Rail Express August 2023

contract for the design and building of trains for Queensland.

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A holistic approach for metro rail projects

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From the Editor

ISSUE 7 - AUGUST 2023

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Ray Chan Editor - Rail Express

Welcome to the August issue of Rail Express

The recent Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE) highlighted an interesting quandary: how does industry reconcile a need to increase rail patronage in post-COVID times, with inevitable delays caused by upgrades or construction of rail infrastructure?

In WA, for example, the major Armadale line will be shut down for 18 months at least, as new stations and elevated bridges are built and level crossings removed … a period that will surely test the patience of residents who live along the network.

Meanwhile, in Sydney, the Government has declared that an overhaul of Sydney Trains is required, which will necessitate the cessation of weekend services for an estimated 12 months.

And all this as the industry is coming to grips with changed societal behaviours as a result of the pandemic.

After rail travel understandably declined during COVID lockdown, it was reasonable to expect commuter numbers to rise again as the pandemic got brought under control. But the return has been slow, caused by the new normal of working from home, plus a continued fear among some community members of being in close contact with large numbers of people.

There’s no easy solution. Infrastructure improvements will always be necessary, and delays will only prolong the inevitable.

As speaker Graham Holden from Downer explained to CORE delegates, the industry must maintain its momentum to make the rail sector sexy to users and keep its benefits at front of mind, so that when projects are ready, the community will gravitate back to the tracks.

We all know why rail is an attractive mode of public transport.

• It’s a greener alternative to road travel, emitting fewer greenhouse gases per passenger kilometre.

• As cities become increasingly congested, it offers an efficient means of transportation, bypassing traffic and reducing overall congestion on roads.

• With expanded rail networks and improved connectivity, trains offer accessibility to urban precincts, suburbs, and even remote areas.

The onus then is on making it ever more desirable to use.

For example, rail operators could help quell fears of passengers – in particular those who are immuno-compromised – by prioritising their health and safety via the use of strict protocols, such as regular cleaning of trains and stations, providing hand sanitisers, and enforcing maskwearing policies.

Increasing the frequency and thoroughness of such practices on trains, platforms, and high-touch surfaces can also alleviate concerns about hygiene.

And of course ventilation systems must be optimised to improve air quality on trains to help mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens, providing reassurance to passengers.

Pricing and fare incentives will also entice travellers, as evidenced already by schemes implemented in WA and Victoria.

And, as Holden also pointed out, everything should be done to enhance the passenger experience, from simplifying the ticketing process to creating a more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment for passengers, which in turn, ironically, goes back to the need to upgrade facilities and possibly causing holdups in services.

Ultimately, there will be Catch-22 scenarios for the sector to traverse.

It’s the immediate challenge for rail operators: how to regain passenger confidence and attract a growing number of travellers, while contributing to the revitalisation of rail travel in a postpandemic world.

Elsewhere in this edition, we feature our annual focus on condition monitoring. It’s interesting to note that, while the advances in digital technologies have made remote monitoring easier, many operators around the world have still not adopted these practices, preferring instead to stick by antiquated, timeconsuming methods such as manual checking of the tracks.

We round off the magazine with an assortment of articles sure to catch your interest – including a rail decarbonisation breakthrough, tunnel construction, new sensing technology for tram pits and the use of operator-led models for metro networks – and the usual contributions from our industry partners.

ray.chan@primecreative.com.au

Advocate appointed for rail manufacturing

The Federal Government has appointed Jacqui Walters to the role of National Rail Manufacturing Advocate, and eight leading experts to the Rail Industry Innovation Council.

Assistant manufacturing minister Tim Ayres – who declared the intention to seek an advocate last year – said the appointments were critical to the National Rail Manufacturing Plan, which aims to deliver a national strategy for the domestic manufacture of high-quality, lowemissions passenger trains.

“Rebuilding rail manufacturing in Australia will have spillover economic benefits, particularly for regional communities like Newcastle, Maryborough, Ballarat, Bendigo and Dandenong where we will back secure, bluecollar jobs,” he said.

Walters has a track record of successfully leading strategy and change projects across Commonwealth, state and territory governments.

“As a former Chair of the Citytrain Response Unit, which has oversight of the transformation of public transport in Queensland, Ms Walters will bring a wealth of experience in the rail sector to the role,” Ayres said.

“Her leadership experience in the transport sector is complemented by her background in renewable energy and venture capital funding.

“She will lead Commonwealth coordination of state and territory procurement of rail rolling stock, helping Australian manufacturers to be competitive in export markets in regional and global supply chains.”

