Rail Express June 2022

I S S U E 5 | J U N E 2022

W W W. R A I L E X P R E S S . C O M . A U

The tickets to low carbon transport The world's first fully battery-powered, heavy-haul freight locomotive — Wabtec's FLXdrive — is leading the way in clean rail technology. PAGE 30

Coming out of COVID

Recycling spare energy on tracks

Cybersecurity in rail sector

PAGE 26

PAGE 37

PAGE 40

SUPPORTED BY:

HYDROGEN FUEL CELL HYBRID LOCOMOTIVE Gauge: GB146.1(1A,3) /Adjustable

Max ambient temperature: -300C to ~ +400C

Continuous power: ≥700kW

Weight: 68t

Max operating speed: 80km/h

Starting traction force: ≥250kN

Bogie arrangement: Bo-Bo

Lithium battery capacity: 294.4kWh

Axle load: 17T

Altitude: ≤2500m C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

BUY DIRECTLY FROM THE SUPPLIER For more information, please contact CRRC Australia Pty Ltd Mr.Bin Yang T: +61 488 043 786 E: yangbin1818@gmail.com

www.crrcgc.cc/en

Contents Issue 5 - June 2022

07

4

From the Editor

6

Industry news

20

Cross River Rail

22

Workforce profiles

26

Coming out of COVID

S U S TA I N A B I L I TY S O L U T I O N S

30

Wabtec’s tickets to low carbon transport

LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS 20

33

33

Alstom in record-breaking Flexity contract

34

Strailastic’s tools for a quieter railway

RO L L I N G S TO C K A N D M A N U F ACT U R I N G

37

ABB recycles spare energy in Melbourne rail

38

Riveting new CRRC connection system

S A F E TY A N D A S S U R A N C E

40 34

Moxa takes on rail cybersecurity challenge

I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N S

43

Face-to-face with RISSB

44

ARA: the importance of local manufacturing

CO N T RACT S, T E N D E R S, E O I S

46

37

Contracts and projects around Australia

I S S U E 5 | J U N E 2022

W W W. R A I L E X P R E S S . C O M . A U

The tickets to low carbon transport The world's first fully battery-powered, heavy-haul freight locomotive — Wabtec's FLXdrive — is leading the way in clean rail technology. PAGE 30

COVER STORY The world’s first fully batterypowered, heavy-haul freight locomotive — Wabtec’s FLXdrive — is leading the way in clean rail technology.

Coming out of COVID

Recycling spare energy on tracks

Cybersecurity in rail sector

PAGE 26

PAGE 37

PAGE 40

See page 30.

SUPPORTED BY:

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 3

From the Editor Issue 5 - June 2022

Published by:

Ray Chan Editor - Rail Express

11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au

Publisher Christine Clancy E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Chief Operating Officer Zelda Tupicoff E: zelda.tupicoff@primecreative.com.au Group Managing Editor (Southern) Sarah Baker E: sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au Editor Ray Chan E: ray.chan@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Alex Cowdery M: 0423 177 977 E: alex.cowdery@primecreative.com.au Client Success Manager Janine Clements E: janine.clements@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 Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey 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.

4 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

Welcome to the June issue of Rail Express

A

s the saying goes, always look on the bright side of life.

There’s no doubt that the spread of COVID has forced the rail industry – and indeed, all businesses – to face obstacles and modify their practices and operations to cope with lockdowns, supply chain challenges and a fall in patronage.

These include being forced to work remotely, managing workforce shortages, and coping with vaccination programs.

But there have been many promising developments that have emanated in the way industry has responded through its management of restrictions, operational requirements and workforce needs.

For rail operators, pandemic-driven initiatives have led to improvements and efficiencies that perhaps would not have been thought of, or even accelerated, in the postCOVID environment. For example, there has been greater focus on contactless passenger management, more emphasis on mobility as a service, stronger standards for hygiene, and a definite shift to smarter and more efficient ways of operating off-site.

There’s now a much greater focus on how we can be doing things better for the rail industry, and there’s been a need to use technology innovations to be more responsive and agile in this environment.

This issue of Rail Express focuses on the opportunities that have emerged, the rail sector’s ability to continue to adapt and evolve, and how it plans to move forward into a postpandemic environment, where communities are resuming a semblance of normalcy.

In April, for example, Sydneysiders made full use of Transport for NSW’s 12-day fare-free period, designed to boost business in the state, and rejuvenate the community.

The initiative – aimed at countering not only the impact of COVID on the use of public transport, but also recent floods and industrial action – lured thousands of people into the city and surroundings, returning a sense of vibrancy that was arrested during various COVID lockdowns.

The period covered all Opal network services in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra, and included metro, train, bus, light rail and ferry services.

Crowds headed out to the Easter Show and the zoo, caught a game of footy or dinner with family and friends, and helped revitalise the city centres and support local communities.

The success of the campaign showed that the buzz was back, and perhaps indicated that communities were moving some way towards turning the corner in terms of coping with the pandemic.

It also demonstrated how Transport for NSW embraced technology to enable well informed and safe travel choices to be made during COVID chaos.

This included the introduction of contactless credit and debit card payments, with most customers choosing the convenience of a digital wallet, and leveraging cutting edge AI to deliver predictive COVIDSafe travel notifications.

Of course, one of the main factors contributing to how we cope with COVID is the rail industry’s most valuable commodity: its workforce.

This edition puts the spotlight on a diverse range of people who strive to ensure our trains ride smoothly from day to day: a chief executive officer, a train driver, a construction specialist, and an engineer.

As well, we look at new innovations designed to enhance rail cybersecurity, ways of reducing noise around the tracks, and rail technology leader Wabtec’s mission to hasten the sustainable future of transportation, delivering zero-emission rail systems as customers demand clean technology to reduce their emissions.

And of course, there is our usual roundup of news from across the country and New Zealand; a brief summary of contracts, tenders and Expressions of Interests; and contributions from our industry partners.

We are sure you will enjoy the issue.

Happy reading. ray.chan@primecreative.com.au

WHEN ONLY

THE BEST WILL DO

FOR THE FULL RENTAL OR PURCHASE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT US: RYAN BLACK

E M A I L : rblack@mancoeng.com.au P H O N E : +61 401 748 873

BRYAN BLACK E M A I L : bryan@manco.co.nz P H O N E : + 64 21 960069

mancorail.com.au mancorail.co.nz

News

National

The policy priorities for rail freight operators The industry group representing Australia’s largest rail freight operators and infrastructure owners released its policy priorities in the lead-up to the recent Federal election.

Freight on Rail Group (FORG) members contribute more than $11 billion to Australia’s economy each year, employ almost 20,000 people, operate 1600 freight locomotives and manage 23,000 kilometres of rail track.

They include Pacific National, Australian Rail Track Corporation, One Rail Australia, Aurizon, Qube Holdings, SCT Logistics, Arc Infrastructure, Watco Australia and Southern Shorthaul Railroad.

Rail-based freight and logistics operations perform a vital role for Australia’s export industries and in domestic markets.

FORG recognises the importance of efficiently meeting future freight demand and continuing to improve the competitiveness of freight supply chains.

Prioritise rail infrastructure resilience FORG welcomes the current Review of Road and Rail Supply Chain Resilience.

With “once in 100 year” events happening more regularly it will be important that: • Resilience priorities are identified across Australia’s rail freight network, including regional rail infrastructure and focusing on where the existing network requires improvement.

• The use of technology to detect when a network or particular sections of a network require mitigation and protection actions.

• Ensuring that rail networks are well prepared to undertake efficient recovery works when required.

The findings of the Review of Road and Rail Supply Chain Resilience need to be a key priority for the first six months of the new Federal term of office.

Inland Rail Project Inland Rail will provide step-change improvement in the domestic and export supply chains for industries that are vital for Australia’s economic prosperity.

A key infrastructure priority for an incoming Federal Government should be the delivery of the Inland Rail project.

FORG believes there must be a focus on supporting the large private sector investments that will be required to realise all the economic and regional benefits of the supply chain services that will use Inland Rail in the future.

6 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

FORG members contribute $11 billion to the economy.

Provide a level playing field for rail and road with infrastructure pricing policy On freight corridors where rail and road compete to transport general freight, the current policy of Federal and State Governments has resulted in favourable road user charges for trucks that are not cost reflective.

FORG recommends the Federal and State Governments introduce equivalent policies for rail and road infrastructure pricing, and achieve this by one of the following options: • Road pricing reform that introduces costreflective user charging for heavy vehicles, as previously agreed by the Federal and State Governments • Alternatively, the introduction of a rail freight utilisation incentive program, potentially linked to the value of the emissions reduction benefits of freight transported by rail.

Utilise rail freight to reduce transport sector greenhouse gas emissions Too often the emissions reduction strategies are compartmentalised to the specific mode of transport, road or rail, and handled separately. There is an opportunity for governments and industry to think across the different transport modes and to increase the utilisation of rail freight to reduce overall transport emissions, given that using rail freight produces 16 times less carbon pollution than road freight per tonne kilometre.

FORG recommends that emissions reduction programs should provide an incentive for future freight volumes to be carried by rail, recognising the environmental and community benefits from using rail.

A rail freight utilisation program could also be linked to the larger infrastructure access costs paid by rail compared to road.

Coastal shipping regulation Coastal shipping regulation for the

transportation of domestic freight should recognise investments in land transport operations and provide for efficient utilisation of land transport modes where infrastructure and services are available.

Coastal shipping regulation should not provide unreasonable competitive advantages to foreign flagged ships to enter and participate in Australia’s domestic freight services market where ships compete with land transport supply chains.

FORG recommends that transport policy and regulation should better protect the sovereignty and security of Australia’s domestic supply chains against foreign-flagged ships.

Focus on improving the productivity of rail freight FORG recommends a nationally coordinated focus on improving the productivity of rail freight that involves the following priorities: • Addressing impediments to rail freight productivity including those that are identified by the Review of Rail Freight Productivity chaired by former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson.

• Making targeted investments in improving the productivity of existing infrastructure in rail.

• Integrate rail-based supply chains with other transport modes so that the benefits of rail in carrying larger volumes of freight are realised, including ‘first mile’ and ‘last mile’ connections to production or distribution sites and end destinations.

• A coordinated Federal and State Government approach to consistently identifying and overseeing the implementation of rail freight productivity improvement priorities that is integrated with overall supply chain development programs.

Transport infrastructure investment proposals to recognise externality impacts of transport modes FORG recommends that transport infrastructure investment assessments should be required to consider and recognise the externality impacts of transport modes, including safety, environment and congestion benefits.

These benefits should be identified and considered in relation to infrastructure investment priorities, including investments aimed at improving the productivity and utilisation of existing infrastructure.

Transdev offers hope, opportunity and compassion Transdev Australasia has set aside a minimum 200 roles across its businesses in Australia and New Zealand for those fleeing Ukraine and neighbouring warzones.

The organisation – which operates Sydney’s Light Rail network and co-maintains Wellington’s passenger train network, in addition to bus services across Australia – is offering work in all of its workplaces in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Auckland, and Wellington.

Transdev Australasia CEO Luke Agati said it was committed to working with partners, governments, and NGOs to aid with the migration and resettling of displaced peoples.

“Across the Transdev Group, more than 1000 positions have been created for migrants affected by the crisis unfolding in Western Europe. Those who are displaced can have a place with our global community of Journey Makers,” he said.

“Regardless of migrants’ own skills and background, there is safe, long-term employment with Transdev, if they need it.

We can offer training and placement in any number of roles, whether they be driving a bus, train, ferry, or light rail, maintenance or engineering, customer service, planning or in business support.

“We can accommodate migrants based on their skills and competencies.

“Transdev has a long and proud history of supporting those newly arriving to our shores and there is around 65 per cent of the current workforce in Australia and New Zealand whose families have migrated from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, or the Pacific Islands.

“Since 2017, we also have employed 31 individuals and supported up to 100 migrant job seekers in our Sydney Light Rail business through our longstanding partnership with

the Asylum Seeker Centre at Newtown in Sydney’s Inner West. In other contracts across our region, we partner with local charities to offer employment, mobility, and financial support.

“Despite seeming far away from our shores, the consequences of war are much closer and wider-reaching than many realise. The current situation presents much devastation and despair, though we must not lose sight of hope. For those of us privileged to be sheltered from such conflicts there is a chance to positively affect and change the outcomes for many thousands of people in Ukraine.

“I encourage communities, governments and fellow businesses to join in welcoming those who have been cruelly displaced, and through support, employment and inclusion, offer every opportunity to succeed and prosper to their fullest potential.”

Workforce keeps conversation on track At the end of April, eight years since the to take action to support colleagues, with 70 inaugural Rail R U OK?Day, 100,000 rail per cent of those who were aware of the event employees from more than 120 organisations saying they had checked in with someone. nationwide downed tools to keep the Importantly, 99 per cent of respondents said conversation on track and learn how and when they would be willing to help a workmate they to ask,“are they really OK?” thought could be struggling.

The annual event, a joint initiative of harm Rail R U OK?Day is increasing this willingness prevention charities the TrackSAFE Foundation to give or seek help, with 59 per cent more and R U OK?, has seen a significant year-onwilling to ask a workmate what it is that’s year growth in participation since its inception, troubling them, 50 per cent more willing to tell a and encourages rail staff to reach out, connect workmate what’s troubling them if asked, and 44 and have meaningful conversations every day per cent more willing to seek professional help. of the year.

In 2021, TrackSAFE and R U OK? conducted a national survey to measure the impact of Rail R U OK?Day and the results showed a positive impact to workplace culture.

It engaged 354 employees across the industry, including rail maintenance, office staff, customer service, safety, operations and rail and train crews.

Results found awareness of and participation in Rail R U OK?Day are very strong, with more than 99 per cent of those surveyed aware of the event, and 79 per cent of those participating in one or more ways.

Rail R U OK?Day is encouraging individuals to Positively, the results show Rail R take action to support colleagues who need help.

U OK?Day is encouraging individuals

TrackSAFE Foundation executive director Heather Neil says talking about mental health, just like physical health, is key to changing attitudes and people’s actions.

“As an industry we are proud to champion this message. We all go through life’s ups and downs. Grief, relationship breakdowns, tough times at work or home,” she said.

“By reaching out to ask R U OK?, individuals can help a workmate feel supported and access appropriate help. Peer support can make a positive difference to their life.

“Rail R U OK?Day provides practical tools for the rail sector to empower individuals to identify the signs a colleague might not be OK and start a conversation that could change a life.

“We don’t have to wait until someone’s visibly distressed or in crisis to ask how they’re really going.

“The best people to spot the signs someone might be struggling, are the people closest to them, including colleagues, and by asking early we can look to help the people in our world long before they are in crisis.”

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 7

News

Western Australia

More shutdown stress for Perth commuters Another Perth train line will shut down temporarily, with the Midland Line to cease operations for 24 days from September 23, to facilitate necessary major works on the new Bayswater Station.

In that time, about 1.8 kilometres of track and other rail systems will be removed and replaced, while the existing Leake Street pedestrian underpass will be expanded and work continued on the new Bayswater Bridge.

The shutdown will have some impacts on the Airport Line, the Prospector, AvonLink and MerredinLink services, and the Indian Pacific train, with Transwa services to leave from Midland Station during the closure.

Following the shutdown, the first portion of the new Bayswater Station will open for the public to enjoy its modern, revamped passenger facilities.

Stakeholder engagement and a linewide passenger survey was carried out to better understand the disruption’s potential impacts, and to help plan train replacement services accordingly.

Community feedback helped shape the planning framework, with 977 survey responses informing the draft guidelines and 409 submissions received in response to the draft

Work continues on the new Bayswater Bridge.

design guidelines between July 15 and August 26, 2021.

The Bayswater Design Guidelines that will provide a roadmap for redevelopment have now been approved.

The final design guidelines ensure the preservation of Bayswater’s heritage and culture, and underpin the revitalisation of the area to accommodate its future status as a transit hub.

They cover elements including building design and materials, building heights, setbacks, heritage considerations, sustainability and landscaping.

The redevelopment will support local businesses by ensuring the delivery of a diverse mix of housing types such as apartments, townhouses and affordable housing.

It will also increase the vibrancy and liveability of the town centre with more opportunities for hospitality, commercial and retail business, and new public spaces.

Once construction is complete, the METRONET Bayswater Station will become the second busiest transport hub outside of the Perth CBD, with work underway on the construction of a new station.

