REX Jan 2019 by Prime Group

ISSUE 1 | 2019

Growing pains: Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population debate and railâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big boom

Light Rail 2019 PAGE 40

Harmonising rollingstock standards PAGE 35

Cutting edge graffiti tech PAGE 46

ISSUE 01

2019 CONTENTS

From the Editor

News up front

Women in Industry Awards

WORKFORCE 59 44

ARA report demands action on rail skills

ROLLINGSTOCK & MANUFACTURING 35

Harmonising rollingstock standards

NGR procurement probe

LIGHT RAIL

Gold Coast third stage on horizon

Obstacle detection assistance from Bombardier

Alstom light rail expert talks market, technology

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY 44

A step-change in overhead wire roll out from Manco

RAS’s hi-tech solution to tackle graffiti

FREIGHT RAIL 18

ACCC action aids Newcastle container port pitch

PASSENGER RAIL & PLANNING 50

Sydney’s new timetable one year on

New boss for IPA

Governments to collaborate on population framework

SAFETY & MAJOR INCIDENTS

COVER STORY ISSUE 7 | 2019

Growing pains: Australia’s population debate and rail’s big boom

Light Rail 2019 PAGE 40

Harmonising rollingstock standards PAGE 35

Cutting edge graffiti tech PAGE 46

Published in line with the ARA’s Light Rail conference in Melbourne, the ﬁrst issue of Rail Express in 2019 includes a special feature, starting on Page 40, in which we hear from Bombardier and Alstom, and get the latest news from the Gold Coast’s G:link light rail network.

Faulty remote focus of Devonport probe

MinRes’ Koolyanobbing service’s derailment hiccup

BHP derails runaway train

ATSB reports on steel coil incident

INDUSTRY PARTNERS 62

Message from the ARA

Message from RISSB

Message from the ALC

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

From the editor

Published by:

Oliver Probert Editor - Rail Express

Population, skills, public perception: Australia’s booming rail sector suffering from past inaction

t was hard to ignore the quiet sense of euphoria underpinning the AusRAIL conference and exhibition in Canberra at the end of November. It was the largest AusRAIL event yet in a ‘non-plus’ year, with more than 700 delegates attending the two-day conference alone. That’s no major surprise: in passenger rail, there’s an unprecedented level of spending planned or underway in almost every relevant state and territory. For freight, 2018 included solid progress in intermodal, and some of the first construction on the massive Inland Rail project. In heavy haul, volumes remain high and Rio, BHP and Fortescue all have growth plans for their respective Pilbara iron ore mine and rail operations. But as good a spot the rail industry finds itself in, it’s also clear much of this activity should have been taking place years ago.

Population growth takes centre stage

The primary storyline emerging from the meeting of Australia’s federal, state and territory leaders in December was how to manage population and congestion growth in major cities (see page 52). The Morrison Government wants to cut migrant intake and force some to move to locations outside major cities as a condition of entry, but this approach has yet to receive much support from state and territory leaders. Many of those leaders cite the need for migration as a component of healthy population growth, especially in a nation which is not replacing itself, and dealing with an ageing workforce. Some have echoed the sentiments of Infrastructure Australia, which in December called for more infrastructure spending to manage growth. The reality is, as good as Australia’s swathe of planned or ongoing rail projects are,

they are to a large extent targeted at easing existing congestion in cities, on roads, and in the rail freight network. Ideally, many of these projects would already be finished, and we could now look forward to what is needed to better manage future growth needs. Making matters worse, the off-on nature of Australia’s rail spending has played its own role in firing up the population debate. Infrastructure Australia’s Peter Colacino recently stated the repeated mishandling of infrastructure development in the past has led the Australian public to grow more averse to population growth in general (see page 6).

Skills task a mountain to climb

Another unfortunate side-effect of rail’s purple patch comes in the skills sector. A report launched at AusRAIL by the ARA and BIS Oxford Economics (see page 30) details the sheer magnitude of the labour supply shortage threatening rail on almost every front. $100 billion in rail infrastructure spending is forecast over the next 12 years, and around 20 per cent of the existing rail workforce will retire by 2028.

2019 another big year for rail

These issues and many more will make 2019 yet another significant year for rail. How state and federal governments move forward – and how well-prepared the industry is to respond – will no doubt have a significant bearing on Australia and its people, as it presses on into the third decade of the twenty-first century. As always, the team and I hope you enjoy this issue of Rail Express, our first for 2019. Stay on top of the latest news on our website, www.railexpress.com.au, where you can also sign up for our new-look newsletter. oliver.probert@primecreative.com.au

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IA urges better planning to manage growth

Mismanagement fuelling fear of growth

Two weeks prior to the release of the Planning Liveable Cities paper, Colacino told the National Growth Areas Alliance congress

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

Australian cities are facing the realities of staggering growth.

the Australian public has grown averse to population growth due to government mishandling of infrastructure development in the past. Colacino told the congress infrastructure development in Australia has not always been properly sequenced to meet population growth, and this has taken a toll on liveability. “Liveability is not an abstract concept,” Colacino said. “Safety, attractiveness, social cohesion and inclusivity, environmental sustainability and, affordable and diverse housing linked by high quality public and active transport.” He said unplanned and uncoordinated population growth can threaten these elements, invoking community angst reducing cohesiveness. “Infrastructure can strain if not sequenced to meet population growth,” he said. “Unfortunately, Australia’s governments have not always got this right. “Too many communities have witnessed the delivery of poor quality development which is not well integrated into the local area and not accompanied by the infrastructure and services needed to support it. As a result, communities are understandably apprehensive about further growth and change.” Colacino disagrees with recent discourse suggesting population growth is a threat to Australia’s prosperity. “Despite potential growing pains, this growth is a good thing,” he said. “It provides Australia with an opportunity to boost our productivity, strengthen our labour market, and enhances the diversity of

RAIL GALLERY

SUBSTANTIAL PLANNING, FUNDING and governance reforms are needed for infrastructure in Australian cities to cope with unprecedented growth, a new Infrastructure Australia paper has said. Infrastructure Australia in December released its latest reform series paper, Planning Liveable Cities, which says essential infrastructure and services like public transport, roads, hospitals and schools are failing to keep pace with housing growth. “It is absolutely possible to grow our cities and maintain their character and world-class liveability, but we need to be smarter about how we plan for it,” IA executive director of policy and research Peter Colacino said. IA’s paper suggests the housing boom has led to poorly-planned development, where communities are not well integrated into their surrounding areas. “Lags in infrastructure provision cost the economy, but they also affect people’s quality of life,” Colacino said. “If we don’t get the timing of new housing and infrastructure right, our growth centres risk being characterised by congested roads, overcrowded trains and buses, over-enrolment in schools, hospital bed shortages and constraints on community infrastructure.” IA’s paper recommends a greater focus from governments on strategic-level planning, with a focus on collaboration with the community to help identify economic and social priorities that can’t be compromised for growth. “This approach will enable governments to link the delivery of infrastructure and housing,” Colacino said. Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe said the report should be considered by all three tiers of Australian government. “Managing population is a challenge most major cities face,” Forsythe said. “There are many lessons that can be drawn from the report including the importance of using the new Metro rail system as a catalyst for residential development aligned to the new stations.”

our communities.” Colacino therefore stressed the importance of governments listening to the advice of independent bodies such as Infrastructure Australia. “A big part of delivering liveable places, wherever they may be, is making sure we’re delivering the right infrastructure to support growth, at the right time,” he said. “Unfortunately, more often than not, Australian cities face a lag with infrastructure, particularly social infrastructure, not delivered until years after new development. To address this it is crucial we improve long-term planning and project selection. “At its heart, improving project selection is simply about directing funding towards projects that address the largest gaps and opportunities. For this to occur, it is critical that we have a national vision, which outlines the type of country we aspire to become.” He said Infrastructure Australia maintains the national Infrastructure Priority List to provide just this type of advice. “The List provides a robust set of nationally-significant infrastructure investments required by the nation over the next 15 years,” he said. “Addressing gaps in public transport was the most significant theme of the 2018 Priority List, reflecting the demands of a growing population. “In particular, the Priority List highlights the need to deliver projects that build capacity along existing major transport corridors in our inner cities - making better use of what we’ve already got.”

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AUSTRALASIAN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION

Call to Action

Building Rail’s digital capability

2019: Time to get on board The Project i-Trace initiative will set the foundation for standardising the way parts and components are identified, barcoded and tagged

Talk to us now GS1 Australia Bonnie Ryan Senior Manager Freight, Logistics and Industrial Sectors

Australasian Railway Association (ARA) Duncan Sheppard General Manager Freight & Industry Programs

M 0419 150 266 E bonnie.ryan@gs1au.org

T (02) 6270 4531 E dsheppard@ara.net.au

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OUR 7TH SUPPLY CHAIN CONFERENCE Rail Industry stream “Project i-TRACE: Time to get on board” MELBOURNE 14 MAY 2019 I SYDNEY 17 MAY 2019

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Freight sector calls on governments for more action RAIL GALLERY

Caption

The rail freight sector wants a range of regulation and policy changes.

AUSTRALIA’S FREIGHT COMPANIES and representative bodies are pushing for more action from governments at all levels, to ensure freight efficiency reforms are progressed rapidly. Prior to the November meeting of state and federal ministers on the Transport and Infrastructure Council, the country’s largest rail freight operators and infrastructure owners called on governments to do more to help move freight off roads and on to rail. The Freight on Rail Group (FORG), which represents the industry, called on the TIC to give higher priority to rail freight efficiency and productivity, and deliver a program of works next year to streamline state regulations to allow the benefits of rail freight to be fully utilised across Australia’s transport supply chain. “To develop polices to deliver new innovations and efficiencies, the rail freight sector is simply asking for an equal playing field,” FORG chair and Pacific National CEO Dean Dalla Valle said. “This can only be achieved by a new era of closer collaboration between government agencies, which regulate rail networks, and private companies which operate on those networks.” Dalla Valle said that it was concerning that government policies were geared towards helping the roll-out of heavier and longer trucks at a time when Australians want safer roads and less traffic congestion. “As a case in point, the National Heavy

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

Vehicle Regulator recently approved the roll-out of a 105-tonne 36.5-metre B-quad truck on select routes between Victoria and Queensland,” Dalla Valle said. “Don’t get me wrong: I see the obvious freight productivity benefits, but how much bigger and heavier do we want trucks on our roads to get? What’s the upper limit?” Dalla Valle said while the trucking industry had been successful in extracting major concessions in efficiency, productivity and road access, the rail freight industry, in contrast, had become “tangled in nests of technical jargon” and had focused too much effort on perceived safety risks that have largely been eliminated by modern technology. NSW freight train drivers, he said, can be subjected to up to 18 months of extra training to operate on a similarly configured rail corridor in another state or territory. “In stark contrast, a NSW truck driver can move from operating a semi-trailer for a year to handling a B-double or road train in just two days at minimal cost with immediate access to thousands of kilometres of road across every jurisdiction in the country.” Dalla Valle said that FORG was also requesting governments make efforts to harmonise operating procedures and training requirements for freight train drivers and crews across state and territory borders by 2021. “In the last decade, advances in communication and signalling technologies

like sophisticated global positioning systems and state-of-the-art network control systems can now be deployed to help dramatically improve the safe running of trains,” he said. “To improve rail freight productivity in this country – which directly impacts the cost of transporting goods and commodities to domestic and global markets – it’s time to consign outdated and contradictory crossborder rules to the dust-bin of history.” The initiatives called for by FORG include changes to the purview of the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR), to advance efficiency and productivity initiatives in the rail freight sector, an investigation by the Productivity Commission into the impacts of mandated train driver hours on the rail freight sector, and more recognition for the rail freight sector’s contribution to reduction in accident costs and carbon emissions. Dalla Valle said it was a disappointment the benefits of rail freight over road freight were not being fully recognised or embedded within government policy. “More worryingly, policies aren’t keeping pace with the delivery of upgraded rail infrastructure of the range of new and improved technologies available to the sector,” he said. “A single 1,800-metre freight train hauling containers is equivalent to removing 70 B-double trucks from our roads. These compelling facts put rail freight firmly on the right side of every debate.”

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NATIONAL

Following the TIC meeting, the Australian Logistics Council called for a more rapid approach to supply chain reforms from governments around the country. At its meeting the council was joined by representatives from the Australasian Railway Association, the Australian Logistics Council, the Australian Trucking Association, Roads Australia, Ports Australia and the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation, among other industry bodies. Ministers and industry representatives discussed the significant infrastructure programs going on at the state and federal level around the country, and how best to support the construction industry through this boom. They also discussed continued work on heavy vehicle road reforms. Ministers are due to reconvene in 2019 to further discuss how reforms should be implemented, with advice to focus on road funding reform, independent price regulation, and a forward-looking cost base.

RAIL GALLERY

ALC demands quicker progress

NEWS

Rail will play a crucial role in managing Australia’s significant future freight task.

While the Australian Logistics Council welcomed “some positive outcomes” from the meeting, ALC interim chief executive Lachlan Benson said governments need to adopt a faster pace when it comes to implementing change. “Improving the efficiency and safety of our supply chains is a vital national economic priority,” Benson said. “If Australia is going to meet its growing freight task and remain internationally competitive, then we must

ensure the regulatory frameworks around freight movement reflect modern realities and allow this industry to meet customer’s expectations.” Benson said the industry needs a “definitive reform timeline” to be laid out, and then adhered to. Elsewhere, Benson encouraged ministers to give the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator “an expanded remit that allows it to focus on initiatives that will drive enhanced productivity”.

John Holland buys RCR rail business after collapse

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its capabilities and expertise.” As recently as October, RCR Tomlinson was part of a joint venture selected to deliver underground rail infrastructure for Auckland’s City Rail Link. The joint venture parties are in the process of negotiating with the NZ Government, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail on a final deal for the work, due in March 2019. In January, RCR was selected to deliver $70 million in upgrades to the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop.

RCR was also part of the Novo Rail Alliance which delivered the recent Wynyard Station upgrade. The firm, which operates in the rail space as well as in resources, utilities and other infrastructure, entered a trading halt on November 12, 2018, but was unable to avoid administration, which the board announced on November 22. Administrators said a sale process would begin immediately. Just months prior to collapse, RCR had conducted an equity raising, with investors pitching in $100 million in August.

RCR’s rail business operates in Australia and New Zealand.

RCR TOMLINSON

ADMINISTRATORS FOR COLLAPSED engineer RCR Tomlinson have confirmed John Holland has acquired the firm’s rail business. RCR Tomlinson’s board appointed McGrathNicol as administrators in November 2018, after it was unable to secure necessary financial backing to continue operations. McGrathNicol reported on January 7 RCR O’Donnell Griffin’s Rail business had been sold to John Holland. “The sale preserves the jobs of around 400 Australian employees within RCR O’Donnell Griffin Rail who will transfer to John Holland, and preserves the entitlements of those staff,” McGrathNicol partner Jason Preston said. “RCR’s Rail business has an outstanding track record, with highly-skilled staff and a blue-chip client base that made it an attractive target for prospective acquirers and a strategic fit for John Holland.” McGrathNicol’s Jason Ireland added: “The RCR Rail business is an excellent business and we are pleased to have found a buyer with the capacity to take advantage of

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

NATIONAL

GrainCorp board grapples with takeover bid

GRAINCORP GrainCorp has a vast network of rail transport and grain receival sites.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

LTAP is targeting a takeover of GrainCorp as the grain handler battles through a drought-impacted harvest.

