Rail Express March 2024

From the Editor

Published by:

379 Docklands Drive Dockalnds, VIC 3008

T: 03 9690 8766

www.primecreativemedia.com.au

Publisher

John Murphy

E: john.murphy@primecreative.com.au

Chief Operating Officer

Christine Clancy

E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

Managing Editor

Mike Wheeler

E: mike.wheeler@primecreative.com.au

Editor Joshua Farrell

E: joshua.farrell@primecreative.com.au

Business Development Manager

Alex Cowdery

M: 0422 657 148

E: alex.cowdery@primecreative.com.au

Client Success Manager

Salma Kennedy

E: salma.kennedy@primecreative.com.au

Design Production Manager

Michelle Weston

E: michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au

Art Director

Blake Storey

E: blake.storey@primecreative.com.au

Design Caterina Zappia

Subscriptions subscriptions@primecreative.com.au

www.RailExpress.com.au

The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published.

© Copyright – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the Publisher.

Joshua Farrell

Editor - Rail Express

The movement of freight in Australia is a constantly evolving challenge. With each state having varying gauges and the distances that need to be covered, they all face unique challenges.

New South Wales is taking a proactive approach to improving this critical part of its economy, recently announcing a policy reform program to better understand shortcomings and suggest changes.

It will be led by Transport for NSW under the leadership of an Independent Advisory Panel of experts, all who have experience in the freight and logistics sector. They will report to the Transport Minister, Jo Haylen, who will assist in the development of a new freight strategy for the State.

It will be important for members of the rail industry across Australia to observe the program closely to take key learnings to their own states.

Haylen described the rail network as “disjointed” and “inefficient”, a problem plaguing the networks across Australia, not just in New South Wales.

A program such as this may be the stepping stone required to improve the rail network on a national scale. It will focus on ports, rail, road and intermodal facilities to better understand where the current systems are failing and where the government can intervene to improve the network.

The challenge however, as many in the industry can attest, will be transferring the recommendations into the real world.

The program is utilising expertise from three panel members including Dr Kerry Schott from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia; Lucio Di Bartolomeo, who is the chair of Health Infrastructure NSW and Naval Infrastructure; and Dr Hermione Parsons, CEO and Managing Director of the Australian Logistics Council.

While each member of the panel will provide a wealth of knowledge and experience, it will be important the government involves key stakeholders throughout the process. Upon its completion, it needs to deliver on its recommendations.

The program will aim to identify short-, medium- and long-term actions that government can take. It will be interesting

to note whether the recommendations will be costed as well and whether the state government will be willing to spend the funds required.

The Rail Express team and the wider industry will be watching closely to see the results and potential flow-on effects.

I want to take the opportunity in my first Editor’s Note to show my appreciation for outgoing editor, Ray Chan, and his tireless work and dedication to growing the rail industry and diligently reporting on it in his time as editor.

He has been an incredible advocate for the wider industry and his knowledge has been invaluable in setting up what will hopefully be a seamless transition of editors, allowing me to continue his fantastic work.

The March edition will have a clear focus on intermodal solutions beginning with the cover story, which looks at the intermodal terminal at Somerton being built by the Intermodal Terminal company.

The project is aiming to capitalise on a number of national chains based nearby and also future proof the site to meet the needs of the Inland Rail project.

Further in the magazine, Transdev explains the hypercare approach utilised to deliver passengers to major events safely and easily on its light rail.

Siemens Mobility is leading the charge in enabling Mobility as a Service (MaaS) for transport ecosystems across the world, which you can read about on page 22.

Further on in the magazine you will find the workforce feature and contributions from RISSB, PWI, ARA and RTAA.

RATP explains what it will be bringing to the Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport Line project, calling on experience it has from operating Paris’s rail network.

Rail Express will also look ahead to projects in store for 2024 in each state. The next 12 months promises to be a busy year across the country as many projects edge closer to completion and the team will be excited to cover what promises to be a bustling year.

Happy reading!

joshua.farrell@primecreative.com.au

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS IN AUSTRALIA

At MTR, our vision is to “Keep Cities Moving”. We believe that world class metros enable thriving sustainable cities. We are proud and remain committed to our mission of connecting communities across Australia through close partnerships with Governments, the rail industry and the customers we have been serving over the last 15 years.

National News

Chief executive appointed for High Speed Rail Authority

Timothy Parker has been appointed as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), following a meritbased selection process.

Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said Parker had the considerable leadership and project experience in delivering complex infrastructure projects to drive the development of high-speed rail in Australia.

The new head has had more than 30 years of experience in developing, procuring and delivering infrastructure projects, including as the Head of Project for Sydney Metro since 2018, as well as having complex infrastructure experience working in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

The Australian Government has committed $500 million to facilitate a high-speed rail

network on Australia’s east coast starting with the Sydney to Newcastle section of the network.

HSRA is tasked with advising on planning, developing and overseeing the construction and operation of this transformational network.

“Proper planning is critical to the success of any significant infrastructure project and getting it right from the start will be of enormous benefit to this project in the future,” King said.

“I look forward to working with Mr Parker in the chief executive role and continuing to work with the High Speed Board to deliver HSRA’s key priority of planning and corridor works for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network.”

Level crossing fund boosts regional upgrades

The Australian Government’s Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund (RLCUF) will boost upgrades to railway crossings in Victoria and Western Australia.

The RLCUF aims to improve railway crossing safety in regional areas and reduce serious and fatal accidents that have a devastating impact on communities.

The Australian Government has committed $160 million over four years to state and territory governments to fund up to 50 per cent of the cost of delivering railway crossing upgrades.

The Victorian Government will fund 50 per cent of projects costs and receive $5 million in the first round of funding, which will go towards a proposed program of works across regional Victoria.

The proposed list includes five priority areas for railway crossing improvements to tourist and heritage projects in regional and urban areas.

These upgrades include installing boom barriers, axle counters, and a pedestrian maze with automatic gates and electromagnetic latches on the emergency exit gates.

Give-way signs at two sites will also be upgraded to boom barriers and flashing lights.

The WA Government will fund 50 per cent of projects costs and receive $7.1 million in the first round of funding, which will be directed

to works across regional areas of the state’s road network.

projects for railway crossing improvements across regional areas of the WA road and rail systems.

These upgrades include installing flashing lights, audible warning devices, enhanced signage, along with a pedestrian maze upgrade to increase the visibility of crossings on both sides of the roadway in response to approaching trains.

Acting Victorian Public and Active Transport, Minister Melissa Horne, said the railway crossing upgrades would deliver a huge boost for the priority locations that have been identified across the state.

“These upgrades will reduce the risk of serious and even fatal incidents and crashes, and improve the overall safety of our railway crossings for years to come,” she said.

“This funding builds on the Victorian

Saffioti, said the State Government placed a high priority on improving level crossing safety in regional WA.

“That is why we have established a program to upgrade high priority level crossings to active controls and replace all give-way controlled crossings with a minimum of a stop sign,” she said.

“The $7.1 million contribution from the Australian Government in the first round of the Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund is a major boost to improving level crossing safety and will allow us to expand our existing program of work.

“I welcome the Australian Government’s contribution and commitment to improving the safety of level crossings in regional Western Australia.”

Parker replaces Andrew Hyles, who had been acting CEO during the HRSA’s initial months.

IMAGE: ELECTRA KAY-SMITH/STOCK

High-speed rail takes another step forward with Timothy Parker appointed as chief executive.

The federal government, along with state governments, will fund the level crossing improvements.

News Queensland

New Cross River Rail underground station nears completion

The construction of the Cross River Rail underground station at Albert Street has reached a major milestone as the first new train station in Brisbane’s CBD in more than 120 years approaches completion.

Crews have made speedy progress underground, completing the mezzanine level – where people will take the final escalators down onto the station platform – and the platform itself.

Both milestones represent significant feats of engineering:

• The mezzanine level is made up of 183 pre-cast concrete beams, each up to 19 metres wide and weighing up to 70 tonnes.

• The 220-metre-long platform is made up of 368 precast culverts, each weighing 6.5 tonnes.

Every piece of the station had to be lowered into the cavern down a 31-metre -deep access shaft.

Escalators are due to arrive on site and preparation works are underway for tracks

to be laid in the station cavern over the next coming months.

While tracks are being laid, crews will also start installing platform screen doors.

Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, Cameron Dick, said Cross River Rail is a critical piece of infrastructure that will redefine how people not only travel in Brisbane but also “live in this amazing city”.

“By 2036, more than 67,000 people will travel through the Albert Street Station each day, as it becomes the main pedestrian feeder point for QUT’s Gardens Point campus, the parliamentary precinct, Queen’s Wharf, the upgraded Eagle Street business district and the City Botanic Gardens,” he said.

State Development Minister, Grace Grace, said Cross River Rail was a transformative project, and seeing this huge piece of station infrastructure up close gave a real sense of its magnitude and importance.

“It will make it easier to get into the city for

work or study, or to enjoy shopping and dining options, including at Queen’s Wharf,” she said.

“Albert Street station will be a new centre point in the middle of the CBD – a vibrant transport hub where people will meet and gather, breathing new life into the heart of the city. As someone who has lived in central Brisbane all my life, I can appreciate the changes this will bring, making the city more accessible for everyone”.

Transport and Main Roads Minister, Bart Mellish said with tracks, escalators and platform screen doors soon to come, what was once a massive empty cavern below ground is looking more and more like a world-class train station each day.

“The works beneath our busy CBD streets are seriously impressive, and I thank the more than 545 workers at Cross River Rail’s Albert Street sites for their tremendous efforts in bringing the first station to be built in Brisbane’s CBD in more than 120 years to life,” he said.

Queensland Rail upgrade program in full gear

The Buranda and Bundamba train stations will be closed for the first half of 2024, as the biggest ever Queensland Rail accessibility upgrade program goes full steam ahead.

Burpengary, Banyo, Lindum and Morningside stations will also close for major construction.

Buses will keep customers moving to nearby stations, while a path has been constructed to improve access to Bindha station for Banyo customers, and new bus stops are in place to cater for students.

When completed, the stations will have lifts, overpasses and fully raised platforms to reduce the gap, making boarding the train safer and easier for all customers, so rolling a pram, wheelchair or luggage on to the carriage will be simple and bringing them in line with what is expected of public transport infrastructure in the modern world.

The stations are expected to reopen to the public in the second half of this year, with Buranda to open in 2025.

QUEENSLAND RAIL UPGRADE DETAILS

• The SAUP projects that are being delivered

at Lindum, Morningside, Banyo, Buranda, Bundamba and Burpengary stations are the largest number of stations Queensland Rail has delivered simultaneously.

• All new station accessibility upgrades will feature new lift-accessible footbridges, fully raised full-length platforms and extended platform shelters.

• Other improvements include upgraded customer facilities like accessible toilets, disability-compliant ticket windows and improved seating.

• Also being installed are hearing augmentation loops, tactile floor indicators, new wayfinding signage, information screens and better security through CCTV and lighting upgrades.

• Active transport enclosures are being provided to enable customers to ride to and safely store their bicycles or scooters at the Tranche 4 stations.

• Since 2017, Queensland Rail has completed 12 full station upgrades including at Alderley, Newmarket, Graceville, Nambour, Dinmore, Morayfield, Boondall, Strathpine,

East Ipswich, Dakabin, Cannon Hill and Auchenflower. South Bank Platform one was also completed in November 2022.

• As well as the Station Accessibility Upgrade Program, accessibility upgrades are included as part of the Cross River Rail rebuilds of Dutton Park, Yeronga, Moorooka, Salisbury, Fairfield, Yeerongpilly, Rocklea and Exhibition stations. In addition, the new stations being delivered as part of Cross River Rail will also meet passenger accessibility requirements. These stations include Boggo Road, Albert Street, Woolloongabba, Pimpama, Hope Island, Merrimac and Underground Roma  Street.

The new-look Morningside station.

IMAGE: QUEENSLAND RAIL

First Melbourne Metro Tunnel station completed

Construction on Arden Station is finished, making it the first of the five new Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations to reach this milestone after nearly six years of construction on the project.

It marks a step towards the Metro Tunnel opening to passengers in 2025 – a year ahead of schedule.

Construction on Arden Station started in 2018 with excavation. Since then, workers have:

• dug out 330,000 tonnes of rock and soil built the brick archway and facade;

• poured the concrete for the station platforms;

• laid lengths of steel rail through the tunnels; and

• installed the escalators, lifts and the Victorian-first platform screen doors.

In recent weeks crews worked on the finishing touches at Arden Station. Below ground they installed paving, seating and passenger information displays. Above ground, work took place on landscaping, paving, and

Sarah Kelley appointed Metro’s new General Manager of Operations

Sarah Kelley has been appointed General Manager of Operations at Metro Trains Melbourne, commencing her role at the start of January.

Kelley joins Metro as an effective and experienced transport leader with a career spanning more than 25 years in rail and light rail management.

Starting her career in rail as a stewardess for Intercity Railway in the United Kingdom, Kelley has worked in varied customer service and operational functions, including depots, stations, infrastructure maintenance and operations control.

She brings a wealth of knowledge in day-of-service running and performance, and has a strong background in safety compliance, incident management, network asset integration and delivering on strategic partnerships.

Over the past 15 years, Kelley has held numerous operations leadership roles working across the United Kingdom’s rail networks.

From 2017 to 2020, Kelley was Head of Strategic Command for Arriva London, responsible for the smooth running of the

Your public transport partner for a more liveable future.

With over 120 years’ experience in automatic metros and rail mass transport, we o er safe, innovative, and high-performing public transport.

At RATP Dev, we are committed to providing tailor-made mobility solutions to cities like yours, for a better lifestyle and sustainable urban growth.

ratpdevaustralia.com.au

Sydney Metro West The Bays project ramps up

Work is ramping up at The Bays to construct the new 24-kilometre metro railway line that will transform Sydney as part of the NSW Government’s enhanced Sydney Metro West project.

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs), Daphne and Beatrice, are preparing to relaunch in the coming weeks, as they make their way from the Five Dock Metro Station

they progress up to 90 metres below Sydney’s inner west.

Each day, more than 250 precast tunnel segments will be transported from The Bays, through the newly built tunnels beneath Iron Cove to Five Dock, where they’ll meet Daphne and Beatrice.

Beatrice and Daphne were launched last year from the western side of The Bays significantly in their tunnelling journey, having

Inland Rail Forbes works kick off

Works on the Inland Rail Stockinbingal to Parkes project will kick off for 2024 with construction to commence at the Daroobalgie and Wyndham Avenue sites near Forbes in late January.

