Rail Express February 2023

ISSUE 1 | FEBRUARY 2023

Keeping Melbourne on the move

As the country emerges from COVID, Metro Trains Melbourne is doing its best to restore confidence in the rail transport system.

PAGE 28

$154 billion in the rail pipeline

PAGE 24

Making most of the need for speed

PAGES 30-36

Building a better rail workplace

PAGE 40

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From the Editor

Issue 1 - February 2023

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Ray Chan Editor - Rail Express

Welcome to the February issue of Rail Express

Welcome to the first edition of Rail Express for the year. We’d like to take the opportunity to wish all our readers a safe and prosperous 2023.

The rail sector has weathered the storm posed by COVID over the past several months, and it appears there is light at the end of the tunnel: a fitting metaphor indeed.

Although we can never assume complacency, it is reassuring to see that rail patronage is now steadily building up again as more and more passengers feel safe enough to return to public transport.

Even more confidence-building, though, is the expected development of more and more rail projects in the near future, to add to the industry rejuvenation that was already on the cusp of booming when the pandemic struck.

The recent AusRAIL conference was a measure of the confidence that stakeholders had in the resurgence of rail, with more than 2000 delegates attending to find out about new innovations and catch up face-to-face with peers and colleagues.

The event heard that rail construction and maintenance activity is expected to rise to $14.4 billion per year over the next five years, increasing from $12.9b in what had been a record 2021-22.

The Australian Rail Market Outlook report confirmed the sector was growing, with $129b in rail construction and maintenance forecast in the 10 years to 2031-32, compared to $96b over the previous decade.

Over the next 15 years, $154b in the rail pipeline is expected as the wave of new projects continues to meet the country’s future transport needs.

The report confirms Australia is embarking on a period of railway construction that will transform networks for generations to come, recognising the essential role rail will continue to play as part of our public transport networks and freight operations.

And perhaps one of the most exciting undertakings is the very real possibility of Australia finally embarking on high-speed rail projects … or at the very least, faster-speed rail than what we are accustomed to.

It’s been a long-running joke that there are only two continents in the world which

do not have any form of fast rail: Australia and Antarctica.

But we now have a Federal Government that has pledged its commitment to get the ball rolling, and it has shored up this commitment with the establishment of the High Speed Rail Authority to help guide the development of a high-speed rail network.

The body will provide independent and impartial advice on the policy and standards of high-speed rail, and plan, identify and secure necessary corridors.

It will also oversee the construction and operation of the high-speed rail network, and coordinate with state and territory governments, industry, business and communities to enhance Australia’s long-term rail investment.

It’s all baby steps at the moment, but certainly an exciting edge of the wedge that promises to bloom into a transport system that will benefit all Australians.

Imagine travelling by trains from Sydney to Newcastle, or Melbourne to the Gold Coast, or even within states – for example Perth to Bunbury – all in quick-smart time, and cutting out the polluting effects of modes such as planes and cars.

This issue, we talk to some of the leading fast-rail manufacturers and mobility providers about how the system will ultimately benefit Australia, not just in terms of quicker commutes and lower carbon emissions, but also how it will boost employment by creating more manufacturing jobs for rolling stock, track and signalling work, and other related facets.

In other features, we look at how Metro Trains is keeping Melbourne on the move; Pacific National’s comprehensive ESG policy; and how a new rail industry consultancy aims to attract more people into the rail workforce.

We round off the edition with the regular contributions from our industry partners, and a round-up of the most significant contracts and tenders.

2023 is shaping up to be a landmark year indeed, so sit back and enjoy the Rail Express ride.

ray.chan@primecreative.com.au

Government pledge to boost rail manufacturing

The Federal Government has outlined a fresh vision for a renaissance of rail manufacturing in Australia.

Assistant Minister for Manufacturing, Tim Ayres, said he would be overseeing the implementation of the National Rail Manufacturing Plan.

“At the 2022 Federal Election, we made a commitment to build a future made in Australia and it’s a privilege to now be in Government to deliver on this,” he said.

“Ultimately, the plan is designed to support skilled manufacturing jobs and support more trains being built here in Australia.

“In taking our rail vision forward we must lift our sights and expectations. It’s more than just creating rolling stock here in Australia. It’s about creating national pride and purpose, in the public interest.”

The 2022-23 October Budget included $14.2 million to establish the National Rail Manufacturing Plan and create several bodies to support local jobs and rail manufacturing capability, helping to drive a national approach to facilitate local manufacturing and procurement – more jobs, high-quality trains, more scale and efficiency.

“We need to drive Australia up the value chain and broaden our export complexity as

is key to generating good jobs across communities in the suburbs and the regions.

“At the same time, we know that Australians take pride in locally made products that are of high quality.

“Manufacturing more of our own trains and rolling stock components builds national pride as well as Australian capability.

“The Federal Government wants Australia to be a smart nation that makes high-value products for Australia, our region and the world.

“Although the focus will initially be on passenger train manufacturing, I want to identify flow-on benefits for freight rolling stock manufacturing.

“Key elements of the plan include establishing an Office of National Rail Industry Coordination (ONRIC) within the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

“ONRIC will lead a coordinated national approach to support and grow the Australian rail manufacturing sector.”

The Government is also establishing a Rail Industry Innovation Council to bring together industry leaders, researchers and experts to help transform the sector.

In collaboration with other stakeholders, it will support capability building by identifying opportunities for Australian innovation,

will appoint a Rail Supplier Advocate to develop high impact strategy to deliver on the Government’s objective to support local manufacturing of safe, fast and sustainable rail rolling stock,” Ayres said.

“The Advocate will work with me and the ONRIC, providing advice to the Government on the Australian rail industry and the most effective strategies to back Australian manufacturing.

“They will also assess the rail procurement and local content targets for rolling stock and other drivers to support a competitive rail manufacturing industry in Australia.

“They will advocate on behalf of the rail industry to State and Territory Governments, ensuring local suppliers are considered for critical transport projects.

“I need the successful candidate to have deep sectoral knowledge of rail manufacturing and the desire to drive genuine change.

“Applications will open in the coming days. I want the very best person for this role.

“One of the challenges facing the rail industry is that currently we have no consistent national standards for passenger rolling stock.

“This makes it harder to achieve consistency for products and components such as windows, axles, wheels, and emergency equipment which are different across the country.

“It makes it harder to deliver scale, efficiencies and quality. It makes it harder still to target global supply chains.

“Standard harmonisation should be a key objective and priority.”

Ayres said the Government deliver a National Rail Procurement and Manufacturing Strategy to identify opportunities to make more rolling stock here and push firms up global supply chains.

The strategy will focus on:

Delivering the local build of more topquality trains

Building scale and industrial capability

Driving innovation, efficiency and competitiveness of Australian rail manufacturing to supply components to global markets.

“We will be working closely with State and Territory governments, unions, and industry to effectively deliver the National Rail Manufacturing Plan,” he said.

“We will create long-term capability that will last beyond the election cycle and build national pride and purpose.

“This is more than building rail in Australia. It’s building a future that should be a source of pride for all Australians.”

Train manufacturing recently returned to WA with six-car C-series locomotives built by Alstom.

LEADING THE WAY TO GREENER AND SMARTER MOBILITY IN AUSTRALIA

Green light for first Green Loan accreditation

Rail First Asset Management has been awarded Australia’s first freight Green Loan accreditation for a $125 million tranche, recognising the energy efficiency of rail transport.

The loan is aligned with the Loan Market Association’s (LMA) green loan principles and issued under the ‘clean transportation’ category.

Rail First is a leading provider of full-service integrated rolling stock leasing and maintenance solutions and owns the nation’s third largest intermodal fleet, which includes more than 1200 wagons. It is Australia’s only local manufacturer of intermodal wagons and is not used to transport fossil fuels.

The company operates more than 1300 locomotives and wagons with two strategically located workshops in Islington (South Australia) and Goulburn (New South Wales) which service a blue-chip customer base that is primarily focused on the intermodal market.

The Green Loan will fund Rail First’s ESG commitments, including the acquisition, upgrade and maintenance of intermodal wagons that have zero direct tailpipe carbon emissions. These initiatives further support the decarbonisation of Australia’s transport sector, which currently accounts for about 20 per cent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Rail freight is one of the most energy efficient forms of transport, producing 16 times less carbon pollution for every tonne-km travelled

compared to road freight and significantly reducing crash costs. The Green Loan is intended to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 13.

As part of its Green Loan requirements, Rail First will report annually on relevant impact metrics including the estimated CO2 emissions avoided or reduced through the operation of its intermodal wagon fleet.

Rail First chief executive, Mark Kirkpatrick, said the industry-first accreditation reflects the ongoing sustainability improvements to the company’s assets and operations, further supporting customers as they work to reduce their carbon emissions.

“We are proud of our Australian manufacturing capability, using sustainably sourced materials and

local labour to offer highest quality intermodal wagons, maintenance, and solutions,” he said.

The accreditation follows Rail First’s acquisition by experienced infrastructure investors Amber Infrastructure and DIF Capital Partners in September.

Amber Infrastructure’s Head of Asia-Pacific, Vaughan Wallace, said Rail First’s strong ESG credentials were a key reason for the attraction to the business, aligning with Amber’s responsible investment philosophy.

“Rail First’s domestic wagon manufacturing capability facilitates job creation, sustainable sourcing of raw materials, and end-of-life waste reduction. It also reduces unnecessary emissions from the transport of built wagons to Australia,” he said.

Aurizon finalises East Coast Rail acquisition

Aurizon has signed a binding sale agreement with Magnetic Rail Group to acquire the East Coast Rail (ECR) business.

After expected completion adjustments, Aurizon will receive cash proceeds of about $425 million which represents the equity value of ECR. The purchaser will also assume ECR’s existing debt facilities (which originally totalled $500m).

No capital gains tax is expected and completion is targeted for early 2023, with $125m of the proceeds to be deferred for 12 months.

Magnetic is a wholly owned subsidiary of Magnetic Infrastructure Group, which is an incorporated 50:50 joint venture ultimately owned by M Infrastructure Group and PT Asian Bulk Logistics (ABL).

East Coast Rail is the One Rail Australia

coal haulage business with operations in New South Wales and Queensland. This divestment is in accordance with Aurizon’s undertaking to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), as part of its acquisition of One Rail Australia (ORA).

The ORA bulk and general freight assets have been integrated into the Aurizon business and are now referred to as Aurizon Bulk Central. These assets include the 2200 kilometre Tarcoola-to-Darwin rail infrastructure, South Australian regional infrastructure, five rail yards, 68 active locomotives, over 1000 active wagons and about 400 employees.

Aurizon undertook a dual-track process for the divestment of ECR, to be completed through either a trade sale or a demerger.

Managing director Andrew Harding said the

sale provided the best outcome for Aurizon and its shareholders, delivering a strong sale price and certainty in completing the divestment.

“We have already successfully integrated the ORA bulk and general freight assets into our bulk business and are excited about the quality of the assets and the many opportunities for growth.”

Completion of the sale of ECR is subject to approval by the ACCC.

ECR has continued to operate independently of Aurizon since the ORA acquisition finalised in July 2022, with an independent Board and management team.

ECR will be classified as a discontinued operation in the half year financial statements, with the net profit after tax (NPAT) contribution shown separately to continued operations.

The loan will fund Rail First’s ESG commitments.

Labor victory hailed as endorsement of SRL

Early works on the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) are advancing after Victorians backed the project for a second time in the recent state election, following a similarly emphatic endorsement four years earlier.

With trains running by 2035, SRL East will open up access to key education, health and employment centres in Melbourne’s east and south east, relieving pressure on roads and slashing congestion and travel times across the network, as well as supporting up to 24,000 local jobs in the construction phase.

Those jobs were on the ballot paper at the election and Victorians overwhelmingly voted for ongoing investment in the transport infrastructure the state needs.

SRL aims to transform the public transport system, delivering the critical wheel on the hub and spokes train network and changing how people move around Melbourne.

The multi-faceted project will reshape how the state grows in the decades ahead – creating major employment centres in the middle suburbs with more housing options, services, and open and public space all a short walk from an SRL train station.

SRL Airport is also underway from Sunshine to Melbourne Airport, delivering a

the new year.

Preparatory works will also kick off at Burwood and Monash, and at Box Hill to relocate the 109 tram terminus on Whitehorse Road ahead of construction of the new Box Hill SRL station.

With the next stage of early works beginning in 2023, hundreds of local jobs and a pipeline of opportunities for

said the emphatic election result shows beyond doubt that Victorians want the project to go ahead.

“Suburban Rail Loop won’t just transform our public transport system – slashing travel times and easing congestion – it will help manage how our city grows, creating a long pipeline of jobs and training opportunities,” she said.

Derailment prompts call for safety review

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union says an accident at Inverleigh in Victoria had caused rail workers to lose confidence in the rail safety regime.

The Melbourne to Adelaide rail corridor was forced to close after a train derailment occurred between Inverleigh and Gheringhap (30km west of Geelong), displacing up to 16 containers on both sides of the track and some within an adjoining paddock.

Calling for an urgent review of the Rail Safety National Law, RTBU National Secretary Mark Diamond said it was fortunate there were no injuries to train crew.

“But the incident could have been catastrophic if the train was carrying passengers, rather than freight,” he said.

“Rail workers are increasing concerned that Australia’s rail safety regime is no longer fit for purpose, and not enough is being done to ensure that tracks are safe.

“While the cause of the derailment will be the subject of an investigation, rail workers are already aware of the failings in the rail safety system, and they want to see action.”

Diamond said heavy rain should not be used as an excuse to justify infrastructure failings.

“Australia is a big country with a big rail network. It therefore needs a rail workforce that is big enough to ensure that every kilometre of track is appropriately maintained and regularly checked – especially during times of extreme rainfall or heat,” he said.

“It has also been 10 years since the adoption of the Rail Safety National Law (RSNL). It’s time that safety laws were brought up-to-date with contemporary practices and standards in the rail industry.”

Diamond said a major problem with the current rail safety regime was an apparent lack of transparency.

“For example, when an individual makes a

report to the regulator, they are not provided with a report back on the outcome of any investigation which arises – or even advised if any investigation has been conducted,” he said.

“This undermines rail workers’ trust in the system, as they do not know whether anything has been done about the safety issue.”

The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) said the incident, reportedly caused by the tracks buckling as water seeped underneath them, underscores its calls for urgent federal and state funding and a plan to tackle the massive job of repairing and reinstating road and rail freight networks.

VTA chief executive Peter Anderson said political leaders needed to commit resources to fix the damage that’s been done as soon as possible, in what were clearly unprecedented rain and weather events and outside the ordinary maintenance of the country’s transportation networks.

It’s full steam ahead for SRL projects.

Autonomous rail wagons for Westport project

The Western Australian government’s Westport project has completed its Landside Logistics Opportunities Study (LLOS), which considered how to move containers to and from the future port at Kwinana.

Westport aims to reshape the future of the state’s container freight supply chain by relocating the primary container terminal from the current site at Fremantle, delivering a modern solution that can serve WA’s long term freight needs over the next 50 years.

The long-term program will investigate, plan and build the Kwinana facility with integrated road and rail transport networks.

As part of Westport’s engagement with supply chain stakeholders during the LLOS, Arc Infrastructure presented its concept for autonomous rail container wagons, developed with Westport in mind, utilising existing technology from numerous industries and applying them to a rail scenario. With support from technology consultancy Interfuze, Arc delivered a concept of operations in late 2021.