More than 340 people have also had their say on how the Old Bayswater Bridge might be farewelled when it is removed later this year.

Ideas ranging from festivals to video montages, food markets and staged truck drivebys will feed into planning to mark the 1960s bridge’s removal.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti acknowledged that the closure of such a muchusedline would be inconvenient.

“We know these disruptions are challenging, but we are setting up WA’s transport network for the future and providing more opportunities for local businesses, local jobs, including apprenticeships and traineeships,” she said.

The major Armadale line is already due to be shut down for 18 months to accommodate planned expansion works.

Arc Infrastructure tasked with titanium dioxide trip WA’s freight rail manager Arc Infrastructure welcomed the first new task on its rail network in five years when Tronox, a producer of titanium dioxide, shifted from coastal shipping to rail in February.

Arc has partnered with above-rail operator Aurizon on a five-year deal that sees mineral sands transported on the rail network between New South Wales and Western Australia.

The ore is initially mined and concentrated at the Atlas-Campaspe mine in the Murray Basin. After mineral separation takes place at Tronox’s plant in Broken Hill, the rail task commences on ARTC’s New South Wales network and travels through to Kwinana on Arc’s network, before being transported by road to Bunbury and Muchea for further processing.

Arc Infrastructure Head of Commercial Tim Cooling said the modal shift reflected the increased certainty rail provides customers.

“The impact of COVID has seen significant disruption to shipping across the world and

the supply chain has been unable to cope with increased container demand,” he said.

“Significantly increased costs for shipping and uncertainty around shipping capacity has made rail a more attractive and reliable option. Rail can offer guaranteed capacity to customers, which provides greater certainty than coastal shipping.

“Tronox is a unique task that has found its way onto rail, and opens up opportunities for other potential customers to shift to rail as they see value in securing capacity.”

Meanwhile, Arc has also launched its first Sustainability Strategy, which sets out its plan to embed and enhance sustainable practices across the business.

The Arc rail network is a critical component of a global supply chain that connects Western Australian people and products to the rest of the country and to the world.

The company believes it has a responsibility to ensure the sustainability of this critical asset for future generations.

Arc Infrastructure CEO Murray Cook said the decisions made and actions taken will have an impact on the longevity of the asset managed.

“The release of our Sustainability Strategy comes after spending the last year gaining a better understanding of sustainability from a global perspective and determining how we can apply this to our rail network,” he said.

Arc Infrastructure has identified more than 40 sustainability initiatives, many of which are already underway, which will ensure it remains dedicated, focused and committed to sustainability in management of the rail network.

The initiatives are broken into five main themes – people, environment, community and stakeholders, customers, and safety and risk management.

“Arc’s sustainability efforts align to the global Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. The 17 goals with 169 targets have guided us in how we can contribute to sustainability globally,” Cook said.

8 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

MOCM-A

SIEMENS MOBILITY

Moving beyond – Transport solutions driven by a passion for mobility

The future of mobility in our globally networked world calls for seamless, sustainable, reliable, and secure mobility solutions. We’re leveraging the benefits of digitalization, engineering excellence, and our entrepreneurial spirit to master this challenge. Trusted by our partners, we’re pioneering transportation, moving people sustainably and seamlessly from the first mile to the last. And we always go the extra mile to help transport services all over the globe move beyond the expected. siemens.com/mobility

MOCM-A10013-00-AZ-Mobility-Overall_210x297.3-195383.indd 1

30.09.21 12:52

News

New South Wales

Fabulous forty for TrainLink XPT service

XPTs have served regional communities over the past four decades.

The Sydney to Dubbo XPT service, the WT27, recently marked 40 years since its first revenue passenger service in NSW. Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway said the express passenger train (XPT) was ground-breaking at the time, when its first passenger service headed along the same railway line to Orange on 8 April 1982.

“With their aerodynamic design, the XPTs are much loved by the community and many

people have fond memories of travelling on them or seeing these trains pass through their country town or farm,” he said.

Each week, 42 XPT services run to and from Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane, Dubbo, Grafton and Casino.

Since 1982, it is estimated the XPTs combined have clocked up more than five million operating hours and more than 235 million kilometres.

“With the XPTs having served regional communities over the past four decades, they will be progressively replaced, along with the Xplorer and Endeavour trains by a new regional rail fleet. The first new trains are expected to be running from 2023, with the full fleet coming in to service progressively,” Farraway said.

“The XPTs have played a part in many people’s lives and some of our staff have spent their whole careers on and around the XPTs, as onboard customer service staff, drivers and station staff.

“As well as showcasing the regions to the train travelling tourist, the XPTs connect country people with family and friends, help boarding school students get to school and allow people to access medical services, when they have few other travel options.

“Happy Birthday to the XPTs and we are proud of the service this fleet has provided to regional customers.”

Facelifts in full flow at Central Station The metro platforms and new Central Walk in Sydney are taking shape 27 metres below the feet of the many customers who pass through Australia’s busiest train station every day.

The 80 metre long Central Walk concourse will be open by the end of the year, helping passengers easily navigate between different platforms and services.

Central Walk will connect people to suburban, intercity and regional rail services and light rail, and in 2024, metro services.

Metro platforms and tracks are now being built, and the station is starting to power up, with the installation of five new power transformers, which have enough energy to power more than 30,000 homes each year.

Customers have also started to take advantage of the new northern concourse.

The meticulously designed ceiling, which sits 16 metres above the station, has increased space and natural light to the northern end of the station.

Historical features of the station have also been revealed, including sandstone exteriors of heritage buildings that host Sydney Train officers and crew facilities which have been hidden for decades.

The Central Station metro project has reduced carbon emissions by 22 tonnes by

10 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

using biodiesel where possible. 373,000 tonnes of material have been excavated, enough to fill 60 Olympic sized swimming pools. The material is already being put to good use on other projects in greater Sydney, including as part of the Northern Road upgrade at Orchard Hills.

In addition to these initiatives, platform screen doors are due to be installed along the 270-metre-long metro platforms in the coming months, which will be ready for use in Sydney Metro City & Southwest services to begin in 2024.

Central Walk will connect people to metro, suburban, intercity, light rail and regional rail services.

Safety changes after Newcastle coal train incident An investigation has found that a loaded coal train collided with the rear of a stationary train in low-light conditions at the Port of Newcastle, after network control was not advised that the second train was disabled.

Just after 5am on 29 July 2020, a loaded Pacific National (PN) coal train collided at 16 kilometres per hour with the rear of a stationary One Rail Australia (ORA) coal train, when arriving at Kooragang Coal Terminal, in Newcastle.

The PN locomotive and the two rearmost wagons of the ORA train derailed in the collision, and came into contact with two adjacent stationary trains, which sustained minor damage.

One of the PN drivers sustained minor injuries, and there was substantial damage to the rail infrastructure.

An investigation into the incident was undertaken by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI), which conducts rail safety investigations in NSW on behalf of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

The investigation found that while the ORA train was unloading, several penalty brake applications associated with a fault in its electronic pneumatic brake system had disabled the train, bringing it to a standstill.

The crew investigated the faults using a

series of exercises, which caused the train’s End of Train light to be extinguished.

“This disablement of the ORA train constituted a Condition Affecting the Network, but the crew did not report this to the Kooragang Network Controller as they were required to do,” OTSI Chief Investigator Natalie Pelham explained.

“Subsequently, the Kooragang Network Controller set a signal for the PN train to proceed with caution along the arrival road where the ORA train was stationary.”

The terminal area where the accident occurred was poorly lit by artificial trackside lighting, and the absence of an End of Train light at the rear of the stationary train reduced its conspicuity, Dr Pelham explained.

“Light produced by an overhead gantry, above the accident site, may also have caused disabling glare for the drivers of the PN train,” Pelham said.

Since the collision, PN issued notices informing drivers to not exceed eight kilometres per hour upon receiving a shunt proceed signal within Kooragang terminal.

ORA has added programmed monitoring of End of Train lights into its asset management plan, and circulated safety information to their drivers to remind them of the requirement to communicate all conditions affecting the network to network control.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation

The investigation found that the terminal area where the accident occurred was poorly lit by artificial trackside lighting.

(ARTC) provided clarification advice to rail operators on the operation of trains with defective EOT lights and updated information contained in the Rail Access Standard (general information). ARTC also plans to review the Kooragang Operations Protocol and conduct a risk assessment to ensure the risk of collision is effectively managed and controlled during operations.

“This accident highlights the importance of train crews communicating conditions affecting the network to network control,” Pelham said. “It also emphasises the need for train crews operating in areas of restricted visibility to be prepared to stop short of any obstruction on the track.”

Goodbye to the greens in public transport Commuters will no longer see the green dots on public transport.

Green dots have been removed from all NSW modes of public transport.

Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer Howard Collins said as many restrictions across the state had eased, capacity on public transport will be able to return to pre-COVID levels, with COVIDSafe measures continuing including mask wearing, to keep customers safe while travelling.

“I want to thank all our customers for planning ahead, masking up and getting vaccinated so we are able to remove the green dots and get more people back on the network,” Collins said.

“More than three million physical distancing dots showed customers the best places to sit and stand for almost two years, and it’s great we can start allowing more people to climb aboard.”

A Waratah train will now be able to carry 150 customers per carriage, up from 122, a typical two-door bus will be able to carry 64 customers, up from 48, an L2 lightrail will now be able to carry 231 customers per carriage up from 156 and an Emerald ferry will be able to carry 400 customers, up from 300.

Collins said the COVIDSafe Transport Plan remains in place, including mandatory face masks when using the network, extensive cleaning and the ability to check capacity on services before boarding at stations, stops and wharves.

Customers are still asked to plan ahead, you must wear a mask and if you are feeling unwell, please don’t use public transport, stay home and get tested.

Customers can plan their journey ahead by visiting transportnsw.info

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 11

News

Victoria

Yarra Trams drives recruitment program Melbourne’s Yarra Trams has kicked off a major recruitment campaign to hire more than 150 new tram drivers this year.

This follows more than 180 drivers being recruited and trained last year and is an exciting opportunity for those wishing to make a career change or re-enter the workforce.

Yarra Trams has more than 1400 tram drivers with significant growth expected in the coming years.

There is a particular need for more tram drivers in the Southern and Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, with tram depots in Camberwell, Kew, Malvern, and Glenhuntly carrying vacancies.

Tram drivers hired as part of this recruitment campaign will undertake a paid six to tenweek intensive training program which covers classroom learning, simulator training, and a significant proportion of on-road training under the supervision of a highly experienced driver trainer.

Depending on the depot they are assigned to, drivers may be trained on trams ranging from the modern Melbourne-built E-class to the heritage-listed W-class tram that operates in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. Yarra Trams is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce, to more accurately represent the global city it serves.

This focus has included previously opening part time driving positions for the first time ever and establishing internal support networks such as the Yarra Trams LGBTI+ Pride Alliance and Gender Equality Working Group.

Yarra Trams currently has more than 1400 tram drivers.

Supported by these initiatives, Yarra Trams has nearly doubled the number of female employees in eight years and women now represent nearly 30 per cent of drivers.

For some, driving trams is the job for a lifetime, with many of Yarra Trams’ drivers having been with the organisation for decades.

Melbourne’s longest-serving tram driver retired earlier this year after an incredible 59 years of service.

Benefits include a six to 10-week paid training program, a highly competitive salary, flexible working hours and free public transport across Victoria.

To be eligible to be a tram driver applicants must have held a full Victorian driver’s licence for at least three years, have a safe driving record, hold the right to work in Australia, and be willing and able to conduct shift work as required.

Yarra Trams Chief Operations Officer Carla Purcell said he was proud of the diverse and passionate team built at Yarra Trams in recent years.

“As we welcome the world back to Melbourne, we are looking for people who love trams as much as we do, are passionate about providing an exceptional passenger experience every day and always have safety at front of mind,” he said.

One excited new Yarra Trams driver is Maggie Tang, who said applying to work as a tram driver was a huge move away from what she was doing at the start of the pandemic.

“But I don’t regret it for a second! My colleagues have been incredibly supportive as I’ve learned the ropes of being a tram driver, and I would encourage anyone considering becoming a tram driver to just do it,” she said.

Budget boost for Victorian transport accesibility The Victorian Government is set to upgrade the accessibility of train stations, bus stops, and tram stops across the state, thanks to a $157.8 million package of works included in the State Budget.

On the tram network, $68.1 million will deliver six new level access tram stops along La Trobe Street in the city and also upgrade the Park Street tram interchange, which will improve tram network accessibility in the CBD and provide connections for the Metro Tunnel. $21.9 million from the budget will be used to upgrade five stations including Lalor, Merri, Thornbury, Victoria Park and Warrnambool – delivering a range of improvements including boarding

12 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

ramps, tactile ground surface indicators, CCTV and shelters. Along the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, $24.6 million in accessibility upgrades will enable passengers with wheelchairs, prams or other accessibility needs unassisted boarding on the new HighCapacity Metro Trains (HCMT’s) at 14 stations.

Nineteen HCMTs are already running on the lines, with each train featuring 28 allocated spaces for wheelchairs or mobility devices.

Further facility upgrades at train stations including Woodend, Glen Waverley and Jacana will improve waiting rooms, toilets, and CCTV. Development and planning work to improve accessibility will begin at several stations including Auburn, Belgrave, East Camberwell,

Canterbury, Willison, Hartwell, Moorabbin, Newport and Watsonia stations.

The Budget includes $5.5 million to develop future corridors of level access tram stops for upgrades.

A total of $5 million in the Budget has also been assigned to upgrade up to 80 bus stops across the state including seats, shelters and real time information about bus services.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said the upgrades would deliver improved across the public transport network.

“We are improving accessibility across the entire transport network to ensure every Victorian can travel confidently, comfortably and safely,” he said.

Passenger movement monitored by Metro Metro Trains Melbourne ran a state-of-the-art trial in the past two months to improve crowd management and reduce illegal trespassing to create a better experience for passengers returning to the rail network.

As part of the trial, Metro Trains installed new camera and laser technology at multiple locations, including Melbourne Central and Richmond stations, and at level crossings at Dendy Street, Brighton and Anderson Street, Yarraville.

The laser and camera equipment monitored station platforms and detected when people crossed the yellow line or entered the rail pit, putting themselves in danger.

At level crossings, the system engaged when trains were approaching and detected when people ignored gates, signals, and bells, and attempted to illegally enter the rail corridor.

The new equipment trialled will not be used to identify individuals and only collected

information which aims to improve safety at stations and level crossings.

The trial locations provided a variety of rail safety environments and are known for their heavy foot traffic.

Through the rapid identification of safety incidents and crowd management issues, Metro security and station staff will be able to quickly respond and take appropriate action.

This trial aimed to improve response times and adds to a suite of existing initiatives to drive down illegal trespassing and improve crowd management.

Illegal trespassing is dangerous, disruptive and poses a significant and ongoing challenge for the safe running of the rail network.

In 2021, there were more than 3000 incidents of trespassing, around 250 incidents every month.

With the return of major events in Melbourne, Metro’s management of platform crowding will prove critical to reduce dwell

The new technology has enabled rapid identification of safety incident issues.

times and ensure the smooth running of the network.

The passenger movement trial was led by Metro’s Innovation team.

The trial was being funded by Metro and the Department of Transport’s Victorian Rail Crossing Safety Steering Committee.

Metro Trains CEO Raymond O’Flaherty said the trial used state-of-the-art technology to help better understand how people move around the network, to improve crowd management and drive down illegal and disruptive trespassing.

Ballarat economy goes the X’trapolis mile The local economy in Ballarat has been boosted with Victorian Government recruitment underway for skilled manufacturing, procurement, testing, and factory fit-out roles as part of the X’Trapolis 2.0 train build.

A total of 25 more accessible, reliable and energy efficient X’Trapolis 2.0 trains are being delivered – supporting around 750 jobs across manufacturing and the supply chain, including up to 150 in Ballarat during the project.

The $986 million project is funded

The Victorian Government is delivering 25 more accessible, reliable and energy efficient X’Trapolis 2.0 trains.

through the 2021/22 Victorian Budget to gradually replace Melbourne’s long-serving Comeng fleet on the Craigieburn, Upfield and Frankston lines – increasing accessibility and improving journeys.

The new trains, in line with Alstom’s strategy to deliver greener and more sustainable mobility, will be more accessible, reliable and energy-efficient.

The new generation of X’trapolis trains capitalises on key elements of the existing X’trapolis trains, which enabled it to

become the most reliable fleet on the Melbourne network.