Martinus will undertake site establishment and construction works at Daroobalgie, north of Forbes, from January 22. Works planned include deliveries to site, geotechnical investigations, earthworks, level crossing upgrades, installation of new drainage, and track works.

Construction works at Wyndham Avenue in Forbes will commence from January 29 and will include earthworks, installation of new drainage, and track works to increase vertical clearance under the road bridge to allow for double stacked freight trains.

Works at both sites will occur during normal construction hours of 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. For more details on the upcoming works and how Inland Rail are managing impacts, head to the website.

The Stockinbingal to Parkes project area spans from just north of the rail junction located in Stockinbingal to just south of

At the eastern end of the site, work has commenced to prepare the 32-metre-deep station box for two new TBMs that will launch from The Bays to tunnel under Darling Harbour towards the city in mid-2024.

These TBMs, each weighing about 1300 tonnes, are the final two of six mega tunnelling machines for Sydney Metro West.

A second, supersized shed on the western side of The Bays site is being used for storing excavated material after it is transferred from the TBMs on conveyor belts. The shed holds a maximum of 40,000 tonnes of material that is continuously being moved for reuse on other sites across Sydney.

As announced by the NSW Government, The Bays is one of the priority precincts to be rezoned to allow for a major new housing uplift.

The Bays Metro Station will deliver a rail service to the area for the first time and support this renewal of the harbourside precinct.

Sydney Metro West is expected to be complete by 2032.

Goobang Junction situated in Parkes, New South Wales.

The 170km project includes upgrades along the existing rail corridor and building new supporting infrastructure to provide sufficient height and width to support the safe running of double-stacked freight trains.

An Inland Rail spokesperson said together with construction partner Martinus, the organisation was pleased to be getting

on with the job of building Inland Rail in southern NSW.

“We will continue to engage strongly with local suppliers and businesses across regional NSW and are excited about the benefits that we can bring to local economies as we deliver these works,” he said.

“We’d like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we carry out these construction tasks.”

The Bays project continues its push to be complete by 2032.

The project work got underway in January.

IMAGE: TRANSPORT FOR NSW

IMAGE:

Ticking all the boxes

Intermodal Terminal Company is striving to change the terminal game in Australia and has begun so by constructing a new facility at its site in Somerton, Melbourne.

Wholly owned and backed by Aware Super, one of Australia’s leading superannuation funds managing $170 billion on behalf of its 1.1 million members, the Intermodal Terminal Company (ITC) aims to assemble a national portfolio of terminals with its first being the $400 million development of Somerton Intermodal Terminal (SIT).

Austrak Business Park founder and owner, Mark Assetta, said he was delighted the vision of establishing a major intermodal terminal at Somerton to service not only Melbourne and Victoria but also the national supply chain was fast coming to fruition under the stewardship of ITC.

“I’ve always said Somerton is perfectly positioned and sized to act as a key intermodal terminal in the supply chain – it sits within the major rail corridors of the ARTC north-south standard gauge and the VicTrack broad gauge networks. It enjoys direct access to the Hume Highway and other freight feeder roads, and services an existing

large catchment of containerised freight movements and consolidation,” he said.

“I congratulate both ITC and Aware Super for supporting the future development and growth of Australia’s freight and logistics sector – this significant investment at Somerton will help make the national supply chain more productive for decades to come.”

THE PERFECT LOCATION AND SIZE

With a background in investment management and transport infrastructure development, ITC founder and CEO Mishkel Maharaj was immediately impressed with Somerton’s unique location, the scale of the site, and the many benefits it would bring to both the national supply chain and broader community.

Maharaj said the SIT’s capacity will allow the rail freight market to flourish while also benefiting the wider community, enabling more freight to move on rail, thereby helping to reduce traffic congestion, road accidents

and damage, and transport emissions.

“The benefits of the future SIT are compelling: it’s where a lot of freight movements and volumes are currently concentrated and it’s close to existing largescale distribution centres and warehouses, Melbourne CBD, port, and airport,” he said.

“For example, Coles’ national distribution centre is located within the existing 135-hectare Austrak Somerton Business Park.”

Maharaj said it was rare to find large parcels of industrial zoned land with direct access to major rail and road freight corridors, while also being positioned within an existing business and logistics precinct close to a CBD and port.

“Significantly, with existing intermodal capacity set to be constrained within the next decade, SIT offers a privately funded solution to both the Victorian and Australian governments in coming years to secure future growth for freight movements in both state and national rail supply chains,” he said.

(L to R)ITC safety manager Stephen Costello chief operating officer Brendon Gibson and chief development officer Leigh Cook, have been instrumental in the construction of the site at Somerton.

Maharaj said its vital rail freight has sufficient terminal capacity to grow and that future facilities are independently owned and operated so the whole supply chain can benefit from a competitive transport landscape.

“The SIT will be just that, and best of all, it’s funded by the private sector providing federal and state governments more scope to allocate limited taxpayers’ funds to continue to improve the resilience and capacity of existing interstate and regional rail freight networks,” he said.

Maharaj said once construction is completed in 2025, the SIT will be the largest intermodal terminal ever built in Australia. It will have an overall footprint of 45 hectares, including more than 30 hectares of concrete hardstands.

“The sheer size of the SIT allows an array of operational advantages and options for future customers, notably the ability to efficiently decouple, load and unload 600-metre port shuttle services and 1,500- and 1,800-metre interstate freight trains,” he said.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Maharaj said the future SIT provides customers with the ‘best of both worlds’ when it comes to accessing ARTC’s 7,500 kilometre standard-gauge interstate network and VicTrack’s intercity and regional broadgauge network.

“Having direct access to VicTrack’s broad gauge network allows the future SIT to

The future SIT is ideally located to service both standard and broad-gauge track networks and is only 22.5kms by rail to Port of Melbourne. Image/ ITC

also service bulk steel and paper products originating from Victorian mills, with the intermodal terminal providing dualgauge rail sidings to facilitate transfer of product between broad and standard gauge networks,” he said.

“Similarly, containerised products and commodities originating from regional Victoria and southern New South Wales can also be transferred between broad and standard gauge networks at a future SIT.”

KEY FEATURES INCLUDE:

• Strategically located within the existing 135-hectare Austrak Somerton Business Park, which has already attracted a host of customers, including supermarket chains, big box retailers, and freight forwarders.

• Direct access to the ARTC standard-gauge interstate network and VicTrack broadgauge network.

• Direct access to the Hume Highway, Somerton Road, and Craigieburn Bypass. The latter is the major heavy vehicle feeder from north-eastern Australian capital cities, Murray and Goulburn Valley’s agricultural and manufacturing areas, and links into the M80 Ring Road, Princes Hwy (M1/ A1), Citylink (M1/M2), Western Highway (A8/M8), Monash Freeway (M1) and East Link (M3).

Future customers of ITC will have the option to shuttle containers seamlessly between Somerton and stevedoring terminals at Port of Melbourne via 600 metre services. By rail, Somerton is only 22.5 kilometres north of Australia’s largest containerised port.

Initially, 11 rail sidings will be available for above-rail freight operators to access, including 750- and 900-metre sidings to facilitate decoupling and loading/ unloading of 1,500- and 1,800-metre interstate freight trains, respectively.

Laying of post-tensioned concrete slab (i.e. concrete slab instead of rock ballast) in terminal hardstands resulting in longerlife, hence less interrupted, operations (i.e. less maintenance required).

Several empty container parks totalling approximately 10 hectares in size. ITC has already placed orders for the

With a 200 strong on-site workforce, construction is moving ahead swiftly with much of the reinforced concrete slabs for terminal hardstands already taking shape.

• • regime, with ITC being the owner and operator of the terminal.

• Expor t/import customers, including regional shippers, will enjoy the added benefit of the SIT being a customs bonded facility.

• Full suite of services on site, including container repairs, washing and fumigation.

ITC Chief Development Officer Leigh Cook said the size of the future SIT and deployment of many and varied beneficial

logistics sector for decades, but I’ve never seen a site like Somerton – it ticks all the boxes in terms of size and capacity, location and configuration, direct rail and road network access, and close proximity to port and large distribution centres and warehouses,” he said.

INDUSTRY ICON CHAIRS ITC

Maharaj said ITC was fortunate to be chaired by industry leader and former ARTC CEO

“The ITC will help to inject greater competition into the rail freight sector, and the SIT will help to shift more containerised and bulk freight from road to rail, thereby reducing emissions in the hard-to-abate national supply chain,” he said.

REDUCING EMISSIONS

ITC Chief Operating Officer, Brendon Gibson, said the company estimates the future SIT will help remove the equivalent of 500,000

Once construction is completed in 2025, the SIT will include more than 30 hectares of concrete terminal hardstands.

IMAGES: PRIME CREATIVE MEDIA

truck trips each year off already heavily congested Melbourne streets, roads and motorways, including the Hume Highway and M80 Ring Road.

“ITC estimates removing this number of truck trips will help reduce emissions in the national supply chain to the tune of 189,000 tonnes each year,” he said.

Gibson said the future SIT will play a vital role in helping federal and state governments achieve mandated emissions reduction targets, not to mention assisting future SIT customers reduce their emissions in supply chain operations.

“For instance, in a 2020 report commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association, it was estimated rail freight produces up to 16 times less carbon pollution than road freight per tonne kilometre travelled,” he said.

The same report estimated road accident costs are 20 times higher than rail for every tonne kilometre of freight moved. A single container of freight switched from road to rail, between Sydney and Melbourne, would reduce accident costs by around $109.

Rail interoperability

Time for a single national network

There has never been a better time to streamline passenger and freight rail in Australia to lift national productivity and decarbonise transport.

The time is now to maximise the value of Australia’s rail network.

As the world goes digital, and Australian governments invest $155 billion in rail modernisation over the next 15 years, the National Transport Commission (NTC) is working with all governments and industry, to maximise the productivity, safety, and environmental benefits of these investments.

The nation’s Infrastructure and Transport Ministers, together with industry, have agreed to tackle the longstanding challenges and work towards developing a single, interoperable national rail network in Australia, linking major cities and ports across the country.

As NTC Chair Carolyn Walsh recently told AusRAIL PLUS conference in Sydney, many people still did not realise that Australia does not have a single national railway.

“We have eight different Rail Infrastructure Managers (RIMs) who all operate on what we

are now terming the National Network for Interoperability,” she said.

“If we are serious about decarbonising, if we want a larger share of freight onto rail, we need to max out the capacity of this rail network.”

Highlighting the importance of rail to the nation’s future productivity, National Cabinet (the Prime Minister, Premiers and First Ministers) have prioritised advancing national rail interoperability as one of eight priorities, alongside addressing health and housing shortages.

“I’m really pleased the NTC, working in concert with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and rail operators around the country, has managed to get interoperability on the National Cabinet agenda,” Walsh said.

“We’ve now got to nail it in the next year or so, to work out exactly what needs to be done.”

Improving interoperability and realising the benefits from Australia’s rail modernisation projects, depends on reducing differences across the nation’s networks so passenger and freight trains can move more seamlessly across the railway corridors connecting cities, regions and ports.

Reducing differences will also create economies of scale, reducing costs for operators and governments, while supporting locally made rolling stock and local jobs, strengthening opportunities for Australian manufacturing, and helping Australia meet its net zero emission targets.

A NATIONAL APPROACH

The NTC is leading the rail reform on behalf of ministers through delivery of the National Rail Action Plan (NRAP).

For the next four years, the focus is on advancing interoperability of the rail network

“Interoperability basically means that any train, no matter what network it’s going over, can operate at the highest level of safety and productive performance that that network offers,” Walsh said.

“We’ve got eight different RIMs. If they all

go off and introduce bespoke technologies and systems there will be a digital break of gauge as we move forward. And that’s what we want to avoid.

“At the moment we don’t really have a market mechanism or regulatory mechanism to ensure Australian rail is treated like a single national network and that’s what the NTC is working to develop.”

Through NRAP, the NTC is working with governments and the rail industry on a national approach to align new signalling and train control systems, with a focus on the eastern seaboard, and to reduce the regulatory and training burden on drivers and crew.

Other priorities identified include streamlining rolling stock approval regimes and identifying workplace solutions to address key skills shortage. Underpinning much of this work will be a new national approach to the standards.

Governments, rail operators, infrastructure managers and manufacturers have demonstrated a shared commitment to solving the interoperability challenge through the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation for Interoperability. This agreement commits parties to consider national rail interoperability ahead of future investments in the rail network.

HARMONISING STANDARDS

The history of rail in Australia has allowed different sets of standards, operating processes and working rules to flourish so

long as individual network owners have met their own network obligations. This has led to train drivers operating across the country needing to know multiple rule books and ways of working and be skilled up and competent in up to seven different operating systems.

“Imagine if you went from New South Wales to Victoria driving your car and a traffic light meant a different thing in Victoria than what it does in New South Wales,” Walsh said.

“Reducing the interoperability burden from a driver, crew and maintenance perspective and harmonising rules is all about making sure we’ve got a more efficient and effective railway that allows individuals to be able to move their skills across networks and across the country without having to relearn everything about that new railway that they’re coming to.”

To support productivity improvements across rail, the NTC is working with industry and governments to develop a national standards framework.

Ministers have tasked the NTC with developing a three-tiered standards framework, with a small number of critical mandatory interoperability standards with performancebased outcomes to focus on three areas: streamlining digital train technology; ensuring a safe driver interface; and making it easier and more efficient to introduce modern rollingstock on to the network.

There will be engagement with industry next year to inform the development of the first three interoperability standards, and a

Government is beginning to prioritise national rail interoperability with it going to National Cabinet

The NTC is working with governments and the rail industry on a national approach to align new signalling and train control systems.

IMAGE: NTC

the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RiSSB) and the Office of National Rail Industry Coordination (ONRIC) to inform the development of ‘model’ or best practice standards, to support local manufacturing and deliver wider industry benefits from a harmonised approach to standards development.

Understanding what has blocked the adoption of best practice standards to date, will be the subject of joint research next year, to inform the development of the standards framework.

The goal is to help reduce differences in rule books, harmonising operational procedures and competencies, and developing common rollingstock componentry standards to support local manufacturing.

Initial work has begun through NRAP’s three year harmonisation plan, with standards produced including glass, seats, brakes and wheel sets.

“We also have to provide incentives for freight operators to invest in the future with certainty. To know what sort of technology they need to be thinking about in terms of procuring rolling stock for the next 15 to 20 years,” Walsh said.

Greater harmonisation of rolling stock componentry will drive supply chain efficiencies and create economies of scale that drive down costs and stimulate local manufacturing opportunities. Supporting local content and streamlining procurement will help reduce Australia’s reliance on overseas supply chains.