The LLOS identified autonomous rail container wagons as one of the most prospective innovations in enabling a more efficient and sustainable logistics network in the future.

Arc is now focused on continuing the development of its autonomous rail container wagon and will share findings with Westport as part of the next phase, the Supply Chain Integrated Design project (SCID).

The SCID consortium, led by WSP Australia, will model and refine design options for the new port, and supporting road and rail networks, contributing to the delivery of a Westport Business Case by mid-2024.

Arc Infrastructure chief executive officer Murray Cook said after spending more than two years developing the concept, it

was exciting to see Westport embrace the opportunity to further examine the benefits autonomous rail container wagons could deliver to the future port.

“Westport presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to incorporate new technologies that could dramatically improve port and supply chain efficiency,” he said.

“We are delighted that the idea to explore autonomous rail container wagons is being considered, and we look forward to contributing to the Supply Chain Integrated Design project.”

WA railways celebrate a century of women

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti recently joined a host of female staff from the Public Transport Authority (PTA) to mark 100 years since the first women were employed on the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR).

The first six women – Ida Kemshall, Madeleine Cole, Dolly Grey, Lil Gordon, Enid Piercy, and May McDonald – clocked on at the railway in 1922, becoming the first cohort of women to be employed following the abandonment of WAGR’s men-only policy.

Little is known about the work lives of that original group, but – according to an article in a 1957 issue of the Railway Institute Magazine – the women formed a close friendship, organising and enjoying monthly luncheons that would also be attended by the women who joined WAGR after them.

The group paved the way for others to follow in their footsteps throughout the ensuing century. More recently:

• In June 2022 there were 633 women employed by the PTA – an increase of 50 per cent since June 2017

• Of those 633 female employees, 179 (28.3 per cent) have been at the PTA for more than 10 years, 106 (16.7 per cent) for 5-10 years, and 228 (26 per cent) for 1-5 years

• Operational roles filled by female employees include railcar drivers, driver-trainers, depot masters, network controllers, control monitoring room operators, transit officers, shift commanders, customer service staff, station coordinators, signal technicians, as well as a big cohort of office-based staff.

The PTA is also playing a key role in a National Transport Commission campaign to recruit more people – including women – into the rail industry. Three female PTA employees – a railcar driver/driver trainer, a cyber-security specialist, and a project integration manager –were interviewed as part of the campaign.

Saffioti said it was a great privilege to be able to join PTA staff celebrating this significant milestone in WA rail history.

“Things have changed a lot since 1922, and we owe a lot to trailblazers like the first six women that were employed at the WA Government Railways,” she said.

“This group of women were pioneers, breaking through societal expectations about females in the workforce to become the first women to be employed at WAGR and paving the way for the thousands that have come after them.

“Right now, we have more than 600 women employed by the PTA, which is an increase of around 50 per cent compared to 2017.

“Even with the significant changes we have seen, rail remains a male-dominated industry, but the PTA continues to work hard to recruit and retain female employees into vital operational and office-based roles.”

Arc’s concept for autonomous rail container wagons.

New STRAILastic_mSW 730

mini soundprotection wall with high absorbing surface

The new version of the STRAILastic_mSW adds a higher wall to the product range. This version is used for train speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Benefits at a glance

¬ No foundation required for installation

¬ easy and quick installation

¬ Short delivery times > noise hot spots can be supplied with products quickly

¬ Closer to the noise source than any other sound protection

¬ Break-proof due to bre-reinforced rubber compound with a cover layer of virgin rubber > UV and ozone resistant

¬ No material fatigue caused by vibrations or pressure and suction forces

¬ No problems with oversized loads

Due to the higher design, it gains even more e ect in the area of the wheel.

STRAILastic_mSW 730 is fastened to both rails with an insulated, decoupled substructure or directly in the subsoil using ground screws.

STRAILastic_mSW 730 > mini goes maxi.

1. STRAILastic_mSW 730 new version of the mini sound protection wall

2. STRAILastic_IP the infill panel

3. STRAILastic_mSW the established mini sound protection wall

4. STRAILastic_A inox 2.0 rail dampers

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Adelaide passenger train slides off tracks

never stopped and the wheels span and the train continued,” he told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“And then of course we’ve got a buffer stop there which is there for this exact reason, it did its job and stopped that train from going any further.”

White said the buffer stops were designed to stop trains travelling at low speeds when entering the end of the line.

“Occasionally they do dislodge the buffer, in this instance they did,” he said.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator was assisting the investigation.

Investigations are continuing into an incident on a suburban Adelaide rail line in which a train carrying about 20 passengers derailed and collided with a buffer last November.

The train slid off the tracks at the end of Grange Station around 6.30pm in the evening and hit a bumper stop next to Military Road.

Passengers and staff were uninjured and safely disembarked. Services on the Grange line resumed after repairs were completed overnight.

Public Transport Authority executive director Scott White said the incident would be investigated to determine the cause.

“Essentially the train sort of slipped, so it

“We are talking about very, very heavy pieces of machinery on rail tracks that when things go wrong, they can be catastrophic,” he said.

“Stopping a train is very very hard, so that is why we always have a lot of focus on safety.

“But I’m just very pleased that no-one was injured, very pleased that no-one was on the footpath or in the way of that train as it came off those rail lines.”

Aurizon helps fund SA and NT businesses

South Australian and Northern Territory businesses are among the successful recipients in the latest round of Aurizon’s Community Giving Fund.

The program is part of the freight operator’s ongoing commitment to supporting and engaging with the local communities in which it operates, with funding provided in the areas of education, community safety, environment and health and wellbeing.

Managing director and chief executive officer Andrew Harding said this current round of assistance would provide support to 40 local projects across the company’s national footprint, with additional funding provided for its new operations in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

“Following the acquisition of the One Rail Australia business earlier this year, including the Tarcoola to Darwin railway, it is exciting to see the successful recipients of these Aurizon grants in South Australia and the NT,” he said.

“We are thrilled to be supporting the local communities in these two new locations in addition to those in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia where our people live and work,” he added.

“In South Australia for example, we’re funding Short Back and Sidewalks Ltd, which

offers free hair-cutting and grooming for people experiencing homelessness. They will use the funding to establish a new weekly service to be delivered at the Hutt Street Centre in Adelaide, providing 600 free haircuts per year,” he said.

“In the Northern Territory, Children’s Ground will use the Aurizon funding to assist with the production and release of educational Arrernte language music for children, with the aim of keeping the Arrernte language strong and visible and to provide opportunities to First Nations artists who will contribute to

by about 3000 people in Central Australia, particularly in Alice Springs.”

In NSW, the Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundations will use the funds to sponsor about 20 young people in the Illawarra region to attend Kookaburra Kids camps, while in WA, WA PCYC will use the funding to help with the delivery of 10 sessions of the WACA Deadly Cricket Program aimed at Indigenous females aged between 12 and 17 years.

In Queensland, LifeFlight Foundation will use the funding for its ‘First Minute Matters’ community trauma training program at

The train slid off the tracks and hit a bumper stop.

Adelaide-based Short Back and Sidewalks is one of the latest fund recipients.

Riverina intermodal hub open for business

The new Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RIFL) Hub in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, is officially open, strengthening the state’s supply chain network and increasing freight efficiency.

Regional Transport and Roads minister Sam Farraway said the RIFL was positioned to become a dynamic operations centre for freight operators.

“The 4.9 kilometre rail siding will be a game changer for the rail freight industry, allowing for longer trains with the capacity to securely

of 134 semi-trailer trucks, reducing the number of rigs on Riverina roads and allowing freight to move efficiently across the state.

“The $14.4 million siding is also connected to the ARTC loop line, providing rail freight operators the flexibility to send trains from the region north to Sydney or south to Melbourne.

“We know the Riverina and Murray accounts for 12 per cent of the state’s agricultural output and are important contributors to our economy. That’s why we are improving freight linkages to secure a brighter future for our state.”

of all the teams involved. “Around 130 jobs were supported during construction of the RIFL Hub, which required more than 100,000 cubic metres of dirt to be moved to build the siding and over one million pavers to surface the terminal,” he said.

“The benefits of the RIFL Hub flow to the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area, the region as a whole and in fact Southern NSW. It will prove a catalyst for freight movements by all parties to be rethought in relation to form of delivery and structure. It is a once-in-ageneration opportunity.”

Visy Logistics will carry out operations at the RIFL Hub as an open access terminal and provide logistics solutions and services to businesses across the Riverina.

Lee Schmelich from Visy Logistics said Visy was proud to partner with the Government and Wagga Wagga City Council on this transformational project.

“The RiFL will turbocharge local agriculture and industry by making it easier to get local products from the Riverina to customers across the country and the world,” he said.

The new RIFL Hub will connect in with the $29.2 million 60-hectare Bomen Industrial Precinct, supported by the NSW Government’s Growing Regional Economies Program and Wagga Wagga City Council.

First Parramatta Light Rail vehicle arrives

New South Wales’ Parramatta Light Rail reached a major new milestone in December with the arrival of the first vehicle in the new fleet and construction on the light rail stops nearly complete.

Once complete, the new network will provide frequent, reliable transport services between Westmead and Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD, supporting residents, local businesses and the nearly 14,000 students who attend the nearby university.

The new light rail vehicles will be fully accessible with low floors; be air-conditioned; have dual electric and battery power with roofmounted rechargeable batteries to operate in two ‘wire free’ zones; have bicycle racks; and use real-time passenger count information.

The first vehicle was offloaded from a ship at Port Kembla. The 45-metre-long, dual electric (conventional catenary and battery-powered) vehicle arrived at Australian Amalgamated

Terminals (AAT) aboard the Boheme Singapore, before being transported to Parramatta.

NSW Ports commercial and business development general manager Campbell Mason said the arrival of the vehicle illustrated Port Kembla’s capacity to handle large items of cargo and support the state’s public transport projects.

“Port Kembla is a vital trade gateway which is perfectly positioned to help deliver large and unique operating equipment, like Parramatta Light Rail vehicles, enhancing public transport connectivity and experiences for residents and visitors across Greater Sydney,” he said.

“The light rail project is all about serving Greater Sydney’s growing population – a task undertaken daily by NSW Ports and logistics providers operating in Port Kembla.

“The port handles hundreds of bulk and general cargo vessels each year carrying a diverse range of imports and exports.

“The direct road and rail links between Port Kembla and Greater Sydney help ensure productive and efficient supply chains for the people and businesses of NSW.”

Meanwhile, the majority of the main infrastructure work was now complete, with 100 per cent of track installed and construction of the light rail stops nearly complete. Overhead canopies for weather protection have been installed at 14 of the stops, with canopies to be in place at all 16 stops by the end of the year.

The project is also providing a major boost to the local economy, supporting 5000 local jobs and using around 4000 tonnes of Australian steel.

Silverwater-based manufacturing company Icon Metal has been engaged to manufacture and install the prefabricated light rail stop components.

Wes Fang MLC (left), Sam Farraway, Dallas Tout, and Lee Schmelich at the official opening of the RIFL.

Qube, Australia’s largest integrated provider of import and export logistics services, has purchased 12 new GT46 locomotives from Progress Rail – a Caterpillar Company and one of the largest integrated diversified providers of rolling stock and infrastructure solutions and technologies for the global rail industry.

The locomotives, which will all be delivered in 2023, will be used for Qube’s new interstate services between Melbourne and Sydney.

Qube’s director of logistics and infrastructure, John Digney, said the purchase of the additional locomotives would enable the continued growth of the new service.

“These locos will further strengthen our ability to provide Qube customers with an efficient and regular rail service between Australia two most populous capital cities, for which we expect to see growing demand,” he said.

“Since 2021, Qube has invested significantly in its rail business and grown its locomotive fleet by 32, enabling the efficient and reliable movement of freight via rail and helping get trucks off roads, which has the added benefit of reducing CO2 emissions.”

Progress Rail senior vice-president Colin Kerelchuk said the company was pleased to support Qube with the EMD 4500 horsepower, Tier 3 emissions, heavy-haul

to providing best-in-class products and services,” he said.

The 12 new units will be delivered in New South Wales, commencing August 2023.

Qube progresses with GT46 locomotives 10-year milestone for Opal cards

The New South Wales Government recently welcomed the 4.5 billionth tap-on to the Opal network at Parramatta Train Station, as the revolutionary electronic ticketing system turned 10.

Transport minister David Elliott said commuters had clocked up billions of the card trips since the network launched.

“We’ve seen 4.5 billion trips taken on the network in the decade since it was introduced – that’s an average of 1 million trips on our public transport system each day,” he said.

“The sheer volume of trips taken shows how much Sydneysiders and visitors love using the technology and see it as a part of their everyday lives.

“The Government is building on the success with the investment of $568 million over the next five years to deliver a new state-of-the-art Opal system, Opal NextGen.

“This will give commuters even more choice and convenience when booking and paying

for public transport, helping them seamlessly travel across NSW like never before.”

The first tap-on was made on the Neutral Bay to Circular Quay ferry route on December 7, 2012, and since then the system has expanded to operate on the metro, rail, bus, ferry and light rail networks across Greater Sydney.

Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins said the introduction of the Opal network a decade ago has revolutionised the way commuters travel across all modes of public transport.

“It’s amazing when you remember that only six years ago in August 2016, paper tickets were fully retired and now, many commuters travel on the network without a physical Opal card,” he said.

“More than 56 million cards have been issued, giving commuters easy access to our public transport network, whether they’re local, from interstate or overseas.

“We look forward to rolling out Opal

weekly round trips.

It is the first interstate service to be handled under automation at the Qube Moorebank IMEX Terminal in Sydney.

NextGen that will see travel from A to B on public transport and other transport services become even more seamless.”

The 12 units will be used for Qube’s new interstate services between Melbourne and Sydney.

The Opal network has registered 4.5 billion trips since it was launched.

Replica a display home for Cross River Rail station builders

Queenslanders are getting their first look at the inside of Cross River Rail’s new underground stations, through a replica built in the Brisbane suburb of Eagle Farm.

Transport and Main Roads minister Mark Bailey said crews at the facility had modelled sections of the platform and mezzanine levels for the new Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street underground stations.

“Cross River Rail’s four new underground stations will quickly become an iconic part of Queensland, so it’s really exciting to get a taste of what they’ll be like to use,” he said.

“It’s pretty amazing to think that we’re getting a glimpse into the future of rail in Queensland in what, from the outside, looks like a regular warehouse in Eagle Farm.”

Bailey said the four underground stations’ platform and mezzanine levels had a set of common design components, helping provide an easy and familiar passenger experience.

“While the underground stations’ buildings, ground levels and colour palettes will be

different, their mezzanine and platform levels’ layout will be consistent, clear and simple, making the stations easy for all passengers to use,” he said.

“The ceiling design is a nod to the classic Queenslander veranda, and features expressed ‘rafters’ and panel joints rather than the curved profile used by most underground stations across the world.

“The colours and materials for each station’s floors and ceilings have been chosen to reflect the area’s surroundings.

“Brisbane’s new underground won’t just transform the way we travel – it will capture Queensland’s character and set a new benchmark for Australian station design.”

Bailey said the replica facility was like a display home for Cross River Rail station builders.

“This facility will be used by the team to see how the materials at each station will work together,” he said.

“Being able to see the design in-person gives you an idea of just how great these

come together.

“We’re also able to bring stakeholders here – like our accessibility reference group and station fit-out contractors – to see the design up close.”