Bringing significant expertise from the rail industry, the Council members are:

• Graham Bentley (Aurecon)

• Danny Broad (Australasian Railway Association)

• Vicki Brown (UTS Transport Research Centre Advisory Board)

• Samantha McWilliam (WSP Australia)

• Rachel Nolan (former Queensland Minister for Transport)

• Professor Ravi Ravitharan (Monash Institute of Railway Technology)

• Katarzyna Stapleton (Queensland Rail)

• Glenn Thompson (Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union).

As part of the plan, the Government will deliver the National Rail Procurement and Manufacturing Strategy by the end of the year.

“Australians can make the trains of the future, building long-term industrial capability as well as exporting those products to markets in regional and global supply chains,” Ayres said.

“When state governments procure passenger rail projects offshore, it costs thousands of good blue-collar jobs in the regions and also trashes Australia’s manufacturing capability.

“The Federal Government is determined to reverse that and deliver more manufacturing jobs in our regions and outer suburbs.

“I look forward to working with the rail advocate and the Council members to implement the Government’s vision of supporting thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs and ensuring more of our rail passenger fleets are built in Australia.

“As Advocate, she will work with state and territory governments and stakeholders to pursue a national approach that provides increased opportunities for local businesses and creates more local jobs, particularly in regional Australia.”

Walters said she strongly believed there was a future for Australia to become a high-value manufacturing nation.

“Working together we have the opportunity to improve competitiveness, innovation, and growth within the rail manufacturing industry,” she said.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) said ARA-funded research, released by the Federal Government last year, showed that a coordinated national approach to rail procurement and manufacturing would have saved $1.85 billion over the past 10 years.

Separate ARA research also confirmed the current uncoordinated approach to type approval processes by procurers is costing the rail industry $230 million per year.

ARA chief executive Caroline Wilkie said the ARA had worked closely with the Office of National Rail Industry Coordination since it was formed last year, advocating strongly for better harmonisation across jurisdictions.

“It is encouraging to see the Federal Government act on the decades-long lack of harmonisation across the country’s rail networks that has hampered competitiveness, significantly increasing costs and constraining investment,” she said.

“The industry urgently needs a centralised approach to procurement to drive productivity and innovation if we are to meet the challenge of a $154 billion pipeline over the next 15 years.

“The current state-based local content policies are akin to operating in different countries and have led to duplication of facilities and made it hard for some organisations to bid for key contracts.”

ARA chair Danny Broad, who was appointed as a Council member, said the announcement was the first step towards developing safe, sustainable rail and will foster research and development and boost skills and capabilities in the sector.

“It will improve government supply and export opportunities for local businesses and improve competitiveness overall,” he said.

“The ARA looks forward to the delivery of the National Rail Manufacturing Plan to support industry productivity and facilitate opportunities for Australian manufacturers.”

Tim Ayres (left), Jacqui Walters and Danny Broad at Maryborough train station, where the appointments were announced.

Connecting people to new possibilities

All across the world, cities are expanding. People need better connections to access new places, MTR makes it happen in Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, the United Kingdom, Sweden, as well as in the Mainland of China and Macao.

Anger over rise in rail safety accreditation fees

Rail safety accreditation fees have skyrocketed for small rail freight operators due to changes proposed by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) that came into effect on July 1.

The agency, set up 10 years ago to reduce the cost of compliance, has traditionally charged accreditation fees based on train kilometres travelled by rail operators and track kilometres under management by access providers (such as ARTC).

The new charging regime will be a tiered system, where those accredited organisations in each tier pay for a percentage of the operating costs of ONRSR.

With the NSW and Victorian governments withdrawing funding of ONRSR, after taking into account other government funding to regulate the tourism and heritage sector, it is understood that the agency still needed to increase fees by 30 per cent on the 2020/2021 charges to make up for the shortfall.

Shadow transport minister, Senator Bridget McKenzie, said the model was set to hit small rail freight operators with increased costs by up to 700 per cent.

“And naturally, the only way for businesses to survive will be to pass those costs on to consumers,” she said.

“The Federal Government must step in and fix the cost recovery model which will unfairly punish small rail businesses.

“Australian consumers will be the ones left out of pocket as our private rail freight operators are forced to pass on those costs.”

Visiting the Ettamogah Rail Hub near Albury, McKenzie said under the proposed new tier system, the cost increase for small freight operators like this transport facility was cruel.

“Small, family run businesses are the backbone of Australia, and the Government should be supporting them, not trying to send them broke,” she said.