The third tier of ‘local’ standards would allow for localised standards and streamlining training requirements.

The rollout of European Train Control Systems is underway along the eastern seaboard. The movement of freight and passengers along these rail lines play a role in supporting Australia’s economy.

“Billions of dollars is being spent over the next 10-15 years upgrading to 21st century systems, ultimately we’ll be able to get rid of the line side signals because the trains will be able to work far more efficiently through a digitised, train control system,” Walsh said.

“But if all those systems aren’t interoperable, if they can’t talk to each other and talk to the train in a seamless way, we won’t get the maximum benefit from that investment. The trains will be able to operate but they won’t get the safety and productivity benefits of the new system and we’ll never be able to pull out the line side signals that is the old technology.”

The NTC is working with Commonwealth and state governments to make sure the new systems are rolled out in a consistent way and interoperability is factored in from the outset.

Through its engagement with overseas rail organisations and a series of Future Rail Technology Forums, the NTC is learning from international experience.

NTC Chief Executive Officer, Michael Hopkins, said in Europe, consistent rollout of signalling systems across networks had delivered cheaper production costs and better safety, as well as 30 per cent more capacity on existing infrastructure.

REDUCING THE BURDEN ON TRAIN DRIVERS AND CREW

There are more than 10 different signalling and train control systems used in Australia, each with its own rules, procedures and

and crew.

The NTC is working with industry to better understand interoperability from a driver and crew perspective to make the experience of operating across multiple networks safer, simpler and more efficient.

This includes the development of a single on-board interface and harmonisation across existing training, workplace and onboarding practices.

STREAMLINING ROLLING STOCK APPROVAL REGIMES

Getting approval from infrastructure managers to operate trains on their networks is a challenge for rail operators. When trains cross multiple networks, the challenges multiply.

Each major RIM has their own unique acceptance process and specifications that rollingstock operators must follow to gain approval for their wagons and locomotives to operate on a particular network. This is causing:

• significant administrative burden;

• long and often unclear timeframes; and

• continued use of outdated/existing rolling stock.

“Operators have to comply with different applications and approval processes for each infrastructure manager, which hampers new investments and slows down the introduction of modern rolling stock,” Hopkins said.

“As rail grows, we have to reduce the time and cost of rolling stock approvals so that rail can continue to innovate and compete on a global level – leading to better safety and environmental outcomes.”

The NTC is currently working through reform options with jurisdictions to improve

More harmonised rail training will allow workers to easily move across networks without the need to retrain.

the coordination of processes to streamline operator approvals.

CREATING WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS

A chronic skills shortage across the rail sector is expected to continue for another decade at least.

A workforce gap analysis commissioned by the NTC and the ARA shows that unprecedented levels of investment in rail infrastructure and the rapid digitisation of the sector is driving demand for workers across a range of skillsets, from track workers and train drivers to engineers and other digital specific roles.

To meet these skills shortfalls, rail needs to attract a younger and more diverse workforce. It also needs to make it easier for people to work across networks, so workers facing a lull in work in one jurisdiction can move to projects on other networks.

Currently, the bespoke nature of training is trapping many workers in their jobs because their skills are not recognised across borders or jurisdictions.

To reduce this gap, the NTC is improving the quality and consistency in skills training and harmonising worker accreditation.

“We’re working closely with industry to develop a national blueprint for the mutual recognition of rail skills,” Hopkins said.

“This will identify and align the core units of competency that are foundational to many key rail roles.”

To help streamline and improve training, and encourage training providers to offer more courses for in-demand skillsets, the NTC has developed a pilot program for distributing nationally recognised courseware.

Free courseware, including training and assessment materials for Cert IV Rail Network Control, has been made available

and is now being used by 20 training organisations across Australia.

Work is also being done to help organisations diversify and attract younger workers.

Following the adage ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’, the NTC’s National Rail Skills Hub has spoken with rail workers from across the country in some of the most in-demand roles. Profiles highlighting the many and varied jobs have been published along with training pathways showing how to access and progress a career in rail.

To encourage collaboration, reduce duplication and maximise future training investments, critical skills training centres are being mapped and up-to-date data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research has been analysed to identify who’s training in specific skills, where they are being trained and who’s paying for it. Policy makers, training providers and industry can match this information with skills forecasts to ensure enough workers are being trained today to meet skills demands in the future.

It has also conducted a gap analysis of the new skills required as digital technologies change the way people work. More than 40 per cent of current rail workers will be impacted by digitisation in their roles and 84 per cent more digitally skilled roles will be required by 2027 in key areas such as data security, systems development, data analytics and data communication.

The NTC is working with governments and industry to set up a nationally recognised standard for future digital rail roles and provide learning pathways.

A digital upskill pilot program targeting up to 100 learners, using CISCO’s Network Academy, is now underway.

Funded by CISCO’s corporate social

responsibility program, it will train worker cohorts identified by participating rail organisations.

The program will provide a better understanding of the specific digital competencies rail requires. Data gathered will be used to develop a nationally recognised digital skills curricula and training courses specifically for rail workers.

SUPPORTING RAIL TO PLAY A BIGGER PART IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

Rail in Australia is at a unique point. Its value as an efficient, sustainable and effective mode of transport has never been greater as it moves more people and goods around the country than ever before.

The NRAP program with its focus on interoperability, harmonisation and skills, is about enabling Australia’s rail networks – passenger and freight – to run as a single, integrated railway system, maximising the benefits of new infrastructure and advanced technology that is being rolled out across the country.

By creating a mechanism for reducing differences between networks we can avoid a repeat of history that led to different rail gauges in the 19th century and enable freight operators to move goods safely and seamlessly across cities, regions and ports, better supporting our growing economy and population.

A more productive freight network will also lift rail’s mode share, reducing congestion, improving the safety of Australia’s transport system, and helping achieve Australia’s net zero emissions targets.

There will be more opportunities for local manufacturers to grow scale both domestically and internationally, creating more local jobs, strengthening supply chains and lowering costs for new investments.

A growing rail network means we also need to support the workers who keep it running.

More harmonised rail training will allow workers to easily move across networks without the need to retrain. This will help cut the skills gap and make rail a more attractive career option.

“The National Rail Action Plan is about unlocking rail’s potential so it can play a bigger role in our nation’s future,” Hopkins said.

“Success will only be made possible through strong partnerships between governments and the entire rail industry who understand the challenges and recognise the opportunities.

“We must work together and leverage this unique opportunity to deliver our rail system for the future.”

The different RIMs across the country. Image: NTC

Traversing the mobility jungle

Siemens Mobility is leading the charge in enabling Mobility as a Service (MaaS) for transport ecosystems across the world.

The future of mobility is intermodal. As cities and countries embrace an ever-expanding array of transport services and modes like e-scooters and on-demand transport (DRT), it is becoming increasingly vital for public transport, such as rail, to evolve and collaborate seamlessly with other transport modes to provide accessible and frictionless intermodal journeys for passengers.

Doing so not only helps passengers to connect to the public transit network more easily, but more importantly, discover new ways to utilise public transport (for example, using DRT as a feeder) and foster a modal shift away from the private car. This is where Mobility as a Service (MaaS) takes centre stage.

In essence, MaaS is a single, integrated digital platform, typically accessed via a mobile application, that provides personalised realtime journey planning, booking, payment and trip monitoring across all transport modes and services.

While the concept of MaaS is not entirely new, its adoption in practice is still in its infancy.

MaaS has been introduced successfully in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, but the concept still has some way to go in many countries, including Australia.

However, the possibility of MaaS in Australia is promising, and is seen by many in the industry as inevitable and necessary in order to streamline the growing transport modes and services and more efficiently facilitate integrated mobility.

Rail Express spoke to Siemens Mobility’s Sales Manager for Major Projects, Bülent Yilmaz, and Asia Pacific (APAC) Business Manager, Silas Wong, about how the transport technology provider’s MaaS portfolio is leveraging digital technology and data-driven solutions to provide a seamless and connected travel experience for individuals.

Yilmaz said MaaS is one of the company’s strategic initiatives to address the evolving needs of modern urban mobility. It incorporates a comprehensive and innovative approach to transportation that aims to simplify and improve the way people travel.

“The key idea behind MaaS is to offer a one-

Passengers now expect their trips to be as seamless and frictionless as possible –regardless of the transportation mode and operators involved. MaaS is a solution that can not only meet this expectation, but exceed it and solve their ultimate goal, which is to get to their destination with minimum fuss and be able to access real-time information about the status of transport services at all times.

For example, passengers may want the convenience of knowing where the location of the train or bus is in real-time is so that they would not have to wait too long in the sun or rain. Or for mobility-impaired users, the implementation of MaaS would mean that they will be able to coordinate their barrier-free trips at the press of a button.

stop-shop for various transportation services, integrating different modes of transport such as trains, buses, trams, ferries, taxis, ride-sharing and bike-sharing into a single mobility offering, with public transport as the basis,” he said.

“MaaS has great potential in Australia given its diverse mobility landscape.

“And we continue to innovate our MaaS offering as trends evolve, so that our MaaS solutions such as our intermodal journey planning and booking platform, can cater to Australian conditions.”

FROM A RAILWAY PERSPECTIVE

“The aim of MaaS is to help ensure that the passenger relies upon and trusts the public transit system, and of course a big part of this is rail,” Wong said.

“To increase the uptake of rail, we need to consider the bigger picture, as rail is, at the end

of the day, part of a larger ecosystem with other modes of transport.

“In recent years, there has been an increase in the uptake of newer transport modes such as e-scooters, for example.

“And then we have other shared transport services like e-hailing, which just 10 years ago, was hardly known. But now it’s commonplace via numerous mobile apps such as Uber and Didi.

“Through these examples, we can see that nowadays, passengers are spoilt with an abundance of transport services to choose from. In a way, this can be described as a mobility jungle of transport options.

“So how can passengers navigate this multimodal ecosystem so that they can choose the journey that is most suitable to them, whether it be the cheapest, most sustainable, or the fastest route, while encouraging them to travel more via public transport such as rail?

“This is where a lot of our customers, like public transit authorities and rail operators, are exploring the concept of intermodality. How do we connect rail with other transport services such as e-bikes, buses, e-scooters and taxis, to make it easier for passengers to get to and from the train stations?

“One of the most successful concepts uses public transportation as the backbone of a journey in combination with micro and shared mobility as the ideal first and last mile. This is where intermodal journey planning comes into play,” he said.

Wong explained Siemens Mobility has been spearheading the implementation of intermodal journey planning in the public transport industry.

“For example, with intermodal journey planning, we can show the passenger that they can actually take the e-scooter just around the corner to reach the train station in time to catch the next train and continue their journey,” he said.

“MaaS covers the end-to-end journey. We’re extending beyond just the station-to-station experience to a door-to-door scenario that allows passengers to seamlessly plan and monitor their trips in real-time using the optimum combination of available transport services, using rail and bus as the basis.

“And of course, on top of that you can add

MaaS is typically accessed via a mobile application. IMAGES: SIEMENS

booking services and payments to the trip plan, to provide the full MaaS experience to passengers.”

Wong said MaaS would also be of benefit amidst the proliferation of demandresponsive transport in Australia.

“That is where you have, for example, buses that are running on dynamic routes instead of fixed ones, to cater for lower density areas where buses could be dispatched to pick up passengers using the most fuel-efficient routes,” he said.

“DRT can serve as the first and last mile, with rail in between. And MaaS can make it easy for people to plan and book and pay for a DRT service to get to the train station, and continue their journey on the train as part of an integrated end-to-end journey itinerary.”

In essence, Wong said making the most of MaaS involves seeing how different modes of transport can be best synergised for the benefit of the passenger.

“It’s about adopting a collaborative and synergetic approach between transport modes rather than a competing one,” he said.

“Several modes, such as e-scooters and DRT, are naturally complementary to rail and being able to integrate them together as part of a journey plan will help people better discover how else they can travel with public transport.

“As an example, with a MaaS app, a passenger can find out different ways to take the train: rather than walking 20 minutes to the station, they might just use one of the share bicycles and get there in five minutes.”

THE GOVERNMENT’S ROLE

Wong said greater government investment and regulation in information technology and data sharing is crucial to the success of MaaS systems.

“The government has spent a lot of money to upgrade stations and make them more accessible, for example, building wheelchair ramps, walkways and lifts, but it is equally as important for such information to be available to passengers that require these in order to travel,” he said.

“If these passengers do not know that there’s an accessible ramp or a lift at a certain station, it could deter them from using the train at all.

“Or if passengers knew there was a parkand-ride where they could park their cars at the train station and continue the trip with the train, all at a cheaper price, then that’s something that would enable them to consider

that as an option as opposed to assuming that it’s easier to drive the entire way.”

Wong said that by provisioning infrastructure data and “having that information out there”, this can amplify the impact and usage of public transport infrastructure and services.

“And usually the level of investment for this is much smaller than what you would typically need to build infrastructure,” he said.

Yilmaz was also cognizant of the fact that for MaaS to be successful, there needs to be a common effort from transport service providers to share data to the platform.

“One of the biggest challenges of implementing MaaS is the commercial and legal agreements that have to be established between the MaaS operator and all participating mobility service providers, otherwise known as MSPs,” he said

“This is where the government can come in as a neutral party to establish the governing framework and direction for cooperation and data sharing in order to reduce complexity and promote fair integration.”

Wong said that having integrated more than 85 MSPs across its MaaS projects, it is vital that government, industry and academia work hand-in-hand to tailor MaaS for the local mobility landscape.

OUTLOOK FOR AUSTRALIA

Yilmaz said Siemens Mobility has been developing and delivering passenger information and journey planning technologies for more than 35 years to more than 100 customers globally, and is ready to serve the Australian market.

Silas Wong (left) and Bülent Yilmaz at AusRAIL PLUS.

MaaS provides personalised realtime journey planning across all transport modes and services.

IMAGES: SIEMENS

“At the recent AusRAIL PLUS conference, we presented our MaaS product at our stand, meeting visitors and showing the market what we’ve been doing overseas, and some of the lessons we’ve learnt,” he said.

“We see that the Australian market is evolving towards MaaS.

“While we haven’t got all our modes of transport fully connected yet, the market continues to grow and we are poised to step in when the environment is ready, whether it’s in one year or five years.

“Future transport strategies from some of the major public transit authorities already include MaaS as a key requirement for creating inclusive and connected journeys for passengers.”

Yilmaz said Siemens Mobility is committed to MaaS and has created a dedicated business unit to target the growing market.

“Our MaaS app, being a customised or white-label app, has been designed to be open and agnostic, which means it can flexibly connect with third-party systems. Based on our extensive experience delivering MaaS globally, we are able to bring a mature and proven technology to our customers.