Stark message to Queensland rail trespassers

Queensland Rail has launched a new safety campaign that aims to reduce the number of people who are dicing with death and trespassing on the Queensland Rail network.

CCTV footage showing people brazenly trespassing on Queensland Rail property has been released with the campaign as a stark reminder of the dangers of the unsafe behaviour, which not only puts lives at risk but causes thousands of delays to train passengers each year.

Queensland Rail Security and Emergency Preparedness senior manager Drew Brock said there were nearly 3000 trespassing incidents (2913) on the Queensland Rail network in the last financial year (2021/2022) and that was not good enough.

“Our message is clear: Stay off the tracks! Trespassing is not worth risking your life,” he said.

“The number of people who trespass on the network is extremely concerning and has increased from last year, which is why Queensland Rail is urging customers to keep safety at the forefront of their minds.

“Of those 2913 trespassing incidents, 192 were near misses with our trains. These people are dicing with death.

“Not only is this risky behaviour, but it’s extremely inconvenient to thousands of people. We want everyone in the community to get home safely, including our train drivers and customers, which is why it’s important for members of the community to only cross railway tracks at designated crossings where it’s safe to do so.

“In the last financial year, trespassing incidents resulted in 3006 delays to our train services in South East Queensland.”

Brock said Queensland Rail’s new safety campaign was called “A Hole Lot Of Regret,” targeting all trespassers, but teenagers in particular.

“Common motives for trespassing include taking short-cuts across railway tracks and between station platforms as well antisocial behaviour such as vandalism,” he said.

“This nail-biting vision shows near misses with trains, which is distressing for our drivers and has a lasting impact on them.

“It’s not worth risking your life to make that approaching train, please just wait for the next one.

“The CCTV also shows people crossing the tracks ‘for fun’ or to even pick up an item.

“There are other instances where a bike and skateboard pass over the yellow line when a train is approaching.

“The vision makes it clear how easily this can all go wrong, so we ask that everyone to stay behind the yellow line until your train has stopped, for everybody’s safety.”

Brock said trains on the network can travel at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, can take up to two kilometres to stop, and can’t swerve to avoid cars or people.

“By illegally accessing prohibited areas of the rail network, trespassers are risking electrocution from the high voltage overhead lines or being struck by a train,” he said.

“If you don’t get killed, you will get caught. We have around 12,000 CCTV cameras across the network, a dedicated team of Police railway squad officers, authorised officers and private security guards,” he said.

An example of the interior of the new underground stations.

War memento among misplaced rail items

A precious Prisoner of War medal has been reunited with the relieved nephew of a WWII soldier, after it became one of thousands of items lost on the Queensland Rail network this year.

Queensland Rail station customer service delivery manager Tony Gurowski said the medal was found by a station staff member who placed it in the Lost Property hub at Brisbane’s Central station for safe keeping.

“It’s such a nice feeling when you can reunite a customer with their lost item and it means the world to us to see the Pacific Star war medal returned to the family,” he said.

“CCTV shows the couple leaving the medal on the ticket booth at Birkdale station on Remembrance Day before walking away.

“The lost property team tried to track down the family through numerous avenues including Police and RSL connections, but the mystery was solved when the rightful owner came forward.

“We’d like this to be a reminder for our customers to be mindful when travelling on our network and remember to take your belongings with you.”

Neville Coghlan expressed his gratitude to

Queensland Rail staff who retrieved the family heirloom and sent it to his home in Adelaide.

“My sister gave me the medal while we were out at lunch and it was housed in a little round cuff link box my parents won in a dance competition, so I was devastated when I couldn’t find it,” he said.

“The station master helped us get a ticket when we were at Birkdale heading home and while we were doing that, my mind drifted and

when I got on the train I realised it was gone and thought, oh no I’m in a bit of trouble here!”

“I filled out the lost property form online, which was very easy to do, and after a few sleepless nights I got a phone call from Queensland Rail confirming that they had the medal with them.

“The medal belonged to my uncle, Bernard Patrick Coghlan, who was a prisoner of war on the Burma Railway in World War II, and the family were relieved to have it back so I’d like to pass on a huge thank you to Queensland Rail staff for finding it and keeping it safe.”

The medal was one of thousands of items found by Queensland Rail on the network this year and many remain in lost property waiting for their owner to come forward.

Other lost items include a giant tapestry with an image of bright tigers, a bookcase and a number of wheelchairs and mobility walkers.

Customers who might have lost an item on the network are encouraged to call the lost property office on 13 16 17 during business hours or fill out the online form on the Queensland Rail website.

$18m upgrades for regional level crossings

Three level crossings have been upgraded in regional Queensland as part of an $18 million program to improve safety where rail and roads meet.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said far too many near misses took place at level crossings.

“While there are far fewer trains moving through level crossings in the regions, they are still a dangerous conflict point between vehicles and trains,” he said.

“Because local drivers become so accustomed to the infrequency of train crossings, we often see warning signs go unnoticed – a situation that can have serious consequences.

“Now, through this $18 million investment, we have seen flashing lights installed at crossings in Farleigh, Toobanna and Aloomba which will alert drivers to oncoming trains.

“Safety around the railway is absolutely critical, and this program of upgrades is just one way to bolster attention and care around level crossings.”

Rail Tram and Bus Union branch secretary Peter Allen said that level crossings continue to be one of the most dangerous parts of the rail and road

networks and the RTBU welcomed any steps to eliminate them.

“We welcome the completion of the upgrades to these three level crossings that will keep our members and the community safe,” he said.

“The RTBU strongly believes that steps need to be taken to continue to eliminate these dangerous intersections across Queensland and will continue to advocate for their removal.

“That’s why we kicked off our push during Rail Safety Week this year and we look forward to working with the State Government on this important issue.”

Queensland Rail Head of Regional Jim Benstead said safety was Queensland Rail’s leading priority.

“Trains can take up to two kilometres to stop during an emergency and it’s the responsibility of motorists and pedestrians to acknowledge the protections that are in place to keep everyone safe,” he said.

“Active warning lights have been switched on to bolster the current safety infrastructure at Knobels Road at Farleigh, near Mackay, Tokalon Road in Toobanna, north of Townsville,

and Moller Road in Aloomba, near Cairns. This is great news for communities. in those areas. Queensland Rail is prioritising safety for all regional Queenslanders.

“We’re playing our part, but it is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to the new signalling.

“Motorists must stop when the warning lights are flashing, observe safety signs, stay alert, avoid distractions, such as your mobile phone, and only cross safely when the lights stop flashing.”

The recovered war medal.

Active warning lights have been switched on at the crossings.

Tasmanian level crossing infringements on rise

TasRail has reported a nearly five per cent increase in the number of reported level crossing incidents in Tasmania.

Train drivers reported a total of 44 events in 2021-22, where road users failed to stop or give way at railway level crossings, up from 42 in 2020-21.

The built-up areas on the North-West coast, in particular Devonport, Ulverstone and Burnie continue to be hot spots for offending, with 70 per cent (31) of all incidents occurring on the North-West coast.

One level crossing collision occurred when a truck contacted the side of a coal train on the Fingal line, which was reported to the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) as per required protocol.

State infrastructure and transport minister Michael Ferguson said TasRail was continuing its program of engagement with the Tasmanian community to highlight the importance of safety and awareness around the rail network.

“In 2021-22 this has included an extended program of radio advertising in high-profile North West coast areas, school visits, and the

establishment of a long-term ‘safety alliance’ with the Railton Junior and Cadet Fire Brigade,” he said.

“TasRail’s signalling asset manager has recently joined the National Rail Level Crossing Safety Committee to ensure TasRail keeps abreast of the latest technologies and initiatives relating to level crossing safety and improvements.”

TasRail completed a publicly available Level Crossing Safety Strategy 2022-2027 in the reporting period and has a Level Crossing Safety Steering Committee that meets monthly to review level crossing data, initiatives and emerging issues.

“Level crossing safety is a current national focus of ONRSR. In May 2022 the annual ONRSR accreditation audit focussed on Elements of Rail Safety National Law that are linked to level crossing safety. The TasRail results from the audit were very favourable,” Ferguson said.

TasRail also works closely with the Australasian Railway Association and the TrackSafe Foundation to develop education material, and on national initiatives including Rail Safety Week and Rail R U OK Day.

Reasons identified for runaway cement train

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released a final report detailing more than a dozen safety actions which address findings from its investigation into the runaway and derailment of a cement train in Devonport, Tasmania.

On September 21, 2018, a driver was using remote control equipment to position a TasRail train for cement loading at a siding in Railton, south of Devonport, when the train stopped responding to commands.

After a series of uncommanded emergency brake applications and releases, the train began to roll away with no-one on board.

This began a 23-minute runaway, through 10 active and three passive public level crossings, beneath a highway overpass, and through five sets of points, mostly at speeds greater than the maximum track speed.

TasRail’s network control diverted the train away from public areas to a siding in Devonport Yard, where it collided with a concrete footing and surrounding fences. Fence debris struck two pedestrians nearby,

resulting in minor injuries to both. Nobody else was injured.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell praised the actions of TasRail network control and other staff, as well as the prompt response by Tasmania Police to keep key level crossings clear as the train passed.

The subsequent ATSB investigation found 11 contributing factors for the accident, and highlighted 10 distinct safety issues (ongoing safety concerns).

“Pleasingly, the final report details more than a dozen safety actions taken to address these issues, by the operator TasRail, the remote control equipment manufacturer, the rail standards board, and the regulator. All the identified safety issues either have been addressed, or are being addressed,” Mitchell said.

Among other actions, TasRail has installed catch points at Railton to prevent uncontrolled train movements from reaching the main line, and has improved its emergency response procedures.

The ATSB found the remote control system, which is no longer in use, had several safetyrelated design and integration problems that were readily identifiable.

Accordingly, the ATSB’s final report emphasises the need for organisations involved in the development or operation of systems that are performing safety-critical functions to follow methodologies aligned with system safety.

The report specifically notes new standards, guidance, and fact sheets published by the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board in recent years, to assist rail transport operators in systems safety, systems engineering and change management.

The report also notes the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator’s enhanced focus on the importance of a system engineering approach, including a safety message published in March 2019, and two related fact sheets released in 2020, emphasising the need for a systems engineering approach in rail projects.

A total of 44 incidents occurred where road users failed to stop at level crossings.

Mayor backs CRL project despite cost concerns

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says he remains concerned about the final cost and timelines for the new City Rail Link (CRL).

But after recently touring the project from Maungawhau/Mt Eden Station to Waitemata Station (Britomart), Brown said despite his worries, he believes it will transform Auckland’s public transport system and reduce roading congestion when it finally opens.

“Ratepayers and taxpayers are making an enormous investment in an incredibly complex project, with a governance and management structure that I would not have chosen,” he said.

“Nevertheless, when finished, fitted out, fully tested, and supported by modernised lines, crossings, and stations throughout the region, CRL will deliver Auckland the worldclass passenger train network that residents of and visitors to other large cities have taken for granted for generations.

“When all planned improvements to the network are finished in the years following the completion of the CRL itself, Aucklanders and our visitors will see a nine-carriage trains arriving at stations as frequently as once every two minutes, carrying up to 54,000 people an hour at peak times across the network.

“The CRL and the world-class regional rail network it will enable must be at the heart of the single, big, joined-up transport

Shore – it could be easily connected to the existing Auckland rail network without having to alter any part of the CRL tunnels or system.

CRL required that the stations be designed to

new idea stop us from getting the maximum benefits that it promises for our city, region and country,” Brown said.

KiwiRail chief executive joins board of ARA

KiwiRail chief executive officer Peter Reidy has joined the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) board to support the ARA’s increased focus on rail freight.

ARA chair Danny Broad said Reidy would bring significant experience to the organisation and reinforce the ARA’s connection with its New Zealand members.

“We are pleased to welcome Peter to the board to increase our representation among both our freight sector and New Zealand members,” he said.

“He will bring extensive experience, particularly as he leads New Zealand’s significant rail improvement plan to meet the country’s future transport needs.

“He also brings a wealth of industry knowledge from his work across the rail

supply chain to support the ARA’s strategy and growth.”

Reidy said he looked forward to working with the ARA to support its advocacy on critical issues facing the industry.

“The ARA has always been a strong voice for rail in Australia and New Zealand and I am pleased to be joining the board as it reinvigorates its focus on New Zealand and rail freight,” he said.

“The current investment in rail presents significant opportunities for our economy and community and I look forward to working with the ARA and the wider industry to make the most of the benefits that this work will deliver.”

Reidy was appointed as CEO of KiwiRail in July 2022, after previously having held

the role from 2014-2018. He was previously the chief executive of Fletcher Construction from 2018-2022 and also held a range of senior roles at Downer, including as chief operating officer of infrastructure services from 2012-2014.

KiwiRail recently re-joined the ARA as a member in recognition of the ARA’s increased presence in New Zealand.

Broad said Reidy would support the ARA’s activity in New Zealand following the relaxing of COVID restrictions and border closures after the last two years.

His appointment would also support the ARA’s increased focus on issues specific to the rail freight sector following the launch by the ARA of the Rail Freight Action Plan in 2021.

Wayne Brown inspecting the project.

“They need to use the public transport system as

Meanwhile, ARTC Inland Rail Chief Executive Interim Rebecca Pickering took the opportunity to speak about how the Inland Rail network would

She said the company was looking forward to carrying on its strong momentum on delivering Inland Rail in 2023, with major construction work

Hot on the heels of Inland Rail opening the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) section in New South Wales in December, and with the remaining Phase 1 works on N2NS due for completion early this year, she said the ball was well and truly moving

In addition to the NSW milestones being delivered, early works have begun on worksites at Glenrowan and Wangaratta in Victoria where major construction works are expected early in 2023.

“Inland Rail is being built to create a new freight future for Australia and construction is gaining strength, and we are really looking forward to continuing that in 2023,” Pickering said.

“The work we are doing is not only connecting Australia’s freight network but is also a real catalyst for communities and businesses to unlock benefits

“Those benefits are clear from the first phase of construction between Narromine and North Star, which has supported work for nearly 2000 people since November 2020, nearly 170 of whom are First Nations workers.

“Nearly 140 local businesses have shared in nearly $200 million of contracts supporting and servicing the build – helping to spread the benefits of Inland Rail across the local economy.

“We are also very proud that our Inland Rail Skills Academy has already delivered training to more than 2,000 people along the alignment, helping to develop the skills needed to build a better future for our communities.”

The next edition of AusRAIL will be held later this year, when the ARA hosts AusRAIL PLUS 2023 in Sydney, from November 13–16.

In a sure sign of confidence in the rail industry, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) welcomed more than 3000 rail industry professionals to the AusRAIL 2022 Conference and

The Inland Rail stand at the exhibition.

Rail projects average $14.4 billion per year

A new BIS Oxford Economics report released by the ARA has found that rail construction and maintenance activity will rise to $14.4 billion per year over the next five years, increasing from a record year that saw $12.9 billion in rail civil construction and maintenance activity in 2021-22.

Addressing the opening day of the Ausrail 2022 Conference in Brisbane, ARA chair Danny Broad said the Australian Rail Market Outlook report confirmed the sector was growing, with $129b in rail construction and maintenance forecast in the 10 years to 2031-32, compared to $96b over the previous decade.

Over the next 15 years, $154b in rail construction work is expected as the wave of new projects continues to meet the country’s future transport needs.

“The report confirms Australia is embarking on a period of railway construction that will transform the rail network for generations to come,” he said.