GRAINCORP

GRAINCORP HAS OPENED ITS BOOKS to takeover suitor Long-Term Asset Partners (LTAP), but has told the bidder to put together a better and more certain offer than what was pitched late in 2018. LTAP made waves in early December when it offered to buy 100 per cent of the ASX-listed grain handler via an all-cash deal worth $2.38 billion, or $10.42 per share. To fund the move, LTAP, chaired Tony Shepherd and deputy chaired by former Aurizon boss Lance Hockridge, has secured a $3.2 billion acquisition facility from Goldman Sachs, and $400 million from Westbourne Capital. But GrainCorp, speaking to the market for the first time since the bid was received on December 3, said LTAP still needs to prove it can table a more certain proposal. “The LTAP proposal at this stage is not sufficiently certain or in a form which would allow the board to make a recommendation to shareholders,” GrainCorp chairman Graham Bradley wrote on December 19. “At this stage, there is no certainty that our engagement with LTAP will result in a binding proposal for GrainCorp, what the terms of any such proposal would be, or whether it would be recommended by the GrainCorp Board.” Bradley said GrainCorp is providing LTAP due diligence under the terms of

Caption

confidentiality, to provide it the opportunity to make a renewed offer. But he reiterated GrainCorp’s initial response to the bid, saying it would be taken as just one of several potential strategic initiatives on the table as part of GrainCorp’s ongoing review of its portfolio of assets. “The review is considering a wide range of potential value creation strategies, including options for maximising the value of our malting, bulk liquid storage and our grains storage and logistics assets,” Bradley wrote. “GrainCorp has a portfolio of high-

quality assets and businesses and our review has highlighted that these are clearly of interest in Australia and abroad. “It is the board’s intention to give detailed consideration to the full range of opportunities open to us, so we can advise shareholders on the best way forward.” Bradley said the GrainCorp board would share the results of its full review on February 20, 2019. GrainCorp, a major player in Australia’s east coast grain market, initially announced it had received a non-binding, indicative proposal from LTAP at the start of December. The offer was worth $10.42 per share, valuing GrainCorp at $2.4 billion. Over the prior 12 months, GrainCorp traded between $7.17 and $8.99 a share, but the price jumped the day of the bid to around $9.26. LTAP’s directors are Hockridge, former Business Council of Australia president Tony Shepherd, Chris Craddock and Andrea Staines. Hockridge was the CEO of Aurizon for nine years until late 2016, and Staines formerly was a non-executive director of Aurizon. Shepherd is the former chairman of Transfield Services and ConnectEast, was an inaugural director of Transurban, and the inaugural Chairman of WestConnex. He is currently the chairman of Macquarie Specialised Asset Management Limited.

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Citadis X05 for Sydney

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NSW

Sydney Metro program rolls forward THE DEVELOPMENT OF SYDNEY’S metro network pressed onwards in the fourth quarter of 2018, with a contract awarded to deliver rail and overhead infrastructure, train stabling and tunnel and underground equipment for the future railway between Chatswood and Sydenham. An unincorporated joint venture of CPB Contractors and UGL – both subsidiaries of CIMIC Group – won the $1.376 billion deal in December 2018. Sydney Metro City & Southwest is the second stage of the Sydney Metro program, following on from the Sydney Metro Northwest project, which is due to complete in 2019. The second-stage project will extend Sydney’s new metro-style rail line from Chatswood to Bankstown. It requires greenfield construction from Chatswood to Sydenham, via the Sydney CBD. Existing track will be converted

between Sydenham and Bankstown to complete the metro route. With work underway to build the twin 15.5-kilometre tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham, Sydney Metro said the new contract would turn those tunnels into a working railway. Dubbed the ‘Metro line-wide works’ contract, it includes: • 31 kilometres of underground railway track to be laid in the twin railway tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham; • 31 kilometres of overhead power equipment and 11 new substations to power the metro from Chatswood to Bankstown; • Installation of over 350km of high voltage, low voltage and tunnel service cabling; • Connecting the railway tracks from the end of Sydney Metro at

Chatswood to the new tracks into the city; • The expansion of the Sydney Metro Trains Facility at Rouse Hill to accommodate 37 new trains for Sydney Metro City & Southwest; • The construction of the Sydney Metro Trains Facility - South at Marrickville; and, • Installation of tunnel equipment. The award of the $1.4 billion metro line-wide works deal followed the award of the $2.8 billion tunnelling contract, the $301 million deal to upgrade Sydenham station, the $955 million contract to build new platforms and tunnels at Central Station, a $380 million contract to build the integrated metro station at Martin Place, and the $87 million lift and escalator contract. Sydney Metro City & Southwest has a planned completion date of 2024.

Alstom sends off final Northwest train

12 ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

ALSTOM

THE LAST OF THE 22 TRAINS BEING built by Alstom for the first stage of the Sydney Metro project was sent off to Australia in December 2018. Alstom’s Sricity facility in Andhra Pradesh, in India’s southeast, manufactured the 22 vehicles, which will be Australia’s first fully automated passenger trains when they enter into service next year. With the Sydney Metro Northwest fleet now built, Alstom said the Sricity site, which opened in 2014, will turn its attentions on a second export order for the light metro project in Montreal, while production for Mumbai’s Metro Line 3 will begin next year. The facility can produce trains at a rate of 240 cars per annum. “We are immensely proud to have completed the last train for Sydney Metro in this landmark project for the Asia Pacific region,” Alstom’s senior vice president for Asia Pacific, Ling Fang said. “We are also proud to see Sricity

concluding its first export order on time, delivering on expectations and winning our customer’s trust. We firmly believe in India’s role as a manufacturing and engineering hub for international markets, and this milestone bears witness to that.”

Alstom’s Sricity facility sees off the last of the Sydney Metro Northwest fleet.

Along with building the trains, Alstom is contracted to deliver the CBTC signalling system for Sydney Metro Northwest. The Sydney Metro Northwest fleet is based on Alstom’s Metropolis platform.

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NSW

NEWS

Southwest’s second TBM gets digging Place and on to Barangaroo, where they will be removed from deep underground. Two more TBMs will dig 6.2 kilometres from Chatswood to the edge of Sydney Harbour. A fifth machine has been specially designed to deliver the twin tunnels under Sydney Harbour. The five TBMs will eventually dig 31 kilometres of tunnels between Marrickville and Chatswood. The TBMs are approximately 150 metres long specially designed for Sydney’s hard sandstone geology. TBM Mum Shirl is specially designed to cut through sandstone and shale and will tunnel an average of 120 metres a week. The TBM is named after Mum Shirl, an Aboriginal (Wiradjuri) woman born Colleen Shirley Perry. She was involved in establishing the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Medical Service, the Aboriginal Black Theatre, the Aboriginal Children’s service, the Aboriginal Housing Company and the Detoxification Centre.

Sydney Metro City & Southwest will include 31km of tunnels.

SYDNEY METRO

SYDNEY METRO CITY & SOUTHWEST’S second tunnel boring machine (TBM) began its tunnelling work beneath Sydney in early November. The TBM, called Mum Shirl, is the second of five TBMs that will work on the rail project. It was launched at Marrickville to work alongside TBM Nancy launched two weeks prior. “We now have two TBMs operating, bringing us one step closer to delivering this game changing public transport system for Sydney,” NSW transport minister Andrew Constance said. “These machines are underground factories, mechanical worms designed to dig and line the tunnels as they go so that Sydney Metro can be delivered as quickly as possible.” TBM Mum Shirl and Nancy are currently working on the 8.1 kilometres of twin metro tunnels from Marrickville to the new Sydney Metro station sites at Waterloo, Central, Pitt Street, Martin

Perry was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977 and received the Order of Australia in 1985. She died in 1998.

Sydenham-Bankstown metro conversion approved PLANNING APPROVAL WAS granted in December for the conversion of the existing rail line between Sydenham and Bankstown as part of Sydney Metro City & Southwest. Sydney Metro said on December 19 the conversion of the railway to a modern metro standard had received the tick of approval following extensive consultation with local communities and councils. While the project will deliver new railway between Chatswood and Sydenham, it will utilise the existing corridor from Sydenham to Bankstown. With planning approval now in place, the State said work will get underway to convert the line early in 2019. The John Holland/Laing O’Rourke joint venture currently upgrading infrastructure at Sydenham station was recently appointed

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to undertake early works along the section, where work will soon begin to prepare, upgrade and make all 11 stations fully accessible. Future work will include upgrades to tracks, stations and signals, with the contract to design the upgraded stations currently out to tender, the State said. Recent work at Sydenham station to install a rail crossover will mean existing Sydney Trains services will not be impacted by the closure and conversion process, the State said. But the Rail, Tram and Bus Union has criticised the project, arguing that by converting the railway and incorporating it into the new Sydney Metro line, the State is effectively privatising the rails between Sydenham and Bankstown. “This is just another example of this

Liberal Government putting their own privatisation ideologies ahead of commuter interests,” RTBU state secretary Alex Claassens said. “The construction of the metro line is just a permit for overdevelopment in an area that is already suffering from congestion, and the metro won’t help that at all. “If commuters think it’s gridlocked now, it’s only going to become worse when this heavy rail is removed and privatised. Tax payer money would’ve been far better spent by upgrading and extending our current rail network, not ripping it up.” The State says the project will see an airconditioned train arrive every four minutes at all stations along the line during peak, and an ultimate capacity of a metro train every two minutes in each direction under the Sydney CBD.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

NSW

Sydney Trains digital integration deal signed

RAIL GALLERY

TRANSPORT FOR NSW HAS announced the signing of a $16 million contract to help define and deliver Sydney Trains’ Digital Systems program. Network Rail Consulting has been awarded the System Integrator contract, and will bring experience from delivering similar systems on Thameslink and on the Madrid suburban network, Transport said. The program will replace trackside signalling equipment with the latest European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 technology, implement Automatic Train Operation to assist drivers in providing faster and more consistent journeys, and introduce a Traffic Management System for more effective incident management and service regulation across the network. As the program’s System Integrator, Network Rail will lead collaboration with key partners in the Digital Systems

Network Rail will inform Sydney Trains’ Digital Systems program.

Program, part of the NSW Government’s $880 million investment in technology improvements to modernise the Sydney Trains network.

Digital Systems will be delivered in stages with services coming online progressively from the early 2020s, Transport for NSW said.

Western Sydney City Deal plan puts rail front and centre

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

which will be finished by the end of 2019. While the initial plan is to build the ‘first stage’ of the full North South Rail Link – connecting the new airport with the existing Sydney Trains network at St Marys, to the North – the business case will include investigation of integrated transport and delivery options for a full North South Rail Link from Schofields to Macarthur, and a South West Rail Link to connect Leppington to the new airport. Cities, urban infrastructure and population minister Alan Tudge said the City Deal implementation plan would ensure residents “get the liveable, productive and sustainable city they deserve”. “We’re working across governments, industries and communities to bring Western Sydney Parkland to life.”

State and Federal Governments will work together on the City Deal.

\NSW GOVERNMENT

THE AUSTRALIAN AND NSW governments have committed to deliver the first stage of the North South Rail Link from St Marys to the future Western Sydney Airport as part of the implementation plan for the Western Sydney City Deal. The first of 32 commitments listed in the document is to deliver rail for the future Western Parklands City, to be centred around the ‘aerotropolis’ which will be developed around Western Sydney Airport. A key component of that commitment is to open the rail line in time for the airport’s targeted opening date, which is 2026. In the immediate future the NSW Government will protect suitable corridors for the project, and both governments are tipping in $50 million for a business case,

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Parramatta Light Rail contracts awarded, 4km of wire-free rail The Parramatta LRVs will be capable of carrying up to 300 passengers.

NSW GOVERNMENT

THE NSW GOVERNMENT SAYS FOUR kilometres of the first stage of Parramatta Light Rail will be catenary free. NSW transport minister Andrew Constance in December 2018 announced the winners of a pair of major contracts for the project, and outlined the project’s total budget of $2.4 million. A joint venture of Downer and CPB Contractors won the $840 million contract to build the light rail line. A consortium of Transdev and CAF won a $540 million deal to supply and operate the network and build the depot, light rail stops and power systems. The State said the project will use 45-metre, fully accessible vehicles, capable of carrying up to 300 passengers each. Constance said both contract winners had a demonstrated history of delivering successful light rail projects around Australia. “We are excited to confirm the NSW Government is investing in not one but two experienced consortia to deliver us a worldclass light rail,” the minister said. “Between them, these teams have delivered the Newcastle, Canberra and Gold Coast Stage 2 light rail networks that have transformed these cities for the better.” The State said Transport for NSW has signed agreements with the City of Parramatta, other government agencies and

the major utility providers, clearly defining responsibilities and working arrangements during construction and operations. The Government also announced roughly four kilometres of the twelvekilometre route would be wire-free, with stretches between Westmead and Cumberland Hospital, and between Prince Alfred Square and Tramway Avenue. CAF trams utilising an on-board power supply are part of another NSW Government-driven project, Newcastle Light NSW GOVERNMENT

Light rail has been chosen to transform Parramatta’s CBD.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

Rail, which is entirely wire-free. Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee thanked the community for engaging with the State throughout the three year planning and design process. “In a few years, Parramatta Light Rail is going to get people out of their cars and transform the Greater Parramatta region with quick and easy transport,” Lee said. Feedback from concerned local business owners led the State to proclaim earlier this year that construction along Eat Street would not begin until 2020. It also says a threemonth ‘construction grace period’ will apply along Eat Street each summer. The major contracts announced in December also require construction teams to work around evenings and other busy times, and include commitments to employ local workers. Targeted for first operations in 2023, stage one of Parramatta Light Rail will provide services every 7.5 minutes during peak periods. The contracts announcement came after remediation works began in October at the future site of the project’s stabling and maintenance facility at Camellia. Roadworks are also underway to prepare the Parramatta CBD and North Parramatta for the project.

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NEWS

NSW

Sydney Light Rail contractor testifies to Parliament NSW GOVERNMENT

The primary construction contractor for the Sydney CBD & South East Light Rail is at odds with the State over the conditions and costs of the project.

“

Receiving these Ausgrid guidelines after contract signing was like Transport for NSW dropping a bomb on us

”

THE AUSTRALIAN MANAGING DIRECTOR of the Sydney CBD & South East Light Rail’s primary construction contractor says the company wouldn’t have signed on had it seen a document detailing the extent of underground work required. Acciona Australia managing director Bede Noonan testified before a parliamentary inquiry into the Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail project on November 29. The Spanish-owned firm is currently engaged in legal action over roughly $1 billion it believes it is owed over the ongoing construction of the light rail line through the state’s capital. Acciona says the project involves far more underground electrical work than was detailed before contracts were signed. Noonan told the inquiry the ALTRAC consortium – which includes Acciona – was not shown guidelines from underground electrical manager Ausgrid, before the final contract was signed between the State Government and the delivery consortium. “Transport for NSW had an extremely important document called the Ausgrid guidelines in early February 2015, some weeks ahead of final contract signing,” Noonan told the inquiry. “Transport for NSW did not provide those Ausgrid guidelines to our consortium until 27 February, which was after final contract signing. “Had those Ausgrid guidelines been provided to our consortium in early February, then we would not have signed the contracts and this project would not have proceeded in the manner it has.” Noonan said Acciona’s team estimated the work commanded by the Ausgrid guidelines

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

added 865 days and $426 million of work to the construction project. “Our organisation spent over $10 million to tender for this project,” he said. “At least half of our time and money was spent understanding the scope of work and risks of dealing with utilities. Ausgrid’s utilities were by a long margin the most significant. “Receiving these Ausgrid guidelines after contract signing was like Transport for NSW dropping a bomb on us. “Our head of utilities who attended all of the pre-contract workshops to develop the treatment plans wrote in an email in March 2015 that the guidelines are a ‘crap-the-pants document’.” Noonan also told the inquiry there was “a risk” the light rail line won’t be ready by May 2020, currently the official completion date after being delayed from the initial date of early 2019. He accused Ausgrid of contributing to the delays. “The biggest issue from a construction perspective that the project now faces is still Anzac Parade,” Noonan detailed. “We have uncontestable work that can only be performed by Ausgrid. They have to bring down the overhead powerlines so that we can safely drill the foundations for the new poles for the light rail network … Even as late as two nights ago there was an occupation plan by Ausgrid that was supposed to conclude the undergrounding of that section of overhead wires. Unfortunately, after waiting three months for that night to occur … Ausgrid came, they had the incorrect paperwork and they left without doing anything.”