“MaaS goes beyond map services such as Google Maps that are more B2C focused and commercialised through ads.

“Our MaaS platform is designed for operators and authorities in mind, giving them the flexibility to manage the system without bias and remain aligned to their strategic objectives. For example, they might configure the journey

planning algorithm to be more public transport oriented to encourage a modal shift away from private cars.”

Wong added that by working hand-inhand with its customer community, Siemens has been able to continuously innovate new functionalities that are impactful to passengers.

“A key functionality of the MaaS app we have developed is targeted messaging in times of service disruptions. Typically, what we see is a blanket statement being sent out to app users when there is a disruption such as a signalling fault, bus or train breakdowns, weather events, traffic conditions, accidents, and industrial strike action.

“With our system, we can issue targeted messaging for the impacted passengers only for the specific route they’re travelling on.

“So, if I’m in the office or at home, and I’m not travelling, I won’t receive a disruption notice.

train is disrupted. Now what? How do I still get to my destination?

“Our system has the ability to provide passengers with the latest disruption information and a curated list of what the next best travel options are, which might be to grab a taxi if they still want to arrive on time, or take a more cost-effective alternative but be 20 minutes late rather than two hours.

“The key message is that, at the end of the day, MaaS puts passengers at the core, so that they can get from A to B as seamlessly as possible, while being able to choose their preferred combination of transport services, with public transport as the basis.”

Wong concluded that with the proven experience and technology in MaaS, Siemens has high hopes to bring its expertise to the Australian market as integrated mobility and

MaaS integrates different modes of transport such as trains, buses, trams, ferries, taxis, ride-sharing and bikesharing into a single mobility offering.

MaaS integrates different modes of transport.

The hypercare approach to major events

Big events are booming in Sydney, and Transdev is using a “hypercare” approach to make sure fans get to and from venues safely and easily.

Transdev

With the city’s major event cap raised to 20 shows and a new Parramatta tram line set to open, Transdev is preparing for yet another record year.

Transdev runs the trams to the Moore Park precinct, home to both Allianz Stadium and the SCG, as well as other key venues such as Sydney’s International Convention Centre and Randwick Racecourse.

A growing list of global stars will play Sydney this year after recent concerts already by Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Pink and Taylor Swift.

Transdev Australia and New Zealand CEO,

other transport.

“The post COVID boost in big event travel has been remarkable. People are back out and about and wanting to go to more shows, concerts and big sporting events,” he said.

“Transdev made a record 37 million trips across Sydney’s tram network last year – a 46 per cent increase on 2022. Major events such as Sydney World Pride and the FIFA Women’s World Cup had a hand in that.”

Transdev Sydney Light Rail Managing

Director Arsene Durand-Raucher said the level of preparation Transdev undertook for all major event transport before, during and after an event, was critical.

“Events are always juggling acts requiring swift action, back-up plans and clear communication across teams and with customers – all driven by our well-trained people,” he said.

“Our goal is always to get fans to and from these major events safely, quickly and easily.

“There’s always a buzz when you’re travelling to that concert or sporting event together on our trams – it’s part of the atmosphere.

Brian Brennan, said the Moore Park tram stops were the gateway for many people to big stadium events before connecting to

aims to always get fans to and from major events safely, quickly and easily.

“Our staff are always focused on making sure everyone gets their safely, in time and has a good experience along the way.”

To deliver on this, Transdev’s mantra for major events is “hypercare”.

“This means we elevate and lift our usual level of support for a fixed period,” Brennan said.

“For customers, it means our people are ready for the volume increase and are extra vigilant, attentive and proactive in helping customers and fixing issues.

“For our client, ALTRAC and ultimately Transport for NSW, and our partners like local authorities and emergency services, it means we manage extra risks together that come with more services, transporting larger volumes of

of points, platforms and lift checks and ensure infrastructure teams are on hand or closeby to a venue for faster incident responses.

“It also involves us communicating more regularly and clearly about challenges and disruptions and heightened response times and fixes.

“We always flag with our partners when we lift for major events and enable and empower our people to focus on special event issues and disruptions.

“We make life easier for customers, even if it’s harder for our people.”

Transdev has also learned lessons from past events that did not go to plan.

“We came unstuck last year when weather combined with other network failures on one

preparation and network readiness by doing things like specific track and drain clearing before events.

“We also created stronger contingency and backup planning and responses and improved communication channels that enable faster info sharing from real-time feeds.

“We also looked at crowd flow upgrades and wayfinding that could improve flow to events, making the customer experience safer, faster and more enjoyable.”

Handling disruptions well is vital for any tram network. This is especially true when you have thousands of fans wanting to see their favourite band or team and then move out of the venue quickly and safely afterwards.

“We do scenario planning too, for likely failures and also left-of -field events. We also debrief as a team after each major event. Our clearance rates are good but we always need to learn and continuously improve,” DurandRaucher said.

“We have a fantastic local team who look after customers and stakeholders no matter what happens during events, when disruptions occur and if systems fail.”

With record patronage, increasing major events and the new Parramatta tram line to operate this year, Sydney Light Rail continues to maintain a high customer satisfaction rating of 93 per cent.

“This year will be another big year for major events in Sydney. Transdev is ready to

Transdev aims to always get fans to and from major events safely, quickly and easily.

Sydney Light Rail maintains a high customer satisfaction rate of 93 per cent.

Major projects and infrastructure

Collaborative approach to plug knowledge gap around the globe

At the heart of MTR Corporation’s success lies a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

In the global landscape of passenger rail operations, most railways function within an isolated silo, navigating their challenges and opportunities alone.

By bridging these operational silos and fostering a culture of collaboration, operators can tap into a collective wealth of knowledge, enabling informed decision-making and operational excellence throughout the industry.

Recognising the wealth of knowledge residing within its international hubs, MTR Corporation has initiated a series of global sharing sessions.

These sessions aim to foster collaboration, share best practices, and address challenges faced across the diverse landscapes in which MTR operates.

With 21 rail operations across three continents, MTR Corporation has a wealth of knowledge and experience in operating and maintaining metro, commuter, high-speed rail and light rail services.

As MTR Senior Manager Dale Mitchell explains, the global sharing sessions are driven by real-world challenges that come from the organisation’s international operations, and can range from safety best practice and maintenance innovation to operational excellence and project delivery.

“Already we have had more than 200 global colleagues attend four recent sessions, with more under development,” he said.

OPERATIONAL READINESS

Mitchell said a recent topic of interest across the rail industry has been operational readiness.

“Given the magnitude of rail projects being delivered around the world, operational readiness is a topic that provides a large range of lessons learned,” he said.

“Teams from different hubs have come together to share insights for delivering a reliable service on Day 1 of operations.

“They talk about lessons learned and good practice for trial running, reliability growth and operational readiness.

“These are just some of the topics that have been shared.

“Lessons from our Elizabeth Line, as well “This collaborative

approach is enabling industry, and MTR Corporation recognises

With the introduction of advanced signalling systems in Melbourne, the local MTR team has knowledge learned from Hong Kong and London to assist in developing their processes.

the importance of maintaining the highest standards.

The global sharing sessions have delved into escalator safety, with teams collaboratively developing protocols and best practices to enhance passenger safety.

The exchange of experiences and perspectives from different regions has allowed MTR to implement comprehensive safety measures, setting a benchmark for the industry.

SYSTEMS CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

Mitchell said that, in the ever-evolving technological landscape, effective systems configuration management is critical.

“MTR’s global hubs have come together to address this challenge, sharing expertise on managing ongoing and necessary change and improvement in complex software responsible for the signalling and communication systems,” he said.

“With the introduction of advanced signalling systems in Melbourne, due to the Metro Tunnel Project and HCMT trains, our local team there requested lessons learned from our Hong Kong, Sydney, and London to

assist in developing their processes.

“This collaborative effort ensures that MTR Corporation stays at the forefront of technological advancements, offering passengers a seamless and technologically advanced travel experience.”

PROBLEM-SOLVING THROUGH GLOBAL REACH

“One of the remarkable aspects of MTR Corporation’s global sharing sessions is their problem-solving orientation,” Mitchell said.

“Each topic addressed during these sessions has been requested by our hubs and based on real challenges encountered by teams in their day-to-day operations.

“By leveraging the company’s global reach, MTR is not only solving problems but also preventing them from recurring by learning from diverse perspectives”.

NEXT STOPS

Mitchell said that with the success of the global sharing sessions so far, interest is high for additional topics to be covered as opportunities at MTR’s hubs are uncovered.

“We are currently planning sessions on

asset management, including in depth knowledge sharing on Platform Screen Door (PSD) maintenance techniques, as well as remote condition monitoring good practice,” he said.

“MTR Corporation’s commitment to excellence is evident in its proactive approach to knowledge sharing and collaboration.

“The global sharing sessions are allowing it to harness the collective intelligence of its international teams to solve real world problems by the teams who are facing them.

“As MTR continues to evolve, these sessions serve as a testament to the power of global collaboration in driving innovation and operational excellence.

“By facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences, MTR Corporation is not only strengthening its internal capabilities but also contributing to the broader advancement of the transportation industry.

“As the company looks toward the future, the lessons learned from these global sharing sessions will undoubtedly continue to shape MTR’s journey towards excellence on a global scale.”

Global lessons have been used to help Metro Trains Sydney prepare for Sydney Metro City and Southwest augmentation.

Shaping the future of Australia’s rail

The Parisian metro operator RATP is bringing its exceptional savoir-faire to Australia: Sydney Metro announced in December 2022 the award of Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport Line to Parklife Metro Consortium in which RATP Dev, RATP Group’s international subsidiary, is the operations and maintenance partner.

Rail Express spoke to Yo Kaminagai, RATP senior adviser for urban mobility design, and Ross de la Motte, principal for Hassell, Parklife Metro’s architecture firm, to discuss RATP Dev’s skillset with a focus on station design, and the importance of collaboration to deliver successful rail mass transit projects.

TECHNICAL AND DESIGN KNOWLEDGE FOR URBAN MOBILITY HUBS

RATP Dev’s history is intertwined with RATP Group’s success story. The company, established 120 years ago in Paris, has become a world-class actor. Today, the Group is the third largest urban transport operator in the world, partner to more

than 780 cities in 15 countries, and transporting 1.5 billion people each year.

With more than a century operating the Paris metro, RATP Group has developed a recognised expertise in the operation of mass transit networks. When focusing on urban mobility hubs, this expertise ranges from designing one of the most complex and advanced signage systems to constant innovation in passenger information, as well as overhaul and renewal of almost 400 metro and ‘RER’ commuter rail stations.

In Paris, beyond operations and maintenance, RATP is also delivering major projects, such as metro line extensions. In 2024, on time for the

Olympic Games, RATP will deliver seven new stations on line 14, and six new stations on line 11.

This achievement is made possible due to in-house station design and service design experts, who are knowledgable in aspects such as passenger flows and crowd management, signage, and universal accessibility.

Those experts are particularly involved when RATP decides to collaborate with architects for new stations design, or for some key stations’ renewals.

Yo Kaminagai, RATP senior adviser for urban mobility design, world-renowned expert in station design and service design, highlights

Chatelet les Halles Station in Paris designed by RATP.

the partnership approach forged by its parent company as another key success factor for the delivery of brand-new stations.

He cites one example is the successful collaboration with architects Patrick Berger and Jacques Anziutti for the renewal of ChâteletLes-Halles, Paris’ central intermodal hub (eight metro and suburban train lines connecting underground).

“They understood our vision for a multipurpose central hub and delivered the perfect balance between functionality and urban integration. The result is an energyefficient structure also serving as a new space for Parisians: a garden, a shelter, a cultural hub,” he said.

More recently, each new station of Line 14 South extension to Paris Orly international airport has been designed by a different architect to tailor the urban integration and station design to the local identity for passengers.

Kaminagai has been instrumental in promoting collaborations between various experts.

“ We are proud to be partnering with high-profile architects in the delivery of new stations on Line 14. Working hand-in-hand with architects, designers and field experts has proven to be the key in delivering complex works of infrastructure,” he said.

“It allows for stations to be designed according to our clients’ requirements, with improved functionality and maintenance thanks to field experts feedback, while placing our passengers at the centre of our work.”

EMPLOYING THE FRENCH SAVOIR-FAIRE IN STATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD

Through RATP Dev, RATP Group has aspired to bring its operational excellence and specific skillset related to station design and urban integration to cities and regions across the globe, aiming to transform urban transportation durably.

The company’s fine-tuned approach features adaptability and world-class engineering, developing high-quality solutions specific to each town by drawing from its experience and collaboration mindset with the local stakeholders.

One example is the Green Line three in Cairo, Egypt, operated by RATP Dev since 2021.

The takeover of this existing line is yet another demonstration of RATP Group’s technical skills in operations and maintenance brought to a complex brownfield rail line. RATP Dev has managed a smooth transition from the previous operator, with a continuous focus on customer service excellence, resulting in tremendous added value for passengers’ experience.

In two years of operations, the customer satisfaction rate increased by 15 points,

reaching 90 per cent, and continues to improve. This was paralleled by a growth in monthly users.

Among the initiatives leading to this improvement are:

• Better passenger perception of Line three with new visuals, sound identity, and passenger information, including an easierto-understand network map and a line thermometer indicating intermodal hubs and monuments.

• An intensive digital communication strategy and advertising the range of the fares in partnership with the main Ministries of the New Capital and on university campuses.

• Cultural initiatives with local musicians and artists deployed in stations.

• Shops and services in the stations including Wifi in stations and onboard.

BRINGING DECADES OF RAIL EXPERIENCE TO NEW PARTNERSHIPS IN AUSTRALIA

With its experience operating high-performing rail networks globally and a presence in Asia-Pacific, RATP Group is ready to expand its operations in Australia and launch collaborations.

The partnership with Hassell has produced fruitful results and an exchange of knowledge that were significant for the Sydney Metro –Sydney Western Airport project.

Ross de la Motte, Hassell’s principal, explains the reasons behind such a collaboration.

“It is easy to work with RATP Dev because we have shared values and common goals. We are creating real value, giving our client more than they expected.” He said.

Hassell’s project Principals for the Parklife Metro Consortium travelled to Paris to meet the RATP teams and visit RATP’s latest urban hubs.

Similarly, RATP Group’s experts travelled to Sydney to work with the Consortium partners. Ross de la Motte fondly remembers when he first met Kaminagai.

“We shared our project portfolios and discussed our respective design philosophies and core values. There was mutual admiration for each other’s work and with this early alignment confidence grew quickly founded on trust”, remarking how “well both our companies clicked from the outset.”