The proposed new design enhances the existing elements with the latest serviceproven technologies.

The new train’s capacity will exceed 1240 passengers and will be built to the latest International and Australian Standards, with an increased focus on accessibility and efficiency.

A minimum 60 per cent local content quota will ensure local jobs are maximised and the project will include at least five per cent trainee and apprenticeship positions.

Work to upgrade Alstom’s Ballarat manufacturing facility will also begin ahead of manufacturing starting later this year. The new design will add capacity and ensure the workshop meets modern standards.

The upgrades will include renewing track, overhead cranes, digging pits to access underneath the trains, new workshop, testing facilities, and storage area.

Since 2014, more than $7.5 billion has been invested to deliver a pipeline of hundreds of new trains, trams and buses in the state.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 13

STRAILastic - sound protection 4 products - 1 result - silence More information can be found at www.strailastic.com.au

1.

New STRAILastic_mSW 730 mini soundprotection wall with high absorbing surface The new version of the STRAILastic_mSW adds a higher wall to the product range.

This version is used for train speeds of up to 120 km/h.

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

1. STRAILastic_mSW 730

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

2. STRAILastic_IP

STRAILastic_mSW 730 > mini goes maxi.

4. STRAILastic_A inox 2.0

new version of the mini sound protection wall the infill panel

3. STRAILastic_mSW the established mini sound protection wall rail dampers

Benefits at a glance

2.

¬ No foundation required for installation ¬ easy and quick installation ¬ Short delivery times > noise hot spots can be supplied with products quickly ¬ Closer to the noise source than any other sound protection ¬ Break-proof due to fibre-reinforced rubber compound with a cover layer of virgin rubber > UV and ozone resistant

4.

¬ No material fatigue caused by vibrations or pressure and suction forces ¬ No problems with oversized loads

STRAILastic Australia Pty Ltd // STRAILastic track damping systems 350 Botany Road | Beaconsfield NSW 2015 Sydney | www.strailastic.com.au

3.

Chelsea Clock restoration right on time Both faces of the 87-year-old Chelsea Clock Tower have been carefully restored to take pride of place once again in the heart of Melbourne’s Bayside suburb, as part of works to remove five dangerous and congested level crossings and build three new stations at Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach.

The Nepean Highway landmark was dismantled brick by brick by the Level Crossing Removal Project to make way for lowering Horologist Ronald Datson with the the Frankston line under local Chelsea Clock Tower clock faces. roads and into three rail trenches in 2021.

The clock tower has been sandblasted to remove layers of paint before re-built next to the new 6.8m wide Chelsea the soft metal was straightened and repainted, pedestrian bridge which forms part of the new along with the aluminium clock hands.

Chelsea Station precinct.

Datson also restored a trap door which was Horologist Ronald Datson is among the attached to the side of the clock tower to allow last formally trained clock repairers in Victoria access to the clock mechanism. and at his Lilydale workshop in Melbourne’s The restored Chelsea Clock Tower will north-east, he said he spent more than a week feature a modern mains-powered timekeeping addressing the condition of the clock faces. device which automatically adjusts for The acrylic sheet faces were cleaned daylight saving or in the event of a power and polished, and the copper surrounds outage — removing the need for someone to

climb into the tower to manually correct the time.

The Chelsea Clock Tower was unveiled on 21 October 1934 and was a gift from the Carrum Electric Supply Company to mark a century of European settlement in Victoria.

To allow for an upgrade of Nepean Highway, the tower was shifted closer to the railway line in 1997, according to the City of Kingston.

The connection of Traditional Owners to the land will also be recognised in the new Chelsea Station precinct including the station’s design featuring woven canopies to represent the area’s Indigenous textiles and craft.

By the middle of the year, crews will have completed the finishing touches to the new station precincts including pedestrian connections like the new Chelsea pedestrian bridge, planting more than 800 trees and 85,000 shrubs, car parking and opening more than 11km of shared use paths between Edithvale and Frankston.

Rail bridge frees up congestion at Preston Four level crossings in the Melbourne suburb of Preston have gone for good, with trains now running on a new elevated rail bridge along the Mernda line.

The level crossings at Oakover Road, Bell Street, Cramer Street and Murray Road were removed in May, improving safety and easing congestion for the 82,000 vehicles passing through the intersections each day.

These works also made Bell Street boom gate-free, boosting safety for motorists.

Previously, boom gates were down for up to 40 per cent of the morning peak.

The four level crossings were removed by building elevated rail. Raising the Mernda line over the roads made room for new playgrounds, and a shared walking and cycling path to connect the new Preston and Bell stations.

The open space underneath the elevated rail line will open to the community next year.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the Government is making progress on its level

crossing removal objectives. “We’ve smashed our level crossings target – with 59 gone for good – and these four are next, freeing up traffic, delivering more open space and slashing travel times,” he said.

Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said the project would improve the driving experience on Bell Street.

“Bell Street is one of Melbourne’s most congested level crossing and it’s great to see so much progress on site to get rid of it for good – improving safety, keeping cars moving and freeing up traffic,” she said.

The Victorian Government is getting rid of 85 level crossings by 2025, with 59 already gone for good.

Meanwhile, a vital connection on the Metro Tunnel linking Royal Parade and the future Parkville Station to Victoria’s world class medical and research precinct was also recently completed.

The Parkville Station underpass will provide

a safe and accessible connection from Parkville Station and the University of Melbourne to Royal Melbourne Hospital and other major medical and research institutes, without having to wait at busy traffic lights on Royal Parade.

People won’t have to touch on with their Myki to use the walkway – making it as helpful for locals getting across Royal Parade as passengers using the Metro Tunnel.

In just three years’ time, the Metro Tunnel will mean passengers from as far away as Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham – and stations in between – will be able to get straight to Parkville without changing trains.

There will be a train station on the doorstep of Melbourne University – and there will be travel time savings to Parkville from every train station in Melbourne.

When finished, the Metro Tunnel will create capacity for more than a half a million additional passengers per week to travel during peak times across the whole of Melbourne’s train network.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 15

News

Queensland

Avoid the rush and avoid the crush Queensland Rail is pleading with all train users, especially those travelling with young children, to ‘Mind the Gap’ after new data revealed an increase in customer falls between the train and platform.

Queensland Rail Head of South East Queensland Scott Riedel said the organisation was deeply concerned about the rise and urged customers to take care.

“In 2021, we saw 54 incidents of people slipping between the train and platform – more than double the 21 reported incidents in 2020,” he said.

“This is a concerning increase and serves as a stark reminder that people, and especially children, can fall in the gap between a train and platform when not paying enough attention.

“The safety of our customers is our absolute top priority, and we want to see everyone go home unharmed at the end of the day.

“We’re calling on customers to please take care when boarding and stepping off the train. Keep your children close – if possible, hold their hands and talk to them about how to board and disembark safely. A moment of inattention or distraction is all it takes.

“This important safety message applies to everyone travelling on our trains. While small children can often fit through the gap, a larger child or adult can still sustain a painful injury if a limb slips between the train and platform.

“We see most of these incidents occurring at our busiest stations, Roma Street and Central, but it’s important to remember they are preventable. That’s why we’re reminding customers to take care, pay attention to your surroundings and mind the gap.”

Riedel said Queensland Rail invests in customer safety initiatives such as platform raising, safety signage, announcements, and community education campaigns.

“Station staff and guards are also available to deploy ramps and offer boarding assistance to those customers who require it,” he said.

“In addition, our community education teams also provide rail safety sessions for children and students of all ages, to instil safe behaviour around the rail network from a young age.

“Queensland Rail has also just launched phase 2 of the ‘Travel with Care’ campaign, which aims to reduce falls between the train and platform. Customers can expect to see

Queensland Rail has released a set of safety posters.

signage at key stations around the network as well as onboard our trains, as a reminder to take care.”

First rail arrives for Queensland tunnels The first sections of rail to be installed in Cross River Rail’s tunnels have arrived on site, marking yet another key milestone for the transformational project.

More than 100 sections of rail have arrived at the project’s Woolloongabba site from Whyalla steelworks in South Australia. It will form the first section of about 25 kilometres of rail inside the project’s 5.9km tunnels.

The arrival of rail marks the next exciting phase of Cross River Rail, after tunnelling was completed in late 2021.

“We’ve had a lot of milestones recently,” Cross River Rail Delivery Authority CEO Graeme Newton said.

“Last year we crossed the river, and now we’re on to the rail component.”

Rail will progressively arrive at the project’s Woolloongabba and Northern Portal sites, with the first track set to be laid this month.

Around 75 workers will be involved in installing the rail and track in the twin tunnels, which will be completed within next year.

16 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

Cross River Rail tunnel rail facts: • About 25 kilometres of rail will be laid in Cross River Rail’s 5.9 kilometres of twin tunnels to create Brisbane’s first below-river rail crossing.

• Lengths of rail, each 27.5 metres long, are being delivered to the Woolloongabba site, before being welded into 110-metrelong sections.

• The rail will be delivered to both Woolloongabba and the Northern Portal and has been sourced from the Whyalla steelworks in Siuth Australia.

• The rail to arrive at the Northern Portal will be delivered already in 110-metre-long sections via train in coming months.

• The first sections of rail will be laid between Woolloongabba and Albert Street.

Meanwhile, Yeronga station has reopened for train services following extensive construction works to rebuild the station as part of the Cross River Rail project.

Between closing last year and its

reopening, large sections of the old, outdated station have been demolished and rebuilt ahead of the next phase of construction works.

Platforms 1 and 2 are now high-level platforms and a third platform has been built, while sections of the new pedestrian overpass have been lifted into place over the rail corridor.

With train services now operating again, focus at Yeronga has shifted towards completing the pedestrian overpass, which will include lifts and ramps, making all platforms fully accessible.

These upgrades are expected to be completed by mid to late 2022, at which point works on new parking, bike shelters and footpaths will start.

Those requiring lift access should continue to use Yeerongpilly station until these upgrades are completed.

The next station to be rebuilt, Fairfield, closed in line with Yeronga’s reopening, and is expected to reopen in late-2022.

News

New Zealand

Scenic train operations set for resumption KiwiRail’s Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific scenic train operations will resume later this year, with the addition of new travel packages and tours which will encourage travellers to explore regional New Zealand.

KiwiRail General Manager Scenic Journeys Tracey Goodall said the Northern Explorer (Auckland – Wellington) will resume from 25 September and the Coastal Pacific (Picton – Christchurch) from 29 September. The two services were hibernated in December 2021, when the ongoing impacts of COVID saw passenger numbers dwindle.

The best known of KiwiRail’s three tourism trains, TranzAlpine (Christchurch – Greymouth), re-started in January and will also offer package and tour options from early October.

“Our three services will cater for a range of

travellers, both domestic and international.

People will be able to book tickets between Auckland and Wellington, Picton and Christchurch, and Christchurch and Greymouth as they previously have, but we will also be offering new products on all three trains to appeal to more people and different travel styles,” Goodall said.

“We’ll be providing new visitor experiences on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine – with the addition of self-guided tours and set and customised packages, which will allow people to get off the trains for a day or two to experience more of what the regions have to offer.

“We are also going a step further by adding a range of high-quality, multi-day guided tours, built around our scenic trains. There is a

The Coastal Pacific runs from Picton to Christchurch.

growing international market for this kind of high-quality, rail-cruising experience and this will be a first for KiwiRail.

“The diversity of the new visitor offering allows KiwiRail to appeal to different parts of the international tourism market, while also offering something new for Kiwis.

“Our new products will give visitors a greater choice and convenient new ways to see New Zealand. Our guests will be able to both travel by train and get off the beaten track, immersing themselves in local tourism experiences, including getting out into nature; experiencing local food and wine; meeting the locals and hearing the stories – all the while knowing their accommodation and activities are taken care of for them.

“Importantly, the packages and tours will see an increase in spending in the regions along our routes, supporting local jobs and businesses.

“Our scenic trains, like tourism operators across New Zealand, have been hit hard by border closures and the impacts of COVID. Not only will our new approach enable our scenic services to be more financially sustainable, it will also play a role in helping other tourism operators recover.”

Excavation works unearth buried fire bell tower Building for Auckland’s transport future with the City Rail Link (CRL) project has discovered fragments from the city’s past that would most probably have left many of its colonial users gasping for breath.

Contractors at CRL’s Aotea Station site in central Auckland uncovered concrete foundations and timber footings used to support a landmark wooden fire bell tower built in Albert Street near the intersection with Victoria Street.

Watchmen had to huff-and-puff their way up five sets of steep stairs to reach the tower’s lookout perched almost 23 metres – roughly the length of a cricket pitch – over a town built mainly of wood and brick and vulnerable to the threat of fire.

City Rail Link Chief Executive Sean Sweeney said the city had given up another of its buried secrets: an archaeological snapshot of the past and a reminder of what it was like to live without all the mod cons taken for granted today.

“The tower would have been a critical

part of the pioneer town’s fire-fighting infrastructure,” he said.

Built in the early 1880s, the tower was topped by a heavy bell known as “Big Ben”.

There was no electricity at the time and watchmen had to use hydraulics to ring “Big Ben” and raise the alarm. It could be heard 11 kilometres away – providing it was a still day with no wind. The number of the bell’s gongs indicated the location of a fire.

Both “Big Ben” and the tower were decommissioned in 1902 when the city’s main fire station moved to opposite its present site in Pitt Street.

The tower’s foundations were exposed when Link Alliance contractors were excavating earth along Albert Street for CRL. Link Alliance Aotea Station Manage Matt Sinclair said they were in “pretty good nick considering they had been underground almost 150 years”.

“The wood has been identified as kauri and some of the segments we found still lock together in a set,” he said.

The foundations have been inspected by an archaeologist and will be preserved in a new location that appropriately fits their fire-fighting past. The CRL project has donated them to the Auckland Fire Brigade’s Museum & Historical Society.

The fire tower foundations are the latest is a growing list of artefacts from Auckland’s past uncovered by CRL. Discoveries include an old well, bricks used for buildings and drains, an old boiler, part of a seawall, wharf piles, bottles, the remains of a scrubbing brush, and fragments of two trees buried for almost 30,000 years. A colonial kauri cottage was removed from the Mt Eden site and shifted by truck to a new location.

Two significant features of Auckland’s pioneer past will continue to serve the city. CRL re-opened a restored heritage-listed Central Post Office a year ago as part of the Britomart Station, and work will start at the end of this year reinstalling a 19th century bluestone wall temporarily removed stone-by-stone to make room for project construction at Aotea.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 17

2022-rail-express-June-full-page-ad-printout.pdf 1 2022/4/22 下午4:17

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

News

International

Wabtec secures contract from Indian Railways Wabtec Corporation has been awarded a contract from Central Organisation For Modernisation Of Workshops (COFMOW), Indian Railways, for its Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS) project.

The new automated OMRS system is part of Indian Railways’ “SMART Yard” initiative and will improve the availability of the railway’s fleet of coaches, wagons, and locomotives by detecting and addressing defects, preventing in-service failures.

Wabtec Digital Electronics Group President Nalin Jain said Indian Railways is at the forefront of deploying digital solutions to modernise its operations and drive efficiency across its rail network.

“This order supports their ‘Smart Yard’ initiative, which will showcase the next generation of condition-based predictive maintenance technologies. The OMRS systems will streamline Indian Railways’ operations by automating the inspections of bearings and wheels and pinpointing customized maintenance to maximize the utilization of its rolling stock,” he said.

The OMRS is a wayside solution comprising Rail Bearing Acoustic Monitor (RailBAM) and Wheel Condition Monitor (WCM/ WILD) to detect faults in the axle–journal bearings and wheels of rolling stock.

The RailBAM technology uses acoustic

The new automated OMRS system is part of Indian Railways’ “SMART Yard” initiative.

signatures from bearings to identify bearing defects in advance before they would be identified through human inspection.

The WCM technology uses impact forces exerted by wheels on to the rail to identify wheel defects.

The OMRS systems enable operators to optimally plan the inspection and removal of defective bearings and wheels based on condition instead of fixed time-based inspection schedules, resulting in a healthier and reliable fleet.

Wabtec Corporation Senior Vice President and India Region Leader Sujatha Narayan said Wabtec and Indian Railways had partnered for decades to continually provide the country with rail technology solutions that enable an efficient, reliable and safe rail network.

“This project will bring in state-of-theart global digital high-tech solutions to the substantial portfolio of the India business enabling Indian Railways in their journey of modernisation and digitalisation,” he said.