“The strong pipeline of rail projects recognises the essential role rail will continue

to play as part of our public transport networks and freight operations.

“In the short to medium term, these projects will help meet Australia’s transport needs and enable our sustainable growth. Longer term, these projects will support our rising population and help achieve the country’s net-zero targets, by taking more cars and trucks off the road and encouraging greater use of sustainable transport options.”

In 2021-22, there was $10.73b in rail civil construction activity – surpassing 2018 forecasts for the period – and $2.13b in maintenance activity.

Rail construction work increased by 2.9 per cent in real terms in 2021-22, representing the sixth consecutive year of growth in rail construction.

The report found publicly funded major projects across NSW, Victoria and Queensland would account for 77 per cent of major project work in 2023-24, with key projects such as the Sydney Metro, Inland Rail and Melbourne Airport Rail driving growth over the medium term. WA rail activity will be boosted over the next two years as

the WA Government’s METRONET program ramps up, while activity in the Australian Capital Territory will increase in 2023-24 due to the Canberra Light Rail Stage 2 development.

“With so many significant construction and maintenance projects occurring or planned across the country, policy changes that improve outcomes for both government and industry could have a huge impact on the value we derive from this period of investment,” Broad said.

“The right reforms could save money, improve efficiency and create the opportunity for innovation to flourish.”

National hub tackles skills shortage

A new national approach to tackling skills and labour shortages in the rail industry has taken a step forward with the launch of the National Rail Skills Hub at AusRAIL 2022.

The joint initiative brings governments and industry in the transport and education sectors together to help significantly increase the number and diversity of people working in rail.

Developed by the National Transport

critical shortage of rail workers by showcasing the wide range of jobs available in the industry while also fostering broader skills recognition and job portability. It’s an interactive digital platform showcasing rail as a career with diverse and inclusive jobs.

NTC chief executive Gillian Miles said the Hub profiles the many interesting roles available, including first person stories, with a focus on women and young people.

“It provides insights on training in critical rail job areas, for career starters or those looking to advance their career,” he said.

The pathways described on the new National Rail Skills Hub will enable Australians to more easily enter and progress a career in rail, at any career stage.

“From ICT technicians, trackworkers, civil engineers, battery chemists and cybersecurity experts, the rail industry needs more people with a range of skills – now and into the future,” Miles said.

“Through the Hub, we are developing new career pathways for high demand roles and hosting industry forums on priority issues, to accelerate access to transportable skills across the economy to meet the shortage of rail workers.”

The interactive platform will share firsthand experiences and news about Australia’s rail industry. It will also act as a tool for those looking to enter the industry or further their skills but are unsure of the opportunities in rail.

Features include:

• Profiles showcasing rail as a career of choice with diverse and inclusive job roles

• New career pathways and entry points into some of the sector’s most in-demand jobs

• Case studies of industry initiatives that are helping to address specific skills challenges

• National maps of rail education and training facilities in critical skill areas

The hub is a key component of the National Rail Action Plan, endorsed by Australia’s infrastructure and transport ministers.

The report confirms the rail sector is continuing to boom.

The Hub provides insights on training in critical rail job areas, for career starters or those looking to advance their career.

Unity call to fix labour shortages

While leading rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has been a premium sponsor of AusRAIL since 2006, last December’s event was the first edition attended by Pascal Dupond in his newly-minted role as managing director for Alstom in Australia and New Zealand.

Since joining Alstom and the rail Industry in mid-1990s, Dupond has accrued extensive experience across multiple disciplines on some of the world’s largest and most innovative railway projects. Emigrating to Australia with his family in 2014, he was appointed project director for the Sydney Metro Project, Australia’s first fully automated, driverless metro, and later appointed operations for the Sydney Light Rail project –Australia’s first ‘wire-free’ tramway.

Following the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in 2021, Dupond was appointed rolling stock director, responsible for the delivery of all Alstom rolling stock projects and manufacturing sites throughout Australia. With an extensive industrial base throughout the country, he has overseen the successful delivery of a number major locally manufactured projects in Victoria and has played a vital role in the recent re-establishment of railway manufacturing in Western Australia for the METRONET project in Perth.

In July this year, he was appointed as deputy managing director for Alstom Australia and New Zealand, and took up the top spot in November, replacing Mark Coxon.

“AusRAIL is the place to be for all key members of the rail industry, whether it’s rolling stock, signalling or other areas, and that’s why Alstom has had a long-term presence here,” he said.

“We get to discuss common problems with our peers. There is a huge pipeline of rail projects in the works, showing confidence in the market, and there are some strategic opportunities for us in 2023, especially in rail manufacturing, where we are the leaders.”

Alstom will look to build on this year’s success of winning the largest light rail contract in Australia in delivering the Next Generation trams for Melbourne. The contract includes 65 per cent local content, with the NGTs being manufactured at Alstom’s Dandenong facility. Additionally the maintenance contract includes 85 per cent local content, providing long-term stability to the local railway industry and supply chains in the state.

Dupond said the Dandenong site was a shining example of how Alstom has localised its expertise in Australia.

“It’s in the DNA of the Alstom group to localise in various countries. We have done that around the world,” he said.

that for decades in Australia and in Victoria in particular, and that’s something we will continue to invest in.

“The award of the NGTs will enable us reinforce our presence, confirming us as a very local company in Australia.”

Dupond said all this meant Alstom was the only end-to-end manufacturer in Australia’s rail industry, able to deliver projects from start to finish: from the design and engineering to the manufacturing, testing and commissioning, delivery and maintenance.

With Australia looking to implement fast rail, and having recently set up the High Speed Rail Authority to advise on this, Alstom will also be keen to lend its expertise in this regard.

With the expansion of rail manufacturing on the localisation front, high-speed rail presents the opportunity to create a long term sustainable pipeline of work throughout the country.

Alstom expects that a national approach to high-speed rail would provide a long-term pipeline of work for both existing and the newly established supply chains and those entering the rail industry for employment.

In essence, it means supplying rolling stock and infrastructure for high-speed rail is no longer highly dependent on imports, which could also have an impact on delivery.

The concept will also help to entice graduates looking at the potential of contributing to the transformation of rail in Australia.

Dupond said the other big benefit of attending AusRAIL was that it provided the chance to meet old and potential new clients.

“And there are also a lot of suppliers here, many

for these businesses who could end up as suppliers for us,” he said.

“The attendees can position themselves as good employers or employees.”

But perhaps Dupond’s biggest impression was made at the start of the conference, when he participated along with other industry leaders in a panel addressing challenges facing the industry, chief of which was the skills shortage.

“The whole industry must work together to get more graduates into the industry,” he told delegates. “We must collaborate to raise the profile of rail, starting from school. We must be able to explain to people about rail projects in full, how they work.

“We all use the same pool of recruits. It’s very inefficient if we all do our own thing.

“We may be competitors but we need to unite to get effective messaging across.”

Alstom’s commitment to recruitment is well-known. This year it received Top Employer Certification again, which recognises a company’s efforts to creating a better work environment and the excellence of its human resources practices.

As always, Alstom was the sponsor of the Yellow Dinner that wraps up the conference, attended by well over 1000 delegates this year.

Alstom donated $10,000 on behalf of all the guests as an opportunity to give back to the community instead of supplying attendees with a material gift.

AusRAIL chose Planet Ark for its efforts at providing positive environmental actions. Dupond presented the cheque to Dr Nicole T Garofano, Head of Circular Economy Development at the Planet Ark Environmental Foundation.

Pascal Dupond presents the cheque to Nicole T Garofano.

Smart solutions on show from Aldridge

Frequent AusRAIL exhibitor Aldridge was back this year, with director David Aldridge showing off the company’s range of smart signals for metro systems.

A particular focus was on the system the company developed for the North West section

of the Sydney Metro rail line, which features driverless trains running from Chatswood to Cudgeong 40 kilometres away.

Aldridge is also involved with installing smart signals for the Sydney Metro South project that extends the existing North West Metro section.

“Although the Metro is fully automated, the system still requires railway signals for manual operations including shunting,” David said.

The smart running signals are based on a European design which includes a points position indicator in white (indicating left, right, or straight ahead), and a red horizontal bar for ‘stop’.

“This arrangement is specific to Sydney Metro. It is available as other variants for other operators, for example different colour LEDs can be used,” David said.

Aldridge’s low-cost wireless solar-powered level crossing (WLX) system is another new innovation, already in use at Bravus’ Carmichael mine in Queensland.

It reduces the installation costs for automated level crossings, as there is no need to trench and

install cables from the wheel sensors, which may be placed a distance from the crossing.

“The WLX controller only needs low power supplied by solar panels and a 12V battery,” David said.

“WLX provides back-to-base monitoring and real-time reporting, and uses encrypted wireless technology for all communications.

“Wireless technology communicates information about approaching rail vehicles to wayside equipment which triggers a warning to road users.

“WLX is a completely new approach to the design and construction of automated railway crossings, making them particularly attractive to remote, rural locations.”

Aldridge also displayed a range of products from Japanese signal systems manufacturer Kyosan, which it teamed up with in a partnership earlier this year. Apart from signalling products, Kyosan also developed the world’s first platform gap fillers, and pioneered partial height platform screen doors.

STRAILastic’s new wall of sound

For many years, STRAILastic has been promoting its noise attenuation system, which employs an acoustically optimised rubber plate that can be fitted directly onto existing railing or rail structures.

The system is made from compressed recycled rubber, compressed with a force of about 1200 tonnes and then cooled in a special chamber. It can then be moulded into the small barriers that are placed near the tracks, nullifying the worst noise effects.

Already used widely cross Europe, the panels are placed as close as possible to the noise source, and the additional advantage is that all products are made mostly from recycled material and can be recycled again.

STRAILastic is part of a business owned by German business KRAIBURG STRAIL (a composite word meaning ‘street meets rail’), which also includes STRAIL Level Crossings and STRAILway, which deals in composite sleepers.

STRAILastic head Andreas Goeschl has been a regular visitor to AusRAIL, and makes the trek from his home country most years because he believes the product has a definite place in the Australian rail industry.

And this year, there’s been an improvement in the sound protection systems: instead of using a material that reflects sound to other places, the new mixture developed by the company actually absorbs sound, creating a

“The highly absorbent surface is made from several layers and materials, combining all the advantages of the individual components.

“The basic material remains the durable and stable rubber compound.

Jake (left) and David Aldridge at AusRAIL 2022.

Andreas Goeschl and Australian manager Rod Pomroy at the STRAILastic stand.

From product supplier to rail contractor

Martinus Rail founder and chief executive Treaven Martinus is rightfully proud of the way the Australian-based company has grown to become the largest rail contractor in the country.

From a notion conceived more than 15 years ago in his home, Treaven has built his namesake business into a large-scale, globally competitive, award-winning organisation, with more than 1400 employees, and operations across Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Speaking at AusRAIL 2022, Treaven said having initially established the company as a product supply business, it was a major decision to invest in rail infrastructure in 2015, a journey that has been spectacularly successful.

“We are a tier 1 contractor, and we handle all aspects of civil, track, overhead wiring and signalling tasks, from bridges, drainage, culverts to rail systems,” he said.

Treaven has always found value in attending AusRAIL, as it provides the opportunity for him and his team to catch up with clients and meet potential news ones.

“We find that our appeal is in the way we make complex challenges easier,” he said.

One of the latest and biggest projects has been Martinus Rail’s involvement with Auckland City Rail Link’s Britomart Station, the largest transport infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand.

In late 2020, Martinus was awarded the supply, installation, and commissioning of track and overhead wiring contract totalling $48 million.

As part of the works, Martinus will supply and install all the rail, slab track, ballasted track, rigid overhead conductor bar and overhead line equipment works. The project team has mobilised to the country and will remain on site for two years to deliver the works.

Treaven noted that in the past, governments had awarded rail infrastructure contracts to the “biggest companies”, even if they had no rail experience.

“We have seen the tide turn and there is now a need for rail specialists,” he said.

“Inland Rail is a good example. The Government is tendering different parts of the project because it wants to ensure only those with rail experience get contracted.”

Martinus Rail has been tasked with the

A productive year for Manco Rail

Representatives from bespoke rail designers Manco Rail were out and about at AusRAIL to catch up with current customers and meet some potential new ones.

Director Ryan Black and general manager Jaclyn Vanderent said it was encouraging to see strong interest shown in the company’s range of new equipment released throughout the year.

Kicking off 2022 had been the latest version of the Manco rail boom, which Black said had been modified specifically for the rail industry.

“This new system has a EURO6 engine on it, so it’s emissions-compliant,” Black said. “We gutted out the hydraulic system and put a specialist rail compatible system in there.

“We upgraded the hydraulics slewing; by rotating 360 degrees, it means that you actually have to have the hydraulic hoses spinning at a continuous 360 as well.

“We had a lot of interest in the vehicle and a lot of people that had been supporting other competitors of ours are showing a real interest because of the benefits we exhibited.

“We got the kind of response we wanted for redesigning something that was already doing well in the marketplace.”

road-rail vehicles (RRVs) in narrow, standard and broad gauges.

These days, RRVs are more than just vehicles and machinery that have been modified to operate both on conventional roads and on railways. They need to be robust, easy to operate and have strong safety capabilities.

Manco’s RRVs possess these qualities and are all traction-driven, which means they use

full suite of Manco hi-rail, elevating work platform, wire support boom and instrumented pantograph equipment.

To support all these attachments and chassis modifications, the carrier vehicle had to be as precisely configured as a Swiss army knife.

“The vehicles are extremely well-engineered and designed to provide flex and twist to provide the strength,” Black said.

The Martinus team at AusRAIL: Henare Clarke, Treaven Martinus, Murray Simon and Dale Pickard.

Jaclyn Vanderent with the Australian Rail Directory, which features a cover story on the Atego trucks fitted with Manco equipment.

Keeping Melbourne on the move

It’s no surprise that passenger rail patronage over the past couple of years has suffered due to the pandemic, with Australians following public health orders and staying at home.

But now, as the country recovers from lockdowns and COVID numbers fall, public transport has opened up and commuters are once again feeling confident enough to travel on trains and buses.

One agency keen on making the most of the return to rail is Metro Trains Melbourne, aiming to transform the Victorian capital into a literal city on the move.

MTM chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty said the patronage declines had been felt all around the world, in all the major lines.

“Patronage on The Tube dropped by 95 per cent during the worst of London’s lockdowns in 2020,” he said. “In New York, there was a similar fate, where subway ridership fell a staggering 96 per cent in 2020, the lowest number in a century.

“But now there is a feeling of a return to

normality. Melbourne is coming back to life, and we see emerging trends in our passenger numbers – particularly on weekends, where our patronage levels are almost on par with pre-COVID levels.

“We still have a way to go on weekdays, where we are sitting at around 60 per cent of pre-COVID patronage. This is because hybrid working is now a feature of our lives.

“But it is very welcoming to see more of our passengers getting back on our trains and reconnecting with their city.”

During the recent AFL Grand Final, Metro carried around 40,000 footy fans to the MCG. This coincided with the dropping of mandatory face mask requirements on public transport, which had been in place for twoand-a-half years.

“Despite our low patronage levels during one of the longest lockdowns in the world, our network ran ‘full steam ahead’ as we continued to deliver the normal timetable for essential workers,” O’Flaherty said.

“And while it was quieter on the network, we continued to move at pace supporting the major rail infrastructure program that is well underway here in Melbourne. It has been anything but quiet.