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NSW

NEWS

LINX unveils Port Botany shuttle livery

“

We are excited by our rail operations and remain committed to delivering on our promise to our customers

”

LINX CARGO CARE GROUP HAS revealed the new livery for its existing ‘G’ class locomotives, with the fleet to operate out of the LINX Intermodal Terminal at Enfield in Sydney’s west. LINX took over the lease to operate the NSW Ports-owned Enfield intermodal terminal in February, and says it has been building its rail business and attracting new customers to Enfield’s dedicated Port Botany shuttle service. On November 6 the company revealed the livery for that service. LINX said the new locomotives would complement the current fleet operating the port shuttles, adding capacity and ensuring reliability on the service. “Effective and reliable rail operations at the LINX Intermodal Terminal is critical to the terminal’s success for our customers and the NSW freight and ports economy,” LINX Cargo Care Group chief executive Anthony Jones said. “We are excited by our rail operations and remain committed to delivering on our promise to our customers.” The livery was revealed soon after LINX said ACFS Port Logistics would join as the Empty Container Park operator at Enfield. Jones said ACFS shared LINX’s vision for the facility, which would bring value and benefits for importers and exporters. “ACFS will provide empty container park services to import and export customers, offering empty container handling, storage, wash, repairs, surveys and upgrades,” Jones said. “Our combined expertise will offer a one-

The fleet operates out of LINX’s intermodal terminal at Enfield.

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LINX’s new G-class livery.

stop-shop for importers and exporters and a streamlined, complete experience. For exporters, the empty container park at the LINX Intermodal Terminal will provide access to containers certified for return to regional areas for export packing. For importers, the park will largely remove the need to return empty containers to Port Botany and surrounding area container parks, removing traffic congestion and delays in the supply chain.” ACFS boss Arthur Tzaneros said the company was working to develop its national container logistics operations. “We are extremely excited by the opportunity to work with LINX to expand our empty container depot network which connects with rail, for the benefit of importers and exporters. This provides the Sydney network with much needed additional capacity,” Tzaneros said. Meanwhile, NSW Ports boss Marika Calfas said LINX’s developments were helping achieve the operator’s key objective to increase container volumes moved by rail to and from Port Botany. “Our site at Enfield is the largest dedicated rail based integrated logistics facility in NSW,” Calfas explained. “It is an inland extension of Port Botany and a vital part of the State’s infrastructure. The dedicated rail line to Port Botany and increased trade brought by LINX and ACFS will help NSW Ports achieve our goal of growing the number of containers moved by rail. This in turn reduces truck kilometres on Sydney’s roads. Rail transport to and from Enfield is more efficient for importers and exporters and reduces congestion on our roads.”

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

NSW

Liberals commit to fast rail for regions

The Liberals say improvements in the shortterm could provide services up to 200km/h.

RAIL GALLERY

THE NSW LIBERALS HAVE MADE faster regional rail a key election commitment, with four existing routes highlighted for further investigation. NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian in December said a fast rail network would transform the state “unlike any other project”. “We need to make it easier for people to consider moving to regional NSW and there is no better way to do that than building a fast rail network,” the premier said. The Government has appointed high speed rail expert Andrew McNaughton to confirm the most appropriate routes, train speeds and station locations for four corridors: • Northern Route, including Central Coast and Newcastle • Southern Inland Route, including Goulburn and Canberra • Western Route, including Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange/Parkes

• S outhern Coastal Route, including Wollongong and Nowra Transport minister Andrew Constance said faster rail would only happen under the NSW Liberals & Nationals. He said the advice from McNaughton would pave the way first for improvements “in the immediate future” to provide services up to 200km/h. “Ultimately, in the long term, high speed rail would see the development of new alignments and lines, providing speeds of over 250km/h, with examples overseas

travelling up to 350km/h and higher – giving the potential to cut travel times by up to 75 per cent. The Liberals’ early estimates indicate upgraded ‘faster rail’ would cut travel time between Sydney and Canberra from 4 to 3 hours, while high speed rail would cut the journey to just 1 hour. Between Sydney and Newcastle, faster rail would improve travel duration by 35 minutes to just 2 hours, while high speed rail would cut the journey to just 45 minutes. Regional NSW minister John Barilaro said the investigation would be funded by a $4.6 million allocation from the Snowy Hydro Fund. “We need to do the work to gauge what is possible and when,” he said. “Making regional travel faster, safer and easier brings huge economic potential to NSW regional towns and cities.” The NSW election will take place on March 23, 2019.

$120m to grow rail capacity at Port Botany NSW PORTS WILL INVEST $120 MILLION into on-dock rail infrastructure capacity Patrick’s Port Botany container terminal, with work set to begin in 2019. The work will deliver one million TEU in additional rail capacity to the terminal. NSW Ports said, in time, it will deliver similar upgrades to Port Botany’s other two container terminals. To fund the work, NSW Ports said it will implement a “modest increase” of $3.08 in wharfage fees on full imports and exports from July 1, 2019, with the fee to be removed once the money has been recovered. NSW Ports chief executive Marika Calfas said the spending was part of the port-owner’s master plan to grow the volume of containers on rail. “This investment will build greater

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

rail capacity at the port, supporting the government’s investment in completing the Port Botany rail duplication and ongoing investments in large scale intermodal centres at Enfield and Moorebank,” she said. “Increasing rail capacity at the port means a faster, cheaper, more sustainable way for exporters and importers to get their product to market.” Patrick chief executive Michael Jovicic said the stevedore already handles a large volume of containers on rail, noting the company was spending $70 million on new equipment and systems for the terminal. “Our agreement with NSW Ports will significantly increase our terminal’s rail capacity and enhance productivity and efficiency in container movements at the port.”

Patrick’s container terminal is one of three at Sydney’s Port Botany.

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VIC

NEWS

Technical and commercial advisors appointed for Melbourne Airport rail “The Melbourne Airport Rail Link is the next step in our transformation of Victoria’s public transport network and a key part of the Suburban Rail Loop,” Premier Daniel Andrews said on December 13. The state selected the Sunshine route for MARL after a strategic appraisal found it performed better than alternatives via Maribyrnong, Flemington and Craigieburn. The Federal Government, which has committed $5 billion to the project, came out in favour of the Sunshine route in late November. Development of a detailed business case is underway, with the project set to begin construction by 2022. After more than 100 local and international businesses responded during the recent RoI phase, next steps include stakeholder engagement work to help inform the business case, and further detailed planning.

RAIL PROJECTS VICTORIA

MORE THAN 100 LOCAL AND international companies have registered their interest to take part in the construction of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL), and the State Government has named key advisors for the project. A joint venture of Aurecon, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald has been named technical advisor for the project, which will build a rail connection from the CBD to Melbourne Airport via Sunshine. The Government cited members of the joint venture’s track records on projects like London’s Crossrail, Sydney Metro Northwest, Auckland’s City Rail Link, and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel. The joint venture has begun site investigations along the proposed MARL corridor as part of early planning work. Meanwhile, KPMG has been appointed as a commercial advisor for the project.

Andrews, Morrison trade barbs over infrastructure funding VICTORIAN PREMIER DANIEL Andrews and prime minister Scott Morrison exchanged hostile letters in December over what Andrews describes as the Commonwealth’s continued “shortchanging” of Victoria over infrastructure funding. In a letter published to his Twitter feed, Andrews told the prime minister he looked forward to discussing Commonwealth funding at the Council of Australian Governments meeting on population, held in December. “The Victorian Government believes any discussion about population growth in Victoria is meaningless in the absence of a Commonwealth commitment to properly and fairly fund the infrastructure and services that we require,” the letter said. Andrews says Victoria’s share of Commonwealth infrastructure funding has

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fallen to roughly 10 per cent over the last five years, despite the state housing 25 per cent of the Australian population. He has also singled out the Commonwealth’s continued withholding of $3 billion in funding in a “locked box” for the East-West Link tollroad project, which the Coalition wants, but Andrews cancelled when he was first elected in 2014. “[The East-West Link] has now been rejected by the Victorian people at two successive elections,” Andrews wrote. “The Commonwealth continues to withhold this funding – which would partly repair our severe funding deficit – in the full knowledge that the project will not be built.” In a return-of-fire from Morrison published by The Australian and the AFR, the prime minister accused Andrews of using the COAG meeting as a platform to

campaign for Labor ahead of the federal election early next year. “I would politely suggest that Premier Andrews let Bill Shorten fight his own political battles,” the prime minister was quoted as saying. “I’m very pleased to keep working with the Andrews Government on projects like our $5 billion commitment to the Tulla Rail [Melbourne Airport rail link],” Morrison added. A spokesperson for Morrison quoted by the AFR also addressed the East-West Link funding issue, saying the Victorian Government’s choice to not build the tollroad was “up to them”. “We have fully committed $17 billion since 2013-14 to build and fix Victoria’s roads and railways, partnering with the Victorian Government,” the spokesperson was quoted.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

VIC

Andrews focused on infrastructure program after resounding election win Andrews named his new cabinet in the week after the election, noting for the first time in Victorian history, the cabinet would be 50 per cent female. The premier’s office said Allan would be a crucial part of Labor’s program. “The Andrews Government is embarking on the biggest infrastructure program Victoria has ever seen,” a statement from Andrews’ office said on November 29. “To ensure this is delivered, Jacinta Allan takes on the portfolio of Transport Infrastructure, with responsibility for projects including the Level Crossing Removal Program, North East Link, West Gate Tunnel, Metro Tunnel and Suburban Rail Loop.”

Daniel Andrews and Labor again leaned on major rail commitments during their election campaign.

DAN ANDREWS MP / TWITTER

Pallas justifies debt for infrastructure

VICTORIA HAS VOTED FOR ANOTHER four years of Labor, and Premier Daniel Andrews says he’ll waste no time getting on with an expensive and ambitious infrastructure building program. The morning after Labor’s landslide election victory in November 2018, newly re-elected premier Daniel Andrews appeared on breakfast television to defend plans to double the state’s debt to fund projects like the Melbourne Airport Rail Link and the removal of more level crossings. Days before the vote state treasurer Tim Pallas had announced Labor would borrow $25.6 billion over ten years to fund its infrastructure program, doubling the state’s net debt to 12 per cent of gross state product. Describing the borrowing as “prudent” on the morning after the election, Andrews said the plan would benefit future generations. “People talk about what this’ll mean for our kids and our grandkids; I think one of the best gifts we can give to them is infrastructure that works and this is what that building program will do,” Andrews told Sky. The premier said borrowing money to fund infrastructure would be “much better than jacking up taxes so that the current generation pays for all the infrastructure that

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

we’ll benefit from and many others”. In what was described by one major newspaper as “a bloodbath,” Labor trounced the Coalition in the state election, winning 55 seats, up 8. The Coalition won 27, 11 fewer than at the last election in 2014. The Greens finished with 3 seats, the same amount they won in 2014. Speaking on Nine, Andrews said the result showed voters’ distrust for the Liberals not only in Victoria, but at a national level. “I am certain that Victorians have just about had enough of a federal government that cuts hospitals, cans schools, and refuses to admit they have done it,” he said. “That is what makes people angry. “They want politicians who say what they are going to do, and then get on and do it. Where that leaves [prime minister Scott] Morrison, I leave it for you to judge.”

Allan named minister for transport infrastructure

Jacinta Allan has been given the ‘transport infrastructure’ portfolio in Andrews’ new cabinet, which also includes Melissa Horne as its new minister for public transport. Allan was minister for public transport, and minister for employment under the prior Andrews Government.

Tim Pallas, who held his seat of Werribee at the state election and subsequently returned as the state’s treasurer, said Labor’s debt plan would fund the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, a $6.5 billion expansion to the Level Crossing Removal Program, and set aside $300 million for the massive Suburban Rail Loop plan, which has an overall cost estimate of $50 billion. $16 billion of the debt will also fund the North East Link road project, which the Andrews Government put to tender days after the election. “We have to borrow to build,” Pallas was quoted by the ABC, “because the cost of inaction will last for generations. Intergenerational contributions to what are intergenerational pieces of infrastructure is vitally important. We won’t get it built unless we are prepared to play the long game. “The previous [Coalition] government doubled state debt. And what did we get for it? Not much.” During the campaign shadow treasurer Michael O’Brien – who after the election replaced Matthew Guy as Liberal leader – said if elected the Coalition would lower state debt from 6 per cent to 5.8 per cent. O’Brien accused a Labor plan he said would “mortgage not only our future, but our kids’ future”. “If you blow the budget on debt, what

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that means is that not only are you paying for that, but your kids and your grandkids will be paying the bill because other political parties can’t fund their promises,” O’Brien said ahead of the election. O’Brien had pitched a 50-year lease of Melbourne Water for roughly $5 billion to fund infrastructure. “We are not increasing taxes, we are not increasing debt, we are making sure that Victorians can get ahead instead of making them pay for unfunded promises.”

Next level crossings tabbed for removal

Just days after the election victory, Premier Andrews named the next two level crossings to go under his government’s removal program: Union Road in Surrey Hills, and Mont Albert Road in Mont Albert. The removals will make the Belgrave/ Lilydale line crossing-free between Ringwood and the CBD. Andrews said roughly 22,000 vehicles currently travel through the two crossings each day, and that traffic is forecast to grow to over 26,000 by 2026. The crossings are also deadly: Two

NEWS

MONT ALBERT ROAD LEVEL CROSSING. CREDIT: LXRA

VIC

Shortly after the election the Andrews Government announced the next two level crossings to go.

serious collisions have taken place since 2005, including a collision in 2016 when two people died at Union Road. The premier said preliminary advice from expert engineers was that the preferred design is rail under road, subject to further detailed engineering work and community consultation.

“No Government has ever removed this many level crossings so quickly,” Andrews said. “We’re reducing congestion, saving lives and creating thousands of jobs along the way – and we’re just getting started. These level crossings are dangerous – we said we would remove them, and we will.”

$232m Reservoir crossing removal awarded VICTORIA’S LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL Authority has awarded the $232 million contract to build an elevated rail bridge over High Street in Reservoir, as well as a new Reservoir station.

The John Holland/KBR team that already removed level crossings in Frankston, Essendon and Campbellfield will form an alliance with Metro Trains Melbourne to remove the crossing in

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LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL AUTHORITY

The Government has been advised an elevated rail line is the best way forward.

Reservoir, under the new contract signed in early December. The Reservoir level crossing will be removed by building a rail bridge over High Street and constructing a new Reservoir Station. The Level Crossing Removal Authority says by elevating the rail line over High Street, direct connections will be created between Edwardes Street and Broadway, and a new public plaza can be built with improved shared user paths for pedestrians and cyclists. The new station will include above ground platforms with access via lifts and stairs. Roughly 36,000 vehicles currently travel through the crossing each day, with boom gates closed for 24 minutes during the two-hour morning peak. Work on the crossing removal started earlier this year, with geotechnical investigations and the relocation of services. Major construction is due to start in early 2019.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

VIC

Currie calls for bipartisan approach to grow transport cent” growth in public transport. And this, he says, can’t be achieved without a significant shift away from Australia’s politicised approach to infrastructure spending which – as well as being messy – also favours road building. “Historically, Melbourne has always

followed a path of building new roads to solve traffic congestion problems,” Currie said. “But in the medium- to long-term they don’t solve the problem. In London they’re not building new roads, they’re building new rail lines.”