COFMOW is managing the deployment of Indian Railways’ Smart Yards across the country. As part of the contract with COFMOW, Wabtec’s teams in Australia and India will lead the design, news release development, supply, installation, and commissioning of 97 OMRS equipment sets in various zonal railway locations across the country.

The data from all the wayside OMRS systems will be fed into a state-of-the-art Central Data Control Center to be established in Delhi through the Wabtec Fleet ONE software.

Thales central safety system wins over Dutch Thales has been selected by ProRail to implement its ERTMS Central Safety System (CSS) into the Dutch railway network, in order to achieve a much safer and more sustainable railway traffic network for the Netherlands.

The contract has a maximum duration of 37 years with a value of 420 million euros, with a significant part being dedicated to innovation.

The CSS is software-driven and enables the company to move away from analogue to digital.

The CSS controls the railway’s security centrally from ProRail’s Data Centres. Today this activity is still carried out via signals along the track, but moving to a digital solution will drastically improve the railway network’s maintainability and scalability.

The system will be continuously improved during the implementation in order to continue to meet the changing market requirements and

to take advantage of new possibilities.

In the Netherlands, ProRail’s work covers 7000 kilometres of track, building and managing train stations and regulating train traffic (1.4 million journeys every working day).

ProRail chose Thales almost two years after the publication of the CSS tender.

The CSS plays a central role in carrying out the objectives of ERTMS. Consequently, the new CSS will increase the safety and capacity of trains in order to accommodate future growth of freight and passenger transport. Travelling within Europe by train will also become a lot easier and therefore more attractive.

Thales Nederalnd CEO Gerben Edelijn said contributing to a safer world is at the heart of the business.

“We are therefore proud that we are achieving safer and more sustainable train

transport with our CSS. Being a part of Thales, we are doing similar projects across Europe and it is great to work together to build a European rail network for goods and passengers,” he said.

Managing Director of Thales Main Line Signalling, Yves Joannic, said he was delighted ProRail saw Thales as a long term trusted partner who could provide support in the execution of its clear vision to build an efficient and more sustainable railway network.

“All of that will be boosted by our advanced digital technology portfolio and highly experienced people,” he said.

• ERTMS is the European standard for train safety and control. ProRail is a government task organisation that takes care of maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure, of allocating rail capacity, and of traffic control.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 19

Cross River Rail

Project opens traffic congestion valve The ambitious Cross River Rail project will help alleviate Brisbane’s near-capacity public transport system in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics, as CRR Delivery Authority chief executive officer Graeme Newton explains.

For the daily commuter in Brisbane, transportation in and out of the city during peak hours can usually be described as challenging. With limited options for road and public transport access, the city requires an expansion of its current infrastructure.

Luckily, one suitable project is already in development and is set to transform the way in which commuters can access the city.

The Cross River Rail project, due to come on line by 2025, aims to release the growing pressure on the city’s current public transport infrastructure.

The population in South East Queensland is forecast to grow from 3.5 million today to 4.9 million in 2036, with 45 per cent of jobs growth expected to be concentrated inside the Brisbane metropolitan area.

To ensure that the public transportation requirements of the region were met, the original proposal for the $5.4 billion project was chambered in 2010. Following further amendments, the business case for the project was released in August 2017.

The plan detailed the construction of the new 10.2-kilometre rail line from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, which includes 5.9 kilometres of twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and the CBD, as well as the construction of four new underground stations, six Southside station rebuilds, three new Gold Coast stations and two station upgrades.

Currently more than 2500 workers are situated at 15 active worksites. Additionally, more than 300 apprentices and trainees have contributed to the project.

Cross River Rail has also provided a significant boost to the region’s economy, with more than 1500 Queensland subcontractors and suppliers benefitting from the project to date.

Newton said the project will serve to remove the growing stress on the city’s current rail network.

“Cross River Rail is essential because

20 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

Brisbane is growing to a stage where the notion of just driving a car and parking in the city is just not achievable anymore. The main highways and motorways are becoming more congested, so we need to provide an alternative mode of transport,” he said.

“It really is about solving a transport problem, while building new stations and then driving economic development.”

Brisbane’s current rail network is already nearing capacity and is constrained by a single river crossing and just four inner-city stations.

The Cross River Rail project will unlock this bottleneck by delivering a second river crossing, allowing more trains to run more often.

Newton said the current bottleneck is the result of previous planning and construction of the rail network more than five decades ago.

“The original rail design consisted of two networks, one from the north and one from the south,” he said. “In the late 1970s, the bridge was built to link the two together. But with that design, we ended up with stations which are in inconvenient locations for commuters.”

Newton said the Cross River Rail project will help the city of Brisbane to transition to a central transport hub for the region.

“The analogy that we like to use is that projects such as Cross River Rail help a city like Brisbane to mature from adolescence into an adult,” he says.

THIRD YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION The Cross River Rail project is entering its third year of construction, following the completion of a year known across the project as the “year of tunnelling”.

As part of this phase, two 1350-tonne Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) dug twin tunnels 3.8 kilometres beneath the Brisbane River and CBD from Woolloongabba to Northern Portal.

Additionally, two 115-tonne road headers excavated almost 900 metres of twin tunnels south from Woolloongabba to Boggo Road.

Both excavations were essential in the

Currently more than 2500 workers are situated at 15 active worksites.

construction for the four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Albert St, Roma St, and Woolloongabba.

Newton said the machinery served as an appropriate solution to break through the area’s tough rock interior.

“In Brisbane the foundation below us is predominantly rock. So using TBMs is a really efficient mode of excavation,” he said.

He said the TBMs provided great benefits for the project’s bottom line.

“For projects such as tunnels or dams, the geotechnical risk is very high. If a contractor was to get this wrong, it would cost the project dearly in terms of time and money,” he said.

“It’s good to have that geotechnical risk put to bed early in the project and using a double shielded TBM, such as the ones used on this project, gave a high degree of certainty of success.”

This year, the focus will be shifted to station build and tunnel fit out. These works will also include waterproofing and installing mechanical and electrical equipment.

GOING GREEN During the planning of the Cross River Rail project, methods of minimising the ecological impacts during construction were prioritised.

Every year in South East Queensland around 40,000 tonnes of glass ends up in landfill. The project aimed to change this by trialling the use of sand made from recycled glass as pipe bedding fill for stormwater pipe relocations.

As part of the excavation works, 98 per cent of the Roma Street construction and demolition waste by weight was diverted from landfill. This

infrastructure in the lead up to and during the games, the benefits will continue over the decades to come.

“It’s not just about the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Though the games do act as catalysts, it’s more about the long-term future of the city,” he said.

Despite his 30 years’ experience as a senior executive in the infrastructure sector, Newton says he is still amazed at the scope and impact of Cross River Rail – a project he says is a “real adventure” at times.

“To be part of something that will change the way the city will operate in the future, is something I haven’t been able to fully comprehend yet,” he said.

“This is a world-class project, being delivered by world-class people. To be associated with that type of knowledge and experience is a real privilege for me.”

included 104,146 tonnes of concrete and 5571 tonnes of metal being recycled.

Further works saw 90 per cent of Boggo Road construction and demolition waste and 84 per cent of Woolloongabba construction and demolition waste by weight diverted from landfill.

Spoil from the project’s TBMs was also reused by Austral Bricks, a south Brisbane brick company, with nearly 60,000 cubic metres of the material remade into brick products.

BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS CITY Cross River Rail will also serve to provide optimal efficiency for commuters attending sporting and entertainment events throughout the Brisbane CBD. “This project adds the features that a good city needs. A railway station which connects to all of its main sporting and entertainment venues, and ease of interchange between different modes of transport,” Newton said.

“When you go to world-class cities, you can see that these are some features they all have.

It’s the aspiration for Brisbane to move to that next stage of becoming a world-class city.”

Newton said part of this “world-class” city vision is having the ability to host and contend for international events, such as the Olympic Games.

On 21 June 2021, Brisbane officially received the rights to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

As part of her address to the IOC, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk specifically mentioned Cross River Rail as one of the reasons why

Brisbane would be a suitable host city for the games.

Newton believes that while the project was in development well before the bid to host the games was submitted, it played an essential role in securing the hosting rights.

“The Cross River Rail project allows those venues to be established and operational, so that by the time we get to Brisbane 2032, the city has reached a level of maturity to host a fantastic Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said.

“It’s making the transport journey seamless, and rail is the public transport of choice when you are trying to move large crowds of people in and out of venues.”

The new and upgraded stations will improve access to at least four existing venues earmarked for the events.

The new Woolloongabba underground station connects to The Gabba, earmarked for the athletics events and ceremonies. The new Roma Street underground station links to the Suncorp Stadium, hosting rugby sevens and football finals.

The upgraded Exhibition station is the best way to access the RNA Showgrounds and Victoria Park (equestrian and BMX freestyle) and the upgraded Yeerongpilly station links commuters to the Pat Rafter Arena (Queensland Tennis Centre).

Additionally, Roma Street is also the proposed location for a new 18,000 seat indoor arena, which will host the swimming and water polo games during the 2032 Olympics.

Newton emphasises that while the project will provide a significant boost for Brisbane’s

Construction continues at Cross River Rail’s Woolloongabba Station.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 21

Workforce Profiles

A rail industry career is all in the family For Michael Riley, a train driver with Pacific National, embracing a career in rail that has spanned four decades was an easy choice.

Michael’s father and grandfather before him both had long careers in the railways, with his grandfather spending most of his career as a train driver predominantly shovelling coal to power steam locomotives.

Pacific National train driver Michael Riley.

During the second World War, his father followed suit, signing on to become a train driver in Brisbane working on both steam and diesel locomotives.

“The way dad would break down the milestones in his career, was that one day he was shovelling coal and the next he wasn’t,” Michael said.

Michael followed his father and grandfather into the rail industry, beginning his journey in 1981 at the Eveleigh depot in Sydney.

His first role was as a trainee engine man, before he eventually went on to qualify as a locomotive driver on passenger trains.

This year he marks 41 years in rail, with more than two decades of those spent at Pacific National.

He joined Pacific National 27 years ago, transitioning from his role as an intercity driver with CityRail to driving locomotives and hauling freight.

Michael has also been a locomotive driver trainer and now he works as a terminal planner, providing support to operations and assists with contractor management.

With a team of 250 contractors authorised to work onsite, Michael also oversees contractor/visitor inductions, accounts payable and health management.

“At the end of the day it’s all about keeping our people healthy at work and healthy at home,” he said.

Over the past four decades Michael has seen a huge amount of change, including big shifts in the way safety is approached and the advances in technology.

“In particular the working environment of the locomotive has been modernised to include fuel saving technology, fridges and air conditioning, while braking systems have transitioned from Westinghouse to ECP technology train braking,” he said.

But even with so much experience, Michael says he enjoys continuously learning something new.

“I need to listen, and I think I need to ask more questions, even now as an individual because there are always people in our business who know things that you don’t know,” he said.

Important for women to rise through the ranks The Chief Operating Officer of Melbourne’s suburban passenger rail network, Catherine Baxter, recently won the Women in Industry Award for Excellence in Transport.

The awards are presented by Rail Express, together with sister publications Australian Mining, PACE, Manufacturers’ Monthly, MHD Supply Chain Solutions, Prime Mover, Trailer, Waste Management Review, Roads & Infrastructure Australia and Australian Bulk Handling Review, to acknowledge the exceptional women who have achieved success through their invaluable leadership, innovation and commitment to their respective fields.

Catherine received the honour at a special awards ceremony in Melbourne which included finalists from across the mining, engineering, transport, logistics and infrastructure sectors.

The Excellence in Transport award recognises an individual who has gone above and beyond to improve and positively impact the Australian transport industry.

“I’m enormously grateful to win this award.

22 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

It’s especially important to me because these awards are decided by my peers. It’s judged for women in industry, by women in industry,” Catherine said.

Catherine has been working in the rail industry for more than three decades.

When she first joined Queensland Rail in the 1980s, it was a male-dominated industry.

Despite this, she pushed forward, making a name for herself quickly, and leading the charge to bring more women on board.

“It’s essential that women not only join the rail industry, but rise through the ranks. I take this role very seriously and if I can inspire other women to join the rewarding world of rail, then I know I’m doing my part to set us up for a bright future,” she said.

Having brought her talents to Melbourne, she oversees the safe running of Metro Train Melbourne’s network, and the delivery of nationally recognised rail safety training.

“I’m very proud that every day Metro continues to better reflect the values of the community we serve. That means ensuring women are working at all levels, in all types

of roles. I can assure you that we’re not just ticking boxes,” she said.

“Bringing more women into Metro improves both our business and the city of Melbourne.

Hiring new people from diverse parts of the Victorian community, who previously didn’t have a seat at the table, means more women have an opportunity to develop a career in our industry than ever before.”

Catherine Baxter receives her award.

With greater diversity comes greater strength As a senior leader, Metro Trains Melbourne’s Lisa Hogben wants to break down barriers for women and people of colour.

It’s no secret that the rail construction industry needs more women in its ranks. And women like Lisa Lisa are paving the way.

In February, she took a position as Package Director for the Melbourne Airport Rail project, building a diverse team with an equal representation of women and men.

In a few short months, Lisa created and nurtured an inclusive workplace culture where women and people of colour not only have a seat at the table, but are also helping shape the future of our rail network.

Indeed, when it comes to hiring a diverse team made up of the best people for the job, Lisa leads by example.

Having spent the majority of her career in the rail construction industry in the UK, she was lured to Australia by the prospect of working for an organisation that celebrated and empowered women and diversity.

And of course, she was excited at the prospect of a little more sunshine.

In Metro’s Projects division, women currently make up more than 30 per cent of the workforce, making Metro an industry leader in gender parity.

“Honestly, 20 or 30 per cent of representation isn’t enough – we should be representative of the working population,” Lisa said.

As a divisional ‘Women in Rail KPI Champion’, Lisa is striving for greater gender equality across Metro.

Earlier this year, she was elected to the role of Board Director for the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), and she’s also hoping to ramp up these efforts right across the industry.

In her role at NAWIC, alongside four other elected women, she wants to champion women and people of colour in rail and construction and help them to reach their full potential.

“I want to be a role model for women in the industry and drive initiatives to attract more women from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds,” she said.

“I also want to shine a light on the covert, micro-inequalities that plague women and form the ‘lived experience’ that often means they don’t stay in the industry for long.”

In her spare time, Lisa volunteers at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre as a

Lisa Hogben has created and nurtured an inclusive workplace culture at Metro Trains.

Professional Mentor, helping people prepare for entering the workforce in Australia.

“Growing up as the only brown girl in a small town in the UK has an impact on you.

Being the only woman or person of colour in a room has an impact on you,” she said.

Lisa said that a stronger focus on hiring women and girls who have strengths outside maths and science but could work in project management, communications, finance, safety and human resources, will also help the industry move closer to gender parity.

“Organisations are so much stronger when they hire a diverse workforce with different skills. Even in a smaller team like mine, you can see the benefits are huge,” she said.

The Victorian Government agrees. From January 1 2022, the new ‘Building Equality Policy’ came into effect, mandating female representation in some of the country’s most male-dominated industries – building, infrastructure and civil engineering.

Under the policy, for major projects valued at $20 million or more, women need to

represent at least three per cent of each trade role, seven per cent of each non-trade position, and 35 per cent of management, supervisor and specialist labour roles.

Public Transport Minister Ben Caroll said it was positive to see representation of women mandated in the rail construction industry, and to see Metro prioritising the support of women and diversity as part of its business approach.

Lisa is calling on hiring managers and leaders in the rail construction industry to take action.

“We’re the ones with the power to make change. If we keep doing the same thing, we’ll keep getting the same results,” she said.

“When we’re creating our teams, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves – how can we support women and support people from diverse backgrounds and how can we make them a much bigger part of what we’re trying to achieve here?

“We recognise there really is an opportunity for everyone.”

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 23

Innovating with purpose For more than 150 years, Wabtec’s innovations have helped drive the industry toward a more sustainable and clean future.

WabtecCorp.com

Workforce Profiles

Laura engineers a constructive career Under Laura Barnes’ leadership, the longest Tee-roff bridge beams in Australia were built in extraordinarily complex conditions – geographically and technically.

Laura Barnes oversaw the ‘Tee-roff’ beam installation at the new Ranford Road Bridge.