“At Metro, we have continued to focus heavily on safety, diversity and inclusion, sustainability and wellbeing. Certainly, the safety and wellbeing of our people and passengers will always be the foundation of our organisation.

“COVID has taught us all some very valuable lessons and reinforced to us just how profoundly important these things are. It has taught us how to be caring, more flexible, more inclusive.

“We have been transforming at a rapid pace, from the inside out – striving for the very best outcomes for our people and our industry.

“We continue to deliver city-shaping projects, such as the level crossing removal program of works with our project alliance partners.”

Since February 2020, when people started working from home, Metro has continued to

As the country emerges from the COVID pandemic, Metro Trains Melbourne is doing its best to restore confidence in the rail transport system.

The new Preston and Bell stations opened to passengers in September. They are the 37th and 38th stations to be rebuilt on the Metro Trains network since 2015.

Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty.

remove level crossings and upgrade various stations. The total tally now stands at about 70 level crossings removed and 40 stations rebuilt since 2015 as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project.

“This is truly mind-boggling when you consider that all of this has taken place in just seven years, almost three of which were during a global pandemic,” O’Flaherty said.

“We are now gearing up for the opening of the dual nine-kilometre tunnels and five new underground stations as part of the Metro Tunnel project in 2025.

“Our latest new fleet of High-Capacity Metro Trains have begun entering service and will eventually run through the Metro Tunnel from Pakenham/Cranbourne all the way to Sunbury, allowing more trains, more often.

“More level crossings will be removed, and works will ramp up on the new Melbourne Airport Rail – projects that will keep our city busy for years to come and cement public transport as the life blood of moving people around our city.

“As we all strive for a more sustainable future, it is encouraging that Victorians continue to be committed to this journey to upgrade and expand the rail network, so that Melbourne keeps its place as one of the most liveable cities of the world.”

O’Flaherty said trespassing incidents continued to be a challenge.

“Last year there were more than 3000 incidents of trespassing recorded on Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network,” he said.

“These incidents regularly cause delays to our train services and can also be traumatic for Metro’s drivers, station staff and passengers.

“This continues to push us to innovate to protect our people and our network.

“In August last year, Metro’s Train Services

team was recognised at the Australasian Rail Industry awards for our Train Driver Trauma Recovery Guidebook.

“The guidebook was developed to support rail industry workers involved at the scene of an incident on the rail network and provides drivers with important information about what to expect and the support services available.”

The guidebook has been issued to every qualified and trainee driver on the Metro network and has been shared widely across the industry to support the wellbeing of rail workers – “because no one should feel alone or unsupported,” O’Flaherty said.

500th female driver to Metro – the highest number of female drivers on any rail network in Australia.

In 2009, there were just 26 women driving trains on our network. Now, women represent 37 per cent of all Metro drivers, and this number growing.

“In a traditionally male-dominated industry, we should all be working hard every day to break down barriers for women and create a flexible working environment where everyone feels welcomed and supported,” O’Flaherty said.

“And we are working at this from the very roots of our organisation.

“Now in its ninth year, 87 per cent of graduates who have completed our Engineering Graduate Program are still employed by Metro.

“We are incredibly proud of our graduate program and its success over the years in attracting and retaining talent in the industry, and of our graduates, who will shape the future of Australia’s rail networks.

“The rail industry is vast and interesting and there are opportunities for anyone who wants to join, and it is so important that we foster a culture of diversity and inclusion.”

O’Flaherty said that as the industry heads into 2023, three years since the start of the pandemic, it is clearer than it has ever been: that not only have work habits changed, but so too have attitudes to work and the need to strive to do better for people.

“That’s my focus. Let’s be the change we want

Train driver mother-daughter duo Carole and Jess. The latter is the 510th female driver to be recruited to the Metro Trains network.

Metro’s Train Services team picked up the ‘Wellbeing in Rail’ award at the Australasian Rail Industry Awards 2022 for the Train Driver Trauma Recovery Guidebook.

No time like the present for high-speed rail in Australia

Australia’s Federal and State Governments have an opportunity now to make high-speed rail in Australia a reality.

That’s according to DB E.C.O. Group Executive Regional Director Australia and New Zealand Tilo Franz, who addressed the recent AusRAIL 2022 conference about the benefits of highspeed rail in Germany since the first locomotive sped down the tracks 30 years ago.

The wheels are already literally in motion to establish the High-Speed Rail Authority that will guide the development of a high-speed rail network in this country. The organisation will provide independent and impartial advice on the policy and standards of high-speed rail; and plan, identify and secure corridors.

It will also oversee the construction and operation of the high-speed rail network, and coordinate with state and territory governments, industry, business and communities to enhance Australia’s long-term rail investment.

While welcoming the move, Franz said Australia would need close collaboration between State and Federal Governments for high-speed rail to happen.

“And the Federal Government must take the lead from the start. High-speed rail needs a

national approach. If every state does its own thing, then it will not work,” he said.

Franz drew on the success of Germany’s InterCity Express (ICE) high-speed-rail fleet as an example.

“In Germany, rail was always a national issue. It was always dealt with by the Federal Government, with the national Deutsche Bahn (DB) as a consolidated operator under its control,” he said.

“The advantage of that system was there was a country-wide harmonisation of standards introduced … and this goes back to the whole history of German railways starting in 1835, when the first tracks were laid on a route between Nuremberg and Fürth.

“So that means if anyone in Germany wants to design, operate, maintain, whatever kind of railway, it needs to comply with the national standard, there’s no alternative.”

Franz said this was important when dealing with lack of harmonisation, for example in coping with different track gauges from state to state.

“We have different gauges in Germany too. We have a standard gauge on the main network, but we also have smaller ones throughout the country and that’s mostly tourist

attractions and some vintage steam engine railways in mountainous regions,” he said.

“They are all still regulated under the same federal law. This consistency allowed highspeed rail to be introduced and achieve its goal of providing long distance mobility, typically everything more than 200 to 300 kilometres.

“So, in the early days, we used existing corridors and tracks, which we upgraded gradually step by step, and started the operation in some sections with a limited speed, because the signalling system and tracks weren’t upgraded at the time. But the big advantage was that because standards in the network were harmonised, the ICE trains could still run on the tracks as other normal trains.”

Franz said the Australian government needs to develop a plan for harmonisation of railway standards in Australia and roll this standard out for the whole nation to use as part of the plan to introduce high-speed rail.

“It needs to define the best suitable standard gauge to use, for example,” he said.

The other major benefit of high-speed rail of course, apart from making the commute quicker, is that it lessens use of travel by air and road, both big contributors to carbon emissions.

“The Government should use high-speed rail

Now that the Government has established the High-Speed Rail Authority, industry figures say it is important for policymakers to maintain their focus and not lose momentum in delivering one of the country’s biggest transformational rail projects.

High-speed rail has been a big success across Germany, cutting commute times and reducing carbon emissions.

Image: Deutsche Bahn AG/Wolfgang Klee

as an enabler for the reduction of the carbon dioxide footprint, because all transportation on road today can be reduced significantly if more rail is used: passenger transportation in particular, but also in freight,” Franz said.

Comparing emissions between Berlin to Munich (comparable to Melbourne to Canberra), for example, Franz noted that:

• A plane trip takes about 1 hour 5 minutes for travel, 2 hours and 30 mins to check in, and results in 138kg of CO2 being released

• A car drive takes 6 hours and 10 mins and emits 65kg of CO2

• A high-speed ICE journey takes three hours 55 minutes, provides passengers with more travel comfort, and puts out only 17kg of CO2.

“Germany started out very early to consider rail as an enabler for carbon dioxide reduction and environmental protection,” Franz said.

“Rail is already the most efficient form of land transportation. Why not strive and push ahead for high-speed rail in Australia to provide long distance mobility instead of just counting on air transportation, which is, as we all know, the most inefficient form of transportation in terms of energy.”

Earlier this year, DB and Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries signed a project term sheet to develop an emission-free ammonia hydrogen engine.

Working on modifying diesel engines for locomotives and other rail vehicles so that they can be operated with ammonia and hydrogen without producing CO2 emissions, both sides have also agreed to develop other emissionfree propulsion technologies, and cooperate in developing logistic solutions and supply chains for green fuels.

GERMAN HIGH-SPEED RAIL

Deutsche Bahn carries around 4.6 million passengers a day on trains and busses throughout Germany, across 33,300 kilometres via 25,000 bridges and 750 tunnels.

The DB network control centre manages seven regional sites and coordinates about 800 long-distance trains and about 1200 freight trains a day.

“Thirty years ago, the first ICE took off in in Germany and travelled from Hamburg to Munich,” Franz said.

“Today we still have a mixed network operation. We don’t necessarily have only dedicated high-speed lines, because there are always arguments such as not enough land for a dedicated high-speed line, or that it’s too expensive for too little demand potential, for example.

“What we’ve done is upgrade existing

corridors and operate ICE trains in these upgraded corridors; in some sections the speeds are about 200 km per hour, in some other sections, around 140-160kph.

“And then gradually we work to further upgrade lines and add some line sections with dedicated high-speed operation where ICE trains would run up to around 230kph.

“So, between Frankfurt and Cologne there is a dedicated high-speed line which commercially operates today up to 300kph. These lines are of particular importance due to high demand in that region and linking two major airports.”

• New South Wales: Transport for NSW, Sydney Metro Northwest

• New Zealand: Auckland Light Rail

“Our local Australia-based workforce leverages know-how from Germany and international experience,” Franz said.

“We support the development of Australian technical standards with the experience of how it’s been done in Germany – through the evolution of rail and learning from our experience.”

In particular, Franz said the success DB has had in the past 30 years provides a template and model for Australia to look at for highspeed rail.

“We are here to share our world-leading railway expertise and to support Australia’s vision of becoming an industry leader in railway technology and high-speed rail,” he said.

DB is participating in a current call for Transport for NSW tenders for parties to register their interest to participate in the procurement process for high-speed rail development activities.

The first phase of any high-speed rail network in Australia is expected to be on the Sydney to Newcastle section.

“Other densely populated regions would also suit faster rail. Geelong to Melbourne would certainly be another good possibility for highspeed rail, as would Sydney to Canberra. The Central Coast could be another one, linking up Queensland, NSW and Victoria,” Franz said.

THE DB E.C.O. GROUP SERVICE

Deutsche Bahn’s combined know-how from engineering, consulting and operations results in infrastructure expertise that is at the core of every service and forms the backbone of the DB E.C.O. Group.

It serves as an independent technical advisor for the establishment of rail manufacturing capability, and provides education and training to upskill and transform the technical workforce and technical management.

Since entering the Australian market in 2015, DB has been building long-term relationships both with industry partners and decision-makers in Australia.

With projects in more than 100 countries since 1966, it boosts an impressive pipeline of contracts in the Australian region, including clients such as:

• Victoria: Melbourne Airport Rail Link, Metro Tunnel, Level Crossing Removal Project, V/Line

• ACT: Canberra Light Rail Stage 1

• Queensland: Queensland Rail, Cross River Rail, Aurizon

“Then stretch it further to Adelaide and then as the last step, link Perth up with the southeast coast. And then of course the future will determine where there are other points of interest.”

Franz said he strongly believes current rail corridors should be used to limit cost of acquisition for extra land.

“Where those corridors wouldn’t be available, like for example for the Sydney central coastline, there is a suggestion to drill tunnels instead,” he said.

“We are ready to support all governments to develop a plan for harmonisation of railway standards across Australia.”

Australia has a strong rail industry already for construction. It has a good and growing industry for all kinds of rail equipment, which can be upgraded where needed.

And there is certainly operator expertise existing in Australia to run railways up to 200 kilometres per hour and higher.

“Ultimately, the Federal Government should find a way to bring everyone to the table for high-speed rail and find the best compromise to define an Australian standard.”

DB E.C.O. Group Executive Regional Director Australia and New Zealand Tilo Franz.

The Need for Speed

Trains as cool and fast as ICE

The new ICE 3neo made its inaugural trip with passengers between Frankfurt/Main and Cologne in Germany.

Partners Deutsche Bahn (DB) and manufacturer Siemens Mobility succeeded in getting the train up and running in record time. Despite pandemic-related restrictions and disrupted supply chains worldwide, the inaugural passenger trip took place just two and a half years after the train was ordered in July 2020.

With this investment, DB is further rejuvenating and expanding its longdistance fleet.

By 2029, DB will have invested €10 billion in new trains, including 73 ICE 3neos.

With a top speed of 300 kilometres per hour, the ICE 3neo is an important factor in DB’s planned nation-wide synchronised timetable.

By providing 32,000 additional seats by 2029, the train will help meet the seating capacity needed for expected passenger growth.

DB Board Member for Long Distance Passenger Transport, Michael Peterson, said DB and Siemens “have delivered right on time”.

“Just two and a half years have passed between the contract signing and the train’s inaugural passenger service,” he said.

“ICE procurement procedures generally take

twice as long. The new ICE will delight our passengers with a new level of comfort and improved technology.”

Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Michael Theurer, said the new ICE stood for progress on the rails – fast, digital, barrier-free.

“Initially here between Frankfurt and

Cologne, soon throughout Germany,” he said. “The 73 new trains with their 32,000 additional seats will make a major contribution to implementing the nation-wide synchronised timetable.

“This will bring us another step closer to our goal of doubling the number of rail passengers over the next eight years.”

Deutsche Bahn’s latest ICE (Intercity Express) generation of high-speed trains has been delivered and is ready for service.

The new ICE was delivered at record speed.

Michael Peter speaking at the inaugural trip.

Siemens Mobility chief executive Michael Peter said together with Deutsche Bahn, the company was accelerating the transport transition in record time.

“Siemens Mobility has never delivered a new ICE train so fast,” he said.

“This success was primarily possible thanks to the outstanding cooperation with DB, but also because the ICE 3neo is based on our proven Velaro platform.

“Even though we built and delivered the train in record time, we were able to incorporate many innovations in the train’s interior that will further enhance passenger comfort.”

Passengers are now able to use the train in regular service between Dortmund, Cologne and Frankfurt/Main, and all the way to Munich via the new Wendlingen–Ulm high-speed route.

DB will gradually expand the scope of the train’s operation with the delivery of further trains. As of 2024, the ICE 3neo will also operate on international routes to Belgium and the Netherlands.

With space for eight bicycles on each train, the new ICE will be the first high-speed train to

transport them at speeds up to 300 km/h. New reservation displays with colored LED lights show all reserved and free seats at a glance.

In addition, the ICE 3neo has specially developed windowpanes ensuring stable mobile phone reception, lighting that varies according to the time of day, and power sockets and pad holders at every seat.

One completely new development is the train’s robust, easy-to-use lift installed at a door reserved exclusively for passengers in wheelchairs.

DB also trained around 4000 employees to handle on-board service, maintenance, and driving in record time – a prerequisite for the speedy commissioning of the ICE 3neo.

Inside the ICE.

The Need for Speed

Get on the fast train to fast rail

As the nation recovers and rebuilds from the worst of the pandemic, more and more people are returning to public transport and of course, rail.

In part, this is because of the convenience and speed of travel on the tracks, but also a result of sustainability efforts pushed by governments and industry bodies for transport modes that emit less carbon.

Within this space, it’s been generally a case of bringing in the new and refurbishing the old.

While ageing locomotives continue to undergo facelifts, newer and more modern fleets are also being introduced to improve efficiency across the networks including trains and trams with higher capacity, improved accessibility, more efficient energy usage, stronger in-built signalling technology, and with various other bells and whistles.

