final MAR calculated for UT4, the prior access undertaking. Aurizon said the QCA’s proposal would have a “significant” impact on efficiency, capacity and reliability, if it was not fixed. “Aurizon is of the view the QCA has made fundamental errors and miscalculations in its assessment,” the company said. The company took particular issue with the QCA’s thinking on maintenance spending, saying the authority was providing a UT5 maintenance allowance “almost identical” to UT4, despite recognising the network would be handling roughly 15% more volume, and would be worth roughly $1 billion more than under UT4. “Aurizon cannot reconcile how a heavy haul rail network with 20% greater asset base

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supporting substantially higher throughput can be expected to be operated with the same maintenance budget,” the company said. “Recognising Aurizon’s maintenance allowance reflects its direct costs only, this can only lead to a degradation in the quality of the CQCN and necessarily the service able to be provided to customers, who in the current market environment are demanding an increase in the reliability and capacity of the network.” Another key figure disputed by Aurizon is the QCA’s calculation of Aurizon’s financial risk in operating the CQCN, defined via the weighted average cost of capital (WACC). The final WACC figure under the previous undertaking was 7.17%. Aurizon proposed 6.78% for UT5, but the QCA has come back with a draft proposal of just 5.41%. Aurizon pointed out the QCA’s proposed figure is below the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recent recommendation of 6.3% for the Hunter Valley Coal Network, “an almost identical asset serving Australia’s coal industry, but which Hunter Valley customers have stated has lower risks than the CQCN1”. The proposed WACC is also below the 6.12% granted to government-owned SEQWater by

QCA in December 2017, implying, in Aurizon’s words “that Aurizon has almost the lowest risk of any regulated asset in Australia”. “Aurizon finds it implausible that the QCA could regard the risk profile of the CQCN equivalent to or lower than the risk profiles applied by other regulators to monopoly utilities and gas pipelines where customer and asset stranding risks are significantly lower,” the rail operator argued. “When compared to decisions of other national regulators the inconsistency becomes even more stark.” Aurizon warned that, if implemented, the QCA’s draft decision “would have significant implications for the operational efficiency, volume capacity and reliability of the CQCN”. “The result would be an overall deterioration in performance of the export supply chain that serves the Queensland coal industry,” the company said. “Given Aurizon’s level of concern and the implications for the Queensland coal supply chain, Aurizon will consider the full range of potential responses to the Draft Decision.” 

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2018

9/02/2018 8:08:29 AM

FREIGHT RAIL

GE says its Movement Planner solution has helped its customers achieve higher velocity, lower dwell times and improved on-time performances across their networks. Photo: GE

ARTC CHOOSES GE FOR NEWCASTLE The Australian Rail Track Corporation has selected GE Transportation’s Movement Planner solution for its Hunter Valley network control optimisation program.

he ARTC’s network control site in Newcastle is described as its “nerve centre” for all Hunter Valley rail operations. The system helps move more than 24,000 tonnes of coal per hour, and tens of thousands of coal, freight, grain and passenger trains each year. ARTC managing director and chief executive John Fullerton said the government-owned track operator planned to use Movement Planner to better plan and optimise rail traffic on the network, with changes made in real time. “The Hunter Valley rail network is one of the busiest and most complex in the country, supporting the largest coal export port in the world,” Fullerton said. “As bulk freight demands grow, rail operators like ARTC and supply chains like the Hunter Valley coal network need to be creative in the way they respond so the Australian economy doesn’t miss out. That’s why we have conducted a world-wide

search to find globally proven solutions that will improve our network productivity and efficiency.” GE says Movement Planner considers multiple factors including train schedules, traffic-control systems and train movements relative to each other, and then develops an optimised traffic plan for the trains throughout the network. The Chicago-based GE Technology says existing Movement Planner users have reported an increased visibility of network operations, higher velocity, lower dwell time across the network, and improved on-time performance across their networks. Jonathan Vandervoort, ARTC group executive for the Hunter Valley, said the operator had developed a strong focus on driving and

ARTC manages the track that makes up the Hunter Valley rail network. Photo: RailGallery.com.au

improving network performance through close work with its customers. “Through the ARTC Network Control Optimisation program, the Movement Planner solution will allow us to improve transport capacity and efficiency, and provide better  service performance,” he said.

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