“At nearly 50 metres long and weighing 191 tonnes each, the beams were lifted by three cranes, a 400-tonne crawler and 400 and 500-tonne all-terrains. It was like my own personal episode of Megastructures and definitely a major career highlight.”

This is how Laura Barnes, Senior Project Engineer for the METRONET ThornlieCockburn Link in Perth, describes her experience installing seven of the largest bridge beams ever fabricated in Australia.

The so-called Tee-roff beams were manufactured by local company, Georgiou Group, at its precast yard in Hazelmere.

Each beam consists of 14,000kg of reinforced steel, 120 stressing tendons and 73 cubic metres of concrete.

Tee-roff refers to a specially-designed beam developed in Victoria and first used in WA on the Northam Bypass project in 2001.

Tee-roff beams have become the preferred superstructure form for bridges with a range of 20‑45 metres as they enable the bridges the longer span, while using less material and reducing overall bridge load.

Laura oversaw the ‘tee-roff’ beam installation at the new Ranford Road Bridge as part of project works, but it was far more than an impressive engineering feat.

For Laura, it was a major achievement in her civil engineering career and saw her win the National Association of Women in Construction WA TBH Outstanding Achievement in Construction Award in late 2021.

“The installation of the beams was a massive team effort, and it was incredibly rewarding to see the job executed safely and receive the award and be recognised in this way,”she said.

Laura coordinated a large, diverse team for the beam installation and identified design and installation improvements for a safer, quicker, and more cost-effective installation that helped keep rail and road traffic moving and protect major services on site.

“For me, engineering was a natural continuation of subjects I enjoyed at school like maths, physics and chemistry,” she said.

“Engineers are very logical with a love of optimising, problem-solving and debating so when I chose civil engineering, I met likeminded people and it was a great fit for me.

“Seven years into my career, working on a major rail infrastructure project like the METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Link gives me a great mix of office and site-based work where I can work in multi-skilled teams and walk on site every day and see the physical changes that result from me and my team’s work.

“It’s a dynamic, fast-paced job, and plans can change with a minute’s notice, but it’s very rewarding. Engineers play a large role in transforming empty land into roads, bridges, railways and tunnels and I really enjoy driving past pieces of Perth I have helped build.”

Laura had encouraging words for others to consider a career in engineering or STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths).

“Just give it a go, as you never know

where it will take you,” she said. “Stay open to opportunities and talk to people in the industry about their careers and experiences as a STEM qualification can lead to many jobs and you’ll learn transferable skills like problem solving, teamwork and communication so you can easily pivot into other fields.”

And while Laura’ work on the ThornlieCockburn Link has well and truly placed her in WA’s engineering spotlight, her career focus and ambition doesn’t end there.

“I’d like to continue working on big infrastructure projects in Perth and I’m also passionate about flexible working arrangements in the construction industry to better accommodate a balance between family and work,” she said.

There are 207 females currently employed in construction-related roles across METRONET’s Thornlie-Cockburn Link and Yanchep Rail Extension projects combined and 586 in construction-related roles across METRONET’s full program of works.

• METRONET’s Thornlie-Cockburn Link will be the first east-west cross line connection in Perth – making travel around the city by train more flexible.

It will provide a higher level of public transport service to Perth’s southern suburbs with direct access to employment, sporting and recreation opportunities at Canning Vale, Cannington Strategic Metropolitan Centre, Burswood Peninsula, and the eastern Central Business District.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 25

Coming Out of COVID

Silver linings to be found in post-COVID new normal While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced industries to change the way they operate, much promise and potential has emerged as a result.

The spread of COVID-19 has forced businesses to adapt their practices and operations to cope with lockdowns, supply chain challenges and reduced patronage, and the rail sector has been no exception.

But it’s certainly not all gloom and doom, as silver linings have emerged in the way industry has responded through their management of the restrictions, operational requirements and workforce needs along the way.

For rail operators, the most heartening developments have been the innovations that have arisen in the public transport sector, driven in large part by some of the impacts of the pandemic.

A recent forum on the impacts of the Return to Rail - facilitated by the Australasian Railways Association - invited key industry representatives to expand upon how organisations have been forced to rethink how they run their businesses.

Among them was Siemens Mobility CEO for Australia and New Zealand, Raphaelle Guerineau, who said adapting to working remotely had definitely contributed to positive innovations.

“Siemens Mobility is a business where we have our engineers spread across Australia and in New Zealand, serving all the cities,” she said.

“Due to COVID restrictions, we had engineers who were unable to travel during the pandemic, so we were forced to to adapt and resort to remote commissioning.

“For certain systems, primarily safety-related, we really needed an on-site resource, so we had to cancel and postpone some commissioning’s, but remote commissioning was carried out where we could.”

The first remote procedure was trialled for one of Siemens Mobility’s train control systems in Auckland, where the company used engineers in Melbourne, connecting with the customer and uploading software directly after full laboratory analysis.

“It was run very smoothly. That was the first time that was done, because normally we were always sending engineers on site,” Guerineau said.

26 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

Virtual reality goggles enable engineers to operate in-situ work simulations as if they were physically in the train cabin, the signaling room or substation.

“So that was a real breakthrough, which came from COVID-enforced change.

“I think this is probably one of the game changers; the reduction of business-related travel. With the very high number of projects that we have in Australia, we really need to change the mindset from the technology perspective; being able to save on some travel and doing a combination of on-site engineers along with remote support.

“The pandemic has changed the means of engagement … but it has not reduced the necessity to meet in person before making big decisions. The way to collaborate and to understand the needs of our customers has been in most cases entirely digitalised already before the pandemic.

“The popularity of webinars is likely to continue as an important channel for customer engagement, particularly for new product introduction.”

Guerineau said various initiatives or projects had been accelerated due to the pandemic.

“Cybersecurity is one of the areas now where we have many projects now developed with far more pace than before COVID,” she said.

“With the implementation of Cloud solutions for signalling, cybersecurity has been a big focus.

“Digital asset management and remote condition monitoring are changing the maintenance landscape.

“In many cases faults can be anticipated and remedial action programmed.

“The assumption that a maintainer always has to attend in person to diagnose the fault has been swept away.

“That was always an ambition pre-COVID, but necessity has forced the exploration of the potential of such technologies and now they are far more widely accepted.”

For example, Guerineau referred to optical technology such as 3D or virtual reality glasses, the use of which has been speeded up.

While it was already in use for maintenance activities, it has now been introduced for the purpose of commissioning. The glasses enable engineers to operate in-situ work simulations as if they were physically in the train cabin, the signalling room or substation.

“While full remote commissioning also offers cost savings, I think the key is in the hybrid mode of remote and on-site commissioning because full remote commissioning is limited in terms of its applications, especially in the industry that we are in,” she said.

Guerineau also focused on contactless technology, with Siemens Mobility having

Mobility as a Service platforms help make the most of the abundance of transport options that are available.

C R E D I T: R A I L G A L L E RY.W O N G M.C O M

contactless ticketing and other forms of digital crowd management solutions such as its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms, which offer smart applications that use intelligent algorithms, seamless ticketing and big data analytics to make the travel easier.

“For example, we have some sensors to detect where passengers are on the trains or on the platform, and inform passengers so that they can move to less crowded places if needed.

“The need for such technologies would have increased in importance during the pandemic.

“COVID has lasted for two years, but as you know the implementation of such technology takes some time.

“One interesting aspect is that everything about digitalisation innovations have been speeded up by the pandemic.

“We’ve seen a steep increase of digital and AI solutions during development and commissioning of a system due to remote working and it has pushed the digitalisation of our system operation forward.

“This is very broad: it goes from ensuring operational resilience, like remote condition monitoring systems, to mobility as a service.

Everything in terms of optimisation of a fleet, or railway management. There’s a lot of new technology here that is exploding today.”

Guerineau said the pandemic had resulted in the acceleration of several other trends.

“Traffic patterns are also likely to change as people adopt more flexible working patterns, smoothing some of the traditional peak hours.

“Both our own workforce and those of our customers are adopting more flexible working practices including more a permanent element of working from home - Siemens has a global “New

Metro Trains Melbourne has introduced contactless lifts into some of its stations.

Normal” policy of working two to three days a week from home.

“This has necessitated changes in the ways teams are managed and how they engage with each other remotely. Mixed meetings (face to face combined with some remote participants) are likely to become the norm. Some reduction in interstate travel is likely.

“Generally, the demand for rail is expected to continue to increase overall, so we expect that the market for the rail industry will grow.

“Patronage will return to pre-COVID levels even if the patterns change somewhat. The rail freight task will also grow and a renewed focus on supply chain reliability should make rail freight particularly attractive.

“We now expect that the rail market will return to the pre-COVID growth projects and may even increase as the result of increased government backed infrastructure spending.”

ADAPTING AND INNOVATING Industry representatives at the Return to Rail forum were in agreement with Guerineau about the ways the sector has adapted to change in a positive manner.

Forum moderator and ARA Policy and Government Relations general manager Simon Bourke said that there had been no shortages of challenges over the past two years, “whether it is a result of remote working or workforce disruptions, lockdowns, vaccination programs or, as we’ve seen more recently, some of the extreme extreme weather events we’ve seen across the country”.

“However, through this adversity in considerable disruption, there’s obviously been a number of opportunities that emerged for innovation,” she said.

“We have a much greater focus on how we can be doing things better for the rail industry, and there’s been a need to use technology innovation to be more responsive and agile in this environment that’s had a constant degree of change over the last two years.

“Its ability to continue to adapt and innovate will be really important and vital for the rail sector as we start to move into this post pandemic environment.”

Knorr-Bremse managing director Michael McLellan spoke on the experiences of his company, which supplies various subsystems for rolling stock, such as heating and ventilation (HVAC), door breaks, various electronic systems and power control systems.

“As the pandemic came through, we were lucky in many respects that the various governments kept proceeding with projects, including new ones,” he said.

“So with the lockdowns, we had to work out lots of different ways to support those projects as they proceeded.”

And that meant the company had to switch

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 27

Coming Out of COVID

The challenges of COVID have prompted KnorrBremse to manage its projects in different ways.

from carrying out tasks or technical operations that it would usually have done face to face or live, to a remote situation.

“I’ll give you a good example. We supply the brakes, for example on the High Capacity Metro Trains project in Melbourne, and we had to do dynamic commissioning of brakes remotely,” McLellan said.

“As you can imagine, making sure breaks work to spec is one of the more important aspects on the train, and typically we have system engineers from Sydney and Germany on the train monitoring and recording data; and with COVID, this wasn’t possible.

“Lockdowns in Melbourne pretty much prevented engineers from getting into the country, or getting from head office in Sydney down into Melbourne to do weeks and weeks of dynamic commissioning.

“Brake commissioning requires trains to run at different speeds and loading, and even putting soapy water on the tracks to create low friction conditions … we then measure acceleration, speed, stopping distance and many other variables of the braking systems itself.

“And usually this was all done in the dead of night, when we have the ability to get onto the tracks to do this sort of testing. So basically, our systems engineers had to be virtually on the train.”

Knorr-Bremse worked around this by training and using service technicians remotely to use sophisticated equipment that was hooked up for the data gathering.

28 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

“We supported them through many weeks of testing and they then received the data back in Sydney and in Germany, analysed the data and we did tweaking as needed and solved problems remotely,” McLellan said.

“So it was a real challenge and it’s something we would never have thought of doing before COVID came along.

“Adversity is the mother of invention, as they say, and it was successful.

“It was an early test case for this type of other-mode engineering and also provided some great learning on remote data collection of key parameters on our system.

“That’s a good example of how a bit of innovation developed out of COVID.” McLellan also referred to issues with its projects with METRONET in Perth, where the company supplied braking, air conditioning and door systems for the agency’s trains.

“As everyone knows, there’s a big requirement for local content in those projects.

When they started, we were right in the middle of setting up local manufacturing of things like air compressors and HVACs,” he said.

“This was difficult when travel was restricted during COVID. “We had to set up a new site for manufacturing and testing of HVAC and braking systems, including air compressors, which are quite technical bits of kit, and so we had to use our industrial engineers in Sydney, our overseas engineers and our team in Sydney

to support our operations manager in basically working remotely to support the site.

“We then also had to train manufacturing staff on how to build these systems and how to test them and make sure that the quality was acceptable.

“From a remote engineering and implementation support point of view, the methods were actually very innovative and probably a bit leading edge in terms of what we’ve ever done in regards to this.

“Without the challenges of COVID, we would have done things the same old way.

“In many engineering tasks, particularly when we start to see engineers and people becoming quite scarce, but you know there is the ability to use engineering staff remotely, it’s a greatway to solve some of these problems associated with staff availability.”

McLellan’s sentiments were echoed by Metro Trains Melbourne innovation general manager Paul Pafumi, who said the organisation had definitely changed the way that it approached planning and implementation for innovation.

“We’ve experimented a lot. We applied the concept of fail-fast, and out of that comes gems, and you also can move on from things that don’t really make much sense,” he said.

“When we’re assessing ideas, part of the way we think now is, how does it impact the postCOVID world?

“For example, we’ve introduced contactless lifts into some of our stations, a collaboration

between our infrastructure teams and our accessibility team, and initially it was an idea to respond to an accessibility concern.

“It was about dexterity and how someone who has dexterity concerns can actually use the lift.

“When COVID came along, and the need to minimise social contact, it really created the impetus to develop that further.”

The lifts are summoned automatically through external sensors as users approach the lift, and there are sensors inside which allow the floor button to light up automatically when it detects passenger(s) coming in. From the moment users approach the lift to exiting it, there is no need to touch anything.

“We created prototypes to further engage our audience and our customer base and we created a product that was fit for purpose for our users, which is now a type of proof product for our rail stations and it’s included in our specifications as we move forward for new sites, and also for retrospective installations.

“COVID has helped us accelerate some of the items we had on our list for a while.”

Pafumi highlighted the improvement of passenger operations as a result of specific technologies or innovations that came out of lockdown and the need for social distancing.

“We’d been looking at how we can better improve operations and passenger experience around trespasser management and also around crowding platforms, and also in level

crossings and how people are using them,” he said.

“We did trials on passenger movements and we were testing both traditional type technologies like CCTV and analytics overlaid on CCTV, and additionally we’ve looked at other technologies and experimenting with those like LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging).

“LIDAR is already being used in rail in certain ways but not in this way.

“It’s given us information about crowding and trespasser management.

“We’ve got that specific technology installed at some of Melbourne’s busiest stations as well as two of our level crossings, just to understand behavior around level crossing use and how that data that’s being captured can better inform the future for those areas, and what actions can be taken when people do breach.

“It’s been a really good learning experience and the need to manage COVID practices have helped us move much faster.”

O’Flaherty added that COVID had broadened priorities for Knorr-Bremse, with the company now also focusing on the quality of air inside trains.

“As we make air conditioning for trains, previously we saw ourselves as primarily responsible for heating and cooling inside the train,” he said.

“We would always ensure there was a bit of fresh air flowing through the trains, but I I think it would be fair to say that COVID

brought a quick change of mindset for us there. Of course we were responsible for air temperature, but we’re now seeing ourselves as being responsible for the quality of the air in the train. We have to make sure that the air is clean and safe for passengers and I think this aspect is probably one of the biggest challenges for operators.

“Confidence about getting back on the train is about how safe it is to breathe the air that’s inside that train.”

O’Flaherty said the company had already done some work on relevant technologies prior to COVID, but hadn’t advanced them very far.

“During the pandemic, we quickly started developing high efficiency filters, such as intense field discharge filters, or using active ionisation in the airflow, placing it in the air conditioning system to neutralise viruses and harmful biological elements such as COVID,” he said.

“So it’s about making the air clean and safe within the train. There’s been enormous amount of research that was done to ensure that these products can be shown to be quantitatively effective, so we’ve done trials in Melbourne for instance, where we’ve set some of these things up inside a passenger train and measured the effect of them in terms of the amount of COVID in the train.

“We also had to make sure that this was retrofittable to existing rolling stock, so it’s no use just implementing on new trains.”

Metro Trains Melbourne has changed the way that it approaches planning and implementation for innovation.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 29

Sustainability Solutions

The tickets to low carbon transport

Wabtec’s FLXdrive technology has been taken up by several mining companies, including giants BHP, Roy Hill and Rio Tinto.

The Wabtec sustainability train, figuratively and literally, is powering on along the tracks.