Now the country sits at the doorstep of the most exciting phase of all: the possible introduction of high-speed rail...or at the very least, faster speed operations than the ones currently in use.

Alstom is recognised as the leader in highspeed rail, with its fleet of trains criss-crossing 19 borders globally.

Rail Express speaks to Alstom Commercial Director, Australia and New Zealand, Todd Garvey, about the need for speed and how such developments will benefit the country.

FAST FACTS

Apart from a speedier commute, fast-rail offers a more energy-efficient, less polluting option.

“People are starting to consider the most sustainable options to get them from A to B,” Garvey said.

”Sustainable travel is starting to become front and centre in people’s minds. Not only in how they live, but in how they move. Highspeed rail gives commuters an additional choice to jumping on an aircraft or taking their car for the long distance trips.”

From a commercial perspective, there is the high capacity factor of fast trains that further supports their introduction onto the network.

“The ability to move people quickly between city and regional centres will enable businesses to thrive at both points and in between,” Garvey said.

“If there’s a rail line option in place, people are prepared to live in regional areas and commute to work.

“The advantages of high-speed rail are endless, including a solution to fight the urban sprawl, as first home buyers can avoid expensive

With the Australian Government seriously considering the introduction of faster rail systems, leading rolling stock manufacturer Alstom is well-positioned to support its endeavours.

The Avelia Liberty is a high-speed passenger train built for the North American market.

real estate in the city, live in the country and still get to work in a reasonable time.”

High-speed rail also offers passenger convenience, enabling commuters to relax with plenty of leg room and mobility or use personal electronic devices in comfort, while offering views of the vistas surrounding the train’s journey.

AUTHORITY TO PROCEED

The Federal Government has passed a Bill to establish the High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) which is a statutory agency to advise on, plan and, with the consent of states and territories, construct a high-speed rail network within Australia.

While the first actual project may still be a few years down the track, it’s a promising start for a country which, despite its size and seemingly obvious need for fast rail, remains the only continent in the world (apart from Antarctica) without such a system.

“The Albanese Government is a strong supporter of our industry and has already made a number of commitments to improve the rail sector,” Garvey said.

“The HSRA is one of the announcements made which Alstom sees as an important first step toward tangible progress in this regard.

“We’ve had meetings with state and federal representatives on a number of topics including the National Rail Manufacturing Plan, which notably includes high-speed projects.”

Alstom has three significant rail manufacturing sites across the country, and has the manufacturing capacity and global technology that would enable it to produce fast rail or high-speed rail locally.

Garvey said it was important for the Federal Government to take the lead on aspects of high-speed rail, including a harmonised approach particularly with the rail standards.

“We need to consider how we harmonise the standards, which can be quite complex across states with their different track gauges for example, but a lot of other aspects can be similar,” he said.

It will be important to streamline the procurement process which will save money for companies who are bidding for the project, because bidding costs can be quite enormous.

Alstom is also supportive of the Government’s initiative to appoint a rail advocate to act on behalf of the rail industry to Governments to help deliver the National Rail Manufacturing Plan.

The advocate will support small to medium sized enterprises and manufacturers to seize export opportunities, market their products to government and champion sectoral initiatives to improve competitiveness.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF HIGH-SPEED: THE AVELIA

Alstom’s flagship high-speed to very-highspeed product is the Avelia, with several other products covering different speed ranges.

“The Avelia is an amazing product, it looks exceptional and one of the Avelia models, the Horizon, is the world’s only double-deck train, running at more than 300 kilometres per hour,” Garvey said.

“With a large portfolio, Avelia solutions are the largest offering on the market for highspeed and very-high-speed solutions.”

Avelia trains can be adapted to different track gauges, power supplies, car body widths and passenger capacities, with a full choice of interiors, seat pitches and ambiances.

Carriages have been developed for a variety of applications including; standard, first-class and business-class versions, with options for children’s areas, shops, restaurant cars or kitchens.

Passengers also enjoy services such as on-board Wi-Fi, electric sockets and reclining seats with individual reading lights, or flexible luggage racks for skis, bicycles and other oversize luggage.

In addition to the Avelia, Alstom recently announced the TGV M very-high speed train developed with the SNCF Group, will operate on the French national network from 2024.

The TGV M boasts:

1. Unprecedented modularity, which makes it possible to adjust the number of cars as

Alstom’s flagship high-speed to veryhigh-speed product is the Avelia.

The Need for Speed

closely as possible to the market’s needs, to quickly transform a 1st class space into a 2nd class space and vice versa, to reconfigure the interior by removing or adding seats, bicycle or luggage spaces, and more.

2. A 20 per cent increase in on-board space.

3. Ultra-competitive energy efficiency and carbon footprint per passenger: the TGV M’s carbon footprint is the lowest on the market and 97 per cent of the train’s components are recyclable.

4. A highly “communicating” train set whose sensors continuously transmit thousands of pieces of data enabling the train to be examined in real time from every angle to optimise maintenance and availability.

WHERE TO NOW

The march towards high-speed rail in Australia will not be a quick one, but the building blocks are being put into place.

“It starts with building one line, then once that is operational and passengers see the benefit, you can push for the next stages such as extending the first line and growing the network,” Garvey said.

“The extension phase is increasingly time efficient because you have the skills, expertise and ability to replicate what is already there.”

The HSRA has said that its first priority is examining fast or high-speed rail connecting Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle.

Other business cases are investigating faster rail possibilities between Geelong and Melbourne along with strategic corridors in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

In the 2021-22 Budget, the Queensland Government committed $178.1 million towards pre-construction activities for the Kuraby to Beenleigh section as part of the Logan to Gold Coast Faster Rail project.

Western Australia is studying options to provide faster passenger rail services from Perth to the city of Bunbury, about 200 kilometres away.

First steps: staged approach

“Fast rail in Australia is a must-have with our land size and population. The benefit is too great for it to be just a nice-to-have,” Garvey said.

“As an example, we could start by building a dedicated high-speed rail corridor from Sydney to Canberra allowing passengers and stakeholders to get an Australian-first glance of how beneficial high-speed rail can be.

“Once the first line is operational, we can start using it and funding for expansion projects will begin.

“My belief is that if we can get the first project underway, it will open the door to the future of high-speed rail across Australia.”

Garvey pointed to Melbourne’s Suburban Rail

Loop as an example. “It’s a huge investment over many years, but the Victorians are doing it, they’ll do it in stages and get better at it,” he said.

“It’s not dissimilar to the high-speed challenges; we just need a kickstart.”

Passenger experience

“I do not know anybody that’s actually been on a high-speed train and not been in awe, and many have said “we should have this in Australia!”” Garvey said.

“You turn up, buy your ticket and off you go. It’s convenient, more reasonably priced than that of a plane ticket, and instead of sitting in traffic you can relax, do some work or watch a movie.

“Another benefit is the experience of looking out at the landscape you are travelling through, whether that be the sea or the country side.”

Proven business cases

Garvey said that all around the world, there had never been a retraction of a high-speed rail line.

“Other types of networks may have been decommissioned over time, but high-speed rail just seems to go on, with extensions and new lines being built,” he said.

Signs are promising that the stage is now set for firm progress on a national approach to high-speed rail.

Alstom’s latest Avelia model is the TGV M very-high speed train.

Health, safety are RMS priorities

RMS Rail has long been, and continues to be, a trusted provider of services to the rail industry, with a reputation for excellence that has been built over the past 50 years.

And one of the key factors that sets RMS Rail apart from its competitors is its commitment to health and safety, the environment, and quality.

According to RMS general manager Warren Colbert, RMS Rail has implemented an ISO certified Integrated Management System to ensure that all of its works meet the highest standards in these areas.

“This certification demonstrates the company’s dedication to implementing best practices in all of its operations, from project site maintenance to operational management,” he said.

In addition to its focus on health and safety, RMS Rail is also committed to protecting the environment. The company takes a proactive approach to minimising its environmental impact and adheres to all relevant regulations and standards.

“As a result of these efforts, RMS Rail has established itself as a reliable and professional choice for rail projects that prioritise health, safety, and the environment,” Colbert said.

“By achieving ISO certification and demonstrating a commitment to best practices, RMS Rail has earned the trust of its customers and stakeholders.

“By choosing RMS Rail, customers can trust that their project will be delivered with the

highest level of care and attention to detail. So, if you are in need of reliable, professional services for your rail project, RMS Rail is the perfect choice.”

RMS Rail is committed to supplying customers with supply on-time, safely and efficiently with a reliable quality product.

RMS Rail at work, transporting two Hydrema hi-rail dump trucks for a major derailment at Inverleigh, Victoria .

Manco rail booms in use by Sydney Trains

The Manco GEN 2 rail booms have been in great demand since their release in 2022.

And as a testament to the success of the innovations, the company recently delivered two brand new units to its biggest customer yet, Sydney Trains, the operator of the suburban passenger rail network serving the city.

The rail booms, in place at the company’s Network Maintenance South Coast facility, will be used for maintenance and repair work on overhead wiring structures and bridges.

Manco provided Sydney Trains operators with training familiarisation at the Wetherill Park track testing and training facility.

The contract is another notch on the belt for Manco’s rail booms, which have been renowned for their various all-access overhead work, stabling yard jobs and close-range projects.

Their 4WD capability allows all-terrain access near, on, and over the tracks, and they are served by a 400kg payload platform, 16.5m maximum vertical reach, and 7.5m horizontal reach.

Manco Rail general manager Jaclyn Vanderent said Manco continued to

revolutionise across all its product lines and continuously aimed to improve equipment performance and operator acceptance.

“Due to the tremendous support and valued feedback that we received on the GEN 1

component manufacturers throughout the COVID lockdown to incorporate additional features in the GEN 2 Rail Boom.”

Key features include:

• New low emissions engine ideal for tunnel works

• Solid rubber tyres

• Fully integrated CAN bus control system providing more accurate and detailed operator awareness.

• Oversized operator control touchscreen display in basket

• Multiple bolt on/plug-and-play optional extras

• New chassis system assembly for both rubber and rail use

• Upgrade hydraulic slewing to rotate the boom 360 degrees

Manco Rail is anticipating more orders for the booms in coming weeks.

Sydney Trains has become the latest high profile operator to acquire Manco’s GEN 2 rail booms.

The new rail booms at the Sydney Trains Wollongong site

The rail booms being delivered.

Engineering construction’s future

The construction industry is a critical pillar of the Australian economy.

It is the third largest industry, producing upwards of $437 billion in revenue and about nine per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product in 2022. The sector has a projected annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent over the next five years.

With investments in new and existing infrastructure projects in every state and territory, the Australian Government’s national rolling 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline will increase from $110b to $120b, a new record, significantly boosting the sector.

However, the construction sector is facing significant challenges.

These and other related issues will be addressed at Melbourne’s own construction and major infrastructure event, the Inside Construction Expo 2023, a Prime Creative Media initiative.

The conference will bring the major projects and civil infrastructure construction industry together on September 20 and 21 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre –with a key focus on ‘Engineering for the Future’.

Providing the ideal environment to present and discuss solutions to the complex challenges the construction industry faces, the Expo will cover topics such as the ongoing skills shortage, digital transformation and safety.

Across the two days, a world-class exhibition will showcase construction equipment and companies; industry leaders will present in an educational conference on the issues facing the construction sector; and the best people, projects and innovations from across the Australian construction industry will be recognised at an Awards Gala.

The Expo will have a focus on major projects and civil construction, as well as major vertical residential. The centrepiece to the event will be about Victoria’s Big Build, expanding out to showcase construction on other significant infrastructure taking place around Victoria.

For the rail industry, this of course includes projects such as the Suburban Rail Loop, the Level Crossing Removal Program, Melbourne Airport Rail and the Metro Tunnel.

Further afield, the national event will touch on other major projects across the country, including WA’s METRONET programs and

station builds, New South Wales’ Sydney Metro projects, light rail networks and new rolling stock fleets, and of course Queensland’s South East Queensland rail network, which includes Cross River Rail, Gold Coast light rail and the ETCS system rollout.

Also in the spotlight will be the recent changes made to Infrastructure Australia, restoring it to its rightful place as an expert advisory body of national significance.

The Government-led reform aims to put in place a stronger, more focused body with a mandate to oversee projects from idea to completion so the significant investment by taxpayers is spent wisely and well for their benefit.

Among other issues discussed will be:

• The skills shortage in the construction sector

• The digital transformation of the construction industry

• Safety in construction

EXHIBITION

A world-class exhibition will showcase construction equipment and companies.

CONFERENCE

Industry leaders will present on the issues facing the construction sector.

AWARDS

The best people, projects and innovations from across the Australian construction industry will be recognised at an Awards Gala. The Expo will be supported by industry organisations National

Association of Women in Construction and Working at Heights Association.

REGISTER TO EXHIBIT

Exhibiting is the best way to showcase businesses to qualified attendees from the construction sector. With the exhibition spanning 15,000 square metres across 10 bays at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Inside Construction Expo provides the best opportunity to meet with target audiences. These include:

• Tier 1 construction businesses and their contractors

• Government (state and local) responsible for infrastructure planning and investment

• Key operation personnel – engineers, planners and architects

The Expo is ideal for those who specialise in one or more of the following areas:

• Site equipment

• Construction technology

• Lifting, handling and transportation

• Subsurface, quarrying and mining

• Plant, machinery and vehicles

• Urban design and landscaping

• Spor ts and playgrounds

• Building envelope, interiors and finishes

• Building automation

• Construction tools

• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

For more information, visit www.insideconstructionexpo.com.au

The Inside Construction Expo in September will bring the major projects and civil infrastructure construction industries together to discuss their common challenges.

The centrepiece of the event will be Victoria’s Big Build and its projects.

Building a better rail industry workplace

For many years, industry education provider Training Ahead Australia (TAA) has been training workers to enter the rail workforce.

And now TAA founding director Dannielle Walz has put her personal experience into practice by setting up Mainline Consulting, an organisation to help clients build a better workplace.

“We help you to build a workplace where everyone wants to come to work,” she said.

“Our approach to recruitment is to help all businesses achieve their ideal working environment – no matter your industry or needs. For us, this means placing the right people in the right job – where they’re a good fit for the team, do exceptional work and you can create outstanding results together.”

Mainline Consulting’s recruitment services cover permanent placement, temporary placement and contract positions through the following fields:

• Rail

• Construction

• Business suppor t

• Education and training

• Engineering

• Finance

• Logistics

The company recruits for a wide variety of roles, with some of the most common being:

• Accounts – graduates, assistants, finance controllers and qualified accountants

• Administration – receptionists, assistants (admin, personal, executive, C-level), officers, senior administrators and office managers

• Engineering – project engineers, site engineers, digital engineers, industryspecific engineers

• Human resources – administration to managers, HSEQ managers, OH&S coordinators and managers

• Management – site managers, industryspecific managers (for example construction, rail), superintendents, supervisors/foremen

• Sales and marketing – customer service, client support officers, sales support, marketing assistants, event managers and commercial managers

• Project management – team assistants, contracts administrators, project and program officers, project coordinators, surveyors, estimators, project managers, project directors.

“After co-founding a business that grew to 200 staff within two years, I understand how crucial it is for a business to get the right person for the right job, and the effect that “wrong” recruitment can have on the business,” Walz said.

“Years of experience in recruitment helped us to develop and refine a system for attracting, reviewing and placing potential applicants – to help both parties achieve the result that they are looking for.