Currie says Melbourne needs more railways if it is to cope with projected growth.

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERT Graham Currie says Melbourne needs to grow its public transport network threeto-four times over if it is to significantly improve congestion by 2050. Speaking in December, Currie said the only way Melbourne could cope with anticipated population growth was for the state to develop a proper, bipartisan plan for transport. Currie said the state election had highlighted Australia’s politicisation of public transport. “We don’t have proper planning in Australia,” he said. “We have a series of statements designed to capture media attention.” Estimates suggest by 2050 Melbourne’s population could grow to similar levels seen in London in the present day. But given London boasts 1,000 trains to Melbourne’s 200, and 8,000 buses to Melbourne’s 2,000, Currie says there’s no way Melbourne can expect to cope with this growth without a “300 to 400 per

Victorian funding to ensure Overland stays running

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

The Overland runs between Melbourne and Adelaide, but also serves as a regional service for Western Victoria.

shortfall, so the service can continue to operate. “We’ve stepped in because the Overland provides an important connection to South

Australia and for people in Western Victoria, and because it’s an Australian rail treasure,” Horne said. “Communities from across Western Victoria have told us how important this route is for their travel and to the history of their town – that’s why we’re continuing our support for this historic service.” Great Southern Rail welcomed the $200,000 addition of new funding by Victoria, but noted it meant it would still absorb $130,000 in operational costs. It said it would conduct a formal review of the service’s future in early 2019, but ensured passengers the service would run at least to the end of 2019.

RAIL GALLERY

THE ANDREWS GOVERNMENT will spend $3.78 million to ensure the Overland train service between Melbourne and Adelaide stays open in 2019. The 131-year-old route, operated by Great Southern Rail, was put in jeopardy when the South Australian Government announced in November it would discontinue its $330,000 annual contribution to the service on December 31. The train runs between Melbourne and Adelaide, but also acts as a regional rail service for Western Victoria. Victorian public transport minister Melissa Horne said in December the state would boost its funding by $200,000 to help make up for South Australia’s funding

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QLD

NEWS

McCormack again beats down Cross River Rail questions

MICHAEL MCCORMACK MP / TWITTER

Michael McCormack has reiterated the Commonwealth’s disinterest in funding the Cross River Rail project.

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step with those made by Tudge in October. “Listen, I don’t have a problem with the Cross River Rail,” Tudge said on October 2. “It [inaudible] like it’s a necessary project but the state government has fully funded it, so they don’t need a federal contribution. “When a project is fully funded then, it’s fully funded. They don’t need a federal contribution. We’ve got massive federal contributions towards other big infrastructure projects here in Brisbane. That’s where our focus is.” Despite the state no doubt remaining open to the idea of federal funding, McCormack’s comments have reiterated the Commonwealth’s position that the matter is now closed for discussion. In a speech to the AusRAIL conference in Canberra on November 28, shadow transport minister Anthony Albanese said the Coalition’s refusal to support Cross River Rail was part of a five-year program of cuts to infrastructure spending, particularly in rail. “The process began as soon as took office in 2013, when Prime Minister Tony Abbott cancelled the billions of dollars put into the Budget by the former

Labor Government for projects like the Melbourne Metro, Brisbane’s Cross River Rail and the Parramatta to Epping line,” Albanese said. “Mr Abbott did this for purely ideological reasons … Mr Abbott’s successors Mr Turnbull and Mr Morrison seem to have less antagonism toward rail, but have nonetheless failed to reinstate the bulk of his cuts.”

ARA / INFORMA AUSTRALIA

BRISBANE’S ABC RADIO HAS AGAIN asked a federal minister whether there will be Commonwealth funding for Cross River Rail, and the minister has again said no. Just over a month after cities minister Alan Tudge was asked in Brisbane whether the Morrison Government would be pouring in any money for the rail tunnel project, infrastructure minister Michael McCormack was asked the same question, on the same station. “The Queensland Government has said that they’re going to fund it and so if they’re going to fund it, we’ll look at other projects,” McCormack told hosts Craig Zonca and Loretta Ryan in November. “I’m in close contact with [Queensland transport] Minister Mark Bailey,” McCormack, who is also the leader of the Nationals, continued. “We’re always in touch about what we can do and how we can do it better and I was delighted to have him at the Transport Infrastructure Council meeting in Sydney last week where we talked about Queensland’s infrastructure needs and particularly the Inland Rail.” McCormack’s comments were in lock-

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

Plans for new mega steel plant at Whyalla GFG ALLIANCE

Sanjeev Gupta (left) envisions a world-class steel plant for Whyalla.

“

Our cutting-edge transformation plans for our existing steel plant are just the beginning

”

GFG ALLIANCE CHAIRMAN Sanjeev Gupta has outlined plans for a 10 million tonne per annum steel plant at Whyalla, alongside a $600 million investment to expand the plant in the short term. The Whyalla steel plant, which among other products manufactures steel rails, was acquired by GFG midway through last year after former owner Arrium went into administration. GFG Alliance chairman Sanjeev Gupta announced contracts had been signed to grow capacity at the steel mill by 50 per cent, from 1.2 million tonnes to 1.8 million tonnes per annum, at a ceremony on December 10 attended by prime minister Scott Morrison, opposition leader Bill Shorten and South Australian premier Steven Marshall. One contract was signed with Italian firm Danieli, which will supply a new, state-of-the-art rail and structural heavy section mill. The other was signed with CISDI Engineering for a pulverised coal injection plant. Together the deals are worth more than $600 million. But in the longer term, Gupta outlined his plans for a next-generation mega steel plant for Whyalla. “Our cutting-edge transformation plans for our existing steel plant are just the beginning of what GFG Alliance has in store for the region,” Gupta said. “Utilising almost perfect local conditions – our own infrastructure including a deep-sea port; rich local resources; and unrivalled community passion – we now plan to build a new steel plant, one of the world’s largest, right here in Whyalla.” The plant, which Gupta calls ‘Liberty Next-Gen Steel’, will be built to produce 10 million tonnes of

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

semi-finished steel per annum, with the ability and infrastructure to double that capacity over time. The project would focus on producing products like slabs, blooms and billets, which can be exported to downstream operations. “Using the most advanced technologies and our own local resources, we will aim to be one of the most competitive steel producers globally.” Premier Steven Marshall said GFG’s plans represented a “fantastic future” for Whyalla, a city of just 22,000 on the east coast of the Eyre Peninsula. Whyalla’s city council estimates GFG’s plans will see that figure rise to 80,000 by 2040. “We really want to thank and acknowledge the hard work of Sanjeev Gupta, the GFG Alliance and the management team,” Marshall said, “and the work they’ve put in over the last 15 months to come up with this incredible transformation agenda for this very important city in our nation.” Prime Minister Morrison called Whyalla “the comeback city of the turnaround state”. “It was just over two years ago when as treasurer, working with the then-Prime Minister and Rowan Ramsey and the team here, that we were going through the very difficult administration process,” Morrison recalled. “At that time we stepped up with around $50 million in loans, we stepped up with the rail steel project to ensure that there was the suppliers there and the businesses there that enabled the steel plant to be able to continue. “We’re going into the next phase, the transformation of the plant, which will mean it has a long-term future.”

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NEWS

Saffioti revises timetable after sinkhole delays Perth Airport link

METRONET

THE OPENING OF PERTH’S FORRESTFIELD-AIRPORT LINK will be delayed roughly a year after a leak damaged one of the project’s tunnels and created a sinkhole in September 2018. 16 concrete rings shifted, 26 metres of tunnel was damaged, and a sinkhole formed alongside Dundas Road near Perth Airport, after a leak developed in a tunnel-to-tunnel cross passage on September 22, 2018. Construction defects in the grout block or failure of the join between the tunnel lining and grout have been identified as potential causes for the leak. Tunnelling through the grout block, and vibration from excavation of the cross passage, are factors which may also have contributed, the State Government has said. Cement grouting has sealed the leaks and voids created by ring movement, and the damaged section of tunnel has been stabilised with solid temporary supports. Updating the public in December, the state said options for a permanent repair include fixing damage from inside the tunnel, or rebuilding the impacted section of tunnel by removing the old rings and casting the new tunnel lining in-situ – either from the surface down, or from within the tunnel. Fixing the issue and moving forward will add almost a year to the project’s timeline, with the Forrestfield-Airport Link now expected to open in the second half of 2021.

Perth’s rail tunnel project ran into some issues in the second half of 2018.

But transport and planning minister Rita Saffioti said the project – which is insured – is still on track to come in under budget. “Our primary focus is safety and quality, and that is why today we have set a revised timeframe for the project,” Saffioti said. “While the delay is unfortunate, this project is being built to last 120 years. “I believe the time added to the construction schedule is a small price to pay to ensure we safely deliver this asset which will serve the people of WA for generations.” The state said future cross passages will METRONET

WA transport minister Rita Saffioti says the Forrestfield-Airport Link is being built to last 120 years.

“

Our primary focus is safety and quality, and that is why today we have set a revised timeframe for the project

”

be built with new measures aimed at reducing the risk of a similar event occurring. The next cross passage construction will take place in January. Since the incident the number of safety compliance officers has been increased from two to five, while a superintendent of tunnel operations has been appointed to provide greater oversight and focus on safety. Once it opens, the Forrestfield-Airport Link will connect Perth Airport to the city’s urban rail network, via a rail spur from the Midland line at Bayswater.

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

NEWS

IA adds Metronet projects to priority list

METRONET METRONET

ABOVE: The Thornlie-Cockburn Link includes three new stations.

ABOVE: The Yanchep Rail Extension will extend the Joondalup Line to Yanchep, with three new stations to be built.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

WA premier Mark McGowan has made urban rail development a priority.

state,” Tudge said. IA’s acting chief executive Anna Chau said that the two Metronet projects had been designed to address the problem of capacity constraints on Perth’s metropolitan rail network, which was previously highlighted on the Infrastructure Priority List as a Priority Initiative requiring action in the short term. “Metronet aims to increase the capacity and reach of Perth’s metropolitan rail network,” Chau said. “As part of the overall program, the Yanchep Rail Extension and ThornlieCockburn Link will enable more people to use public transport and reduce pressure on the road network – something which will become increasingly critical as the city’s population grows.” The Yanchep Rail Extension involves extending the Joondalup Line from Butler Station to Yanchep, with new stations planned for Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep to support population growth in the city’s north-west. The proposed Thornlie-Cockburn Link involves the construction of two new train stations, Nicholson Road Station and Ranford Road Station, and construction of a new passenger rail corridor which follows

METRONET

TWO OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S Metronet projects, the Thornlie-Cockburn Link and the Yanchep Rail Extension, have been granted priority status by Infrastructure Australia (IA). IA has placed the two projects on its Infrastructure Priority List of nationally significant investments following assessment of their business cases. The listing is a key step towards the cementing of Federal funding for the projects. Federal urban infrastructure and cities minister Alan Tudge said the IA priority listing of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link and the Yanchep Rail Extension was a significant milestone for the Metronet program. “It demonstrates why the Australian Government committed $3.2 billion in the 2018–19 Budget for network shaping projects in Western Australia such as METRONET, which together are expected to generate over 20,000 jobs across the

the Midland to Kwinana freight line. “With a stated benefit-cost ratio of 2.6 from the WA Government, IA is confident that extending the Joondalup Rail Line to this growth area will provide more transport choices for residents and reduce demand on the roads,” Chau added. “The WA Government’s proposal to link Thornlie Station on the Armadale Line to Cockburn Central Station on the Mandurah Line will improve network connectivity and relieve pressure on existing interchanges, such as at Murdoch. “The WA Government has stated a benefit-cost ratio of 1.2 for the project, with Infrastructure Australia’s assessment finding that the benefits of the ThornlieCockburn Link would marginally exceed its costs.” WA transport minister Rita Saffioti said that IA’s approval and the passing of enabling legislation marked an exciting new stage for the Metronet projects. “We have worked closely with Infrastructure Australia to thoroughly address their assessment criteria in demonstrating how these projects will help build a future Perth that is connected and offers people more choices for travel, housing and jobs,” Saffioti said.

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TAS

NEWS

TasRail volumes up 10.5% Forestry and intermodal volumes drove growth in rail volumes.

TASRAIL

TOTAL FREIGHT VOLUMES FOR Tasmania’s state-owned rail operator TasRail rose 10.5 per cent in FY18, thanks primarily to standout growth in forestry and intermodal volumes. The state’s Hodgman Government says it expects steady growth to continue on Tasmania’s railways after a bumper year. TasRail set a monthly record for containers hauled in November 2017 at 4,687 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) – a record the State noted has already been broken twice so far in FY19, with 5,125 TEU hauled in October 2018 and 5,356 TEU hauled in November 2018. Timber volumes grew 24 per cent in FY18, and the operator moved plantation timber on rail for the first time in the state. In a statement Premier Hodgman’s office said the growth justified work to improve capacity and capability on the TasRail network. “TasRail’s improved capacity and

capability is attracting strong interest in rail as an efficient and sustainable part of the supply chain,” the Government said. “A record $240 million investment by the Tasmanian and Australian governments into the Tasmanian Freight Rail Revitalisation Program has also enabled TasRail to significantly upgrade Below Rail infrastructure.” Hodgman’s office said TasRail is on time and on-budget to complete the $120 million tranche one of this program

by the end of FY19. Work has included replacing 115,074 new sleepers and 118,792 metres of rail, and installation of 65,894 tonnes of new ballast. The work has covered almost 12,000 track welds. 36 culverts have been rehabilitated and 36 level crossings have been upgraded. The state says the work has already allowed 92 per cent of the network to operate at track speed, “the best performance in decades”.

KiwiRail providing live data for GDP tracking platform

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Screenshot from GDPLive

the economy is performing on a daily basis. Users can view historic data, current national and regional GDP figures and forecasts, as well as getting an overview of the performance of a large range of industry sectors. Along with KiwiRail, the platform is being informed by payment transaction data, container movements through Ports of Auckland and Ports of Tauranga, traffic flows, immigration and import/export data.

GDPLIVE

NEW ZEALAND OPERATOR KIWIRAIL says real-time reporting on freight volumes and movements will inform a live economic growth tracker being launched by Massey University. KiwiRail says it will be providing the data to GDPLive, a tracking system launched on December 17 by the university. KiwiRail Group general manager for sales and commercial, Alan Piper, said the operator moves 18 million tonnes of freight each year, representing roughly 16 per cent of the country’s freight task. “As a critical part of New Zealand’s freight transport network, KiwiRail is able to provide data that helps provide a picture of how our economy is performing,” Piper said. “We transport around 25% of New Zealand’s exports so we’re a vital part of the bigger picture being presented by this initiative, which is thought to be the first of its kind in the world.” The GDPLive system is designed to use machine-learning algorithms and live data sources, to give the user an estimate of how

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

WORKFORCE

Skills gap threatens to derail Australia’s project boom The Australasian Railway Association used its peak annual event in 2018 to highlight the skills crisis challenging the sector in the near future. David Loneragan reports.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

The ARA board commissioned BIS Oxford Economics six months ago to undertake a comprehensive workforce capability and capacity study across Australia and New Zealand to predict the needs over the next ten years, match these against the current and projected workforce, identify capacity constraints, and provide recommendations for immediate action.

BELOW: The BIS Oxford Economics report calls for more work to be done to build rail’s skilled workforce, stressing the need for a harmonisation of training standards across jurisdictions.