As the global leader in rail technology, equipment, systems and battery-powered locomotives for rail freight and transit, Wabtec is accelerating the future of transportation, delivering zero-emission rail systems as customers demand clean technology to reduce their emissions.

For more than 150 years, the company has looked for ways to improve safety, and make a positive impact on people and the planet. It recognises that today, the scope of sustainability requires broader consideration across the environmental, social and economic landscape, so ways must be found to enable efficiency, innovation and human connection.

In its landmark 2021 Sustainability Report, Wabtec President and Chief Executive Officer Rafael Santana emphasised that sustainability priorities were embedded into the company’s governance framework, leadership decisionmaking, and commitment to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“Having a dynamic ESG strategy is critical to living up to those goals, and clear, defined metrics make it easy for us and others to measure our progress,” he said.

“No industry, including the global rail industry, remained untouched by the concurrent challenges of the COVID pandemic, social and racial justice movement, economic slowdown, global transportation and supply chain disruptions, and increased climate volatility.

“Climate change is an undeniable reality, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be both an urgent short- and long-term priority for everyone in the public and private sector. As a leading transportation manufacturer and supplier of critical technology to the transit rail and industrial sector, we are well positioned to play an important role in shaping the clean energy economy.

“Today, rail represents the cleanest, most energy-efficient, and safest mode of moving freight and people on land. As global demands for growth increase, current trends indicate that freight and passenger rail activity will more than double by 2050, leading to an increased

30 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

demand for sustainable transportation of people and goods. These converging forces highlight the critical interplay between market dynamics, the need for decarbonization, and Wabtec’s business strategy.”

Santana said Wabtec’s vision was to accelerate the shift to alternative clean energy solutions through zero-emission batteryelectric and hydrogen-powered locomotives, aiming to expand the use of freight rail and enabling the elimination of more than 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually across the global transportation network, reducing road congestion in cities, and making transportation significantly safer for everyone.

THE YEAR OF SUSTAINABILITY EXECUTION Rail Express caught up with Wabtec Senior Regional Vice President, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Wendy McMillan — fresh from a trip to Wabtec’s head office in Pittsburgh in the US, as well as Fort Worth, Erie and Grove City — to discuss how the company continues to fine-tune its technology-driven solutions to achieve a netzero emissions future.

“Sustainability and ESG are priorities for everyone in the industry,” she said. “Everyone is strongly focused on what this means for them, and there’s been a lot in the press put forward by some leading lights.

“But actions speak louder than words; this is the year of execution, and people doubling down on that strategy and what it means for them and making those decision points.

“We’re certainly seeing that with our customer base and partners, getting to that next level of granularity, and rolling out how they want to be part of the solution very quickly and adopting that technology.”

And this is where Wabtec has already taken the lead, and continues to do so.

The company’s portfolio centres around freight rail, which fuels the world’s economy, connecting regions and cities, moving goods across the nation, to put food on tables and products in stores for purchase.

“Freight rail is the backbone of economic activity — and by converting diesel-powered locomotives to an alternative energy source like batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, we can eliminate up to 2700 tonnes of CO2 per year,” McMillan said.

“Wabtec has a clear vision of cleaner and greener freight. Our Freight 2030 vision seeks to expand the use of freight rail, accelerate the reduction of more than 100 million tonnes of GHG emissions per year, reduce road congestion in our cities and make transportation safer for everyone.”

Indeed, Wabtec’s FLXdrive technology, which can transition diesel-powered locomotives to battery power and drastically reduce emissions, has been a major success story, being taken up by several mining companies in WA, including giants BHP, Roy Hill and Rio Tinto.

And interest has been so high that they could soon feature in the Eastern States.

“We are in discussions with a number of customers all up and down the East Coast,” McMillan said.

“The specs are different — the gauge and the type of mining operations don’t mirror over to the East, so we are looking at adapting the locomotives, and using the local engineering requirements.”

Wabtec’s engine upgrade solutions are renowned, such as the FDL Advantage: a fuel-saving package for its FDL locomotive platform as well as a complete control system replacement.

The FDL engine has been in production since the 1950s and operates in heavy-haul applications throughout the world.

The FDL Advantage was an upgrade to the existing FDL engine that provides significant fuel savings at the Tier 1+ emission level. It features improved air handling and a highpressure common rail fuel system which offers improved injection control, allowing for improved tuning of the engine.

“The next phase of upgrades is focused on the Evolution Series engine product line (EVO) which will feature electric turbo (5 per cent

fuel savings) and solutions that will provide an 8 per cent savings in fuel within the decade.

Customers can also take existing products and upgrade the engine to achieve significant fuel savings, cost savings and CO2 reductions,” McMillan said.

Wabtec also recently signed a definitive agreement to acquire Nordco, a leading North American supplier of new, rebuilt and used maintenance-of-way equipment, which has a broad product and service portfolio including mobile railcar movers and ultrasonic rail flaw detection technologies.

Wabtec will expand its installed base and accelerate growth across Nordco’s innovative product portfolio both in the North American market and internationally, while also driving increased value creation for customers and shareholders.

The Nordco family of companies provides an extensive selection of products and services with zero emissions priorities that enable railrelated industries to build, improve, maintain and inspect their track infrastructure and reposition rolling stock.

“For example, the products include a zero-emissions shunter in the NVX Series,” McMillan said.

The shuttle wagon includes enhanced rail stability, better performance in poor weather conditions, improved tyre life and the ability to navigate up to 70 degree track curvature,

and is the only such unit which is fully electrically-driven.

And all the while, Wabtec’s research into more sustainable innovations proceeds at a furious pace.

For example last year, Wabtec and General Motors collaborated to develop and commercialise GM’s Ultium battery technology and Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell systems for Wabtec locomotives.

Wabtec brought its expertise in energy management and systems optimisation to develop a solution for heavy haul locomotives that takes full advantage of GM’s advanced technologies.

The Hydrotec hydrogen fuel cell power cubes are compact and easy to package, and can be used in a wide range of applications, including locomotives.

This was followed up soon after by Wabtec’s liaison with Genesee & Wyoming, the US’ largest owner of short line and regional freight railroads, to pursue zero-emission battery and hydrogen freight strategies, as well as increase rail utilisation across North America.

“By 2030, Wabtec will see a 92 per cent reduction in emissions through hydrogen technology innovation,” McMillan said.

When it comes to digital solutions, Wabtec recognises that technologies available today can deliver a 22 per cent reduction in fuel usage and emissions, enabling Wabtec

Wendy McMillan at the Wabtec site in Erie, Pennsylvania.

customers to save more than 400 million gallons of diesel fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by about four million tonnes.

One instance is the company’s Port Optimizer, a cloud-based software solution for port users that enhances supply chain performance and predictability by delivering real time data-driven insights through a single portal to partners across the supply chain.

Integrating data from across the port ecosystem, combining machine learning and deep domain expertise, it helps the supply chain monitor and responds to dynamic conditions, align people and resources, and proactively communicate across functions — enabling maximum port throughput and delivery performance.

Then there is Expert-on-Alert, which provides centralised monitoring of locomotive health status and performance in real time.

“Locomotives transmit data to the Wabtec monitoring and diagnostic centre, where a team of experts analyses control system status and performance data,” McMillan said.

“This enables Wabtec to determine the root cause of failures while locomotives are in-transit, providing timely maintenance and repair recommendations.”

Meanwhile, the Locomotive Interface Gateway (LIG) is a network communications and interface device that provides locomotive control-system data to third-party applications.

The LIG is designed with an Open Message Interface which allows applications to access control-system data while providing locomotive system isolation to ensure the control system is not adversely impacted by third-party applications.

“The real-time parameters available from the LIG can be used to perform real-time health and status monitoring of a locomotive as well as real-time assessment of locomotive operator performance,” Mc Millan said.

Ultimately, Wabtec is leading the charge to create a safer and more efficient rail network.

“A safer and more efficient rail network helps our customers reduce a significant operating cost — diesel fuel — which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution,” McMillan said.

“We believe it’s important to listen to our key stakeholders and focus on areas where Wabtec can enable the most meaningful impact for our customers, communities, and the world.

“There is always more we can do, and we are committed to mitigating the impacts of climate change within our products and operations and doing more to create a diverse workforce and empower our people to bring the best innovations to every customer we serve.”

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 31

AC traction power supply outdoor substation

AC traction power supply indoor substation

DC traction power supply

— One-stop-shop for your AC and DC power solutions ABB’s highly energy efficient, smart traction power supply products and solutions play a vital role in building and maintaining modern and reliable railway and urban transport systems.

For AC traction power supply, ABB’s broad product family provides you with an optimal solution for both indoor and outdoor applications.

For DC traction power supply, our comprehensive Enviline product and solution portfolio covers all functional requirements for modern and reliable DC traction power networks.

Scan here for more info or call 1800 60 20 20.

Light Rail Systems

Melbourne Flexity tram deal biggest in Southern Hemisphere Alstom has inked the biggest tram contract in the Southern hemisphere.

Global smart and sustainable mobility leader Alstom has signed a framework contract with Department of Transport Victoria for the provision of 100 Flexity low-floor Next Generation Trams (NGTs) for the largest urban tram network in the world.

Valued at approximately €700 million, the contract includes supply of rolling stock and 15-year maintenance, making this the biggest tram contract in Australia, and in fact, the Southern hemisphere.

Delivery of the Flexity light rail vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2025. Introduction of the low-floor NGT fleet will enable gradual retirement of further high-floor trams from the Melbourne network, ensuring compliance with disability standards for accessible transport (DSAPT) requirements and provide a modern, inclusive, safe and reliable transport network for all passengers.

The new fleet will further support the increase in network capacity requirements to meet the projected population growth.

Alstom Asia-Pacific Region president Ling Fang said the contract for the Melbourne Tram Network was a strong validation of the company’s commitment to deliver mobility solutions that meet the specific requirements of its customers.

“The contract awarded by the Department of Transport in Victoria is a strong recognition of our strength and track record in delivering our innovative solutions locally,” she said.

“The project will provide a solution to address the balance in passenger demand growth and the need for sustainable mobility outcomes.”

Alstom Australia and New Zealand managing director Mark Coxon said trams were a crucial transport mode in Melbourne, and the local delivery of this project would provide an allinclusive experience for commuters.

“It also secures the manufacturing future and supply chains of one of Australia’s longeststanding rolling stock manufacturing hubs at Dandenong for the next decade, confirming

Flexity trams boast innovative technology and environmental excellence.

Victoria as the leading railway manufacturing State in Australia,” he said.

Demonstrating its strong commitment to localisation, the contract includes 65 per cent local content with the NGTs being manufactured at Alstom’s Dandenong facility.

Additionally the maintenance contract includes 85 per cent local content. The contract will provide long-term stability to the local railway industry and supply chains in Victoria.

THE FLEXITY The award-winning designs of Flexity trams are matched by innovative technology and environmental excellence.

Flexity trams were the first in the industry to combine 100 per cent low-floor technology with conventional bogies.

The modular concept paired with proven subsystems make Flexity trams a perfect fit for various customer needs, from tropical to winter climates as well as for smaller to higher capacities.

With a track record of over 30 years, more than 8000 Alstom trams have been ordered or are already in successful revenue service in 70 cities around the globe.

In this contract, the Flexity vehicle has been adapted to meet the Melbourne Tram Network’s specifications allowing for seamless integration into the vast network without the need for expensive infrastructure, traction

The new trams have multi-purpose areas that offer ample space for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs.

power upgrades or new signalling. The trams will also integrate an onboard energy storage system (OESS).

The trams combine a unique identity well suited to operability needs and user experience, built on the extensive Flexity operational history in Melbourne.

Designed with passenger safety and comfort in mind, each of the new trams has multipurpose areas that offer ample space for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs.

The fully air-conditioned vehicles with high energy efficiency and noise-optimised design keeps the interior quiet while in operation.

This order adds to Alstom’s already significant rolling stock fleet in Victoria which includes 141 Flexity and Citadis trams, 106 X’trapolis suburban trains and 95 Vlocity regional trains, with more to be delivered.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 33

Light Rail Systems

The tools for a quieter railway Managing the noise and vibration from railways and tunnels is becoming an increasing issue along and above major rail corridors in Australia – particularly those within close proximity of housing and offices.

The solutions to lessen the noise disruptions often involve building unsightly concrete walls to manage noise, but there are more appealing, effective alternatives at a third of the cost.

The more people benefit from noise attenuation, the more funding that can be found to assist railway authorities to reduce noise.

All major new rail projects have strict noise and vibration limits and this should apply to other critical areas of the existing network where noise can now be reduced at its source.

STRAILastic’s “noise attenuation tool box” for dealing with sound and vibration for railways provides cost-effective proven options to allow acoustic engineers and asset managers various combinations to choose from, in new and existing transport systems.

INSIDE THE TOOL BOX Acoustic engineers first determine the level of noise at the boundaries using noise maps.

STRAILastic products are designed to trap and reduce the noise where it is generated inside the railway corridor and, more importantly, as close as possible to the source.

The products offer the acoustic engineers the ability to overlay the products within the

The STRAILastic_SW system is a noise barrier that can be installed without a railing.

34 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

tool box, to establish which combination of the mini sound walls, acoustic panels and web dampers (the tool box) will most costeffectively reduce noise where it is generated to achieve a significant noise reduction.

The products can all be retrofitted into existing tracks with steel sleeper extensions, but where the mini sound walls are positioned outside the tamping area.

Alternatively, the walls can be bolted to their own foundations such as mini piles/ ground screws or concrete foundation, using the fully integrated steel frame moulded into the product.

AN AESTHETIC ECONOMIC SOLUTION Although it isn’t always possible to substitute high noise barriers everywhere, in many locations such as high embankments, viaducts and bridges, mini sound walls can replace the need for these highlyengineered structures.

Mini sound walls have a very low visual impact which can be further reduced by attaching screen printed local scenes on the obverse side.

These walls don’t need planning approval to be installed, which can be another major challenge with large concrete panel walls.

The new mSW 730 high noise absorbing

panels can substantially reduce the airborne noise generated by from the wheel rail interface and corrugation vibration from the top of rail and absorb it before it reaches the boundary of the rail corridor.

STRAILastic typically suggests a combination of rail web dampers using its INOX 2.0 dampers with the various mini sound walls.

• TP Panel - A solution specifically designed for tunnels In tunnels, airborne noise can travel into the passenger compartment inside the rolling stock, where strict limits are imposed on manufacturers to manage this noise particularly in tunnels.

In turn, this requires the infrastructure designer to reduce this noise by attaching acoustic panels inside the tunnels.

Due to pressure and suction forces that can be created by trains travelling through tunnels, acoustic paneling needs to be able to withstand extreme forces, whilst reducing the airborne noise substantially and be easy to maintain.

To address this common issue, STRAILastric offers the its TP tunnel panelling, which is designed and developed specifically for use in rail tunnels.

The panelling features a moulded curve that is designed to perfectly fit the contours in tunnels, for each tunnel’s unique curve.

STRAILastic_TP panels are attached directly to the tunnel wall with mounting rails, allowing individual panels to be removed if required.

The panels, with their noise-absorbent acoustic surface and robust frames, are able to withstand the extreme pressure and suction forces allowing for speeds of up to 120km/h.

As an option, this curved panel can be used on the open side of the tunnel, with the mini sound wall installed on the other side of the tunnel, but where it can also support the evacuation walkway.

Strailastic is able to offer each project the flexibility to design their acoustic panels precisely for the project.

THE GENTLE TRACK

SOUND PROTECTION

We can close our eyes – but not our ears.

Your benefits - which all our systems offer.

Fight the noise where it is generated, close to the track. This is the most effective way to reduce noise emissions.

For this reason, we place our products as close as possible to the rail and the railway clearance.

We take advantage of this short distance and install low sound protection products that do not have a separating effect on the landscape.

The previously installed high noise barriers are thus finally a thing of the past.

Our goal: High noise reduction and a clear view for residents and passengers.

Thanks to our sturdy yet elastic material, namely fibre-reinforced rubber, we succeed where others fail.

Hear the invisible.

STRAILastic_IP The infill panel for fastening to railings.

STRAILastic_A inox 2.0 The rail damper, directly at the source of the noise.

STRAILastic_mSW The mini sound protection wall fastened to the rail or directly on the sleeper.

STRAILastic_WP The wall panel is fixed directly to existing walls.

STRAILastic_mSW 730 Further development of the mSW, attached to ground screws or the rail.

STRAILastic_TP The tunnel panel adapts perfectly to the curvature in the tunnel.