“We don’t believe in poaching, and instead take an outside-the-box perspective of recruitment – including cross-skilling employees from different industries and upskilling graduates to find the right fit, alongside skilled workers in your industry.

“We believe in our process so strongly, that we offer a 90-day guarantee. If someone is not the right fit and you discharge their employment – we will recruit a suitable replacement at no extra cost.”

Walz outlined the steps involved in working with clients:

• Discovery – “Once you get in touch with us, we’ll set up a discovery call to find out what you need and how we can best help.”

• Interviews – “We screen potential recruits to suit your requirements, and provide you with a shortlist of applicants.”

• Selection – “You select your preferred candidates from our shortlist, and we arrange interviews for you so that you can make a final selection.”

• Pre-employment – “Once we contact your successful applicant and organise a start date, we will execute the employment contract and complete any additional preemployment screenings required.”

• Placement – “Once your new employee commences working with you, we will check in with scheduled follow ups to ensure that the placement is successful.”

BUSINESS BEGINNINGS

Walz grew up in central Queensland on a cane farm, and started her career working in finance in the construction and mining industries.

“My husband and I moved to Melbourne in 2016, where my business partner Tom Scash and I started TAA,” she said.

The business has a number of services, including assisting clients with rail training, pre-employment medicals and providing consulting services for those entering the rail industry.

“Alongside TAA, I co-founded and was chief financial officer for one of Victoria’s largest rail safeworking providers, Track Protection Australia,” Walz said.

“My entrepreneurial interests started when I was 16 – I would purchase and resell items off eBay, noting what sold well and learning about customer service.

“This sparked my interest in business and, over the years, I’ve honed my ability to see gaps in the market and ways we can improve the service to a client.

“That continual improvement on service and being able to anticipate customer and market needs continues to drive me in business, alongside working with our wonderful team.”

Walz said it was rewarding to watch a team grow professionally and personally.

“In the same way that our team members are helping our clients to successfully (and safely) achieve their rail work goals, I love coming into work each day to help them achieve their own dreams,” she said.

“When leading a team, you need to speak less and listen more. Give everyone the opportunity share their ideas – leaders should be the last to speak, once they have listened to their team.”

Mainline Consulting has been established to enable rail operators get the right person for the right job.

Dannielle Walz has set up her own recruitment consultancy.

Local heroes deliver Bowen rail facility

A total of 957 drainage elements and 28 footy fields of earthworks later and Bowen business Hillery Group has put the finishing touches on Bowen Rail Company’s local rail

construction of the Carmichael Rail Network under the banner of Bravus Mining and Resources’ Carmichael Project.

Both Bravus and Bowen Rail Company (BRC) are Australian businesses of the Adani Group.

Bowen Rail general manager Brendan Lane said the rail yard was a shining example of the capability of regional contractors and how BRC was delivering on its promises of jobs and

“The provisioning yard is a critical piece of

“This is where our maintenance crews are based and where our state-of-the-art locomotives take on fuel and the sand, oils, and lubricants that keep our trains operating safely.

“What Hillery has delivered in terms of earthworks completed, culverts installed, and roads built is world class and fits seamlessly with the track elements Rockhampton’s Rhomberg Rail have performed.

“Small and medium-sized businesses are

the lifeblood of regional Queensland, and we couldn’t have asked for better companies to partner with on this job.

“This project goes to show the talent pool we have in regional areas is deep and by contracting local you can keep the economic and social benefits of the work in your community where it matters most.”

Hillery Group chief executive Luke Hillery said winning a $20 million contract as part of the overall project was enormous for his business and the community and the benefits would be felt long into the future.

“We see the value BRC is bringing to the Bowen area on a daily basis, so to win a contract of this size and then deliver it using local people with local skills is something we’re really proud of,” he said.

The Hillery Group specialises in civil construction, plant hire and are operators of four local quarries and supply these materials across regional Queensland.

Kate Leone is happy to be working on advanced technologies and their implementation into projects.

New BRC trainee train drivers Taylor Paul (left), Maleisha Leo, Ebony Geddes, and Zane Prior at the yard.

Workforce Profiles

On the hunt for signal unicorns

Train signalling is the nervous system of any rail network. It’s the complex system of wires, computer software and mechanical equipment that allows trains to run safely.

When there is any incident involving the signal system, these specialists that are called on to fix the problem.

They are also busy delivering an unprecedented $90 billion investment in transport infrastructure across Victoria:

• As level crossings are removed, the signal setup is upgraded.

• As the Metro Tunnel is built and commissioned, signalling is required.

• As the state plans and begins works on the Suburban Rail Loop and Melbourne Airport Rail, signallers are designing, installing and testing the systems that will make it all work.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Often referred to as the ‘unicorns’ of the rail industry, experienced rail signallers are fast becoming a rare commodity.

Due to the pipeline of transport infrastructure projects under Victoria’s Big Build, there is a need to find the next generation of signal specialists.

The industry is looking to secure the skills and knowledge required to transform signal systems to the latest modern technology, while at the same time maintaining safety and ensuring services continue to run with maximum reliability.

The most impacted and in demand roles are principal testers, testers in charge and senior designers. Over the next 15 years the number of people working in these roles are expected to triple.

OLD AND NEW BLOOD

Name a Melbourne rail project from the past 30 years and Ron Cranston and Selvadurai ‘Selva’ Nithianandan have worked on it.

Rail signalling engineers Ron, 69, and, Selva, 67, have worked alongside each other for 25 years on some of Melbourne’s most iconic rail projects, including:

• Melbourne Underground Rail Loop –the City Loop

• Jolimont Rationalisation, which saw Flinders Street rail yard reconfigured to accommodate construction of Federation Square

the final projects they work on – the biggest underground rail project since the City Loop.

Train signalling is the nervous system of any rail network. It’s the complex system of wires, computer software and mechanical equipment that allows trains to run safely.

In practical terms, Ron and Selva are two of the only ‘unicorns’ in the country who know how to work systems like ‘geographical interlocking’. They’re known as the people to call when there is a signalling problem.

These systems are being phased out – but remain in situ at busy interchanges including Southern Cross Station, near Jolimont and Bell Street, Preston.

Both men have passed on decades of knowledge to the next generation of signalling engineers, including Priannka Kumar, 35, who counts both as significant mentors.

Priannka has worked with Ron and Selva on projects including:

• William’s Landing

• Pakenham East Depot

• In a growing trend, these highly experienced industry technical specialists are reaching

cross sections on a piece of paper, until you see

“We would never have thought Melbourne would have the population to support the Metro Tunnel.”

Selva said he and Ron had solved many problems and helped each other a lot over the years. “And we’ve helped a lot of other people too,” he said.

“I love to spread my knowledge and information with everybody. The industry is small, everyone gets to know your name and everyone wants you to work on their project.”

Priannka said she first met Selva when he was seconded as a team leader.

“Selva cares about the person as well as the task. If you’re not sure of where to go or what to do about something, Selva’s the first person I would call. He just shares that information freely, and doesn’t hold information back. If you show that initiative, he’ll show it back.”

“Ron is direct, very professional and polite. He’ll take the time to work through with you how to solve the problem, rather than just telling you the answer. He doesn’t just answer the ‘what’, he answers the ‘why’ as well.”

Priannka Kumar (left) with her mentors Ron Cranston and Selva Nithianandan.

Victoria’s Big Build is looking for the next ‘unicorns’ of the rail signal industry to take part in fast-tracked training to fill vital jobs.

Eight technicians recently graduated at a ceremony at V/Line’s Wendouree maintenance depot.

They completed a three-year course and will be based at various depots across the V/Line network.

V/Line commenced the in-house training program to support technicians in gaining more specialised knowledge of the Victorian network, compared with training through an external course.

The technicians are responsible for the construction, installation and maintenance of signaling and communications equipment, which is vital to the safe and efficient operation of V/Line services – they also work on level crossing equipment, train detection equipment, safety monitors and related telecommunications equipment.

The graduates all had previous experience as electricians and completed a Certificate IV in Electrical Railway Signalling to qualify.

Another five technicians are also due to finish the course in 2023.

maintenance skills.

Training includes classroom learning, on-network experience with trained competency specialists and classes at the Wendouree depot, where apprentices get to practise on specialised signalling equipment

Graduates make beeline for V/Line Markovics keep rail in the family

technicians coming through to help V/Line as the regional network continues to grow. “Training courses like this don’t just help fill an industry need for specialised skilled workers, they also provide an exciting career path for Victorians,” he said.

After almost six decades as a railway man, train driver Peter Markovic has made his final journey with Queensland Rail, but his railway legacy lives on through his daughter Holly.

Peter retired just days before Holly became a qualified train guard – and he couldn’t be prouder of her.

“The biggest change I’ve seen in the rail industry over the decades is the growth in opportunities for women and I’m incredibly proud my daughter Holly is able to carve out a career in rail, as I’m waving goodbye. She has taken to the railways like a duck to water and loves the operational side of things,” he said.

“When I started as a lad porter assisting passengers in 1965, that job was only for men and there were very few women working in rail. The ones who did were widows of railway workers who were given jobs like station mistresses, cleaning trains or manning the refreshment rooms, but over the years I started noticing more women on station platforms and asked how they got there.

“I sent Holly a job application for a station

on steam locos, before qualifying as a train driver

“I really enjoyed my time driving heritage steam trains – we used to get the kids on board the loco when we stopped at Roma Street and they were so excited,” he said.

“I’ve loved the job. When you’re out driving a train, you’re in charge and it’s great to get people where they need to go on time. I’ve met so many people in this career and in all my years as a driver I’ve never broken down.”

Holly said she never thought her dad would become her co-worker but it has made their father and daughter relationship stronger and they’ll always have the railways to bond over.

“Even when dad’s in the car he’ll drive past the train station and say which station it is. It’s funny as I’ve now started doing it and I’ll probably do the same with my kids,” she said.

“We always waved to each other if his train arrivedon my platform and it’s sad to see him go, but I know he’s put a lot of hard work and dedication into his career and he deserves to put his feet up and start a new chapter.”

Apprentices practised on specialised signalling equipment that operate identically to those they will encounter on the network.

Peter and Holly at a QR platform.

Taking on the ESG heavy lifting

Recognising the ability to actively contribute to the reduction in greenhouse gas emission, Australia’s largest private rail freight operator has set to work on achieving the goals by providing stakeholders with a document that clearly demonstrates action on key ESG priorities material to its business.

The report, which encompasses Pacific National (PN)’s intermodal, coal and bulk, regional and import and export rail services (IMEX) transport business units, reports on ESG performance in the following ways:

• Governance, including its modern slavery report

• Carbon efficiency

• Safety and wellbeing

• People and community

• Environmental impacts

Rail Express speaks to PN Head of ESG Prue Newall about the importance of the ESG report.

“The fact that it’s our third report reflects the journey that we have been on,” she said. “It’s our second report this calendar year, so is an

indication of how we’re really ramping up our focus on the three pillars.

“We continue to mature our approach to ESG as we recognise that we have a responsibility to lead our industry in addressing key risks and opportunities facing our sector. Our focus is on real and tangible actions.

“We are fast‑tracking our focus on ESG, to deliver a better future for our people, communities and customers, because we don’t want to leave the heavy lifting to others.”

ENVIRONMENTAL

Newall said PN was working to minimise its environmental footprint, focusing on the areas of land and resource management, air and noise pollution, water and waste.

“We want to ensure our environmental management practices are best in class, going beyond regulatory compliance, to ensure we minimise our impact and address community expectations,” she said.

“One of the key exciting things for us in this

report is that we are launching our climate change strategy and we’ve set an interim carbon emission intensity target of a 10 per cent reduction by 2030.

“We have built a carbon emission forecasting model to help us understand the opportunities and challenges ahead as we strive to meet our emissions targets.

“Our challenge now is to identify, source and deploy the technology needed to achieve this target. We’ve worked on developing our short, medium, and longer term goals around reducing our carbon emissions and how we’re going to get there.

“We identified four streams of activity to drive carbon efficiency and respond to climate change impacts at our company.”

• Supporting transition to a low-carbon future PN will continue to advocate and support the road to rail transition to help reduce national supply chain emissions.

“We will implement the new technologies

Pacific National has released its FY22 Environmental, Social and Governance report, which places an even stronger emphasis on all elements of sustainability.

Pacific National will keep on advocating for reduced national supply chain emissions.

we need to measure, understand and manage fuel and energy consumption, and monitor for emerging technology and other opportunities to lower emissions within our industry,” Newall said.

• Building climate resilience

PN will mitigate the risks of climate change by completing a climate risk assessment, developing policies and governance structures to implement plans and support climate resilient decision making.

“We will also educate our employees about our climate change strategy,” Newall said.

• Decarbonising operations

Progress initiatives include purchasing carbon neutral inputs, optimising assets to drive efficiencies, reviewing mobile assets for low carbon alternative, implementing sustainability principles at corporate and operational sites, monitoring and reviewing the introduction of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and hydrogen for locomotives, and exploring the benefits of battery electric locomotives.

“And we’ve also commenced review of our supply chain to help us support the understanding of what our scope 3 emissions are, and working towards that over time,” Newall said.

• Engagement and collaboration

“ We’ll participate in industry action on development of alternative fuels and other technology for decarbonisation of our operations,” Newall said.

“We will finalise the development of a carbon emissions calculator to support our customers with calculations of their emissions impact, and work with rail infrastructure managers to improve network resilience.”

SOCIAL

PN operations impact the lives of thousands of Australians every day. It employs more than 3200 people, supporting 465 customers in 65 locations across the country.

“Because we care more, we conduct our business in ways that build sustainable relationship and contribute positively to the lives of the people and communities where we operate,” Newall said.

• Health and safety

Newall said the commitment to delivering safe, efficient, and disciplined operations that protects the safety and wellbeing of staff, including providing an inclusive and diverse workplace, was non negotiable.

“The movement of large amounts of freight and coal over vast distances demands a heightened commitment to protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone in our organisation,” she said.

“This care for safety extends to our commercial partners, customers and the whole

of the crucial controls necessary to prevent fatal or other outcomes.

“In terms of our safety performance, we’ve obviously got a very long history in a mature organisation and mature safety management system, and we continue to see improvements in that lead.”

For the FY22 period, there were:

• 26 per cent fewer significant incidents

• 22 per cent fewer recordable injuries

• 12 per cent fewer Signals Passed at Danger events

• 30 per cent fewer incidents requiring first aid

• Wellbeing

“Everyday our people are impacted by interactions with trains in rail corridors, collisions, and accidents,” Newall said.

“Taking care of the mental health and wellbeing of our employees has never been more important. We are starting from a strong base, with embedded programs such as RUOK? and Peer Connect to support the mental health and connection among our people.

The freight operator is working to minimise its environmental footprint, focusing on the areas of land and resource management, air and noise pollution, water and waste.

Pacific National Head of ESG Prue Newall.

Environmental, Social and Governance

adverse events.”

• People and community

PN’s ambition is to be the most diverse employer in the industry, one that is known for the respect and care it provides the communities where it operates.

“We acknowledge that we can do more to provide an environment that enables everyone with the best skills – regardless of their cultural background, identity, pronoun, or beliefs – to have a place at Pacific National,” Newall said.

“Our vision is for an organisation that reflects the richness and diversity of the community that exists outside our offices and operational facilities.”

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples PN published its first Reflection Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2021 and has established an RAP ownership group to guide implementation.

The First Nation employee network has now grown to 41 members.