De la Motte firmly believes that shared values, technical knowledge and transparent communication made the difference.

“Our working relationship with RATP Dev starts with trust and a ‘can do’ attitude. When all parties bring exceptional technical skills and a desire to create beauty and value at every step, combine these with flexibility and responsiveness, and commitment to deliver on time, then you have a great working model.”

The combination of excellent technical knowledge with a strong partnership mindset proves for successful collaborations. RATP Dev is delighted to continue nurturing this relation, teaming up with Hassell and John Holland for the Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne.

With the support of inhouse station design experts and a proven track record of prosperous partnerships, RATP Dev aims to demonstrate the benefits of its comprehensive technical skillset in Australia.

From delivering complex rail infrastructures to operating and maintaining high-capacity fully automated metro lines, the company takes pride in being a trustworthy partner for local governments, with the constant commitment to deliver excellent service performance and world-class customer service.

RATP staff guiding passengers.

Rolling stock and manufacturing

People power Molycop’s strength

It was the end of an era for Molycop Australia last December, when veteran Lindsay Reid, who has been instrumental in the business’ rail division, hung up his hat as general manager.

With world-class manufacturing plants in Newcastle, NSW, and Perth, WA , Molycop Australia has made a name for itself producing and supplying grinding media, fasteners, bolts, rail wheels and axles, track wheels and gear blanks.

The parent organisation – whose origins lie in the steel industry – is the largest grinding media company in the world. Committed to continuous improvement, the latest technology and sustainability, the business continues to shape the Australian mining, rail and manufacturing industries with forwardthinking solutions and lasting partnerships.

For the past 20 years, Lindsay Reid has been a key leader in the rail division of the Australian operation. He has led it through its expansion phase, with the development of heavy-haul rail wheels and axles and passenger car wheels to international standards.

But he’s been with the company much longer than that: his career spans 45 years, an impressive time span that began with an

sees the future for the company.

“When I came out of my apprenticeship, I was put on staff straight away,” Reid said.

“I worked in all different areas of production and in the rail department, moving on up to the superintendent level of the product manufacturing divisions.

“About 30 years ago, I got into the sales and marketing side of things, and then became general manager.”

Reid said his departure had been imminent for the past 18 months, after the company restructured some of its sales and marketing division roles.

“At the time of leaving it just felt right, and I was confident that the business was in good hands,” he said.

Indeed, that was Reid’s biggest concern.

“I wanted to make sure that the future of the business was safe, and that all the good work put in over the years was not going to turn out to be nothing,” he said.

“We have a very good team. I’ve always been very focused on developing the capability

people that are there.

“Our customers trust the people and they trust the business. I’ve always pushed the mantra of quality, performance and delivery, and of looking after customers.

“If you do all those things right and you

Champness and Reid take a closer look at the Molycop wheels.

Changing of the guard: Sharon Champness (left) and Lindsay Reid.

IMAGES: MOLYCOP

But while the rail industry is healthy, Reid said there was much room for improvement when it came to supporting local manufacturers.

“Keeping Australian manufacturing healthy and alive has always been a pretty tough job, and continues to be,” he said.

“Government support of local industry is waning in this country. Government needs to stop bowing to other countries and put the appropriate measures in to protect the Australian industry without being preferential.

“We are getting increased support from some of the state governments on local content, which has a positive effect on building the trains themselves, but also for some of the components, which of course are what we produce.

“As I leave, I’m happy that the business is still operating as an Australian manufacturer, which is very much a rarity.

“There’s not that many heavy manufacturing businesses like us still operating in Australia.

“As long as we continue to make a good product and give customers no problems, and the performance is solid and we do the fundamentals right, we’ll continue to prosper.”

Reid complimented the effort that staff had put in over his tenure, which helped put Molycop products on the map.

“Our success hasn’t just happened by chance,” he said.

“There’s a lot of work that’s gone into doing that with a lot of the products that we’ve made and developed over the years – for example, the high hardness micro alloy products, the rail

industry benchmarks.”

Looking to the future, Reid said the steel industry is going through a massive period of change, particularly on the environmental front.

“One of the biggest challenges for steel manufacturing in Australia in the next 10 to 20 years is from an environment point of view. Making steel is a very energy-rich process.

“If you’re using integrated steel and using coal and iron ore, it’s not very green-friendly. But steel is one product that’s very difficult to substitute, so they have to find solutions for that.”

So where to now for Reid? The golf course beckons, and taking the caravan around the country with his wife is also on the cards, as is spending more time with the grandchildren.

But while you can take the man out of the rail industry, it’s not easy to take the industry out of the man. Reid will continue to make his presence felt on various industry groups and committees, which will only benefit from his experience.

“I’ve had a long involvement in rail, with industry groups such as the Australasian Railway Association and the International Wheel Set Committee, which fosters growth in railway wheel and axle materials,” he said.

“I’m also part of a couple of volunteer groups that I’ve had sideline involvement with, including a few rail societies and those sorts of things, which I’ll have more time for now.”

Reid has been replaced by Sharon Champness, who also has a long history with Molycop.

“I was working for OneSteel in 2007 when

“Over the past 10 years, I have worked in different industries, but I have been back at Molycop for the last two. Prior to stepping into the general manager role, I was managing the HR, safety and environment function for Molycop Australia.”

Champness said she was delighted to lead such a customer-focused and committed business with a long tradition within the rail industry in Australia.

“Because I enjoy delivering great outcomes for customers, leading people and managing change, this role is a very good fit for me,” she said.

“I have worked in many different functions across diverse industries in my career. The rail industry is a dynamic and essential sector for Australia. It is a key part of our daily commute, trade across the country and the growth of the Australian economy. It is great to be part of this industry.”

Champness echoed Reid’s goals for the future.

“We are proud that our world-class Comsteel products are manufactured in Australia,” she said.

“Our ambition is to keep innovating our production and supply chain processes in partnership with our customers to further grow our responsiveness, speed and exacting quality standards.

“Lindsay Reid is well-known within our business for his strong focus on mentoring and developing others. These are also strengths for me and areas that I will see his legacy continue.”

Champness aims to maintain the company’s commitment to innovation.

Rail helping to transform lives

The rail industry has a far-reaching impact on communities and society. Here’s why.

You could say I was born into rail. As a thirdgeneration rail man, following in the footsteps of my father and grandfather, I was drawn to

Growing up in the UK back in the 1970s, I saw the impact that rail had on communities, connecting people and getting them to where

So working in rail seemed like a great opportunity to provide a service to people who often had no other form of transport and give them independence.

Since I started out in the rail industry more than 40 years ago, it’s been great to see the evolution to further embrace ways to transform

communities beyond providing great networks.

Today, we’re seeing greater opportunities to create community impact across at all stages of rail– and it’s not just on the mega projects.

As the supply chain has increased its capacity to service the rail industry, we’re seeing social impact play a bigger role during the delivery of projects and operations. It continues to evolve in ways that leverage new and existing partnerships to create the employment opportunities that can help deliver greater long-term benefits to the communities we serve.

In fact, that’s one of the reasons I joined John Holland.

When we say we’re up for the challenge of transforming lives, it really is something that we look at every step of the way in our projects and operations.

For us, it’s not just the impact the transport networks have once they’re up and running, but also the long-lasting impact we can have through strong and widespread commitment to social procurement, partnerships with social enterprises, and creating career pathways for people from diverse backgrounds.

At John Holland, social impact encompasses our work across social procurement, social inclusion and First Nations engagement, and importantly how we track and measure our impact.

Our approach to social procurement, is about helping build community and cultural understanding in our people that unlocks opportunities to procure from certified Aboriginal businesses, for example through cultural immersion programs and social procurement roadshows. As one of the early adopters, our commitment to Social Impact has seen us make great strides through our strong partnerships with social enterprises right across the company.

Since 2019, we’ve spent $45.4 million with social enterprises and $440m with Indigenous businesses, and in 2023, 29 per cent of our employees in regional areas were locals.

As I’ve progressed through my career, I’ve become more focused on how we ensure a robust rail industry in the future.

Bringing more young people into the industry and showing them a future with strong career opportunities will be critical to this.

IMAGES: JOHN HOLLAND

Bringing more young people into the industry and showing them a future with strong career opportunities will be critical to ensuring a robust rail industry.

Steve Butcher, Executive General Manager –

Thinking outside the box will ensure that we’re creating these opportunities for people who are from all backgrounds and walks of life, and showing that at John Holland we really are ‘up for the challenge of transforming lives’.

CREATING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Did you know that on average, it takes 2.6 years for a young person to find full time work after leaving education?

Our team has done some great work to look at how we can bring in young people who are unemployed or underemployed and provide them with quality job opportunities.

This year we’ll be participating in a pilot program in Melbourne, working with an organisation that supports young people into employment.

I’m passionate about this because I know what a career in the rail industry can provide.

Starting out my career in the rail industry as a 16-year-old sweeping station platforms, I’ve worked in a range of roles in rail and transport networks across the world in diverse cultures and backgrounds, including the Middle East, India and the USA. I’ve even worked on, and drove, the late Queen of England’s train.

The opportunities are endless, and showing young people where a career in rail could take them, supporting them into the industry, and then helping them to grow and develop will ensure a robust rail industry of tomorrow, all while transforming the lives of young people.

One of the things that’s important to us on our journey to create greater community impact is developing strong ongoing relationships with partners that can help us provide the wraparound support and resources to maximise the opportunity for success for people that face employment barriers. Through these relationships we can draw on their knowledge and experience about the most effective ways to create ongoing and sustainable impacts for the communities.

We know that work is much more than a wage – it gives people independence, an improved sense of self-worth and confidence, which is connected to overall health and wellbeing.

That’s why another area that we’re focused on, is creating pathways for young people in the justice system. Providing meaningful work, with a career opportunity will help prevent reoffending.

Providing respectful, meaningful employment and the opportunity to build a career for people that have experienced the justice system is an important part of supporting their reintegration into the

community. This isn’t about high-volume recruitment, it’s about taking a broad view on talent and valuing the social impact that can be generated by providing a life-changing opportunity, which will have flow on effects across the community.

While this is a more challenging area, it really speaks to our purpose of taking on the complex challenges for the ultimate outcome of transforming lives.

MORE THAN JUST JOBS

Not satisfied with just delivering better rail networks and connections, from the very start we’re focused on how our projects can have a greater impact on the community.

Where we can, we work with our clients to provide resources and opportunities for diverse groups in the community.

We know that for someone to be successful in the workplace, it takes more than providing a job.

It’s the wraparound services that are also critical to support people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

That’s why it’s so important that our teams and leaders are committed to creating safe and supportive environments, which is reinforced

by our health and safety, and diversity and inclusion processes.

Combined with our strong partnerships with organisations that support our social inclusion initiatives, which are so important to us.

One area we’re focused on is supporting women and children who face domestic violence.

We’ve seen good outcomes through partnerships that provide employment pathways and financial stability. By focusing on a reintroduction to the workforce with an increase in skills and confidence, we’re genuinely transforming lives.

These are some of the examples of the spaces where we’re truly making a difference to the communities we’re working in.

This commitment to social impact is also helping us to address the skills shortage in the rail industry, as we showcase the opportunities to new groups of people who never considered our industry before.

I know what the rail industry can offer –I’ve made a lifelong career out of it. I’m really proud of the work we’re doing across our rail and transport business to create pathways and futures for more people in our community.

It’s important for workplaces to have safe and supportive environments, reinforced by health, safety, diversity and inclusion processes.

Addressing Australia’s future rail skills needs

A collaborative plan is underway to help Australia attract 70,000 more rail workers.

Growing a strong, diverse workforce with the skills to operate existing and new parts of the rail network is a priority for rail organisations across Australia.

Around 70,000 extra workers will be needed over the next 10 years as networks expand and modernise. Finding these workers will not be easy as Australia faces the tightest labour market in 50 years.

New research by Oxford Economics, commissioned by the National Transport Commission (NTC) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA), shows that demand for rail skills will continue to outpace supply as rail construction reaches unprecedented levels.

Additional projects and competition for talent from other sectors, such as energy and mining, is expected to widen the gap and put even greater pressure on the rail industry’s capacity to deliver major projects.

Oxford Economics Australia’s Head of Construction and Infrastructure, Adrian Hart, said the country was now seeing a ‘stronger for longer’ tide of work, which continues over the next decade at least.

An overview of the rail workforce by the ARA found that 34 per cent of rail workers are over 50 years of age.

If a significant percentage retire by the age of 62, the sector will lose 35 per cent of existing workers by 2035. This is a loss both in numbers and skills, particularly in areas such as train driving, network control and planning.

Adding to the rail skills challenge is the rapid digitisation of rail roles and the need for new skills to operate and streamline technology and help rail transition into more sustainable operations.

FINDING WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS

The NTC, through its National Rail Action Plan, is working with the ARA, governments, industry and the education sector to find national workforce solutions.

Through a Future Rail Skills Forum, skills roundtables and collaborations with representatives from rail operations, manufacturing, construction, technology providers and the education sector, the NTC is working to develop greater mutual recognition and portability of skills. Training across

networks and attraction of new, more diverse cohort of workers, including women and young people, is a major focus.

ATTRACTING A NEW COHORT OF RAIL WORKERS

Research by Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) found that occupations with a highly gender skewed workforce are more likely to experience skills shortages.

Despite several successful diversification programs, rail’s female participation rate lags at around 24 per cent.

Federal Skills and Training Minister, Brendan O’Connor, told the NTC’s 2023 Future Rail Skills Forum that rail can’t afford to ignore half the workforce.

Rail leaders attending the forum noted that enticing more women and young people into the sector is one of the greatest challenges facing rail today.

Siemens head of engineering ANZ, Naomi Knight, said the industry needed to become more visible and better at promoting itself as an exciting, dynamic career option.

“Instead of competing for workers and poaching each other’s employees, rail organisations should work together to promote the industry… to show what is possible

earnings-wise and the opportunities for development and learning new skills,” she said.

“More work needs to be done to promote rail in schools and universities and to highlight the many and varied careers that rail offers.”

National Rail Manufacturing Advocate, Jacqui Walters, said Australia needed to be clearer about the high-tech nature of this industry and the opportunities for workers that are interested in digital and high-tech control systems.

She said as well as attracting new workers, the rail industry needs to find better ways to keep them.

Attendees at an AusRail skills roundtable facilitated by the NTC highlighted the success of retention strategies that focused on improving culture, including:

• greater flexibility around rostering;

• oppor tunities to job share;

• inclusion and diversity programs supported at a high level;

• mentoring programs; and

• the practice of hiring cohorts of minorities rather than single workers.