RAIL GALLERY // COURTESY OF BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION

T LAST NOVEMBER’S AUSRAIL event in Canberra, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) launched its highly-anticipated report into the skills shortage facing the region’s rail industry. The study carried out by BIS Oxford Economics consisted of a workforce capability analysis based on planned and forecast rail infrastructure development in Australia and New Zealand over the next decade. The report, Skills Crisis: A Call to Action, presents evidence that confirms what many rail industry employers had already been experiencing first-hand: Australia and New Zealand’s rail industries are facing a massive gap in their ability to provide the requisite skills for the surging investment in rail projects that are underway, or planned in coming years. Federal and state governments across Australia have collectively committed $100 billion over the next 12 years to infrastructure projects to ensure the nation’s rail networks can bear the weight of a steadily expanding population, and the concomitant increase in demand for rail services. Alongside this sharply rising demand for investment in rail infrastructure construction, operation and maintenance, there is also a rapidly changing technological base, which is steadily transforming the kinds of skills that the industry will require going forward. Introducing the report at on the first morning of the AusRAIL conference last year, ARA CEO Danny Broad said that this expansion of investment in rail projects, while eminently welcome, was outstripping the current capacity to carry the necessary works – construction, operation and maintenance – to completion in a timely and efficient manner. “We are entering into a golden age of rail, a rebirth of rail construction and development, including metros and light rail projects in our capital cities, level crossing replacement programs, and key freight projects, such as Inland Rail,” Broad said. “But we all know, and have known for some time, that we have shortages of critical labour skills that are essential to our ability to build, manufacture, operate and maintain such projects on budget and on time.”

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SHUTTERSTOCK

BIS Oxford carried out both quantitative and qualitative research into the rail industry’s labour challenges and requirements, which involved talking to 48 different agencies and conducting several interviews with groups of people together from a range of organisations, including government and industry. Among the findings of the study’s quantitative research is the speed at which the rail industry workforce is ageing. Modelling carried out by BIS Oxford indicates that over 20 per cent of the existing workforce will retire by 2028, further exacerbating the strain. “Rail has an ageing workforce, and we are going to see further skills pressures from that,” said Adrian Hart, senior economist with BIS Oxford. “In some occupations we will see a loss of 30 per cent of the existing staff over the next decade purely through retirement. And while that’s fairly normal when you look over a decade – about 3 per cent per year – when you look at the incoming tsunami of investment in rail infrastructure over the next 10 years, it becomes clear that there is a shortage now and that shortage will worsen if something isn’t done.” Hart, who manages BIS Oxford’s research across the building, construction and maintenance industries, took the leading role in putting together the report.

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Presenting the report on the first morning of AusRAIL, he presented the audience with some of its most salient findings. “We don’t see a peak in major transport investment until the mid 2020s. The big projects are just continuing to stack up. And, in many ways, it is a big, sudden wave of investment,” Hart said. “Politicians can often announce projects without thinking through the engineering and all the other skill sets that we need to deliver this.” And further, in Australia, Hard said governments have not invested in a sustainable manner. Politicians invest when they are prepared to invest. “And the challenge with this is that we therefore haven’t had a nice sustainable growth path for this industry that would allow skills to develop and allow companies to have the incentive to invest in education and training when enthusiasm for investment is lower.” Hart explained rail investment had, over the decades, been very “up and down”. The high levels of investment being seen right now are to compensate for lack of investment over many years, leading to challenges in sustaining necessary industry skills over a long period of time.

ABOVE: Labour demand is likely to grow in every segment of the rail sector, including construction, operations and maintenance.

“

Rail has an ageing workforce, and we are going to see further skills pressures from that

”

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

WORKFORCE A staggering amount of new and upcoming projects puts pressure on rail’s workforce.

“

”

CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

We are entering into a golden age of rail, a rebirth of rail construction and development, including metros and light rail projects in our capital cities, level crossing replacement programs, and key freight projects

“What we don’t want to end up with is just a situation where we just try to rush out the skills that we need to meet this tsunami of investment, but we don’t invest in the longer-term in the sorts of skills we are going to need in the future, and the challenges and the technologies that are going to be developed,” Hart said. “And those new technologies mean we are going to be contesting these technical skills.” Alongside this issue is another: with a dwindling skills base in occupations in highdemand from other industries, competition for workers between sectors will become more pronounced. “The rail industry will be looking for those skills – and so will just about every other industry as well,” said Hart. “And that means that the rail industry has to attract skilled workers and show that it is thinking about the future, show that it is thinking about new technology.” Maintaining a grip on now technologies, and the skills they call for, will require changes in the training system, the report indicates, and the difficulties of providing adequate “fitfor-purpose” training that contributes to the availability of in-demand labour are accentuated by the differences in standards and systems in different jurisdictions. “The different systems and skillsets required means that rail workers either need to learn more than is strictly necessary to operate in

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

their jurisdiction to meet national competency guidelines, or not learn enough to be able to move readily between jurisdictions to meet localised skills shortages,” the report states. “Consequently, when making moves in careers or locations, rail workers are more likely to opt for similar positions in other industries rather than staying within the rail industry than if a single national standard was used.” Furthermore, as the Australasian market are broken up into smaller jurisdictional markets, the differences in standards and systems of training does not lead to economies of scale in manufacturing, operations and maintenance, and in the training of skills – impacting further on the commercial viability of training. The report calls this deficiency in uniformity, in training standards and systems, a “market failure” both in terms of erecting high barriers to skill transferability geographically across Australia and New Zealand as well as internationally, and in the hampering of skill transfers from other industries into the rail industry. “For Australia, particularly, this can present challenges to the delivery and implementation of new rail technologies and systems associated with new investment,” the report states. “Given greater economies of scale overseas, much of the research and development, industry knowledge and ‘know how’ in rail is generated offshore

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and needs to be ‘imported’ into Australia alongside the new technologies being used.” With no sovereign government addressing these challenges in the rail industry, there is not enough coordination about the timing and resources required for training and each jurisdiction will frequently have different training programs and structures. Overcoming this challenge is a central concern of the ARA/BIS Oxford report. It recommends the establishment of a taskforce – composed of government representatives, industry CEOs and leaders in the training sector – as a mechanism to achieve greater cohesion between jurisdictions for national outcomes with strong industry engagement. The taskforce’s purpose would be, first, to facilitate the development and maintenance of a pipeline that maps the skills required across construction, manufacturing, operations and maintenance (the report recommends that the existing ANZIP pipeline established

by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia should be adapted for this purpose). The taskforce would also drive reforms in education and training systems that will boost the availability of the skills required by the rail industry and develop initiatives that attract “skills and career aspirants” to the industry, through vehicles such as “branding partnerships” with related sectors. The report also recommends the taskforce be responsible for developing and implementing a “National Rail Industry Skills Development Strategy”. Such a strategy, the report states, would synthesise identified skilled labour gaps with industry initiatives, education and training reforms. It would also develop partnerships between industry, government and education bodies to drive reform agendas, increase labour availability and develop effective training systems. “The rail industry in all its sectors, jurisdictional and national governments and the education system must work in

partnership if the outcomes recommended in this report are to be realised,” the report states. “To succeed in its aim, the proposed taskforce will need to be supported – both with resources and funding – by all jurisdictions and industry.” Speaking at AusRAIL, Hart said it was important the report offered solutions to the extensive problems it enumerated. “We didn’t want it to say, ‘Here are all these problems, here are all these roadblocks,’ without giving some indication as to what the solutions might be. What we actually wanted were positive solutions to come out of this, that would drive a legacy of skills development and education and training, but would, also, survive longer than the next wave of investment,” he said. “This report is a call for action. We’re already facing the skill shortages; it is only going to get worse over the next few years. So, we really need to address the sub-optimal market outcomes that are coming through our existing training systems.”

CREDIT: ARA / INFORMA AUSTRALIA

The ARA made youth the focal point of the AusRAIL conference at the end of 2018.

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

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ISSUE 6 | 2018

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ROLLINGSTOCK STANDARDS

Harmonising standards: a national approach to rail manufacturing and maintenance Victoria is leading the drive for a national harmonisation of rollingstock standards in Australia. David Loneragan reports.

BELOW: Harmonisation can benefit rollingstock procurement, manufacture and maintenance.

RAIL GALLERY

OLLINGSTOCK MANUFACTURING and maintenance currently lacks an overall, consistent national approach to standards, with states and territories possessing their own differing approaches. Harmonisation of standards for rollingstock procurement, manufacture and maintenance has been considered as a potential pathway to the reduction of manufacturing costs and, also, as crucial to supporting the further development of local content production. At AusRAIL in Canberra in November last year, Neil Gibbs from Transport for Victoria updated

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the conference audience about the developments being made towards the harmonisation of rollingstock standards in Australia. The Victorian Government has taken a leading role in advocating for the harmonisation in standards, which aligns with its objective of improving supply chain performance in the state and to boost the competitiveness of its local manufacturing sector. That is, the competitiveness within both the Australian market and with imports from outside of Australia. “In Victoria, there are three tier-one rollingstock manufacturers and Australia’s largest rollingstock supplier base,” Gibbs

said. “That supplier base supports, across the country, 10,000 employees. The objective of rollingstock harmonisation is to sustain and support further development of the manufacturing base.” In its submission to the Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council (TIC) in August 2016, the Victorian Government outlined five areas in which it determined rollingstock standardisation ought to be pursued, with the outcome that TIC agreed to the prioritisation of harmonised standards in two areas: train bogies and windows/glazing. The reason for picking these areas, according to Gibbs, was that they seemed to the most readily applicable across all state and

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

ROLLINGSTOCK STANDARDS

RAIL GALLERY

Victoria hosts three tier-one rollingstock manufacturers.

territory jurisdictions. The Victorian Government then initiated and seed-funded a client group comprising representatives from the state governments of NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. The Rail Industry and Standards Board RISSB was engaged to author documents through a development group with representation of government agencies, rail operators, manufacturers, maintainers, along with rail research institutions. “In doing this work, we found that the target audience was procurers of rollingstock,” said Gibbs. “This led not to the development of a standard, but instead a guideline for developing specifications.” The guidelines for bogie and window procurement, developed by RISSB in consultation with representatives of state government agencies, the rail industry and the rail technology sector, were released to transport procurement agencies in October 2017. The guidelines, Gibbs said, were developed with the intention of being used by both companies and state governments when procuring rollingstock and by manufacturers when procuring bogies, glass or glazing.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

According to a study authored by David Anderson from Transport for Victoria, the pilot guidelines set the path for future developments in harmonisation of standards. “Australia stands to benefit considerably from nationally consistent rail manufacturing standards,” the report states. “Higher production volumes and lower unit costs for standardised componentry will aid the rollingstock industry’s longterm sustainability. A long-term outlook encourages investment, and jobs through greater local content, as well as delivering better value from money for rollingstock procurements.” Gibbs also raised the point that if harmonisation is aligned with international standards, it would be able to support the connection of local suppliers not only wider national opportunities, but to global ones as well. “A connection can be made through the harmonisation of standards themselves so that they are aligned with international standards, and that will then assist local suppliers substitute for overseas equipment and participate in export opportunities,” Gibbs said. “Another form of connection of suppliers to opportunities through

establishing greater market awareness through trade delegations. Just recently, there was very successful delegation to Innotrans in Germany that established connections between international suppliers and local suppliers.” Gibbs said that additional manufacturing support can be provided by state industry participation policy and through acquiring local content in procurements. As an example. he outlined the Victorian government’s approach, which includes a policy of enforcing a minimum 50 per cent local manufacturing content requirements for all rollingstock projects valued over $50 million and tender evaluation weightings of 10 per cent for industry development, 10 per cent for job outcomes and 80 per cent for technical, performance, risk and delivery matters. “So, given that this is now law, it will be applied any forthcoming procurements in Victoria for new regional trains and next generation trams,” Gibbs explained. “In terms of the next generation trams, in Melbourne we have the objective through this program to replace all of the high floor trams by 2032. This leads us to the expectation that this will see the

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“

RAIL GALLERY

procurement of between 220 and 250 trams, which is a huge order.” Gibbs explained that “supply chain development” in the procurement of rollingstock by the state government in Victoria was “the new norm”, and was recently applied to the High Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) project. The project’s consortium partners – Downer, CRRC and Plenary Group – partnered with Toyota, the Chisholm Institute and Swinburne University to transition and re-skill manufacturing workers from the automotive sector. Suppliers on the HCMT project were selected on the basis that they demonstrate a commitment to develop local manufacturing facilities in Victoria. Bogie frames works were awarded to Hoffmann Engineering in Benidgo, traction motors to Times Electric in Morwell, HVAC works to Sigma in Derrimut, and Pantographs to Austbreck in Hallam. Gibbs said the development of national harmonised standards would support higher returns on investment for these types of local suppliers and provide a base for cost-effective manufacturing innovations. “If we can secure good return on investment, it will enable companies to carry out effective innovation and not be penalised by it. The objective, in Victorian rollingstock procurements, is to eliminate peaks and troughs in procurements and create a steady and stable flow of production and returns on investment.” Gibbs said the next steps in harmonisation would be industry engagement sessions between state government agencies and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) early in 2019 to gather industry feedback. “We have a document

that is ready to be published by RISSB, and will use the engagement sessions to introduce that document,” said Gibbs. This is will be followed by the issuing of the guidelines for bogies and windows by the relevant state agencies. The creation of a national market for transport-related products and services is being advocated by the Victorian Government to create a long-term order pipeline across Australian jurisdictions. For this to be realised, it would have to be collaborated through the Council of Australian Governments and its Ministerial Transport and Infrastructure Council.

A long-term outlook encourages investment, and jobs through greater local content, as well as delivering better value from money for rollingstock procurements

”

ABOVE: The Victorian Government hopes harmonisation of rollingstock standards can help reduce costs throughout the lifetimes of its fleets.

RIGHT: Rollingstock that is manufactured and maintained in the same state can benefit from a strong local supply chain.

RAIL GALLERY

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

ROLLINGSTOCK & MANUFACTURING

‘Marred by distrust’: Inquiry orders further review The relationship between Queensland Rail and the Department of Transport and Main Roads has come into question after an official inquiry alleged distrust between the sides contributed to errors during the procurement of the state’s new trains.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS

U EENSLAND WILL enact The new Wulkuraka Maintenance Centre, built as part of the NGR project. a range of reforms to ensure compliance with disability standards is “a fundamental and integral part” of procurement projects as a result of the 160-page final report published in December by the New Generation Rollingstock Train Commission of Inquiry. Retired judge Michael Forde led the inquiry into how the $4.4 billion, 75-train order was signed off despite the trains not fully complying with but also there were changes of government disability access legislation. and also changes of the model from a The report finds the trains’ traditional procurement to the public manufacturer, Bombardier Transportation, private partnership.” clearly told the state in its proposal, that the The State Government has accepted all project guidelines could not be met while 24 of the report’s recommendations. also complying with disability standards, Among them, the commission has due to the narrow gauge used in South East recommended “a comprehensive cultural Queensland. assessment” be undertaken to foster a “The need for compliance with collaborative working arrangement between [disability legislation] was recognised in Queensland Rail and the Department of the performance specifications issued,” Transport and Main Roads – two of the the report states, “but it was contradicted state bodies deemed to have contributed and confused by other specifications that to errors made. meant the design could not satisfy the “It was apparent to the Commission from documents reviewed and interviews requirements for technical compliance. conducted that the relationship between “The decision to request a nonTMR and QR has been marred by distrust,” compliant train through the procurement the commission’s report states. process and to then accept a proposal based According to the report, the distrust on a non-compliant design and enter into stemmed from the decision in 2012 to a project deed on that basis was, in the remove Queensland Rail as the project lead, Commission’s view, seriously flawed.” and replace it first with Projects Queensland, The decision to build the trains in India and then with Transport and Main Roads was not highlighted by Forde’s report as in 2014. contributing to the non-compliance, despite “The decision to remove QR as the Queensland Labor’s Opposition in 2017 project lead created a degree of resentment alleging the Palaszczuk Government had and animosity that resulted in a competitive gone to India for “half-price trains,” and that rather than collaborative relationship during “you get what you pay for”. the delivery phase of the project. Forde’s report instead focuses on the “In the Commission’s view, the tense length and complexity of the procurement and competitive relationship hindered the process itself. “This procurement took four effective management and resolution of years longer than it should have,” he told the compliance issues. media when his inquiry was finalised. “An environment where the prevailing “It was the subject of change, not consideration is carefully distinguishing only as to who led the procurement,

responsibilities and defending positions rather than working together to achieve a common goal is not conducive to positive project outcomes or the prompt and effective management of issues.” Manufacturer Bombardier welcomed the report’s findings. “Bombardier has always maintained that the NGR trains were built to the specifications agreed with the state,” the company said. “As the report details … Bombardier worked with the state to highlight the complex nature of the project – specifically the challenges of accommodating access pathways and toilets within the narrow-gauge structure.”