“Ultimately, this cost shifting exercise from state governments onto the private sector will create an uncompetitive market for smaller rail freight operators and impact the viability of our regional freight rail networks.”

McKenzie said the proposed rise in rail safety accreditation fees had been exacerbated by the regulator taking expensive legal action against government rail operators.

“These legal compliance costs should be passed onto the public sector operators, not small and family-owned private sector businesses,” she said.

Ettamogah Rail Hub chairman Colin Rees

said the move resembled an “open cheque book for ONRSR”.

“Our annual fees will rise from $16,000 to somewhere between $100,000 and $140,000,” he said.

Other rail operators understood to be facing massive fee increases include Bowmans Rail, SCT Logistics, Southern Shorthaul Rail (SSR), QUBE and Watco.

SSR rail director Jason Ferguson said costs for the company would increase from $119,000 of accreditation fees in 2020/2021 (the base year ONRSR based costs on) to $700,000 per year.

“The existing model for charging accreditation fees – based on train kilometres travelled by rail operators and track kilometres under management by access providers – is fair,” he said.

“We are proposing that the existing charging regime remains but with a 30 per cent increase across the board to make up for the government funding shortfall, and that the proposed tier system is abolished.”

Ferguson said that the original rise in fees had been cited at about $400,000 per year, and now the figure was $700,000.

“Over the last two years the accreditation fees have gone up 20.3 per cent without any consultation. The whole show is absolutely out of control,” he said.

“ONRSR has spent a significant amount of our money developing this new tier-based approach that will deliver perverse outcomes.

“Under the guise of a reduction in government contribution for rail regulation, ONRSR has spent a sizeable amount of money developing a different philosophy on access fees.

“One large government passenger rail operator will go from paying around $4.3 million per year in accreditation fees back to $2.2m per year.

“The regulator’s risk tools and tier classifications are heavily flawed and it has come up with a ridiculous regime. It’s over a half a million dollar increase for us each year.

“From late 2024 we will move 100 per cent of the grain in NSW and Victoria that goes to make

bread – this will impact on the cost of living and further push up prices”.

Ferguson said that the ONRSR was currently “spending a fortune” prosecuting three government statutory bodies and the exemployee of a fourth government statutory body.

“Under the model, it is rail freight that is contributing heavily to paying for the cost of these prosecutions of government statutory bodies. Under the old regime where the regulator was partially funded by government, this system at least provided some accountability over costs.

“Under the new regime this accountability is removed, and we are concerned about the risk of future increases without care as it is apparent that they feel industry will just foot the bill”.

An ONRSR spokesman said that the new cost recovery model was the result of many years of consultation and input from industry and government.

“It was always intended, with the creation of a national rail safety regulator, that safety accreditation fees would be paid by industry to alleviate continuing cross-subsidisation from government,” he said.

“Industry has been a part of the development of the new model since 2018.”

The spokesman said the new fee methodology implemented government policy to minimise cross subsidisation among operators. At the same time, it eliminated taxpayer exposure via the removal of state government subsidies that are in place in several states.

“The previous model of fee calculation has many unintended consequences, including a disparity in rates in different states and significant cross-subsidisation across different operators,” he said.

“With the implementation of the new model, ONRSR reduces its overall funding from safety accreditation fees by $1.2m to reflect efficiencies that flow from the risk-based approach.”

The spokesman said there would be a review of how the model is working after its first year of operation.

Some operators are facing price hikes of up to 700 per cent.

Queensland

Train manufacturing looks up with Downer

The $7.1 billion Queensland Train Manufacturing Program is now in motion, with a $4.6 billion contract officially signed for Downer Group to design and manufacture these trains.

The investment is set to support 800 construction and manufacturing jobs.

Downer is now tasked with the manufacture 65 passenger trains at a state-owned purposebuilt facility at Torbanlea.

Negotiations have been underway since Downer was announced as the preferred supplier for the program earlier this year.

The new trains will be more accessible for people with a disability, with the addition of Train Boarding Bridges and Electronic Levelling Controls to address the gaps between platforms and trains, as well as phone charging capabilities.

Construction is expected to start by the end of the year on both the manufacturing facility in Torbanlea and a new rail stabling and maintenance facility at Ormeau on the Gold Coast.

Train manufacturing is key to Queensland’s Big Build, a record $89 billion dollar investment into infrastructure by the State Government over the next four years.

Queensland’s Big Build will support 58,000 jobs over the next 24 months as part of the state’s biggest infrastructure spend on record.

Transport minister Mark Bailey said with the contract signed and sealed, Downer Group would begin recruiting for the construction and manufacturing jobs that this project would bring.