- quick building permit Installation without foundation

- short blocking times quick & easy installation

- break-proof fibre-reinforced rubber compound

- UV & ozone resistant EPDM coated

- defuse noise hot spots fast delivery time

- no material fatigue due to vibrations

- full noise protection one- and two-sided installation

- free view at the border of the clearance area

STRAILastic_SW The sound wall, free-standing and freely positionable.

TP

WP

SW

IP mSW 730

mSW A

Strailastic’s extensive range of sound-dampening products.

• Purasys vibration management Railway vehicles generate rolling noises and vibrations during operation. This is due to roughness and imbalances on both the wheels and the rail running surfaces.

Surface defects such as head checks, corrugations and slip waves on the rails are known to be among the most common sources of interference.

These vibrations are transmitted to the ground via the roadway and spread as structure-borne noise.

If buildings are located along or near the track, a transfer is also carried out via their foundations.

The buildings begin to vibrate and, with the appropriate intensity, they are also perceived by humans as perceptible vibration or disturbing noise.

Another consequence of this transmission chain is the emission of vibrations from building parts, for example ceilings and walls, to the environment. This takes place via the air, which begins to vibrate itself and then become audible as so-called secondary airborne sound.

PuraSys vibration systems specialise in economically isolating and managing that vibration impact by combinations of sub-ballast mats, bearings for massspring-systems and other special elastic supports made of polyether urethane in the railway superstructure.

PuraSys has already successfully

established itself on the international market through numerous projects with polyurethane products for solving noise and vibration problems caused by rail traffic, and have been tested in recognised external testing institutes as well as internally for the sometimes very demanding site specifications.

The new mSW 730 absorbing panels can substantially reduce railway airborne noise.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 35

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

SEPT 2022

WOMEN IN INDUSTRY AWARDS WOMEN IN INDUSTRY.COM.AU

P R O U D LY P R E S E N T E D B Y

MHD Supply Chain Solutions

S I M O N . C O B U R N @ P R I M E C R E AT I V E . C O M . A U

Rolling Stock and Manufacturing

Recycling spare energy ensures ‘no more spilled coffee’ ABB has harnessed the latest technology to give Melbourne passengers a smoother, lower-carbon journey.

Did you know that it takes just milliseconds to capture latent energy in a railway and transfer it into useable energy on the grid?

Imagine a system that gathers the energy from a braking train as it approaches a station, briefly stores it, then reinjects it into the train’s power supply as it accelerates on its way. Such an energy redistributor has been applied as an alternative to building and connecting a new rectifier substation on the Metro Trains Melbourne Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Project.

The Australian-first application of ABB’s 1500 Volt DC ABB Enviline Energy Storage System (ESS), which not only stores but also return the surplus braking energy back to the grid, will allow the Metro service to make more efficient use of electricity, increasing its sustainability and allowing it to add extra trains at a lower than usual cost.

The pilot project, completed six months ago, has had to negotiate several obstacles on its three-year journey to completion. But two indomitable ABB engineers – Stephen Poh, Product Marketing Manager of AC and DC Traction Power, and Steven Dineen, Lead Project Engineer, together with the ABB factory team in BielskoBiala, Poland – have continuously aligned and realigned tracks with the customer to drive this project home.

When Metro first tendered the project on the Hurstbridge Line in 2017, ABB had already been engaged in working out what kind of solution would best be applied to the gap in energy supply around Diamond Creek, between Wattle Glen and Eltham on the Hurstbridge Line.

Pre-pandemic, Diamond Creek Tie Station had experienced frequent voltage drops to which Metro was seeking a solution to provide customers a smoother journey. Metro also wanted to increase the frequency of trains on the line, which would increase the requirement for more reliable energy at Diamond Creek.

“Imagine electricity supply is like a piece of string,” Poh said. “The longer the distance between substations, the looser that string gets until there’s a dip in between. The traditional solution is to put in another rectifier substation, to improve that dip. Metro identified a business case to work with us on an energy-management solution.”

Everyone understood that an energymanagement system would be more cost effective in terms of land use and construction.

Add to that a 15 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, achieved by effectively recycling otherwise lost energy in the grid, and the ability to supplement electricity drawn from the grid, and the energy management system was clearly the best option for Diamond Creek.

ABB was awarded the project based on its strong local presence in Australia, which would enable easy collaboration, and because of its experience with this technology.

The company had previously developed ESS solutions for 750 Volt rail lines in the US and Europe, but in the southern states of Australia, mainly Victoria and New South Wales, rail lines run on 1500 volts.

“For this high-capacity, high-voltage environment we needed to engineer a 1500 V version,” Poh said.

ABB’s ESS subject matter experts were based in the Polish Technology Centre and worked for 12 months with the engineering team in Australia, developing and testing a 1500 V DC energy storage system using supercapacitor storage with 44 MJ capacity, which met Metro requirements and applicable standards.

Metro subsequently requested a higher level of safety for its maintenance employees.

“You need to make sure everything is turned off, so you know it’s safe to go in and work on it,” Dineen said. Internationally, such earthing systems have been manually operated, but for Metro this posed a high risk.

“Metro requested that we incorporate automatic earthing switches into the design of the ESS, so that the equipment earths itself at the flick of a switch,” Dineen said.

ABB took Metro’s feedback on board and redesigned the energy storage system. It procured unique parts and engineered a new system, integrating the highest level of safety to meet Metro needs. The equipment then had to go back into the manufacturing phase.

With the COVID pandemic came the challenge of installation and testing on-site that would normally involve ABB’s Polish team together with local ABB experts. Instead, ABB initiated a

ABB was involved with the Metro Trains Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Project.

virtual commissioning process to allow all parties, including Metro and overseas colleagues, to remotely conduct the operation.

“The process of organising a midnight-todawn tuning run with rolling stock, train drivers, controllers and so on had begun, when countries started shutting their borders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Polish team had young families and couldn’t be stuck in Australia indefinitely,” Dineen said.

“So we began working out how we could commission the system with them remotely supporting the necessary procedures.”

In the first half of 2021, the system was commissioned, and late last year the ESS was connected to the Hurstbridge Line’s network. “Not a moment of the three years plus of assessment and engineering has been in vain. Both the original Enviline 1,500 V global-standard ESS and the unique ultra-safety-enhanced system are now fully tested to meet Metro requirements,” Poh said.

Several factors will maximise the returns on investment of a substation substitute. For example, it generates the most energy at stations where the train must substantially apply its brakes as it approaches the platform, so flat or curvy approaches will limit the energy generated. The Enviline ESS can capture up to 30 per cent of otherwise wasted energy which can represent a significant saving on electricity otherwise drawn from the grid.

Metro will continue to study its network demand to identify more business cases for the use of the Energy Management System, and the static energy storage system Enviline ESS will continue to evolve in response to customer needs.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 37

Rolling Stock and Manufacturing The ring-groove rivets have been used in various wagon configurations.

Riveting new connection system A ring-groove rivet developed by CRRC adds high-strength connection and superior reliability to rail freight wagons.

The fastening connections on railway freight wagons often come under a great deal of stress, emanating from a range of causes, incuding pressure from heavy loads, travelling over long marshalling yards, to harsh operation environments.

Hot riveting is a commonly-used fastening mode for connections with dissimilar material and key parts, but the technique is not without problems, for example low-strength connection, complicated technology, timewasting, and pollution.

To address fastening problems that exist in railway freight wagons, CRRC Fastening System has researched and developed the cold-extruding ring-groove rivet, which has demonstrated advantages of high-strength connection and superior reliability.

The ring-groove rivet not only ensures the operation’s safety, but improves the overall quality of the wagon.

At present, the ring-groove rivets have been used in various wagon configurations, such as open top, box, and double-layer depressed flat units. Total installation has reached 200 million sets.

The thread structure of a bolt (left) compared to that of the ring-groove rivet.

38 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

The assembly mainly consists of a ring-groove rivet and collar.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANTAGES • Superior mechanical property In comparison with high-strength bolts, the clamp force of the ring-groove rivet is increased by more than 10 per cent under the same specification, which can provide more reliable fastening connection.

• Good consistency of clamp force The clamp force of bolts is easily affected by various factors, with the deviation of clamp force reaching to 20 per cent or above.

But the clamp force of the rivet is generated by axial force through the riveting process, making it more stable. The wave range of clamp force is controlled within 3 per cent.

• Reliable anti-loose performance When it comes to thread connection, there is no lateral clearance after rivet installation because the ring-lock structure existing in the

ring-groove rivet can prevent relative rotation and motion.

Attenuation curves have demonstrated the attenuation speed of clamp force of the rivet is slower than the bolt under the same testing condition, which means the rivet is more suitable for parts connection under rugged conditions.

• Better fatigue resistance The rivet uses an arc low stress integral structure, which can effectively increase shock resistance and fatigue resistance. Through the shock testing, shock resistance of the rivet is increased by 48 per cent over bolts.

• Outstanding delayed fracture resistance The rivet uses a single ring groove to eliminate clearance after installation and effectively avoids hydrogen embrittlement, further improving corrosion resistance as well as delaying fracture resistance.

Don’t miss an issue, subscribe today. railexpress.com.au/subscribe

I S S U E 5 | J U N E 2022

W W W. R A I L E X P R E S S . C O M . A U

The tickets to low carbon transport The world's first fully battery-powered, heavy-haul freight locomotive — Wabtec's FLXdrive — is leading the way in clean rail technology. PAGE 30

RAIL EXPRESS is compulsory reading and a vital tool for all people working in and around the rail sector.

Rail Express is Australia’s authoritative business to business rail publication.

Coming out of COVID

Recycling spare energy on tracks

Cybersecurity in rail sector

PAGE 26

PAGE 37

PAGE 40

SUPPORTED BY:

Combining the resources of our respected journalism team and our unparalleled industry contacts and affiliations, Rail Express provides extensive, comprehensive and balanced coverage of breaking news and trends in key areas like infrastructure, investment, government policy, regulatory issues and technical innovation.

Published both in print and digitally every month, Rail Express is the only publication to have both the official endorsement and active participation of the main railway associations in Australia and the broad support of the rail industry.

The only way to ensure you get every copy of Rail Express is to subscribe today. Visit railexpress.com.au/subscribe.

A U S TRA L IA’ S L E A D IN G B U SINESS TO B U SINESS RAIL PU B LICATI ON

Safety and Assurance

Moxa helps operators take on the cybersecurity challenge Cybersecurity is a key requirement for rail operators to counter increased potential risks and hazards originating from cyber-attacks.

Industrial communications and networking leader Moxa has announced the release of two products to help its customers strengthen their operational resilience with top-level security.

The company specialises in enabling connectivity with the Industrial Internet of Things, developing reliable network solutions that enable devices to connect, communicate, and collaborate with systems, processes, and people.

According to Moxa solutions architect in Australia, Sever Sudakov, because of this, Moxa has been the preferred component vendor for many major rail manufacturers and systems integrators, which often implement their solutions around the globe.

“Moxa is always striving to keep up with the new standards related to speed, safety, mobility, and passenger comfort for railway vehicles and systems, and in particular cybersecurity,” he said.

Sudakov said cybersecurity is a key requirement to enable railways to deploy and take advantage of the full extent of a connected, digital environment.

He said that while the benefits of interconnecting business information systems and operational train control systems have led to safer, more efficient, and innovative operations, the changes exposed rail systems

The TN-4900 series security router.

40 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

The Industrial Internet of Things brings new opportunities and challenges for rail.

to increased potential risks and hazards originating from cyber-attacks.

The impact of an unmitigated threat can cascade and be far reaching, including damage to rail infrastructure and/or the environment; disruption of rail services and consequential costs; economic loss and increased costs of operation; and loss of sensitive business or government information.

Moxa has always been involved in the cybersecurity industry and was one of the first companies globally to have its prodoct development certified with IEC 62443-41, the major OT (Operational Technology) cybersecurity framework for railways.

Sudakov, himself a certified expert of IEC 62443, said all new Moxa products are designed to meet the Standard, which has also been endorsed for use by the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board of Australia.

“As far as I know, there is no legislation to make it mandatory at this moment,” he said.

“But in my understanding, it will become standard in the future, and will likely be a tender requirement at some point.

“All components will have to either be certified or they have to be assessed in terms of cyber security functionality, and in our opinion also backed up by IEC 624434-1. So Moxa is already much advanced in those terms.”

EDS-4000/G4000 WAYSIDE SWITCH Multiple railway systems are deployed to ensure safe and enjoyable journeys for passengers. To ensure smooth operations, Moxa provides a variety of products that include Ethernet switches and routers with PoE functionality, wireless devices, computing equipment, I/O controllers that fulfill requirements for different wayside systems.

The first of Moxa’s new products is its nextgeneration industrial wayside Ethernet switch range, the EDS-4000/G4000 series, which spans 68 models.

The wayside network is an integral part of any railway signalling system.

“As industrial automation applications continue to evolve, operational technology architectures require enhanced networking capabilities and network security,” Sudakov said.

“Critical infrastructure requires advanced networking solutions that strengthen operational resilience and to help futureproof networks.

“The portfolio of switches transforms the networking-evolved concept into tangible networking capabilities in order to empower our customers to build secure, reliable, and high-bandwidth industrial networks with ease.”

Sudakov said the EDS-4000/G4000 industrial-managed Ethernet switches unveils a new chapter of industrial networking.

The EDS-4000 series switches.

“The strengthened security, easy-to-use design, and high performance, coupled with high reliability, strengthen network resilience to help face networking challenges. With this futureproof networking portfolio, users can effortlessly accelerate their digital transformation,” he said.

Features: • Industry-leading network security: The EDS-4000/G4000 series was the world’s first IEC 62443-4 certified Ethernet switches to be certified by the International Electrotechnical Commission for Electrical Equipment, due to the built-in hardened security that was developed by following the stringent software development life cycle described in the standard. Along with its existing extensive network security portfolio, Moxa helps create a secure network foundation to safeguard and futureproof industrial operations.

• Unprecedented performance for mass deployments: As the number of connected devices in industrial operations grows exponentially, the EDS4000/G4000 series provides multiple interface combinations with up to 14 ports and a range of options including fast Ethernet, Gigabit, 2.5GbE uplinks, SFP, and IEEE 802.3bt PoE connectivity.

This enables customers to connect more devices, especially in applications such as intelligent transportation systems that require high-power and highbandwidth networking.

• Multiple industrial certifications: The EDS4000/G4000 Series is certified for NEMA TS2, EN 50121-4, IEC 61850-3/IEEE 1613, DNV, ATEX Zone 2, and Class I Division 2, to fulfill the needs of a wide variety of industrial applications. The EDS-4000/ G4000 Series also features Turbo Ring and Turbo Chain fast network recovery to ensure smooth operations.

• Advanced usability: The improved web GUI provides a more intuitive way for users

to perform configurations and network management. The rotatable power module offers flexibility to field engineers when they are installing devices and maintaining the network. In addition, the LED indicators on two sides of the device help engineers easily identify the status of networking devices, making their job easier.

TN-4900 SERIES SECURITY ROUTER The other new release is Moxa’s ToughNet TN-4900 Series, a set of high-performance M12 routers with 8 Gigabit ports and up to four bypass relay ports, designed for rolling stock Ethernet networks.

These routers feature firewall, ETBN, and routing functionality to facilitate the deployment of applications across networks.

The TN-4900 Series routers use M12 and other circular connectors to ensure tight, robust connections that guarantee reliability against environmental disturbances, such as vibration and shock.

“The TN-4900 Series supports a wide power input range of 24 to 110 VDC, and can operate in a temperature range of -40 to 70°C for extended periods of time,” Sudakov said.

“Furthermore, these routers are compliant with the mandatory requirements of Standard EN 50155, the green light for electrical equipment to be on board in the first place, so making them suitable for a variety of industrial applications.”

Sudakov said that in the past, individual networks were used for various operations.

“There were separate networks for CCTV, separate networks for train control, separate networks for passenger infotainment or information announcement systems, for example,” he said.

“Right now, the operations are getting more converged, because that’s economically meaningful; you don’t need to build multiple networks, you just build one.

“But when cybersecurity is considered, you must have this router in place to ensure each operation is carried out securely.

“It essentially allows network segmentation with required levels of security.”

FUTURE TRENDS Sudakov said it was important for industry to be able to detect cyber security threats before incidents actually occurred.