A NATIONAL APPROACH TO SKILLS TRAINING

Australia’s expanding rail system needs a

Training for signalling systems being carried out by Transport for NSW.

IMAGES: TRANSPORT FOR NSW

mobile workforce with the ability to move across Australia’s 29 networks to meet demand.

Currently, rail skills training is largely bespoke with workers trained on specific networks and systems. This causes limited mutual recognition of people’s skillsets and qualifications – creating a drain on national productivity.

“(Siemens ANZ) manages 11 different competency management systems,” Knight said.

“I might have 15 engineers in Sydney who have got a lull in work, but they can’t work on our Melbourne project because it’s a totally different competency management system.”

Differences between networks extends to job titles, roles, standards and working rules.

Industry Skills Australia (ISA) Industry Engagement Manager, Paul Humphreys, said it was difficult to build a national skills system without standardised systems, standardised terminology, standardised job titles, which allow people to move across jurisdictions and networks and be recognised for what they do and the skills they possess.

Alongside the ARA and ISA, the NTC is working to address these differences and improve efficiencies.

All three organisations are identifying commonalities between networks and developing mutually recognised qualifications and training programs that meet both industry standards of competency and organisations’ obligations under Australia’s Rail Safety National Law.

To encourage training providers to offer more courses for in-demand skillsets, the NTC has developed a pilot program for distributing nationally consistent courseware.

Free training and assessment materials for Certificate IV in Rail Network Control has been made available on the NTC’s National Rail Skills Hub.

The material is now being used by 20 registered training organisations (RTOs) across Australia to expand and strengthen their current offerings. With trainers and assessors in short supply, having access to high-quality resources means that instead of preparing curricula, they can focus their time on delivering courses and training more people in the rail skills needed to build and operate Australia’s rail system.

To inform this work and assist with workforce planning, collaborative initiatives are also exploring better ways to gather and share public and private sector data.

This will help governments, rail organisations and the education sector identify the specific skills required over the next decade, where they will be needed and when.

PREPARING FOR A DIGITAL FUTURE

Digitisation is transforming Australia’s rail network and how people work.

in Rail report, by 2027 nearly 40 per cent of roles in rail will be touched by new technology.

It is estimated that workers in 21 job categories including train drivers, track workers, train controllers, will need some level of digital training and digital competency.

And 84 per cent more specialised digital workers will be needed in areas such as:

• Data security.

• Data analytics.

• Systems development.

• Data communication.

This includes hundreds more engineers specialised in ICT, networks, systems, and telecommunications who will be required to design, build, test and maintain the new train control, signalling and communications systems that are improving interoperability across Australia’s rail networks.

The NTC is bringing together government and industry leaders to agree on a national approach to tackling the forecasted digital skills shortfall. The NTC has signed a 12-month exploratory memorandum of understanding (MOU) with global networking firm, CISCO, to accelerate the development of digital skills in rail across Australia and improve rail interoperability.

A digital upskill pilot program, ‘Connect the Unconnected’, targeting up to 100 learners, using CISCO’s Network Academy, is now underway.

Funded by CISCO’s corporate social responsibility program, it will train worker cohorts identified by participating rail organisations in cybersecurity, networking, Internet of Things, data science and programming.

Data gathered during the pilot will be used to develop a nationally recognised digital skills curricula and training courses specifically for rail workers.

Data critical to meeting skills strong future to maximise the benefits of future skills

identify specific skills required, where they will be required and when.

As UK National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) Chief Executive Neil Robertson told the Future Rail Skills Forum, “data opens doors”.

“(The NSAR) takes a scientific approach to bringing in new talent. We collect and store data on the existing workforce and predict what workforce is needed for the future … we understand the implications of new digital technologies and we promote the sector to attract new entrants under one initiative,” he said.

To do this, the NSAR has adopted an evidence-based framework that relies on the support and contribution of data from organisations across the across the rail industry.

The NTC is currently working with rail sector partners to find a way to gather, collate and store private and public sector data.

The data will inform a national rail workforce forecasting tool being co-developed by the NTC and JSA. This can be used by governments to help streamline the scheduling of future projects, by rail organisation’s to improve workforce planning and by the education sector to help predict future skills demands so workers are ready trained in the skills required as jobs arise.

COLLABORATION IS KEY TO SOLVING THE SKILLS CHALLENGE

Skills shor tages in rail are not new or unique to Australia. Across the world, competition for skills is expected to increase, peaking in Australia in 2027 and again in 2032.

Through its collaboration with governments, industry, and the education sector the NTC’s rail skills program is giving the rail sector a better understanding of the challenges ahead and the opportunities to ensure Australia has the workforce it needs to grow a modern, interoperable rail system that plays a bigger part in the country’s economy.

Rail workers examine a map of a rail track.

Workforce solutions

Improving the experience for rail passengers

Developed by the National Transport Commission, the National Rail Skills Hub aims to address a shortage of rail workers by showcasing the range of jobs available in the industry while also fostering broader skills recognition and job portability.

IN PROFILE

• Dianne Banks Head of Engineering, Civil and Structural Systems

Yarra Trams, Melbourne

As a child, Banks loved solving problems.

“I remember constructing a cubby house to make a rabbit hutch,” she said. “For me, it was about using the resources you had to resolve a problem within a defined period.

“I’m the oldest of three girls. My sister and I both became engineers. The sister in the middle is a maths and science teacher. So there is a definite thread there. Our parents were very supportive of us going into our chosen fields.

“There are five heads of engineering at Yarra Trams. I’m the only woman among the five.

“Yarra Trams encourages new ideas and it’s employing more women across all areas.

“Part of the complexity of my job arises from the simple reason that I work on light rail in Melbourne, one of the few cities in the world where over 75 per cent of the network is integrated with the road. It makes for a logistical challenge.

“At the moment I’m among those providing the technical assurance and design authority for civil and structural engineering works surrounding the new maintenance depot in Maidstone. The impetus for the project is the introduction of G-Class trams, which is due for completion in 2025.

“I try to improve the passenger experience, by attending to details such as the height of

platforms at tram stops, the location of tram stops, current State and Federal legislation, and linking up trams services with those of buses and trains. Engineering isn’t just about numbers; it’s really about people and innovation. On any given day, I liaise with people all over the public and private spheres all to make a great experience for our passengers and enable operational efficiency. This aligns with current and future network requirements to service Melbourne now and into the future.

“In 2001, I graduated with a double degree in civil engineering and business administration. I started my career as a VicRoads graduate engineer before going into private consultancy. Among the biggest tasks during this time was transport modelling the changes to the suburb of Dandenong with the opening of EastLink.

everyone is working towards the same goal. We review reports by the service operators and, as part of the departmental compliance requirement, we perform a yearly audit across the service operators.

“The construction of EastLink diverted traffic away from the south-eastern suburb’s traditional route along the Princes Highway. I helped to redesign the suburb’s commercial hub to become more pedestrian-friendly, with a range of facilities to encourage visitors.

“My main task now is ensuring that Keolis Downer, the operator of Yarra Trams, delivers safe and reliable tram services.

“Through my work, I ensure that the design, construction, and maintenance is considered within the operating environment.

“I will regard my role as successful if it continues to serve the public 40 years down the track, or longer.”

IN PROFILE

• Christine Konings Manager, Passenger Information (Information Communication Technology)

South Australia Public Transport Authority (PTA)

For Konings, every day is different, and she revels in them.

“As a telecommunications engineer, I’m required to be creative, to think outside the box. We have a group of lovely people working together,” she said.

“We cultivate relationships between internal and external stakeholders to make sure

“I started my engineering study back in Malaysia. I studied at college in Sarawak for two years. Then I transferred to the University of SA and did my last two years there. I didn’t intend to work in the railways, at that stage I didn’t know what rolling stock was. I thought I would give it a try. That was in 2009, I’ve been in rail ever since.

“At the PTA, telecommunications engineers are responsible for radio communications across the modes. Communication between the train driver and network control is essential.

“One of my projects at Adelaide’s central railway station required an investigation into how the legacy systems worked. I found a set of drawings that were 30, maybe 40 years old. Looking at the drawings gave me an appreciation of how things have changed.

“In an attempt to streamline the passenger experience, we’re working towards unifying the passenger information systems across all modes. The challenge is to make sure the legacy systems are integrated into the systems that we’re trying to introduce. This ensures continuous operation of the systems.

“With the advancement of technology and the development of AI features, we’re working toward systems automation. The more automation of systems, the better.”

Yarra Trams Engineering and Structural Systems head Dianne Banks.

SA PTA Passenger Information manager Christine Konings

IMAGES: NTC

Software pathway proves a colourful career

Jason Lim is bringing a splash of colour to his role as a junior software engineer at Metro Trains Melbourne.

He said it was surreal to be part of major projects such as colour coding the train network so that passengers can easily find their way.

“It’s not that long since I joined Metro, and already I’ve made a change that so many people will see every day,” he said.

Lim was part of the Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) Graduate program when he first learnt of the Metro’s software engineering team.

After completing a double degree in Electrical and Computer Systems and Finance

at Monash, he joined the RPV Graduate program and was part of the signalling rotations, mainly on the Geelong Fast Rail and Melbourne Airport Rail projects.

Lim joined Metro’s software engineering team and found he was able to share his signalling experience and knowledge to really enhance the team’s expertise.

“It was always a very welcoming environment. It never felt like I wasn’t here to stay,” he said.

“Here at Metro, it’s been great to see the maintenance and the day-to-day running of our network. This is where the magic happens,” he said.

Project manager, Thomas Shaw, said the colour coding of the passenger information displays (PIDs) would help passengers navigate stations where many lines meet.

“A clear colour code that’s consistent across the network will help passengers have a smoother journey,” he said.

“Everyone has worked hard as one team to complete these works without causing any disruption to our passengers, a great team effort.”

Deakin University to offer rail microcredentials

Rail-specific courses will be offered at Victoria’s Deakin University for the first time this year, after an agreement was signed with the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) to co-develop the curriculum in postgraduate and undergraduate engineering degrees.

ARA Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Wilkie, explained the agreement in greater detail.

“This is a significant milestone towards addressing the current skills gap in rail and creating a more sustainable workforce to enable a thriving industry in the future,” she said.

“These courses will help to rectify the shortage of rail-based learning in current university engineering degrees and enable students to hit the ground running once they graduate.”

The ARA/Deakin partnership will see the development of two microcredentials with a focus on both civil and electrical/mechanical systems:

• Microcredential 1 (Railway Design) – six weeks.

• Microcredential 2 (Railway Maintenance) –five weeks.

They will form part of a postgraduate

degree at Deakin University. The unit will also be offered to undergraduate students as an elective, as well as being offered to industry professionals.

The ARA will provide support with resources for co-development of the training programs, such as access to SMEs, case-studies and realworld examples.

“The Australasian rail industry has invested heavily in the development of nationally recognised vocational education and training qualifications to support the development of specialist rail trades and operational personnel that are essential to its activities,” she said.

“The ARA is continuing to build valuable relationships with universities and this initial agreement with Deakin is a very important first step on this journey.”

Workforce development is a key priority for the ARA, with work underway on several initiatives to address skills gaps and ensure a productive, safe and efficient industry.

It is working with the education sector across Australia to build training and learning solutions that support careers in rail and help existing rail industry workers transition to new technologies.

Engineering disciplines such as civil and electrical are the most urgent. As rail moves more into digital signalling systems, such as European Train Control Systems (ETCS) and Communications Based Train Control (CBTC), there will be a need for degrees in areas such as Communications and Electronics to have electives that allow students to acquire knowledge with application in a rail context.

The ARA is continuing discussions with other universities to also introduce rail-specific subjects to electrical engineering degrees and that includes content related to renewable energy sources and rail transitions to those new energy sources.

Douglas Creighton and Caroline Wilkie sign the agreement.

IMAGE: ARA

IMAGE: METRO TRAINS MELBOURNE

Jason Lim at the signal controls.

Rail projects grow waste business

Launching a business during a pandemic is a bold move, but one that’s already paying off for waste management and recycling company Djurwa and the vulnerable community members it supports.

Starting with one truck in 2021, the Indigenous majority-owned business has quickly grown to a fleet of six trucks and hundreds of bins, partnering with Victoria’s Big Build to work on some of Melbourne’s biggest infrastructure programs, including the Union Road, Surrey Hills and Mont

Albert Road, Mont Albert level crossing removal projects.

Djurwa supplied commercial waste bins to site to enable the project team to sort and recycle waste streams, as well as skip-bin services to recycle demolition and construction waste products. This enabled the project to minimise environmental impacts and the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Djurwa director, Sean Wilson, said that was the company’s first major contract.

“Without that building block we would never have jumped to the next level,” he said.

“The project’s social inclusion and Aboriginal engagement framework was crucial to our success in winning other contracts, building capacity to purchase more trucks and bins, and to offer employment pathways for Indigenous Australians.”

As well as providing waste management and recycling services, the profit-for-purpose business delivers training pathways and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through joint venture partners BINGO Industries and Aboriginal owned-andoperated Yalagan.

Company chief executive, Nathan Martin, said the name Djurwa (pronounced Jurwa) - which means “to grow” in Dharawal language - was chosen for its association with

METRONET helps jobseekers get on track

After leaving school in Year 9, struggling with personal challenges and having limited skills and training, Perth man Brendan Davies’ career path had typically followed warehousing and transport logistics jobs. However, there is nothing typical about his decision to challenge himself and try something new.

After learning about the OnTrack Employment Program run by the team delivering the METRONET Victoria ParkCanning Level Crossing Removal Project, he took the brave step towards applying and ultimately, steered his life and job prospects in a whole new direction.

The seven-week OnTrack Employment Program provides training and employment opportunities to work-ready individuals like Davies, helping improve their knowledge and skills in reading and maths, managing money, understanding different cultures and mental health, communicating, handling conflicts and using small tools and equipment.

With these new skills in hand, trainees

are then offered help to find jobs or apprenticeships.

Davies said his favourite part of the Program was the Thrive Life Skills, which helped him think about his values, set goals and have honest conversations.

“We talked about the challenges we have faced, and I realised many of us had similar stories. For me to overcome these challenges I had to change my way of thinking. It was hard but I compare it to fixing a house: when a house falls apart you start with the foundation and not the roof, and the program gave me that strong base,” he said.

Davies was one of 13 trainees to successfully complete the first round of the program earlier this year.

He was so successful he was hired as the OnTrack Employment Program Coordinator.

“After finishing the program, I found a stable job and now I can take care of myself and my children. I’m on a path to being the best version of myself and I’m thankful for this chance to follow my passion and

rejuvenation and bringing country back to life after a cultural burn.