“Downer Group has committed to making jobs and training for Queenslanders its priority,” he said.

Assistant train manufacturing minister Bruce Saunders said the project wasn’t just about building trains – “it’s an investment in the decades of skill we have here in Maryborough and in the generations of train builders to come”.

“Early works are already underway in Torbanlea and in coming weeks they’ll start setting up site compounds, which will get the ball rolling for major construction to begin later this year,” he said.

“The first trains will complete manufacturing and commence testing in late 2026, with all trains expected to be in service by 2032.

“These new trains will support South East Queensland’s population boom, as well as Cross River Rail and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union state secretary Rohan Webb said for years, the AMWU had proudly campaigned alongside its Downer members and the Maryborough community to bring rail manufacturing “back home”.

“The billions of dollars in investment by the State Government will secure the future of hundreds of workers in Maryborough,” Webb said.

“AMWU members at Downer in Maryborough are skilled, respected, and acknowledged as some of the best train manufacturers in Australia. And now they’re set to lead the way as we rebuild manufacturing capacity in Australia.”

In full, the Program includes:

• construction of 65 six-car passenger trains

• construction of a purpose-built manufacturing facility in the Maryborough region for major manufacturing/assembly works for the new fleet

• construction of a new rail facility (for train maintenance and stabling) in Ormeau

• the ongoing operation and maintenance of the fleet and rail facility.

TORBANLEA

John Holland has been contracted to design, build and commission the state-of-the-art, purpose-built train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea.

The delivery of the site alone is expected to create around 300 direct construction jobs.

Building executive general manager David Lehmann said John Holland was proud to be leveraging its capabilities in delivering critical infrastructure.

“This new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will become a central hub for train manufacturing in Queensland, and more specifically, the Fraser Coast region,” he said.

“We’ll create hundreds of jobs during construction of the facility and drive economic growth, and that’s only the start for this stateshaping program.

“Our expertise in building the facilities our communities need extends from hospitals and stadiums through to the manufacturing hubs of the future. That’s how we transform lives.”

Queensland building general manager Colin Matthews said John Holland was excited to begin work on an incredibly important project for Queensland.

“This is all about future-proofing Queensland’s manufacturing industry and creating jobs for the future – that’s the power of projects like these,” he said.

“We have a proud partnership with the Queensland Government to deliver essential infrastructure across the state and look forward to working with Downer as this project moves into an exciting new phase.”

The manufacturing program is part of Queensland’s Big Build.

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Iron ore rail manufacturing first for Pilbara

Mining giant Rio Tinto have teamed up with Gemco Rail to bring local iron ore rail car manufacturing and bearing maintenance to the Pilbara of Western Australia.

The partnership will enable Gemco Rail to expand its existing operations to establish the first ever rail ore car manufacturing and maintenance facility in the region, creating new jobs, increasing spend with local and Indigenous businesses and supporting local economic growth.

The initiative was developed by Rio Tinto and Gemco Rail along with Qiqihar Railway Rolling Stock (QRRS), and supported by the Western Australian State Government.

Rio Tinto expects to invest about $150 million to purchase 100 locally built ore rail cars over six years as well as continued investment in bearing refurbishment over 10 years, to support the company’s Pilbara operations.

The first 40 ore cars will be built at Gemco Rail’s existing facility in the Perth suburb of Forrestfield, while the company establishes an additional facility in Karratha.

Once this new facility is operational, Gemco Rail is expected to build an average of 10 ore cars per year, replacing ore cars as they are retired from Rio Tinto’s existing fleet.

The new Karratha facility will also support the supply of new and reconditioned ore car bearings from the Pilbara in an industry-first.

The first WA-built rail car is expected to be delivered in 2024 and the Karratha-based

facility is expected to be established by the end of 2024, subject to the availability of a suitable property.

The new site will reduce the need to transport iron ore cars and bearings between the Pilbara and Perth, removing an estimated 150 truck journeys from WA roads and 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said the miner aimed to create enduring partnerships that generated positive impacts in the regions where it operated.

“We’ve taken our original scope to build iron ore cars in WA and enhanced it to see the construction of ore cars in the same region as

creating jobs and providing more opportunities for local and Indigenous businesses.”

Australasian Railway Assocation chief executive Caroline Wilkie said the decision was a major step forward in supporting a sustainable local rail industry.

“This commitment sets a new standard in support for local manufacturing and local content and will lay the foundations for more partnerships to increase Australian capability in the future,” she said.