NGR rollout allows for fewer three-car trains in SEQ

Six-car trains have replaced three-car trains on 193 Queensland Rail services, providing 46,000 more weekly seats to commuters across the South East Queensland network. Roughly 6 per cent of Monday to Friday services were provided by three-car trains, but thanks to the continued NGR rollout that figure dropped to 3.21 per cent, according to transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey. “A small number of three-carriage trains will still be required to run during morning and afternoon peaks due to current operational restrictions,” Bailey detailed, “however each of these will be preceded and followed by a six-carriage train to assist with customer loading.” Just 171 of the 6,248 weekly services in South East Queensland will now be serviced by a three-car train. 100 of those are the Rosewood shuttle, which won’t be upgraded due to low demand and infrastructure limitations. “Current patronage numbers also show the three-carriage trains meet demand on that line at weekends when patronage is lower,” Bailey said.

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SHUTTERSTOCK

LIGHT RAIL

The Gold Coast’s light rail network will be extended with a third stage.

G:link third stage business case poised for approval

RANSPORT AND MAIN roads minister Mark Bailey said the recently-completed business case shows “the numbers stack up to move ahead” with the 6.7-kilometre extension to the Gold Coast Light Rail network. Stage 3A of G:link would extend from the existing southern terminus at Broadbeach, to Burleigh Heads further down the coast. The majority of the new railway would be built along the median strip of the Gold Coast Highway. The Building Queensland board is set to formally consider the detailed business case for Stage 3A this week, after the report was recently completed by a joint Building Queensland/Department of Transport and Main Roads team. But Bailey indicated the business case should stack up to the board’s approval process. “I’m pleased to say we agree the numbers stack up to move ahead with the 6.7-kilometre Stage 3A alignment between Broadbeach South light rail station and Burleigh Heads,” he said. “[The board’s] evaluation will ensure

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

RAIL GALLERY

Queensland’s independent infrastructure advisor is set to approve the third stage of light rail on the Gold Coast, a year after the second stage of G:link opened to the public.

G:link began operations in July 2014.

the construction cost, job numbers, economic benefits, operating efficiencies, community and environmental impacts of the project are understood.”

Subject to the board’s consideration, the findings and recommendations of the business case will be considered by the State Government in early 2019, Bailey said. He also indicated the state would seek contributions from the Federal Government and local council towards the extension. “There are still steps we need to take at the tail end of getting ready for Stage 3A,” he said. “Any decision around future Queensland Government funding for Stage 3A will depend on that evaluation and the ability to secure funding from both the Federal Government and City of Gold Coast.” If funded, Bailey said construction on Stage 3A could start by 2020. The business case news comes a year after the 7.3-kilometre Stage 2 of G:link was opened. In the 12 months since December 17 – when Stage 2 was opened – more than 10.5 million trips have been taken on G:link, up from roughly 7.9 million trips in the 12 months before Stage 2 opened.

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LIGHT RAIL

Bombardier’s obstacle detection system ready to help operators Innovative obstacle detection technology can help make complex light rail networks safer and more efficient. Bombardier Transportation says its Obstacle Detection Assistance System presents significant opportunities for such improvements in cities like Melbourne.

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The first component is the camera unit. Three identical stereo cameras are housed within the unit, which is mounted onto the inside of the windscreen. The cameras provide the high-resolution imagery and depth perception needed to provide accurate visual data for analysis. That analysis is carried out in the second component of ODAS, the control unit. The unit is responsible for picture processing and interpretation, as well as additional routines which can provide further functionality. The third component of the system is called the sync box, and is responsible for energy supply to the cameras, managing inputs and outputs, and providing a watchdog function to the controller. The sync box also acts as the liaison between the system and the tram, taking in vehicle information and delivering hazard warnings when needed. The high quality of visual and depth data, coupled with the advanced algorithms developed by Bombardier and the Austrian Institute of Technology, allow the system to establish whether any pedestrians or other obstacles are in front of the vehicle. It can then assess the nature of those obstacles – whether they are close enough to be within the structure envelope, whether the driver is already slowing down enough to respond to them, and therefore whether an alert

needs to be issued. Bombardier says the system can benefit operators threefold: through safety improvements, cost reductions, and advanced functionality. ODAS improves safety by supporting the driver through critical situations, improving the active safety of the driver, passengers and other road users. Cost reductions come through avoided accidents, and the subsequent increases in operational availability of vehicles in the fleet. The system is also designed to be simple and quick to retrofit, and to be selfcalibrating, further reducing cost. Functionality benefits include the existing functionality of the unit – which was first homologated for passenger service in Germany in 2015 – along with the potential developments mapped out by Bombardier, including potentially allowing the system to apply moderate braking in certain scenarios, and eventually developing further sensor capabilities for longer distances, higher speed, and live inspection of infrastructure like the track or catenary. As Bombardier continues to innovate and improve the performance and functionalities of its vehicles for operators, drivers and passengers, it says ODAS is the ideal next step to enhance existing and new light rail fleets across Australia.

BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION

OMBARDIER WILL FEATURE AT the ARA’s Light Rail Conference in Melbourne in March 2019, with an update on the work being done at its Vienna Centre of Excellence for light rail. The company’s Obstacle Detection Assistance System (ODAS) is one example of the kind of technology being developed at the Vienna Centre. A joint development with the Austrian Institute of Technology, Bombardier’s ODAS uses an array of stereovision cameras focused on the area on in front of the light rail vehicle, and highly advanced software algorithms which evaluate the vehicle envelope in real time along the track. As soon as the system detects a considerable risk in front of the vehicle, it can alert the driver using visual and aural alerts. Globally, collisions with third parties are the most common accident scenarios for light rail vehicles. This, along with the more stringent requirements often applied to rail operators, and the availability of safety systems technologies developed in other industries, led Bombardier to develop ODAS, with work beginning in 2013. The system was tested and eventually implemented by the Frankfurt Transport Company on its 74 bi-directional FLEXITY trams, but Bombardier has designed the system to be implementable on any tram fleet. “Bombardier is ready, willing and able to bring this tram technology to cities like Melbourne and other tram networks across Australia,” a spokesperson told Rail Express. “Light rail networks like the one in Melbourne, where there is significant road/ rail share, are ideal places to adopt the system, which can significantly increase the active safety of a complete fleet of vehicles.” ODAS is designed to be easy to upgrade, and switch in and out, thanks to its decentralised design featuring three separate components.

ODAS’s array of stereovision cameras allows for detailed imagery and precise depth perception.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

LIGHT RAIL ALSTOM

Versatility key to riding light rail wave

Alstom is deploying its Citadis X05 light rail vehicles in Sydney.

Rail Express spoke with Alstom’s Jean-François Blanc, about the success of light rail in the region, the latest in cutting edge technology, and what that could mean for projects and fleets in Auckland and Melbourne.

LSTOM SYSTEMS SOLUTIONS Director Jean-François Blanc says he can understand the success light rail is having throughout Australia and New Zealand. “Light rail is the most open and easily accessible transit system for passengers,” he tells Rail Express from Paris. “It’s so easy to board, so easy to disembark, and there’s a lot of light inside the vehicle. It is for sure the easiest public transport offered to disabled passengers with abundant, large doors and full low floor access. When you ride a light rail vehicle into the city it’s like you’re walking into the city.” More than just how it looks and feels, Blanc says light rail provides an ideal practical solution. “It’s expandable, in terms of range but also in terms of capacity and performance,” he says. “Light rail can handle from around 3,000 passengers per hour per direction, up to around 13,000, and once you’ve got the infrastructure you can go up to 13,000 with minimal major infrastructure construction.” Collectively these factors make light rail a valuable transport solution from a whole-of-life investment perspective, alongside larger scale assets like metro lines, when managing fast-growing cities. Blanc says Australia’s cities – and their residents – are proving they now understand this. “In Australia there are cities that never stopped using trams, like Melbourne, and there are cities that are now re-introducing trams after soe years such as Sydney, or newly discovering the benefits of trams, like the Gold Coast. It’s a very promising market,

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

where people are understanding the benefits and the effectiveness of these systems for citizens – and also that it needs to be complementary to other modes of transport.” Across the Tasman there’s another fresh opportunity for light rail solution providers: New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), together with Auckland Transport, is clearly showing commitment to deliver light rail between the city’s centre and the large southern suburb Māngere, and into the city’s northwest, by 2028. Like cities in Australia, Auckland says it has chosen light rail for being more reliable than buses, and for providing better access than buses and heavy rail. It is also targeted at reducing congestion, supporting sustainable growth, improving amenity, and providing more choices and better connections throughout the local transport network, according to the NZTA. “The scale of the project is very large,” Blanc says. “In Auckland authorities are not familiar with light rail systems and a delivery in turnkey, under clear performance objectives, is a guarantee of best management of all technical interfaces and of project management integration risks. It would allow also to foster interest from companies around the world to deliver it.” Blanc stresses Alstom’s process would always involve mobilising local teams and developing local expertise, but that the project would leverage Alstom’s global experience and support.

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In Australia there are cities that never stopped using trams... It’s a very promising market, where people are understanding the benefits and the effectiveness of these systems

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“We’ve been delivering over seventeen turnkeys around the world for light rail, so we know what it means to mobilise a mega project in a country. We’ve been doing it across many continents, in the Middle East, South America, Africa, and we know our customers ask us to have this flexibility.”

Light rail rollingstock of the future

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Melbourne fleet

Blanc says Alstom is a key candidate to deliver the next fleet of light rail vehicles for Melbourne. “We have a good understanding of Melbourne, having provided the first Citadis there in 2000,” he says. “We understand Melbourne being the biggest fleet in the world, they have a variety of rollingstock and requirements, and Alstom can offer solutions from 23 metres upwards. Citadis is a very flexible platform, with the required modularity to suit this.” Blanc notes the environment and extensive size of Melbourne’s light rail system places additional demand on rollingstock providers. “In Melbourne, energy efficiency is key

to reduce strain on the network, due to some of the shortest tram headways in the world,” he says. “Anybody would have to tackle this fleet with vehicles which are light, and do not consume a lot of energy, and particularly make room for improved ventilation and air conditioning. Now, with the Citadis X05 trams we’ve reduced the energy consumption, so we think it’s a very strong asset for that.” He notes Alstom is continuously developing technology to further reduce demand for power during peak periods, including energy regenerative technology. Blanc also says Alstom’s advancements in the field of collision avoidance could be a good addition in Melbourne. “Melbourne’s [tram system] is a system that is highly integrated into the city, and into the car traffic. It’s more of a streetcar, than what one might call a tramway. And so assistance to drivers is seen by us as very important. This can reduce the level of stress on the drivers, and improve the safety performance.” Another newer technology is the digital connectivity of Alstom’s trams to both the operator and the maintainer of the fleet, allowing access to critical operational and system performance data. “We first developed this around 2005 for maintenance, and to look at – when failures occur – what happened some seconds before and some seconds after a failure. This allows you to understand how and why it happened, and to start to be able to perform predictive maintenance, rather than corrective.” Alstom has a tradition with local manufacturing of railway vehicles within Vitoria for decades, thanks to its Ballarat assembly plant. Contact: www.alstom.com ALSTOM

Blanc says the Auckland project has one particularity: to reach the airport it would likely call for long inter-station distances, and he says Alstom’s new rollingstock – the Citadis X05 – is particularly well suited for this. “This is a rollingstock with a top speed of 80km/h,” he says, “which is good for the longer-range stations, and we have built them with very good heat exchange despite being low floor vehicles where the bogie and engine setups have to be quite confined.” He notes the X05 is the vehicle being delivered for the Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail project, where X05s are being coupled together in pairs, to form a fleet of 67-metre vehicles. Auckland is also yet another city which could investigate catenary-free operation, a technology field Blanc says Alstom leads the way. Alstom is pressing forward with onboard power supply solutions to facilitate ‘wire-less’ operations, but also its ‘third rail’ groundbased power supply system, known as APS. “Our approach for catenary-free operations is to understand the main characteristics of the project alignments – gradients, curves, crossings, temperature and other environment conditions, and of course what quality of service level the end customer would like to see possible. All of this contributes to choosing an optimum system, be it ground power or onboard, and when it’s onboard it could be battery or supercapacitor.” Blanc says Alstom encourages customers to leave the specifications of light rail projects as open as possible, so a thorough analysis can be conducted during tender stage, both on capital expenditure, and operating costs. Along with the aforementioned alignment factors, striking the balance between capital and operational expenditure goes a long way towards finding the best solution for catenaryfree operation. A system like APS may represent a higher capital expenditure than onboard energy systems, but in turn has the same performance outputs as catenary in terms of gradient, and represents a relatively low operational cost. Onboard energy systems

represent a different balance of costs, with the energy systems certainly not designed to last as long as the 30-year lifetime of the rollingstock. The dynamics of these different options are further influenced by the length of the route, the length of desired catenaryfree sections, and the number of vehicles in the fleet, which contributes significantly to the capital and operational expenditures of the onboard energy system solution. For now, Blanc says, Alstom is doing a good job of presenting all the options to the market. “In July 2018 we opened the Nice Line 2 system, fully with supercapacitors using a safe ground charging system. Today in Taiwan we are delivering trams to expand their light rail system, with supercapacitors using overhead charging point. But in Qatar we are delivering APS, because the temperatures are so high that there would be too much energy demand to keep onboard energy systems cool.”

Alstom’s APS in action in Bordeaux, France.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

Significant evolution in overhead wire roll out and tensioning methodology The concept of running dual overhead wire under final tension parameters has become an Australian reality, with the commissioning of the new Manco Rail WT2020 tensioning technology.