• Culture and linguistics

PN’s strategy enables staff to voluntarily update their details to provide cultural and ethnic information to contribute to better understanding and recognising cultural diversity across the group.

“We recognise the significant days of celebration, including Lunar New Year, Matariki (Māori New Year), Diwali and Eid al Adha,” Newall said.

• Disability

PN has worked with the Australian Network on Disabilities to review the company’s access and inclusion practices.

“This is driving a review of policies, processes and inclusion barriers to address opportunities and make Pacific National

of inclusive language and how respond to non inclusive language.”

• Gender

“We’ve had a big focus on our inclusion and diversity program, where we are actually seeing about 39 per cent of our trainee driver officers being female, which in a male dominated industry is a significant achievement for us,” Newall said.

“And we’ve also had marginal increases in our other metrics around increasing female participation in our workforce.”

PN has been recognised by WORK180 as an employer committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and has achieved funding under the Career Revive Program to recruit and train women returning to the workforce.

GOVERNANCE

“A key highlight for us is that we’ve continued to mature and develop our governance and compliance framework,” Newall said.

“We’ve aligned our organisation to our corporate vision and strategic objectives, which is really positive in terms of ensuring that we’ve got consistency of message while focusing on the importance of ESG as well.

“And we continue to have actively engaged in impetus, paving industry forums and associations across the rail industry, and also in the safety space as well.”

The PN board and executive leadership team are committed to both the process and the outcomes of the ESG strategy and to delivering it.

“This is important because we see a future where our systems and processes are aligned with our ESG goals and targets, and will help us to continue to mature our ESG focus, increase the integrity of the data we capture for reporting, and ensure we remain accountable to our people and stakeholders,” Newall said.

reframed our program to progress Pacific National’s governance, risk, and compliance maturity,” Newall said.

“The roll‑out of the program will improve the identification of our compliance obligations, allocate responsibility for controls, and mature the monitoring of performance and reporting undertaken by the business.”

• Industry leadership

PN knows that for the business to deliver on climate change and other strategies, industry wide, systemic, and structural change is needed.

This includes technological advancements related to its locomotives, the fuels used and materials it transports, as well as improvement of resilience in the rail freight network to counter impacts of extreme weather events like severe flooding.

“We are experiencing the greatest challenge and the greatest rate of change in the company’s 170 year history,” Newall said.

“We can’t do this on our own and therefore we actively participate in multiple key industry forums and associations to learn from our peers and share our knowledge.

“And, in taking a leadership stance in this way, all rail industry participants benefit. The resilience of our terminals and operations also helps our customers and competitors who use them.

“We played a significant role during the COVID pandemic, moving large volumes of freight by rail across state borders and through local government areas safely, reliably, and responsibly. We worked with federal and state governments to strengthen the national supply chains.”

The ESG report aims to deliver a better future for people, communities and customers.

Industry Associations

Think-tank for rail innovation and technology

• Mark Barrett, co-founder, Aquipa (Norway)

• Bryony Outteridge, principal Human Factors advisor, Queensland Rail

• Prof. Maksym Spiryagin, deputy director of the Centre for Railway Engineering (Central Queensland University)

• Darren Quinlivan, general manager risk, Metro Trains Melbourne.

Join the RISSB at Rydges Sydney Central to change the thinking about new and emerging technology. Attendees can go deep on the issues and challenges facing the rail industry in the digital age and hear from industry-recognised speakers who are already implementing new, changing and developing technology in their own organisations.

Catering to everyone in industry from project managers to C suite executives, conference delegates will walk away with a greater understanding of how new and emerging technology and practices can be harnessed to improve safety, drive productivity and optimise performance.

Keeping a finger on the pulse of the Australian rail industry, this two-day event that will focus on areas that are growing in prominence in railways around the world with presentations on topics such as:

• Automation

• Sustainability

• Virtual Reality

• Augmented Reality

• AIrtificial Intelligence

• Cybersecurity

• Asset Management

• Condition Monitoring

• Rail Technologies

Get ready to hear some big ideas presented by influential leaders from some of the biggest names in rail in Australia and overseas.

At the time of print, confirmed speakers include:

• Ian Christensen, managing director, iMOVE

• Ravi Ravitharan, director, Institute of Railway Technology

• Ashish Upadhyay, director APAC, Cylus (Israel)

• Brendan Morris, chief executive, Denova (UK)

• Derel Wust, owner and founder, 4Tel

• Paul McIlveen, managing director, Silver Edge Technologies

More speakers from across the industry will be announced in the coming weeks.

They will be giving practical advice on real problems, using their businesses as case studies to learn from, and provide an overview of tech trends and new technologies that will define the rail sector for generations to come.

The event will spark discussions and contribute to the exchange of ideas. There will also be dynamic panels and opportunities to get up on the soapbox and talk about the challenges facing industry.

In addition to plenaries and presentations, the conference will give delegates a chance to relax, unwind and build their professional networks with a signature after-hours networking event at the end of Day 1.

What the two-day conference ticket buys you:

• Access to two days of plenary sessions, keynotes and panel discussions

• Morning and afternoon tea and buffet lunch

• Access to after-hours networking event at Handpicked Cellar Door in Sydney’s famed Kensington Street.

To book and pay for tickets, go to www. eventbrite.com.au and search for ‘technology and innovation’ to find infmroation on RISSB’s 2023 Technology and Innovation Conference.

For more information about the conference, visit

Tickets are now on sale for RISSB’s 2023 Technology and Innovation Conference to be held in Sydney on March 8-9, 2023.

Speakers will give practical advice on real problems, using their businesses as case studies to learn from.

Rail travel recognised as most sustainable transport mode

identified as promoting greater use of rail closely align with the industry’s own areas of focus at the moment.

The research also confirmed public transport users recognise the affordability and sustainability benefits rail delivers.

HOW OUR USE OF RAIL HAS CHANGED

The research confirmed that changing work patterns are here to stay, with one third (33 per cent) of respondents working from home compared to 17 per cent before the pandemic.

Further to this, 67 per cent of people expect their work patterns to stay the same in the near future.

As you know, supporting a return to rail has been a key priority of the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) over the last year.

We have seen many people return to public transport, which is a wonderful indication of increased activity in our cities and towns as we navigate a new-normal after COVID.

But the fact remains that passenger numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels.

We know that passenger operators across our region are working extensively to ensure customers have a great experience when they return to the network, whether for work, school or getting out and about in their daily lives.

To help better understand how these efforts are contributing to greater use of rail in our communities, the ARA commissioned Zing Insights to complete consumer research to assess how our use of rail transport has changed compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify the factors that would support greater use of rail in the future.

The research surveyed 2500 residents across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth who lived within five kilometres of a rail station or light rail stop in November 2022 as part of the project.

Pleasingly, one in four people surveyed expect to increase their use of rail over the summer, and many of the key drivers that were

It also revealed our use of rail has changed, with 24 per cent of people stating they are using rail less compared to before the pandemic. However, fewer people say they never use rail compared to 2019.

People are driving, walking or cycling on a regular basis more, and using public transport less, compared to before the pandemic.

DRIVERS TO SUPPORT GREATER USE OF RAIL

Of the 25 per cent of people that stated they were likely to use rail more often over the next

six months, their most common reason so was a desire to get out more and enjoy their lives (27 per cent).

So that is great news as our way of life continues to open up over the summer months.

When we looked at location and age, more Sydney residents and people under 35 years of age were planning to use rail more often.

The rising cost of living is also expected to be a factor, with increasing petrol prices (39 per cent), traffic congestion (31 per cent) and parking fees (25 per cent) expected to drive greater use of rail.

This supports the case that rail offers a great alternative to ease household budget pressures and to escape growing congestion on our roads.

It also supports recognition of the ease of using rail to travel to and from major events with 29 per cent of people stating they would use rail to access more events outside their local area.

PRIORITIES FOR RAIL TRAVEL

The survey confirmed reliability, safety and security, and convenience matter most when people are travelling by rail and were key factors that would encourage greater use of rail.

This supports the fact that passengers want

A new report has confirmed how passenger priorities have changed as a result of COVID, reinforcing the need to continue encouraging people to shift to public transport over time.

Caroline Wilkie, chief executive, Australasian Railway Association.

Major rail projects currently underway across Australia will enable rail to reach more people and hence provide more services, more often.

frequent, convenient and reliable services to make their journey as seamless as possible.

Industry has invested significantly in providing a great customer experience throughout the pandemic and with a focus on these issues expect those returning to rail will enjoy the benefits of this ongoing focus.

Increasing the frequency of services was also identified as an opportunity to grow patronage with almost half (43 per cent) of people citing this as a key initiative that would increase their use of rail.

Further to this, other suggestions provided by survey participants to improve use of rail included increasing the number of services; expanding the network; and providing better connections to other modes.

Major rail projects currently underway across Australia, such as Sydney Metro, the Metro Tunnel, Cross River Rail and the METRONET program will transform our rail networks, enabling rail to reach more people and hence provide more services, more often.

So the work underway in our industry right now will undoubtedly support a greater mode shift in the future.

The survey also confirmed that concerns about crowding (at 30 per cent) and COVID risks (at 29 per cent) remain, with just under a third of people citing these as specific concerns.

To this end, the increased cleaning and hygiene measures introduced during the pandemic were endorsed by respondents, with 30 per cent advising this would encourage them to use rail more often.

RAIL WILL BE KEY TO OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Increasing our public transport use will be key to meeting Australia’s net-zero targets and is an easy way we can make a meaningful difference in our daily lives.

And the research shows this is well recognised by the community.

Two thirds (66 per cent) of respondents viewed rail as the most environmentally sustainable transport mode and just under two thirds (65 per cent) were considering greater use of public transport to reduce their carbon footprint.

However, only about a third of people (32 per cent) expected to make these changes in the next 12 months, so we need to continue to promote the sustainable benefits of rail to help people make the shift to public transport over time.

These are all invaluable insights to support the further development of the ARA’s return to rail initiatives, led by industry.

The ARA team and I will be working closely with operators to progress these insights to continue to support our members and industry in the new year.

Contracts, EOIs, Tenders

NATIONAL Webuild-Clough

Italian construction and civil engineering group Webuild has reached an agreement with the administrators of Clough Ltd for the acquisition of a set of assets comprising the Australian organisation and certain contracts, which include rail-related projects.

The agreement covers:

• the acquisition of a base perimeter comprising Clough’s Australian organisation (offices, brand, credentials, business references, senior management, office personnel, etc.) and its share of the Snowy 2.0 and Inland Rail contracts (with the related workforce), where Clough is Webuild’s partner, for a total transaction consideration of $17.6 million (plus the assumption of employee liabilities)

• the option to extend the transaction scope to include other projects if accretive conditions for the Group are guaranteed, consistently with its financial objectives, with additional consideration payable if exercised

• an exclusivity period up until December 21, 2022 for Webuild to define and agree the final contract relating to reached agreements.

In addition to obtaining the minority stakes in projects carried out with Clough, the transaction allows Webuild to bolster its local organisation, engineering expertise and workforce, instrumental to the execution of its order backlog and commercial plan.

Australia is currently Webuild’s second largest market after Italy with an order backlog of €8.9 billion, including projects for which Webuild is the preferred bidder, and a workforce of more than 1800 people.

This dynamic market has seen Webuild build iconic projects, such as the Perth Airport Line, previously known as the ForrestfieldAirport Link, which was opened on October 9. Construction investments in the Australian market are expected to reach more than €300 billion in the 2022-2025 period.

Clough, founded in Perth in 1919, is a major player in its sector and has a workforce of around 2500 employees. It provides sustainable and innovative solutions in the design, construction and maintenance of plants and infrastructures. Its landmark projects include the first high-rise in Perth, and the first major underground freeway tunnel in WA.

Keolis Downer

After five years leading Keolis Downer in Australia, David Franks will be stepping down as its chief executive officer, moving back to the UK in early January 2023.

During his time at the company, Franks led the growth of the business, adding new operations into the Keolis Downer portfolio with bus operations in Sydney and rail

operations in Adelaide. He has also developed an ambitious strategy to be Australia’s leading provider of zero-emissions transport and has built a strong team to ensure the ongoing success of the company.

Franks will still be leading the negotiations with the South Australian Government over the future of the Metropolitan Rail Contract (Adelaide Metro), as well as working with Keolis Group pursuing development opportunities in Stockholm and Dublin.

Current Yarra Trams CEO Julien Dehornoy will replace Franks. After being appointed to the helm in 2020, he led the team operating the world’s largest tram network during the challenging COVID pandemic.

Yarra Trams’ current chief operating officer Carla Purcell has been appointed the new Yarra Trams CEO and will commence in the role in early 2023 after returning from parental leave.

with another significant project milestone, with Sydney Metro–Western Sydney Airport becoming the first rail infrastructure project in Australian history to commit to being certified carbon-neutral from the start of construction through to operation.

All carbon emissions generated during construction and operation will be reduced and offset.

Parklife Metro chair Paul Oppenheim said the public-private partnership has brought together four world-class organisations to partner with Sydney Metro.

“Our collective international experience will ensure the latest and best technologies and innovations are applied to Sydney Metro –Western Sydney Airport,” he said.

“We will also deliver a host of benefits to the local economy during construction, sourcing from local businesses and creating local jobs.

“Another highlight is the sustainabilitylinked debt financing arranged for the project. The cost of debt financing is linked to the project achieving and maintaining bestpractice industry participation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation and environmentally-sustainable outcomes.”

The project is expected to be completed and operational when Western Sydney International opens for passenger services.

The third and final major contract for the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project has been awarded to Parklife Metro, bringing metro services one step closer for Greater Western Sydney.

The consortium will deliver the Stations, Systems, Trains, Operations and Maintenance (SSTOM) tasks for the joint Australian and NSW government project.

The group comprises Plenary Origination, Webuild SpA, RATP Developpement SA, Siemens Mobility Ltd, Siemens Mobility GmbH, Siemens Project Ventures GmbH and Siemens Mobility Austria GmbH.

The SSTOM contract has the largest scope of any Sydney Metro contract awarded to date, and is the largest Public Private Partnership awarded in New South Wales. It includes 12 new metro trains, six new stations between St Marys and the new Aerotropolis, core rail systems and the stabling and maintenance facility to be built at Orchard Hills.

Parklife Metro will also operate and maintain the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport line for 15 years after it becomes operational.

The Australian and NSW governments have the shared objective of having Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport operational when Western Sydney International is open for passenger services.

The awarding of the final contract coincides

Circular Quay

The NSW Government has announced a key partnership with a consortium to drive forward the next phase in the revitalisation of Australia’s waterfront to the world, Circular Quay.

It includes building new wharfs, upgrading the train station, delivering new places for people to eat, drink and shop, creating more active transport connections and improving public green spaces for people to enjoy.

Transport for NSW Eastern Harbour City director Julie Sundqvist announced that CQC Partners, a consortium that includes companies Lendlease Construction, Capella Capital and BESIX Watpac, has been chosen as the planning and design partner for this major Sydney renewal investment.

“CQC includes award-winning Australian and international designers, as well as First Nations advisors to ensure the plans have a strong cultural connection with Circular Quay’s rich history and heritage.

“We look forward to working with CQC to deliver new and improved public spaces, connections, infrastructure and buildings that will breathe fresh life into one of Australia’s most visited destinations and a critical transport interchange in the heart of Sydney.”

Detailed design, community consultation and statutory planning processes will commence in 2023.

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