“For us it’s about rejuvenation –rejuvenating communities by investing in people and country by improving recycling and environmental outcomes for future generations, and rejuvenating lives by providing job pathways and opportunities for Indigenous communities, including exoffenders who often struggle to find work,” he said.

“You can’t be what you can’t see. We want others to see us as business leaders, cultural leaders, national leaders, so the next generations can aim even higher.

“We want to create a pathway that is more than entry-level positions. We want to show that you can own your own business, you can own your own home, you can create a future for others and look after community and culture while doing it.”

help people,” he said.

The OnTrack Employment Program is aligned with the project’s Sustainable Employment Plan, which aims to achieve 4 per cent of total project work hours undertaken by Aboriginal people and 5 per cent by entry-level, work-ready individuals.

The program is open to people with an Aboriginal background, female job seekers, older job seekers (45+), young people aged 16 to 24, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and former prisoners.

Sustainable Employment Program lead Bianca Howard said the program was a winwin for participants and the project.

“While the participants gain essential skills in financial management, literacy and numeracy, cultural safety and communication, as well as on-site experience operating small plant and equipment, the VPC LXR project also gains access to accredited work-ready employees and contributes to increased equity and diversity in the civil construction industry overall,” she said.

SRL program helps kick-start careers

An innovative trainee program is giving Victorian high school girls a unique chance to kick-start a career in construction by working on Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East from Cheltenham to Box Hill.

Delivered in partnership with Laing O’Rourke, Head Start and Holmesglen TAFE, the NextGen Construct program provides work experience to girls studying science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), offering hands-on experience working on SRL East two days a week over two years, as well as opportunities for mentoring and future ongoing employment at the end of the program.

Each student is paired with a female industry mentor and their program hours contribute to a Certificate III in Business through Holmesglen. Four Year 11 students are participating this year.

Jade Gosbell, 16, from Melbourne Girls’ College, hopes to become a carpenter and has joined the Health and Safety team while

completing a Certificate II in Building and Construction Carpentry.

‘Women aren’t usually taught about trades and it’s important to have a balance in any workplace – this program provides these opportunities,” she said.

Bijana Tarrosa, 18, from Cranbourne Secondary College, wants to be an engineer and has been working in the Sustainability team to learn about environmental considerations.

“I enjoy learning and discovering how things are built, what materials to use and how all the different elements come together,” she said.

Maria Mansour, 16, from Fountain Gate Secondary College, joined the Health and Safety team and has her sights set on attending university.

“I hope to work for Laing O’Rourke or with a similar company in the future,” she said.

Sarina Yim, 16, from Lyndale Secondary College, joined the People and Social

Outcomes team for her first rotation.

“I believe being part of a major project will teach me valuable skills and support my personal growth,” she said.

The students rotate through eight industry areas within Laing O’Rourke – SRL East’s managing contractor for initial and early works – from engineering to human resources and will be offered a job at the end of the program.

Early construction of SRL East is well underway – creating hundreds of early direct jobs – with more than 14 per cent of hours being worked by apprentices, trainees and cadets.

With trains running by 2035, SRL East will deliver a turn-up-and-go service, connecting more Victorians to universities, TAFE, jobs and services.

The areas around SRL stations will attract diverse housing, providing future generations – like Jade, Sarina, Maria and Bijana –more opportunities to live close to work and family.

From planes to trains for safety specialist Shane

Rail safety and accreditation manager Shane Murphy started his career in aviation before making the switch from planes to trains.

Now, he is working to deliver a safe rail line that will serve Victorians for years to come on the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) project.

Murphy worked in operations at Qantas for 21 years, where he not only helped keep people safe on and off the tarmac, but he met his wife, Lily.

He later became a lead investigator – first at V/Line, then at Metro Trains.

His role was to understand how accidents or derailments occurred and what could be done to stop them happening again.

“Humans are prone to making mistakes and if you consider the hazards associated with rail transport, even small mistakes can have lasting effects,” he said.

“All of us can confess to misplacing our keys, misunderstanding an instruction or even using a mobile phone while driving.

“These mistakes and violations make us human and acknowledging that helps us account for human behaviour when we design railway systems.”

Murphy is now working on a safety management system to allow construction of SRL East’s twin tunnels to begin, and to achieve accreditation under Rail Safety National Law.

He said rail safety covers the entire life cycle of the project, from construction through to testing and operation.

By the 2050s, Melbourne is going to be a city of nearly nine million people – the same size London is today.

SRL East from Cheltenham to Box Hill will deliver six new underground stations at

Clayton,

When Murphy’s not thinking about rail safety, he’s running after his two teenage girls, catching up with friends and family, and brewing his own beer.

He looks forward to the day when his daughters can ride SRL to access jobs, education and health care.

Cheltenham,

Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill by 2035.

Shane Murphy is working on a safety management system for SRL.

IMAGE: SRL

Busy 2024 ahead for rail industry

The past year has been a busy one for the rail industry with 2024 promising to be just as hectic. Rail Express looks at what each state will be up to over the next 12 months.

NEW SOUTH WALES

The state government has a number of rail works scheduled for 2024 with one of the bigger projects being the Western Sydney Airport Line. It will be a 23-kilometre driverless metro line that will connect the new Western Sydney International Airport to Sydney’s rail network. Construction began in late 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2026 with the start of 2024 seeing strong progress on the 3.5-kilometres of elevated viaduct.

In September 2023, TBM Peggy completed the first leg of excavation to the Aerotropolis, a major component of the airport link. It is expected to commence excavation at the Aerotropolis station site in 2024.

Sydney Trains is rebuilding platform two at Jannali station by replacing the current post-

and-panel retaining wall system with modern precast concrete units. The platform will also be extended by 16 metres, to an overall length of 173 metres.

The work is being completed in stages during scheduled weekend rail possessions and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Sydney Trains is replacing the timber deck supporting the track on the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a concrete composite deck.

The work is being completed in stages during scheduled week night and weekend rail close downs. The new deck will strengthen the structure, extend the life of the rail corridor, simplify track maintenance and reduce train noise for nearby residents.

The project is expected to be completed in March 2025

VICTORIA

Victoria has a range of projects slated for 2024, while many will not be finished for the next couple of years, several rail projects will be worked on this year.

The regional VLine services will have a number of track works completed to update the states network.

The Geelong Rail Revival will enable more frequent and reliable services for Victoria’s fastest-growing regional city.

The work will include upgrades to three stations, two level crossing removals, eight kilometres of new tracks, which culminates in five extra services per hour during peak periods and three per hour during off-peak.

The Gippsland Line will have four stations upgraded and one new rail bridge built over

Sydney will see a large amount of focus on its rail link in 2024.

the Avon River at Stratford.

The Murray Basin Rail project will be a regular feature in 2024 with a range of works set to be completed. This will include siding upgrades, passing loops, track upgrades, refuelling and signalling improvements.

The Shepparton line will see three stations and 59 level crossings upgraded, and 1.1 kilometres of extensions resulting in 10 extra train services between Shepparton and Melbourne. Shepparton commuters will also have VLocity trains running on the line moving forward.

Warrnambool will have 60 level crossings upgraded, 2.2 kilometres of new track, which will see a fifth weekday service running. It will also be able to utilise the VLocity trains.

Melbourne’s Metro lines will not see a similar amount of work as the regional lines but as the Metro tunnel edges close to completion, it will be a focal point of 2024.

Construction is underway on the Cranbourne Line Upgrade, with 8km of duplicated track between Cranbourne and Dandenong complete and a new Merinda Park Station open to passengers.

The works will also include level crossing removals at Camms Road and Webster Street and a new rail connection for the Port Rail Shuttle Network.

The second stage of the Hurstbridge Line Duplication delivers further improvements for Melbourne’s northeast, including more train services, less crowding on peak trains and better connections to public transport.

As part of the project, Metro built new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency and upgraded Diamond Creek Station. Works also included duplicating two kilometres of rail track between Greensborough and Montmorency stations and 1.5 kilometres between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen stations to allow trains to run more often.

The final stage of works on the Kananook Train Stabling Yard are now being delivered and will more than double the number of the trains able to be stored at the facility.

The project will increase the capacity of the yard from eight to 21 trains, build maintenance and train wash facilities, and allow more trains to run on the Frankston Line.

The expanded facility will also include a train wash facility, a maintenance shed with space to work on two trains, extra facilities for workers, and an additional connection to the Frankston Line so trains can easily enter and exit the site.

The Metro Tunnel project will be nearing completion in 2024, with the first station at Arden completed in January.

Work is continuing on the other four underground stations – Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac – with Parkville expected to be the next station to be finished.

QUEENSLAND

Queensland’s major rail project for 2024 is the Cross River Rail upgrade, with work occurring throughout the year.

Woolloongabba station is edging closer to completion with work over the next 12 months including assembly of the mezzanine, platform construction, and earthworks to fill the decline ramp leading down into the station box. There will also be the assembly and installation of the canopy structure, escalators, and platform screen doors.

The Albert Street Station will be the first station constructed in the CBD for 120 years. It is progressing with works at the corner of Mary and Albert Street sites including underground station fit out and blockwork and services installation.

The Roma Street Station will be receiving a number of upgrades to meet the needs of the cross river rail. The subway will receive new tiled floors, walls and ceilings, upgraded wayfinding, lighting and signage, as well as improved accessibility. Platform two will receive similar upgrades as well as a new canopy roof lining.

IMAGE MICHAEL EVANS/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

The Metro Tunnel work will be ongoing in 2024.

Upcoming works

As a part of the cross-river rail project, a number of stations will be receiving upgrades throughout 2024.

Dutton Park will be closed from April through to late 2024 to complete a range of accessibility works. Yeerongpilly station will remain closed until late 2024 to overhaul the station including a new entry on Wilkie Street, new platforms and canopies, upgraded track signalling bicycle storage and new footpaths.

Rocklea station will be closed until the middle of the year to reconstruct platform one and two, build a new pedestrian overpass, new carpark and signage.

The Cross River Rail Delivery Authority is constructing new train stabling facilities, a train crew building, and a graffiti removal facility at Mayne Yard North.

The new train stabling facility at Mayne Yard North will be able to stable up to 17 trains. Mayne Yard North will also be used to stable, clean and maintain trains used on the SouthEast Queensland rail network.

Outside the Cross River Rail project, the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade will be occurring throughout 2024.

The upgrade will provide additional track capacity and reliability, creating travel time savings and increased passenger and freight services to the growing Sunshine Coast region. Stage one will:

• deliver three new bridges;

• address three level crossings;

• expand three park ‘n’ ride facilities;

• duplicate the section of rail track between Beerburrum and Beerwah; and

• construct a new bus interchange on the eastern side of Landsborough Station.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The major infrastructure project for Western Australia is the Armadale Line transformation. It will include elevated rail, new stations, level crossing removals, the extension of the line to Byford, and Perth’s first east-west cross line connection. This project is set to transform travel along the Armadale Line.

The Armadale and Thornlie lines will remain closed throughout 2024 to deliver three projects including the Victoria ParkCanning level crossing removal, Thornlie to Cockburn link, and the Byford Rail extension.

Work on the Midland station upgrades will continue in 2024, which will include three longer platforms, a bus interchange and more parking. This is set to improve public transport access to the growing area.

The Morley-Ellenbrook Line will halve the public transport journey time for passengers travelling between Ellenbrook and the CBD. It is expected to be completed in late 2024. The line starts at Bayswater, where the Bayswater Station project is underway and will become a four-platform station with

additional rail infrastructure and integrated bus services.

Stations will also be built in Ellenbrook, Whiteman Park, Malaga, Noranda and Morley, with a station planned at Bennett Springs East as development progresses in the area.

The Yanchep Rail Extension will deliver the last proposed section of the Joondalup Line from Butler to Yanchep. The 14.5-kilometre extension is underway and will see new stations built at Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep. Butler Station will become a ‘through’ station. The project is expected to be completed in 2024.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Railway stations across Adelaide have been identified for makeovers as part of an initiative to refresh railway stations on the metropolitan rail network.

The program will be delivered by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport and will improve amenity and safety at railway stations on Adelaide’s passenger rail network. The works will include new and refurbished shelters, new seating and bins, LED lighting upgrades, and other minor works such as painting and landscaping.

Work is underway at Nurlutta Railway Station while Ethelton, Woodlands Park, Clarence Park, West Croydon and Alberton are in the design process.

Adelaide Railway station recently received an upgrade, like many other stations expect to receive in 2024.

DO YOU KNOW A DRIVER OF CHANGE?

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN.

Now is your chance to nominate an industry leader who you believe is advocating for positive change and deserves to be recognised.

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY

Thurs 20 June, 2024

The Women in Industry Awards recognise outstanding women leaders from across Australia’s industrials sector.

Industry associations

From classroom to trackside

The West Coast Wilderness Railway, nestled in the remote landscapes of Tasmania, has become a beacon of engineering prowess, due to the collaboration with the Permanent Way Institution and the contributions of young talents like Liam Clowes.

As a recipient of the Don Hagarty Cadet Program of the PWI, Liam Clowes, a firstyear Civil Engineering student from the University of Newcastle, recently embarked on a transformative journey with the West Coast Wilderness Railway (WCWR), which is in Tasmania.

Liam’s story with WCWR began in early December after completing his first year in Civil Engineering.

Within six weeks, he immersed himself in the railway’s operations, tackling tasks ranging from joint maintenance to timber sleeper replacement, under the guidance of WCWR’s seasoned professionals.

This hands-on experience was bolstered by Liam managing the Geismar track recording trolley, a testament to his rapid adaptation and skill acquisition.

The significance of the partnership was underscored by a visit in January from myself and cadet coordinator and Lycopodium Infrastructure managing director Stuart Sutherland.

We witnessed Liam’s seamless integration into the WCWR team, a blend of hard work and affable nature fostering his success.

A HISTORICAL AND ENGINEERING MARVEL

WCWR stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity.

Established in 1896, this 3’6” heritage railway, stretching over 34 kilometres, was pivotal in transporting copper from the Mt Lyell mine.

Its survival and evolution from a vital industrial line to a cherished tourist attraction speak volumes of its historical and engineering significance.

The ingenious rack-and-pinion system,

devised by Swiss engineer Roman Abt, remains a cornerstone of this railway, enabling trains to navigate steep gradients reminiscent of clockwork mechanics.

eloquently captures the essence of working at WCWR: a blend of harsh weather, challenging terrain, and unforeseen natural barriers.

“The railway’s maintenance and operations, often in inaccessible terrains, exemplify the relentless spirit required to preserve this engineering marvel,” she said.