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RIGHT: “The uniqeuness for this project and also globally, is that the two tensioning components are mounted on two 300HP Isuzu FVZ road rail vehicles locked together,” Black says.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

tensioner supplier, OMAC of Italy. “The electronic control systems posed the biggest challenge,” Black explains. “The RRV CAN bus and management needed to interface with the tensioner programmes to avoid any possibility of over or under tensioning which would clearly negate the benefits of such a consist.” To obtain the required traction and power, special reduction boxes were installed in the two RRV power trains, enabling the optimum vehicle engine torques to be achieved within the desired track speed range of up to 6km/h. Without these, the required track speed of 6km/h would be achieved at little more than an idle, well below the HP and torque requirement. “The next issue to address was to ensure that the RRV mass would be sufficient to ensure there was adequate weight to maintain traction on grade and when subject to a wet track surface. Using special cross tread, ‘super-single’ drive wheels and the ability to adjust the down force via variable custom air suspension, constant loading is maintained and held during all travel functions and stopping without altering the wire tension. Both of the RRV’s Engine Control Units

MANCO RAIL

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Manco Rail says the productivity gains over previous methods have been described as “nothing short of incredible”

ANCO RAIL SPECIALISES IN providing custom built rail and road/ rail equipment for rail electrification construction and rail maintenance contractors. Its WT2020 tensioning consist was recently hired by the CPB Contractors and Lendlease joint venture delivering the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project. The unique new consist was used extensively throughout the project, with expectations of exceptional productivity and total reliability being fully achieved and maintained throughout its use, according to Manco Rail boss Bryan Black. “While such tensioning is a recognised method in Europe, the uniqueness for this project and also globally, is that the two tensioning components are mounted on two 300HP Isuzu FVZ Road Rail vehicles locked together forming a single centrally controlled consist,” Black tells Rail Express. “This is a significant variation to the European tensioning units which in the main, are wagon mounted and hauled generally by an electric or hydrostatic-diesel locomotives.” Engineering design for the consist required a significant and in-depth interface between the RRV manufacturer, Manco Rail, and the

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Productive overhead wire recovery now a reality

Manco Rail believes the traditional way of dropping obsolete or faulty overhead catenary/contact wire and then having the labour-intensive task of cutting it into short lengths for manual handling, will shortly be a thing of the past.

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MANCO RAIL

(ECUs) are interfaced within a central control cabin, which also enables full operation from engine start/stop and failsafe braking. These values are fed into the two capstan PLCs where the operator, after setting the two desired tensioning parameters, has the option of preselecting either manual or automatic functions. Manco Rail says the consist offers a field of tolerance of +/- 8% under static hold, or +/- 10% dynamically based on full scale values. Full tensioning data recording is also available for each drum roll out. With a max pulling force of 40kN, either capstan can be operated separately with up to 20kN tension. The capstans and motorised reel stands are driven by a silenced 46kW diesel engine. Radiated engine noise is reduced by up to 90 percent at its 1800 rpm operational speed. Each motorised drum is synchronised to the opposing capstan and has a drum weight capacity of 2500kg with a drum diameter up to 2000mm. “The radio-controlled mast incorporates two independently adjustable guide roller assemblies, providing a maximum height of up to 8 metres and a 20-degree tilt left and right from vertical,” Black continues. “Another unique feature incorporated in the motorised drum stands is the hydraulic width adjustment of the vertical upstands, allowing rapid drum installation and replacement.” While there is no technical requirement to have an operator in either RRV cab, Work Safe preferences may desire, in addition to the operator in the central cabin, a second person in one of the RRV cabs. To provide maximum versatility, both tensioner modules are mounted on 20-foot ISO container twist lock centers. This would permit the tensioner to be wagon mounted should the need arise. In addition, the two RRV’s can operate on either standard or broad gauge. Manco Rail currently offers the consist for either short- or long-term hire with both competent operators and full engineering support available.

Following informal discussions with OHW senior linesmen, Manco Rail design engineers elected to set about presenting some engineering concepts aimed at significantly reducing the labour content and introduce a high degree of automation. Within the ultimate design mandate, Manco engineers elected to incorporate other possible tasks that such a unit could accomplish, to maximise utilisation. The end result was the Manco OHRF (Overhead Recovery and Feed), a multifunction short wheel base unit, based on a vehicle having a GVM of between 12,000kg to 14,000kg. “Featuring two dual directional and independent motorised drum carriers, the Manco OHRF can recover both catenary and contact wire or twin contact wire simultaneously,” Black says. “Alternatively, the unit can be used to roll out new wire while recovering the obsolete wire.” With a wire recovery capability of up to 6 km/h, Manco Rail says the productivity gains over previous methods have been described as “nothing short of incredible”. While a significant workforce of up to 12 can typically take close to 12 hours to drop, cut and place wire in bins for collection, the Manco OHRF – excluding the time for dropping wire – can recover a drum in as little as 30 to 40 minutes. “The best methodology is to recover

ABOVE: Manco’s WT2020 tensioning consist.

the dropped wire by progressing down track collecting the laid wire from its dropped position,” Black explains. “All controls are radio remote operated including the hydraulically adjustable guidance mast that incorporates vertical extension and 20 degree left and right offset from centre. The fairlead rollers are hydraulically powered to assist in maximising cable laying during recovery operations.” The first full operational tests where carried in December of 2018 at the Melbourne level crossing project where 46 drums of contact and catenary wire was recovered during this short period, representing a significant cost and time reduction over previous methods. The base RRV incorporates dual front rail wheel hydrostatic drive, failsafe brakes on all wheels and is manufactured in accordance with AS7502, the new RRV standard introduced in July 2016 Designed for quick on tracking at road crossings, the unit is available in multigauge configuration for both short- or longterm hire. Contact: rblack@mancoeng.com.au bryan@manco.co.nz

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY Graffiti frustrates rail operators every year through direct and indirect costs.

RAPID APPREHENSION SYSTEMS

Graffiti costs slashed with new technologies Rapid Apprehension Systems GM David Black tells Rail Express about the new way forward for tackling the scourge of graffiti and other vandalism around the transport network.

RAFFITI COSTS RAIL operators and local governments tens of millions of dollars each year, not only in clean-up costs, but also through thousands of man hours spent on policing and security which rarely yields material results. David Black, GM and deployment specialist for technology firm Rapid Apprehension Systems (RAS), insists there is a better way forward for cities and infrastructure stuck in the rut of simply removing graffiti and hoping to catch offenders with security and police patrols. The active life cycle for a typical graffiti offender is four years. On average, the actions of that individual will cost a city or operator $12,000 every year. RAS estimates just 3 per cent of average ‘top 20’ offenders in a given jurisdiction will be stopped without an excessive waste of police resources. These factors are amplified in the transport space. Speaking from more than 15 years of experience taking on graffiti vandals, Black says vandals who target the

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

transit network are typically hardened, malicious, and well established. “Cutting their teeth within their local city for many years, they tend to gravitate to rail and road assets, as they look for bigger targets that deliver a ‘rush’ that other targets no longer give them,” Black explains. “For many offenders, attacking long stretches of sound barriers across road and rail networks is a favoured pastime, as they realise in many cases their work will remain for many months, or even years.” Black explains that RAS has grown over time in its role as an expert advisor on graffiti, working with cities to build a database of more than 800,000 pieces of graffiti, and developing a strategy of social media tracking on offenders, which has resulted in dozens of live apprehensions. “About ten years ago we started to have the idea of developing a range of portable equipment which we could actually deploy live-to-site to detect offenders as they offend. The first unit started off the size of a bread box, and over the year’s they’ve

shrunk and become faster with extended abilities in zero light scenarios.” So far RAS’s technology of sensors, cameras and other devices has helped catch more than 300 offenders in the act. “It’s simply a matter of shifting thinking of how to approach such an issue where existing methods are failing to deliver solid cost-effective results,” Black says. “It’s all about taking the fight to the offenders. Our tools slash the need for thousands of wasted man hours patrolling, sitting off a site, or laying in wait. The equipment does the leg work saving thousands and delivering results.” A city or operator’s typical network surveillance regime will rely on CCTV. “The problem with CCTV is you need to have an offender doing what he’s doing, practically 10 feet from the camera, so you can get a good shot for identification – if you know him – or to circulate and hopefully catch him down the track. The success rate is pretty small. “Our angle is to get teams on site when the offenders are still there.”

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RAS has worked with dozens of clients, performing more than 80 whole-of-city, rail network field audits, harvesting data and providing analysis to enable the deployment of its smart technology. Once a database has been built and RAS has helped established a top 50 wanted offender list, the company can best determine prime locations for each to be apprehended live on site. “Whether a client has their own law enforcement analysts, our field work delivers a solid base line to know exactly who the worst offenders are and where we can trigger multiple live apprehensions.”

Micro thermal systems

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A more practical solution for operators and cities

The nature of RAS’s methodology means network operators can engage determinedly with their graffiti challenge – but can also welcome adjacent local law enforcement into the fold. “Adjacent cities are commonly affected by the same shared offenders to the network operators leading to expanded prosecutions,” Black explains. “We have witnessed many successful arrests and prosecutions for hundreds of incidents across multiple victim groups where cohesive collaborations are in play.” Whether a client wishes to work on a selfdeployment model or if they wish to utilise our expansive tracking and deployment services, Black says the new outcomes are clear. “Being designers and makers of the systems we can offer tailoring for specific sites or needs,” he says. “Training is also possible on the technology and operation through to field deployment types, hide designs and monitoring.” When considering the annual clean-up bill of graffiti and the on-costs for any network operator, outstanding results are often found by thinking outside traditional methods and technologies, Black says. “Complementing existing technologies in place, our systems will deliver results at the next level in the most remote and darkest locations, facilitating live apprehensions of your worst offenders.”

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It’s simply a matter of shifting thinking of how to approach such an issue where existing methods are failing to deliver solid costeffective results

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For a no obligation discussion, contact the team at www.rasystems.com.au/railexpress

BELOW: Images from some of RAS’s devices.

RAPID APPREHENSION SYSTEMS

RAS says its patented range of micro thermal systems has evolved over the past decade to a point where end users are able to deploy them to tackle a range of issues and trigger live attendance arrests of their worst serial offenders or crews. The technology has been developed with a focus on size, cost, return on investment, range and successful apprehensions. “Whether it’s a remote section of noise wall, a rail siding or other asset location, the new micro thermal set is unbeatable for what it delivers,” he says. “We use our equipment in the field every day for all crime types including arson, graffiti, illegal dumping, drug cropping and a host of other issues,” Black says. Unlike traditional portable cameras, RAS’s micro thermal system needs no ambient or infrared light source. Once triggered, the deployed units have the ability to highlight an unquestionable human figure clearly at 150 metres, and provide live images and video grabs in under 30 seconds to a handset or a traditional control room. The camera can be triggered by a number of different devices which can be surreptitiously positioned alongside the targeted site. RAS’s new Cyclops sensors are designed to be small and covert, and allow a linear trigger for the camera with a range of up to 200 metres with one set, or up to 800 metres using pairing sensors. This allows a temporary or semi-permanent deployment at a rail siding as an example where access land or fence lines are breached. A literal forcefield can be set up surrounding a stabled train set to allow for activation of the Micro thermal units. “All of our new systems are even smaller than previous models, are subterranean for easy burial and disguise and can be deployed rapidly. “Our sensor options triggering the Micro thermal can be 170 metres from the camera allowing valuable minutes for local law enforcement or others to be aware even before offenders have reached their target. This design allows the portable equipment to be 50 or 100 metres from

the offenders ensuring the gear is undiscovered while doing its job successfully.”

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

FREIGHT RAIL Already among the world’s largest bulk ports, Newcastle has its sights set on container traffic.

Legal action over terms hindering container development at Newcastle Port Provisions baked into port privatisation deals by the NSW Government over the last five years illegally stifle competition in the containerised freight market, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has alleged.

USTRALIAN COMPETITION AND Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims on December 10 announced legal action to address what the competition watchdog views as “anti-competitive and illegal” provisions within deals to privatise Port Kembla, Port Botany and the Port of Newcastle. The ACCC believes the provisions were made by the NSW Government to maximise the value of the port sales – specifically the 99-year lease of Port Botany and Port Kembla to NSW Ports, a consortium of superannuation funds, back in 2013. The Port of Newcastle was privatised a year later, in 2014. In documents presented to the Federal Court, the ACCC has isolated provisions in Port Commitment Deeds for Port Botany, Port Kembla and the Port of Newcastle, which together would effectively force Newcastle Port Corporation to compensate NSW Ports, if Newcastle’s container traffic exceeds 30,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per annum. Newcastle handles roughly 10,000 TEU per annum at present, but the ACCC believes the provisions are limiting the port’s ability to develop a full-scale container terminal in the future. Port Botany handled roughly 2.7 million TEU in FY18. “We are alleging that making these

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

agreements containing provisions which would effectively compensate Port Kembla and Port Botany if the Port of Newcastle developed a container terminal, is anti-competitive and illegal,” Sims said. The deeds in question have 50-year terms. According to Sims, the deeds between the state and NSW Ports’ respective subsidiaries for Port Botany and Port Kembla would oblige the state to compensate the port operator if container traffic at Newcastle exceeds the 30,000 TEU cap. The deed for the Port of Newcastle, in turn, obliges the port operator to compensate the state if the cap is exceeded. “The ACCC alleges that the reimbursement provision in the Port of Newcastle Deed is an anti-competitive consequence of the Botany and Kembla Port Commitment Deeds, and that it makes the development of a container terminal at Newcastle uneconomic,” the competition watchdog said in a statement. Sims added: “The compensation and reimbursement provisions effectively mean that the Port of Newcastle would be financially punished for sending or receiving container cargo above a minimal level if Port Botany and Port Kembla have spare capacity.” Sims said the ACCC’s legal action seeks to “remove a barrier to competition in an important market”.

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The commitment to new transport infrastructure to support Port Botany’s growth is around $11 billion in direct support [and] more than $27 billion in broader transport upgrades

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CEO says Newcastle best option for growth

Port of Newcastle chief executive Craig Carmody recently told the Hunter Business Chamber he views the development of a deepwater container port at Newcastle as a significant opportunity for the region. “The east coast container ports are reaching their landside capacity,” Carmody told a luncheon on November 30. “They are all significantly constrained by urban congestion, they lack the heavy rail systems that allow for doublestacker trains, they are not connected to designated freight rail networks, and – incredibly – Melbourne, Brisbane and Botany will not be connected to the planned Inland Rail.” Carmody said the location of Port Botany meant further expansion would be incredibly expensive. “The commitment to new transport infrastructure to support Port Botany’s growth is around $11 billion in direct support [and] more than $27 billion in broader transport upgrades,” he said. “The spending is mostly on roads

because rail is a lost cause at Botany. The longest train they can fit into Port Botany is 640 metres – but truly efficient port trains are over 1.2 kilometres and the best are up to 1.8 kilometres long.” Carmody also said Newcastle would have the opportunity to build a terminal suited to the largest ships of the future, which can carry up to 15,000 TEUs each. The $5 billion Panama Canal expansion project recently upgraded the global thoroughfare to be able to handle such vessels, and some of the world’s largest ports have invested heavily to be able to handle them. “The world is shifting from a system where many ports could handle ships of around 5,000 TEU, to a system where there’ll be a Tier One network of Maxi ports, and daylight second,” Carmody said. “Unfortunately, Australia’s three east container ports will not be taking the Maxi ships – at least there’s no viable plans to do so. This means Australia will be in the Second Tier of container ports. And that’s something we want to remedy with a Container Terminal at Newcastle.”

RAIL GALLERY

“If a competing container terminal cannot be developed at the Port of Newcastle, NSW Ports will remain the only major supplier of port services for container cargo in NSW for 50 years,” he said. “I have long voiced concerns about the short-term thinking of state governments when privatising assets and making decisions primarily to boost sales proceeds, at the expense of creating a long-term competitive market.” NSW Ports immediately discredited the ACCC’s claims, saying the agreements between it and the state were “in the best interests of all stakeholders, the economy and people of NSW”. “Having paid a consideration of $5.1 billion to the NSW Government in 2013 based on the full contractual terms contained in the agreements, NSW Ports will be vigorously defending the proceedings,” the ownership group said. “NSW Ports is 80 per cent owned by Australian superannuation funds investing on behalf of more than six million individual Australians. The success of Port Botany and Port Kembla is in the national interest.”

A deepwater container port in Newcastle would immediately be the East Coast’s bestconnected to rail.

