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 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