“While industry is mindful of cyber attacks and have adopted various protection measures, what is missing and what should be developed further is a more tailored approach towards understanding the threats and detecting the abnormalities and cyber security events which are specific for railway systems,” he said.

“So we must be able to dissect railwayspecific protocols and look deeper into what’s going on, not just passing all commands. You can only work out if there’s something fishy going on internally if you fully understand the protocol.

“Therefore we see there will be more and more deep packet inspection (DPI) being carried out.”

DPI is a more thorough form of analysis, which locates, identifies, classifies and reroutes or blocks packets with specific data or code payloads.

Previous forms of packet filtering only looked at packet header information, which is analogous to reading an address printed on an envelope without any knowledge of the contents of the envelope.

Until recently, firewalls did not have the processing power necessary to perform deeper inspections on large volumes of traffic in real time. Technological advancements have enabled DPI to perform more advanced inspections so that it can check both the contents of a message and identify the specific application or service that sent it.

“So we have the packets going through the router,” Sudakov said. “We analyse them and we flag if there’s something abnormal, or if there are clear signs of security violation.

“So embedding this kind of technology as functionality modules into the router is the sort of innovation we are working on.”

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 41

© Alstom / RailGallery

www.alstom.com

LEADING THE WAY TO GREENER AND SMARTER MOBILITY IN AUSTRALIA

Industry Associations

Delving into derailments and recognising rail safety For the first two quarters of 2022, RISSB has focused on its traditional business of ACOP (Australian College of Professionals) publication development and supporting its members by offering face-to-face activities.

The RISSB has produced two new publications.

• AS 7642 Turnouts and other special trackwork This Standard outlines requirements for design, supply, construction, maintenance, decommissioning and disposal of turnouts and other special trackwork.

It promotes a consistent treatment, across a range of operational track gauges used in Australia and takes a whole-of-life approach to management.

• Code of practice – Light rail network safeworking The purpose of this Code of Practice is to provide rail transport operators in Australian and New Zealand operating light rail networks, a consistent approach to safeworking and the safe operation of a light rail network, including: • Fundamental principles of safeworking • Safe operation of rolling stock, including maintenance vehicles • Management of failure situations • Management of access to the light rail corridor • Managing works on, or in proximity to, a light rail network, including operation of on track vehicles, plant and equipment associated with those works • Management of access to hazardous equipment.

Members can download both publications straight to their desktop from the ‘Products’ page on RISSB’s website www.rissb.com.au/products/.

FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING COURSES Face-to-face training has returned and numbers for both the Derailment Investigation and Analysis Workshop (May) and Investigate Rail Safety Incidents (June) soared and reached capacity early.

We have now released two new dates for two of our most popular face-to-face courses.

The Investigate Rail Safety Incidents course will be held on 12 September (at a location to be determined).

The aim of the four-day course is to teach attendees how to conduct and document any investigation into a railway safety incident.

It builds on industry best practice and promotes a just culture approach for investigations.

Attendees learn about: • Regulatory requirements for rail safety investigations • Causes of rail safety incidents • Rail safety investigation types • Planning the investigation • Categories of evidence • Collecting, recording and preserving evidence • Gathering information through interviews • Analysis of evidence.

The next Derailment and Analysis Workshop has been scheduled for 18 July and a location is still being determined for this one as well.

This three-day course is an engaging foundation course that provides participants with an understanding of the principles, methods and requirements for investigating derailments.

Over three days, among other things, they will learn more about: • The investigation processes • Theories of derailment • Regulatory requirements • Derailment report submissions • The true cost of derailments to an organisation • Infrastructure derailment triggers • Operations derailment triggers • How human factors contributes to derailments

The train derailment course provides participants with an understanding of the principles for investigating such incidents.

• Track construction maintenance and measurements • Wheel rail interface issues • Turnout and yard derailments.

For more information about our two courses or to enquire about a spot for you or someone in your team, please email: training@rissb.com.au.

RISSB RAIL SAFETY CONFERENCE The 22nd RISSB Rail Safety Conference was held in Melbourne on May 3-4. The conference attracted delegates from right across Australia as well as from overseas who attended either in-person at Collins Square, or online in a virtual conference environment.

The multi-disciplinary event brought together rail transport operators, engineers, project managers, investigators, safety professionals and senior industry executives, all with a deep interest in risk management, safety and keeping railways right across the world, safe with new challenges testing a battle weary industry.

The conference theme, Climate Safety and Safety Climate, was deliberately set to spark debate about the journey to net zero and the need for the rail industry to respond to unprecedented and rapid changes, including the challenges that come with a post pandemic world.

A big thank you to everyone who made this the tremendous success that it was, including all conference speakers, chairs and behind the scenes staff.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 43

Industry Associations

The Next Generation Tram project will support jobs in manufacturing, the supply chain and the construction of a new depot and maintenance facility.

Australian manufacturing focus creates new opportunity The confirmation of the largest investment in Australian-made trams highlights the significant potential to grow the rail manufacturing sector as record investment in new infrastructure continues.

The Victorian Government’s awarding of the $1.85 billion contract as part of the Next Generation Tram project will see 100 new and accessible trams built to support the nation’s most iconic tram network.

It will support 1900 jobs in manufacturing, the supply chain and the construction of a new depot and maintenance facility, further building on the significant manufacturing capability that exists within Victoria.

The investment in new rolling stock is not the only one in the state, with the Victorian Government also committing $986 million to build 25 new X’Trapolis 2.0 trains as part of its 2021-22 State budget.

The trend towards local manufacturing goes well beyond Victoria, with new manufacturing projects underway or planned across the country.

The Queensland Government confirmed its $7.1 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program last year, which will see 65 new passenger trains built in Maryborough.

44 | ISSUE 5 - JUNE 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

A new rail facility will also be developed on the Gold Coast, while locations for stabling yards are being considered.

A preferred applicant for the program is expected to be confirmed later this year, with the project set to support the growth of the rail network as the Cross River Rail project is completed and Queensland prepares for the 2032 Olympics.

Across the country, the first railcar to be built at the new Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing and Assembly Facility in WA started undergoing testing in March, representing a return of rail manufacturing to the state. The facility will deliver 246 new C-Series railcars as part of the METRONET project, and six new Australind railcars over the next decade.

In NSW, the State Government has confirmed Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 will include a local manufacturing requirement as part of its business case.

The range of commitments to develop rolling stock here in Australia highlights a significant

opportunity for industry and government to build on the nation’s existing capability and create long term opportunities for the people who work within the rail manufacturing and supply sector.

AUSTRALIA’S MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY Australia’s rail manufacturing capability is already significant.

Our rail manufacturing and supply industry generates $2.4 billion a year and employs more than 4000 people across the country.

Rail manufacturing businesses are located across the country, with higher representation in Victorian and New South Wales.

Importantly, it is a strong supporter of small and medium enterprises, with about a third of the rail supply chain consisting of businesses with 20 employees or less.

The sector has also been a key driver for regional jobs, particularly in locations such as Newcastle, Dandenong, Maryborough and Lake

Macquarie, and this looks set to continue with the funding announcements confirmed in the last year.

The Queensland Train Manufacturing Program is expected to support up to 800 construction and manufacturing jobs in Maryborough, while the X’Trapolis 2.0 project in Victoria will create 150 jobs in Ballarat.

These examples all highlight the strong opportunities for jobs creation and economic development as the sector grows, providing a significant opportunity for regional communities.

The sector also spends a bigger proportion on other businesses in the supply chain compared to other industries, delivering wider economic benefit to the communities it serves.

For example, the sector spends more than $300 million a year on metal manufacturing, as well as scientific, technical and professional services.

The benefits of further building our rail manufacturing capability are therefore far reaching and offer a significant boost to the wider economy.

MAKING THE MOST OF THE POST-PANDEMIC OPPORTUNITY The impact of COVID-19 on international supply chains highlighted the importance of a strong local manufacturing capability.

During the early months of the pandemic, rail manufacturers and suppliers told the ARA that constraints on international shipments was one of the biggest impacts felt by the sector.

However, even in those first few months of the pandemic, the sector recognised the significant opportunity for local manufacturing and supply this presented, with three quarters of rail businesses surveyed by the ARA saying they were considering changes to their supply chain to seek more suppliers within Australia or their home state.

Now, more than two years into the pandemic, the supply chain has proven its resilience in the face of disruption.

WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti (left) and WA Premier Mark McGowan inspect the interior of the first railcar to be built in the state.

Businesses have continued to operate in challenging circumstances, innovated to deliver new technologies and data analytics and introduced more flexible work arrangements to support the attraction and retention of skilled people.

Essential maintenance has continued throughout the pandemic, drawing on the local skills and talent available to keep Australia’s essential rail services operating.

The experience has highlighted the importance of ensuring local capability to develop and maintain rolling stock and rail components and provides a new opportunity to expand our focus on Australian manufacturing to support our economic recovery.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STRONG NATIONAL FOCUS While the rail manufacturing announcements of the last year are welcomed by industry, it is important local content is considered at a national level.

The ARA has long advocated for a national approach to rail manufacturing to allow it to gain the scale it needs to innovate and grow.

Nationally consistent procurement processes would streamline procurement for the rail industry and encourage greater industry engagement during the early phases of a project’s planning.

In addition, a national approach to local content policies would allow rail manufacturers to maximise the use of their facilities, and the skills and capabilities of their people, across more projects in more locations.

This national focus is essential to further enhance the productivity and efficiency of the sector, and foster a strong focus on innovation to support the future of the rail industry.

By adopting the concept of local content at the national level, all jurisdictions could benefit from the experience and expertise gained on key projects across the country, delivering improved outcomes for both industry and government.

The ARA is engaging with industry and government on this issue as part of the implementation of its Rail Supply Chain Blueprint, and is reviewing local content policies across jurisdictions to identify opportunities for greater consistency.

DRIVING IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR THE RAIL NETWORK What is most exciting about the range of manufacturing projects being delivered across the country is the opportunity to create a modern rail fleet that meets our future needs.

The development of rolling stock that leverages new technologies to improve sustainability outcomes is an essential part of that, and it is good to see this being a key consideration of the projects underway at the moment.

Projects such as the Next Generation Tram Project are also improving the accessibility of the network, introducing new features such as lower floor heights to make it easier for all to access the services they need.

Greater consideration of the use of automation, data analytics and more will also be vital to drive the most efficient outcomes possible during the manufacturing, operations and maintenance phases.

These considerations aim to ensure new rolling stock delivers improved outcomes across the asset lifecycle and ensure the smooth operation of the wider rail network for years to come.

Many of these projects have also featured significant consultation with industry, government, the wider supply chain and the community in their early stages.

Strong consultation with key stakeholders will help maximise the benefits these projects deliver, and it has been good to see both industry and government proactively engage in these discussions.

ENHANCING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Ultimately, the new rolling stock to be delivered as part of these projects will enhance the customer experience for rail users, providing new features that improve the comfort of their journey and make accessing the network as easy as possible.

This is vitally important as the industry prepares to welcome more people back to the network, while we move on from COVID-19 restrictions and work to ensure the customer experience is a great one as they make their return to rail.

Fostering a strong manufacturing capability that understands the local context and the needs of both rail operators and their customers can only support improved outcomes over the long term.

WWW.RAILEXPRESS.COM.AU | 45

Contracts, EOIs, Tenders

VICTORIA Murray Basin Rail Project The next stage of works is set to begin, with a contractor appointed to deliver track upgrades to the Ararat to Maryborough Line.

The Alliance of ACCIONA, Coleman Rail and SMEC, supported by Rail Projects Victoria and V/line, has been awarded the contract for this stage of upgrades to the Murray Basin freight network, which also includes Merbein and Donald siding works.

The same Alliance is delivering the early works on the Ouyen to Murrayville Line, with over 57,000 sleepers replaced and 30,000 tonnes of ballast installed along the 109-kilometre freight corridor.

More than 130 workers have been involved in the upgrades to the Ouyen to Murrayville Line, with an estimated $200,000 per month invested by the project in the region on accommodation, food and hospitality.

Work on the Ouyen to Murrayville Line upgrade is expected to be completed by mid-2022 and will remove most of the speed and heat restrictions which have limited use of the line.

A modern signalling system will also be installed by V/Line at Ararat Junction to improve safety, efficiency and reduce transit times through the junction, with works now underway.

Design work and procurement is also underway on further upgrades, including new crossing loops and sidings, improvements to Maryborough and Dunolly junctions and signalling upgrades.

Works will enable 49 train paths on the Murray Basin network, up from the current 28 paths, and will remove an estimated 20,000 truck trips from the road.

Suburban Rail Loop

Expressions of Interest have opened for the longest tunnelling package in Victoria’s history – delivering around 16 kilometres of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. A second package will see the tunnels constructed from Glen Waverley to Box Hill, completing the SRL East rail corridor.

In another first, up to 10 tunnel boring

46 | ISSUE 5 - J U N E 2022 | RAIL EXPRESS

machines (TBMs) could be used for SRL East – each custom built to suit the local ground conditions. Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel used four TBMs, while eight were used for the dual 21km tunnels for London’s CrossRail project.

The high number of TBMs will speed up the tunnelling process, with launching sites planned at Monash, Heatherton, and Burwood.

Tunnelling is expected to start in 2026, with the world’s leading companies already expressing strong interest in being part of this transformational project.

This package of works will also include safety cross passages between the tunnels, station boxes at Clayton and Monash, and tunnel entrances and exits at the stabling facility. Cross passages will be excavated via the constructed tunnels using small or remotecontrolled excavators.

With 26 kilometres of twin tunnels for SRL East, the shortest TBM drive will be the 2.6 kilometres between Monash and Clayton, and the longest section a whopping 6 kilometres between Burwood and Glen Waverley. The longest TBM drive for the Metro Tunnel project was 1.8 kilometres.

Craigieburn-Seymour Line A new modern signalling system will be installed to control trains between the outer Melbourne suburb of Craigieburn and Seymour in the Goulbourn Valley.

The $9.4 million project will support the local economy with a number of contractors involved in its delivery. UGL, Siemens and Integrated Rail Engineering Services are designing the signalling system which includes connections into the metropolitan system and existing V/Line signalling. All Systems Contractors will complete the construction while signalling installation works will be undertaken by V/Line signalling engineers.

Train signalling systems are required on all rail tracks to inform drivers when it is safe to proceed into the next section of track.

The new signalling will control trains between the end of the metropolitan system, north of Craigieburn and Dysart, where the existing automated signalling system for Seymour Station commences.

Works will include installation of new axle counters, track circuits, LED signals and a train control system to detect the location of trains and advise drivers accordingly, producing an automated system which provides fail-safe train detection.

The manual double line block signalling will be replaced with the automated system, removing the aerial power and telegraph wires.

NSW Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project A $538.5 million contract for the project has been awarded to a joint venture between CPB Contractors and Western Sydney group, United Infrastructure.

The contract for Surface and Civil Alignment Works is a jobs boost for the area with more than 20 percent of the workforce for this project coming from Western Sydney.

As work on this contract ramps up over the coming months, 50 new jobs, including apprentices and trainees, will be created to support United Infrastructure in the construction of the new metro rail line.

The project will also source a minimum of 50 percent Australian steel, including reinforcement on all three of the project’s major contract packages.

This contract includes construction of: • 3.5 kilometres of elevated viaduct at Orchard Hills and Luddenham • 6.7 kilometres of earthworks for track formation • 190 metre long rail bridge over the new M12 motorway • 20 metre long rail bridge within the airport • Construction of temporary and permanent access roads • Bulk earthworks for the stabling and maintenance facility site United Infrastructure is made up of three Western Sydney companies - Mulgoa Quarries, Burton Contractors and JK Williams.

This is the second major contract to be awarded for the delivery of this critical rail project, which will provide a significant boost for the region supporting 14,000 new jobs, including 250 apprenticeships during construction.

The driverless 23-kilometre metro line will link St Marys to the centre of the new Aerotropolis at Bradfield via the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. Six stations will also be built along the alignment.

The Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments. The third and final major contract package to be procured for the project is expected to be awarded at the end of this year.

RailGallery-Ad-2021.pdf 1 8/02/2021 3:09:55 PM

Creative transport & industrial marketing

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

It is a symbol of trust.

The trust can only be built with the specialised knowledge, and a deep understanding of the transport and industrial sectors.

Whether it is identifying a strategic marketing approach, or crafting a creative execution, we have the global perspective with a unique solution.

Knowledge of the industry

Think like our clients

railgallery.com.au

Stunning results

Scan me to watch an intro