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

More services drive demand in Sydney

HE REPORT WAS COMMISSIONED TO examine the performance of the 2017 More Trains, More Services (MTMS) Stage 1 Timetable, with the findings to inform the implementation of future stages. The report states that the 1,500 extra weekly services introduced with the new timetable have led to a “significant increase” in demand across all time periods throughout the day. According to the report, the lines targeted in the new timetable – the T1 Western, T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T5 Cumberland, and T8 Airport and South lines – have seen their average passenger loads reduce slightly from 137 per cent to 127 per cent while at the same time experiencing a 4.3 per cent increase in morning peak passenger numbers. Some part of the network reportedly saw train loads drop by 47 per cent. Approximately 70 per cent of suburban stations now receive a minimum 15 minute service frequency across most of the day, up from 29 per cent of stations prior to the release of the new timetable, while 89 per cent of passengers are able to catch a train every 10 minutes (at a minimum) during the AM and PM peaks. “The data doesn’t lie. We’ve had to contend with huge growth on our network- a 30 per cent increase over the last five years, and as the report shows, that trend is set to continue,” NSW transport minister Andrew Constance said. “This report is proof that we couldn’t sit

RAIL GALLERY

Transport for NSW has released a report on the performance of the Sydney passenger rail network, 12 months on from the release of the new timetable in November last year.

Sydney’s urban rail network is busier than ever before.

back and do nothing, this was the timetable that Sydney needed.” According to the report, an extra 750 services on weekends and 180 late night has led to a significant increase in demand. Journeys made on the weekend (13.6 per cent) and late night (10.7 per cent) has outstripped AM (2.5 per cent) and PM (3.1 per cent) peak travel as a result of the more frequent and consistent services provided by the timetable. “Our focus was to provide more capacity during the peak to key areas where it was needed most, as well as giving customers more services during off peak periods to respond to changing travel patterns,” said Constance. “Customers now have more choice and more options for travel across the entire day. They’re voting with their feet and coming through the gates in droves, proving that train travel is a convenient option at any time of the day.”

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This report is proof that we couldn’t sit back and do nothing, this was the timetable that Sydney needed

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The report forecasts rail patronage could climb as high as 650 million trips by 2030.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

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PLANNING

Eddington appointed chair of IPA Sir Rod Eddington will be the next chair of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, after it was announced Adrian Kloeden would retire from the board of the policy and research body. Adrian Kloeden (left) will retire on May 2, and will be replaced by Sir Rod Eddington (right).

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INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERSHIPS AUSTRALIA

It’s been a privilege to serve the membership of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia

DRIAN KLOEDEN WILL RETIRE ON May 2, 2019, at which point Sir Rod Eddington will become chair. Eddington joined the IPA’s advisory board in December in advance of the move. “It’s been a privilege to serve the membership of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, and I can think of no better person to guide the organisation, and the sector, than Sir Rod,” Kloeden said. “Sir Rod is a long-standing friend of the sector, and I feel great confidence that he is taking over the chairmanship – particularly at a time when our industry is undergoing unprecedented growth and tremendous change to the way we plan, fund and deliver infrastructure.” IPA chief executive Adrian Dwyer thanked Kloeden for his work as chair. “Adrian Kloeden was instrumental to the establishment of this organisation and to its growth as an objective and evidence-based think tank, and I look forward to building on that legacy with Sir Rod,” Dwyer said. Eddington is currently chairman of J.P. Morgan’s Asia Pacific Advisory Council, and non-executive chairman of food and beverage group Lion. He was the chairman of Infrastructure

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Australia, the Federal Government’s independent infrastructure advisor, between 2008 and 2014. In 2008, he advised the Victorian Government on East-West connection options for Melbourne, and earlier this year it was announced he was advising the South Australian Government on the establishment of Infrastructure SA. Eddington had a long career in aviation, including as the CEO of Cathay Pacific, executive chairman of Ansett, and CEO of British Airways. He currently serves as a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council and as president of the Australia Japan Business Cooperation Committee. He also sits as a nonexecutive director on the boards of 21st Century Fox, China Light & Power Holdings, and John Swire and Sons. “I’m honoured to be appointed as the new chair of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and for the opportunity to lead Australia’s most respected infrastructure policy organisation,” Eddington said. “Adrian Kloeden leaves the organisation in excellent shape and I thank him for his tireless contribution not just to the evolution of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, but also for his dedication to the sector.”

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

PLANNING Australia’s state and territory leaders flank the prime minister at the COAG meeting in December 2018.

ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK MP / TWITTER

Governments to work on collaborative population and planning framework

Commonwealth, state and federal governments will work towards a population framework aimed at busting congestion and managing growth in major cities, but the states and territories have resisted the Morrison Government’s push to cut migrant intake.

RIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON met with state and territory leaders at the final Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting of 2018, which took place in Adelaide on December 12. Discussing the issue of population growth and roads and public transport congestion in major cities, the COAG parties agreed to develop a framework for national population and planning. Development of the framework will begin in February 2019, at the next Treasurer’s Forum. The COAG’s communique following the meeting said governments had resolved to treat population management as a shared responsibility “involving all levels of governments working across many fronts”. Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said the meeting was a positive one, from the perspective of how governments can work together to provide the infrastructure needed to manage continued population growth. “I think today we’ve agreed on the clearest link ever between a proper population policy and a proper conversation and agreements about the infrastructure that we need,” Andrews said. “We’ve agreed today in the clearest terms perhaps ever between state, territory and the national government that infrastructure and managing population growth are essentially the same issue.”

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

For Morrison, however, the COAG meeting wasn’t totally successful, as the prime minister was unable to convince state and territory leaders it was a good idea to cut the number of migrants entering Australia on an annual basis. The communique after the meeting stated: “COAG recognised Australia’s migration program has been an important driver of population change, contributing to our culturally rich society, and is increasingly important for sustaining our per capita economic growth as our population ages.” This was, it seems, a clear response to Morrison’s proposal to lower the cap on migrants from 190,000 to 160,000 per annum. Going into the COAG meeting, only New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian had indicated she was on board with Morrison’s proposal. By the end of the meeting, the PM had not strengthened his numbers. “This is an ongoing item on the COAG agenda,” Morrison told the press. “Population management is a core task of all the governments you see represented here, including local government. “This will be an ongoing issue and the next decision that has to be made, at least in terms of immigration, is what the annual intake cap will be for the 2019-20 year. That decision is taken in the Budget every year.”

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We’ve agreed today in the clearest terms perhaps ever that infrastructure and managing population growth are essentially the same issue

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Before the meeting, Berejiklian had welcomed the idea of a “breather” on immigration for New South Wales, while infrastructure catches up, particularly to Sydney’s rapid population growth. But the Morrison Government’s pitch to cut the immigration cap has yet to win over any other state or territory leaders, with some arguing they would like to see more migrants arrive in their region. “I think it’s very clear now that we have a very different approach to issues regarding population state by state,” South Australian premier Steven Marshall said. “There is no cookie cutter approach. And I think what we can do now is all work collaboratively towards a good strategy, a positive strategy, which is going to ensure that we get population growth exactly where it’s needed in Australia going forward.” “We want more people to call the Northern Territory home,” the NT’s chief minister Michael Gunner added. “More people equals more jobs. This goes to having a vision for this nation, to having a better, stronger, more resilient diversified economy.” The Morrison Government’s congestionbusting agenda was laid out in the months prior to the meeting, primarily by cities and population minister Alan Tudge. In an October 10 speech to the Menzies Research Centre in Melbourne, Tudge pointed to Government figures showing overseas migration represented 60 per cent of population growth in Australia over the last decade, and asserted it was “a fact of life that as cities become larger they get more congested”.

Tudge outlined a four-point plan to bust congestion, which would include strict visa conditions requiring some new migrants to stay away from major cities for their first few years in the country. Another part of the plan was for the development of an overall ‘population planning framework’.

IA calls for better infrastructure planning

Ahead of the COAG meeting Infrastructure Australia released a paper stressing the need to focus on better planning for essential infrastructure, in order to manage growth and congestion. But Tudge and shadow minister for transport and cities Anthony Albanese had opposing views of what the report meant: Tudge praised the paper for aligning with the Coalition’s program, but Albanese said it highlighted the Coalition’s “abysmal” record. Tudge said the report’s recommendations reflected “key pillars” of the Government’s population and cities policies. “We are … delivering on the report’s recommendation to better strategically plan for Australia’s future population,” he said. “Integral to this has been linking population to my portfolio responsibilities of infrastructure and cities to better plan for future growth as a first step.” Albanese, however, viewed the report as an indictment of the Coalition’s infrastructure record since the Abbott Government was elected in 2013. “[The report] echoes Federal Labor’s

concern that the Coalition Government has failed to ensure investment in vital infrastructure keeps pace with the growth of our cities,” Albanese said. “The report tells us that ‘our largest cities are playing catch-up in delivering infrastructure to support population growth’ and it calls on government to act now to better sequence infrastructure to meet the needs of urban communities.” Albanese said the report’s advice for more collaboration across the three tiers of government to ensure better planning was more closely aligned with Labor’s policies than those of the Coalition. “These principles underpin Labor’s City Partnerships policy, which was announced in July this year and would replace the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government’s weak, politicised City Deals,” he said. Tudge defended the Coalition’s infrastructure funding program. “We are committed to dealing with the uneven distribution of population growth between increasingly congested major cities and regional areas that are crying out for more people,” Tudge said. “We also know that congestion costs the national economy billions of dollars each year and significantly impacts the productivity and liveability of Australia’s capital cities. “That’s why the Coalition lifted expenditure as soon as we came to office and in the last budget, allocated $75 billion to infrastructure under a 10-year rolling investment pipeline.” RAIL GALLERY

COAG ministers have agreed to collaborate on a plan to manage population growth.

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RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

SAVE THE DATE

1 ST - 3R D AP R I L 2 02 0 M EL BOUR N E CON V ENTION & EX HIBIT ION C EN T RE

SUSTAINABILITY | AUTOMATION

I N D U ST RY 4 .0 | E - C O M M E R C E

SAFETY & MAJOR INCIDENTS

Remote control failed prior to Devonport derailment The remote being used to control a TasRail train stopped working, and its operator was unable to force an emergency stop, before it ran away uncontrolled and was eventually derailed, injuring two bystanders in September.

ISSUE 1 2019 | RAIL EXPRESS

ATSB

LEFT: Derailment location. BELOW: Two members of the public were injured in the incident.

ATSB

HE AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY Bureau on November 9 published its preliminary report into the incident where a TasRail bulk cement service ran away from its loading facility at Railton just prior to 9am on September 21, 2018. The train, weighing 1,132 tonnes and 220 metres long, travelled roughly 21 kilometres in 23 minutes and was then routed into a dead-end siding in Devonport, where it derailed. Two bystanders sustained minor injuries from fence debris. The train travelled in a derailed state for roughly 60 metres in a public area beyond the dead-end siding. According to the preliminary report into the incident, the train was being controlled at the cement loading facility by its driver from within the facility, via a remote control. The train consisted of a TR class locomotive, 16 THFY class bulk cement wagons, and a trailing driver’s van. It operated between the loading facility in Railton and the unloading facility at Devonport in a push-pull configuration, with motive power provided by one locomotive, at either the back or the front of the train, depending on the direction of travel. The portable remote control operation allows the driver to be situated at the front of the train – be it the locomotive or the driver’s van – regardless of direction. It also allows the driver to control the train from outside, during loading and unloading. Just prior to the runaway incident, the driver was progressively aligning wagons beneath the cement loading chutes. “While the last pair of wagons were being aligned, the train came to a stop past the intended stop location,” the Bureau’s preliminary report states. “The driver recalled that … he selected reverse to re-align the final two wagons with the loading chutes. However, after selecting reverse, the train became unresponsive to his remote commands.” According to the report, the driver says he tried multiple times to reset the remote equipment, before deciding to walk towards the lead locomotive to attempt a cold restart of the remote control receiver. “Before he started to walk … the train slowly began rolling away towards Devonport,” the report states. “The driver recalled trying to activate the emergency stop features of the remote system by removing power to the portable remote control

system’s transmitter. However, the train did not respond to these commands and gradually gained speed as it rolled away from the loading facility.” TasRail says it has suspended use of the locomotive remote control system – which was only used on the Devonport cement service – until the investigation is concluded. With the preliminary report now complete, the ATSB says its investigation will move on to consider: • serviceability of the locomotive, wagons, remote control system, and the interface between them at time of the accident • remote control system and locomotive braking operational inspection and testing arrangements • design and compatibility of the locomotive, remote control system, and the interface between them • implementation management and on-going monitoring of remote control system and locomotive • driver qualifications, experience and medical information • recovery controls: - r unaway protection at Railton - detection of unauthorised train access to main line from yard - effectiveness of emergency response systems.

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The train did not respond to these commands and gradually gained speed as it rolled away from the loading facility

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MINERAL RESOURCES

SAFETY & MAJOR INCIDENTS

Mineral Resources recently acquired the Koolyanobbing iron ore operation in Western Australia.

Derailment hiccup for MinRes’ first Koolyanobbing train Mining and services firm Mineral Resources confirmed a train returning from the Port of Esperance to its Koolyanobbing operation in Western Australia had derailed on November 11.

INRES TOLD INVESTIGATORS ON November 12 roughly 30 empty iron ore wagons had derailed south of Norseman on the morning prior. The train was returning from Esperance after delivering 7,488 tonnes of iron ore fines from Koolyanobbing, having been the first train loaded at Koolyanobbing by MinRes since it acquired the operation in June 2018. Arc Infrastructure, the owner and operator of the railway, said at the time repairs to the track infrastructure would be complete within the week, according to the MinRes statement. MinRes said it appeared heavy rainfall and flash flooding in the region on Saturday washed out some ballast from under a small section of track, prior to the derailment. No injuries were reported. The miner said the incident was not expected to have a material impact on the production and shipment schedule for Koolyanobbing. MinRes said some of the derailed wagons were damaged, but none of its locomotives had sustained damage. “Most importantly, no one was injured,” managing director Chris Ellison said. “Initial investigations into this

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derailment suggest our safe train operating procedures were followed at all times, and that the derailment was caused by a section of the train track being washed out caused by Saturday’s heavy rainfall and flash flooding. “We are working with Arc Infrastructure to determine the timeframe for track repairs. As soon as we have confirmation that the track is repaired we will resume haulage of ore.” The ATSB did not open a formal investigation into the incident. The derailment was an unfortunate hiccup during what was otherwise a positive development for Mineral Resources. MinRes had loaded the train at its newly acquired Koolyanobbing iron ore mine, 180 kilometres west of Kalgoorlie in southcentral Western Australia, a few days before the derailment. The Perth-based, ASX-listed miner acquired Koolyanobbing from ClevelandCliffs in June. The 106-wagon train, made up of Mineral Resources rollingstock and carrying 7,488 tonnes of iron ore fines, departed Koolyanobbing for the Port of Esperance. When the train arrived at Esperance,

Mineral Resources began stockpiling iron ore for its first shipment, scheduled to take place within the following four weeks. Ellison called the train loading “a significant milestone” for the company, and communities in the Yilgarn region and Esperance. “When we decided earlier this year to take on the Koolyanobbing operations previously operated by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc, we did so because of our firm belief we could sustain a viable iron ore export operation in the region and safeguard hundreds of jobs in regional Western Australia,” Ellison said. “This successful outcome would not have been possible without the great assistance of Premier Mark McGowan and his Government, the leadership team at the Esperance port and Paul Larsen and his team at Arc Infrastructure. “We look forward to building up our iron ore stockpiles at the port of Esperance ahead of loading our first ship before the end of this year.” MinRes says the Koolyanobbing operation will provide 285 direct jobs, and indirect employment for roughly 415 additional workers.

RAIL EXPRESS | ISSUE 1 2019

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