Currently, WCWR operates limited services along 6km of its 35km line, with plans for extensive upgrades to enhance reliability and appeal.

This strategic development, aligned with Liam’s growth as an engineer, symbolises the synergy between heritage preservation and contemporary engineering education.

Liam’s journey with WCWR, fostered by PWI, is more than a personal triumph; it’s a beacon of hope for the future of rail engineering.

His story, emblematic of the potential within the rail industry, stands as an inspiration for aspiring engineers and a testament to the enduring legacy of WCWR.

PWI CADET PROGRAM: SHAPING FUTURE ENGINEERS

Liam’s tenure at WCWR, facilitated by the PWI Cadet Program, saw him under the wing of rail infrastructure engineer David Tonash and track engineer Gilbert Ness.

From participating in risk assessments to troubleshooting and installing sleepers,

in the PWI Cadet Program has addressed the looming talent shortage in rail infrastructure expertise.

As Edmonds highlights, nurturing talents like Liam is a step towards enriching the pool of future rail engineers, a crucial investment for the industry’s sustainability.

The continued investment in training and nurturing young engineers via the PWI Cadet initiative is not just an investment in individual careers but a fundamental contribution to the enduring vitality and innovation of the rail sector.

The WCWR has evolved from a vital industrial line to a cherished tourist attraction.

Liam Clowes (left) undertaking a track geometry inspection with WCWR’s Gilbert Ness.

Mark Harris, President, PWI NSW

IMAGE: WCWR

IMAGE: PWI NSW

The evolution of the visibility Standard

Industry associations

Chief Executive Officer, RISSB

The Rail Industry Safety Standards Board has released the latest version of AS 7531 Rolling Stock Lighting and Visibility Standard, the next step in an ongoing process to improving safety outcomes at level crossings.

The AS 7531 Rolling Stock Lighting and Visibility Standard was first developed and published by RISSB in 2006.

It reflected the need for rail transport operators to eliminate safety risks at level crossings, through measures such as lighting on the front of a train and the installation of reflective strips along the side of a train.

Following a review, informed by research and testing by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) and Monash Institute of Railway Technology (MIRT), and two rounds of public consultation, the new version of the Standard was released to the rail industry on 21 December 2023.

The improvements to the Standard include:

• Design principles that consider the visibility of rolling stock from a road users’ perspective, visibility during day and night, and other environmental factors.

• Technical requirements for the use of LED light technology.

• Additional technical requirements for visibility lights.

• Detailed maintenance requirements for lighting fixtures, reflectors, and clarifications of operator responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of lighting and livery.

With fur ther testing of the effectiveness of additional lighting on trains currently underway, the release of the revised Standard was just the first step in the review process, which will continue throughout 2024.

The rail industry now has access to the latest evidence-based, fit-for-purpose improvements to the Standard, which have been validated through an engineered testing process. As a Standards Development Organisation accredited by Standards Australia, RISSB is obligated to ensure that Standards reflect the needs of stakeholders, are up to date, are evidence based, and are acceptable to end users.

ONRSR has commissioned further trials working with MIRT and the rail industry to understand the efficacy of side lighting and

visibility beacon lighting. These trials will help industry better understand where to focus its resources to improve train visibility and safety at regional crossings.

As findings from the trials and any associated technical requirements become known, RISSB will work with relevant stakeholders to consider further amendments to the Standard this year.

When MIRT finalises the next round of testing and trials of concepts such as side and beacon lighting in coming months, we will be looking at how the Standard can be updated.

As part of the consultation in 2024 and in addition to considering the findings from the trials, RISSB will take steps to engage with the National Level Crossing Safety Committee (NLCSC), subject matter experts and other interested parties to provide their input.

This additional step acknowledges the importance of considering safety learnings from a range of stakeholders, ensuring Standards are fit for purpose and meet the needs of end users.

Alongside these trails, ONRSR is also in the process of developing the first Code of Practice for train visibility in Australia.

The new code will assist rail transport operators to strengthen the overall safety management systems that underpin their operations where trains interact with people, drivers, and vehicles.

There is no single part of any transport system can ensure safety in isolation.

Road users, companies, governments, rail Industry bodies, train drivers and other stakeholders need to work together and contribute to improving safety at level crossings across Australia.

Federal and State Governments, rail Industry bodies (including RISSB), regulators and industry operators continue to work together to ensure focus remains on the most effective measures to reduce level crossing incidents.

RISSB will be assessing its influence, efforts, and collaborative opportunities to

Improvements to the Standard include design principles that consider the visibility of rolling stock from a road users’ perspective, visibility during day and night, and other environmental factors.

assist industry and government in delivering safer outcomes at our level crossings.

RISSB is driven to deliver successful technical innovation and improvements for a safer, more productive and sustainable rail industry. We look forward to continuing to work with industry to ensure our Standards represent best practice.

As part of RISSB’s ongoing process to optimise the safety benchmark for level crossings, it will also be releasing two other products early this year, AS 7739.2 Digital Engineering: Data Model and Guideline Safe Operation of Restricted Access Vehicles across Level Crossings.

Damien White,

IMAGE: RISSB

Industry associations

Keeping spotlight on sustainability

In 2024, the Australasian Railway Association will be delivering new projects and contributing to key partnerships to drive action as the industry responds to sustainability issues.

The ARA has increased its focus on sustainability as the industry responds to a growing need to decarbonise, build climate resilience and support the community’s efforts to improve sustainable outcomes in our communities.

It is no secret that greater use of rail will help drive transport emissions down.

Rail freight generates 16 times less carbon pollution, while passenger rail generates 30 per cent less carbon pollution, compared with road travel.

As we move closer to 2030, initiatives that support mode shift will be more important than ever in 2024.

Passenger rail networks have seen patronage return after pandemic restrictions eased and have implemented a range of customer initiatives aimed at making journeys easy and seamless.

More than half of Australia’s workers live within 10 kilometres (km) of their workplace, including 28 per cent who live and work in the same postcode.

Looking beyond the daily commute, more than two million car trips taken each day in Sydney are less than 2km.

Public transport would be particularly effective in facilitating these journeys, and highlight the potential for more of us to make rail our first mode of choice.

When we launched the Future of Freight campaign last year, we confirmed the significant value greater use of rail freight can deliver.

But there have been challenges in supporting the necessary shift to rail.

The shift to electric vehicles in the road freight sector will take time, particularly for longer services where a clear solution is not yet available and where rail is best suited.

We will be continuing to advance the Future of Freight campaign this year to support greater use of rail as part of a more efficient and sustainable freight network.

While there will always be a place for road transport, supported by the transition to EVs, we must recognise that rail offers more benefits beyond the significant and immediate emissions reductions it can support.

The ARA’s research on light rail and faster rail confirmed the urban renewal and growth that can be achieved as a result of wellplanned rail infrastructure designed to meet community needs.

Rail can also reduce congestion, which will be increasingly important as our city populations grow.

These factors – and many others – mean rail enables healthier, safer and more liveable communities, while also providing an efficient form of transport for people and businesses.

The ARA will continue to advocate for mode shift to support more sustainable outcomes in 2024.

DECARBONISATION

While rail generates just six per cent of transport emissions, the industry remains committed to building on its sustainability leadership as the infrastructure sector moves towards net zero.

The ARA has launched a new project to explore opportunities to support and accelerate the transition to zero emissions trains across the national network.

With a focus on regional passenger and freight services not operating on electrified networks, the project is exploring the significant work already underway in the industry to transition to new technologies.

This includes battery electric and hydrogen trials, as well as initiatives to explore the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel.

The key to ensuring a smooth transition to new technologies will be a nationally coordinated approach to implementing the change.

While different technologies may offer solutions for different contexts, there will be a need to review policy and regulatory frameworks, and consider the skills, investment and enabling infrastructure needed to support decarbonised rollingstock across Australia.

Our research, which commenced in January, will explore these issues together with industry and government stakeholders to provide a clearly defined path to zero emissions rollingstock across the national network.

We expect this work will be completed midyear and will complement ongoing engagement with governments as they implement sector roadmaps to support a net zero future.

Caroline Wilkie, Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Railway Association

Rail can reduce congestion, which will be increasingly important as city populations grow.

IMAGE: PINK BADGER/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

The project will also include specific consideration of the supply chain impacts of transitioning to decarbonised rollingstock.

The ARA expects this work will build on our engagement with the Federal Government as it implements the National Rail Manufacturing Strategy, which was launched late last year.

COLLECTIVE ACTION

The Infrastructure Net Zero initiative, of which the ARA is a founding partner, commences new projects this year to address some of the strategic sustainability issues facing the infrastructure sector.

Key initiatives to define net zero pathways, support more sustainable procurement practices and define the skills and capabilities required to enable a net zero infrastructure sector are among the areas of focus for 2024.

The collaboration of industry peak bodies and government agencies as part of Infrastructure Net Zero provides a powerful opportunity to accelerate efforts to address shared challenges and ensure a focused approach to solving some of the key issues that will be critical to enabling our transition to net-zero.

INTEROPERABILITY

The current sustainability challenges facing the transport sector also provide a unique opportunity to further efforts to achieve greater national interoperability in the rail industry.

The pace of change required to support the achievement of net zero targets means we must do things differently.

In an industry that has been plagued with challenges associated with a lack of interoperability, this presents a unique opportunity to introduce national approaches and build greater consistency as new solutions are identified to support our response to key challenges such as reducing carbon emissions.

The National Transport Commission’s efforts to streamline rollingstock approval regimes as part of the National Rail Action Plan recognises this opportunity, and it is hoped the ARA’s research on decarbonising the national fleet will complement this work.

There is also an opportunity to develop nationally consistent standards associated with new technologies.

The ARA will be working closely with RISSB and other industry bodies to ensure we can maximise the benefits of our efforts to decarbonise by supporting nationally consistent and coordinated approaches.

This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make gains in improving rail interoperability. This issue will be a major focus in 2024.

BUILDING CAPABILITY AND SUPPORTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The transition to net-zero will also create new skills requirements for the industry, which is

already facing large skills gaps.

Early consultation with ARA members highlighted disciplines, such as electrical engineering, will be in demand as we rely more on electric technologies in the future.

While our rolling stock research and collaboration with Infrastructure Net Zero will help further define our skills needs as we move towards net zero, and build on research and analysis of the Australian rail workforce released late last year, it is important that we ensure the industry continues to support growing diversity and inclusion as part of this process.

The ARA has a good track record in supporting gender diversity in rail and fostering the career development of young people.

In 2024, we will build on these efforts with new research to better understand the participation and engagement of First Nations people within the rail industry, and how we can better partner with communities to build on this for the long term.

YEAR OF ACTION TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

While the issues we are facing to prepare for a sustainable future are not new, there is strong momentum in the industry to take action in 2024.

The ARA looks forward to working closely with our members to support the industry’s progress on these important issues.

Rail is able to offer more sustainability benefits beyond emissions reductions.

Industry associations

Knowledge to be shared at field day

Preparations are in full swing for the RTAA’s much-anticipated Field Day for 2024.

It always amazes me how fast the beginning of the year slips away.

It feels like yesterday that we were taking some time off for the end of year holiday and now we are rapidly approaching mid-year.

Importantly that means that the RTAA Field Day is just around the corner.

Bookings are still being finalised but already there are some amazing displays and demonstrations planned.

We will have the time-honoured showcase of rail management technologies from Speno on rail grinders, and Linmag with the rail milling machines.

In the welding area, Pandrol and Goldschmidt will provide demonstrations of aluminothermic welding alongside mobile flashbutt welding.

Elsewhere we are looking at demonstrations of track slab and green track construction techniques, and as always the latest and greatest in track maintenance equipment and machinery.

This fantastic show is only possible with our sponsors and supporters, such as our event partner Sydney Trains and our Gold event sponsor Pandrol.

The field day is not complete without the No Tie Dinner.

This year we will be holding the dinner at Waterview in Bicentennial park. This is an exceptional venue and I very much look forward to unwinding with everyone.

Tickets are on sale now, and will sell out so don’t wait! The dinner is proudly supported by our Platinum sponsor, Anric Developments, and our Gold dinner sponsors Saint-Gobain Abrasives and Blackwoods.

Planning for the Field Day never fails to make me consider how we work in rail, and in particular the nature of maintenance and track maintenance in particular.

Often when we think of maintenance it is in the context of preserving an asset in a condition through some intervention task like lubrication, cleaning or adjustment.

But in a track asset context it is far more concerned with detection of variance; this in turn then results in an intervention program such as resurfacing or rail replacement.

truly preventative.

Rail husbandry, through either milling or grinding, is one of these and important for preserving the good condition of the rail.

Tamping or resurfacing prompts some interesting discussion in this context. Is it a corrective program or a preventative? The extension of this is the debate around undertaking resurfacing as a cyclic program to maintain condition.

Examining it in more detail, resurfacing is a corrective activity that restores the line and position of the track back to its design position and is used to improve stability and smoothness of the ride.

On the flip side, the act of resurfacing degrades the ballast through crushing and abrasion and in the short term reduces resistance to buckling.

Over time the ballast column will consolidate and resistance will be restored. When we then look at maintenance programs, they are normally implemented cyclically with a task being repeated at a regular interval determined by the expected system decay.

Is there then value in setting a cyclic ballast resurfacing program?

Maybe. In a system with rapid degradation or that has a lack of good quality information, then the benefits from regularly tamping likely outweighs the costs.

On the other hand, where the network has access to good quality and frequent condition monitoring data, then a proactive program of resurfacing can be implemented that targets intervention only where it is needed, gaining

I find this change in ballast maintenance because of technology particularly fascinating and it nicely shows the need to continually review practices and adapt to rapidly developing technologies. For anyone interested I would be very happy to discuss over a coffee at the field day.

In a similar vein, I recently attended an interesting technical presentation on air quality in underground subway systems.

How is this related to track maintenance? The link between them is fascinating, I assure you.

The presenter was talking about the particulate matter that the site monitoring had recorded and he made a bit of an off-hand comment that the ferrous microparticles that they had detected were very anomalous as they require very high temperatures and particular conditions to form that they couldn’t explain.

And there is the link. Through other research into rail surface conditions, we had postulated that the earliest stage in a squat’s life was a phase transition in the rail steel caused by very short duration heat and pressure in the wheel-rail contact zone, conditions that would coincidentally explain the ferrite nanoparticles being detected.

An amazing correlation of results that help explain one of the most concerning conditions in rail management.

Makes you wonder, how many other research overlaps are there to explore?

All the more reason and value for inperson sharing like conferences and the Field Day.

Jonathan Barnes, President, Rail Track Association Australia

A tamper in its natural environment.

IMAGE: RRTAA