From the Editor

Issue 5 - June 2022

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Sarah Baker E: sarah.baker@primecreative.com.au

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Ray Chan E: ray.chan@primecreative.com.au

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Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey

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Ray Chan

Editor - Rail Express

Welcome to the June issue of Rail Express

As 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.