“One of the ARA’s key missions is to increase the sustainability of the rail sector and this deal is also a perfect example of how we can reduce emissions by localising key

Lakelands Station brings relief to Mandurah Line

Perth’s vaunted new METRONET Lakelands Station is officially open for business.

The facility is a welcome addition to the Mandurah Line, taking pressure off nearby Mandurah and Warnbro stations.

It is supported by an enhanced bus network, connecting surrounding suburbs to the new station.

The station offers an entry building adorned with Aboriginal artwork, a pedestrian overpass, two platforms, kiss-and-ride facilities, a bus interchange, a 400-bay car park, and secure cycle storage facilities.

The delivery of the new station marks the latest project to be delivered under the State Government’s flagship METRONET program,

with other major projects including the Morley-Ellenbrook Train Line and the Yanchep Rail Extension well underway.

The $72 million project, which has supported about 200 jobs since construction began in November 2021, was jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Western Australian Governments under an 80:20 funding arrangement.

Deputy Premier and transport minister Rita Saffioti said it was brilliant to see more communities benefiting from the investment in infrastructure.

“The new METRONET Lakelands Station will provide thousands of people living in our southern suburbs with better access to our

rail system, and ease the pressure on other stations, including Mandurah and Warnbro,” she said.

“The new station comes on the back of the completion of the new METRONET Mandurah Station carpark at the end of 2021, which increased the station’s carparking capacity by 782 bays to around 1900 in total.”

Mandurah MLA David Templeman said the station would benefit the communities of Lakelands and Madora Bay by decreasing their travel times and improving the bus services in the area.

“This, coupled with the two-fare zone caps makes travel to Perth affordable and will benefit my community.”

The new cars will replace those retired from Rio Tinto’s existing fleet.

Identify. Remediate. Restore.

Targeted ballast management.

Loram precision ballast maintenance and restoration technologies. When track performance is undermined, Loram ballast inspection and restoration technologies identify unseen issues and root causes, remediate subgrade and shoulder drainage issues, and efficiently clean and restore reusable ballast to desired profiles. Our inspection and geotechnical services deliver actionable data for cost-saving, targeted management strategies, with restoration enabled by advanced shoulder ballast cleaning, excavating, ditching that resolve the most stubborn fouling and drainage challenges. Learn more at Loram.com.au

Clockwise from top right–Structural inspection with Ground Penetrating Radar, HP Shoulder Ballast Cleaner, LRV Specialty Excavator and Badger Ditcher

New South Wales

Lack of risk management in freight derailment

A systemic transport safety investigation has highlighted a range of issues related to a significant freight train derailment on the NSW north coast.

They include the risk management and the identification and response to extreme weather by the operators involved in the incident.

In the early hours of February 25, 2021, a southbound Pacific National freight train derailed near Nana Glen, where floodwaters had built up and overtopped the track, washing away ballast.

Rolling stock, freight and a large section of railway were significantly damaged, one of the two crew on board the train sustained minor injuries, and the line was closed for

rail investigations in NSW on behalf of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

It found that the track manager ARTC had not adequately identified nor addressed the risk of flooding along the rail corridor or the culvert near the accident site, as well as numerous others along the Mid North Coast.

OTSI chief investigator Natalie Pelham said ARTC could not reliably determine the risk of flooding along the section of rail corridor where the accident occurred, and it had not undertaken formal assessments to determine the need for, or the locations of, remote weather monitoring stations to detect extreme weather events.

The investigation found network users were not aware of the extent of the severe weather

events, the process had significant limitations,” Pelham said.

“The mechanism for alerting operational personnel, which was an email, did not ensure that alerts were always identified, or actioned, in a timely manner.

“Additionally, the actions specified were insufficient to respond to escalating rainfall and flooding events, both forecast and actual.”

Separately, the report notes that two trains which had earlier passed through the derailment site – including an XPT passenger service which passed through 27 minutes before the derailment – had not reported a condition affecting the network.

These drivers had not been provided with guidance for operating through severe weather conditions and floodwater. And, although visibility was severely affected, the drivers did not slow down.

Since the accident, ARTC has taken several safety actions, including ithe installation of 20 more remote weather stations along the Telarah to Acacia Ridge corridor, developing and implementing a work instruction for the management of flooding and special locations, and issuing a safety bulletin increasing rainfall and flooding alerts by one category.

The recommendations stem from the same finding – that neither ARTC nor Pacific National provided guidance for train crew to respond to extreme wet weather events or floodwater in the rail corridor.

More movement on Dulwich Hill light rail

Sydney passengers using the L1 Dulwich Hill light rail are enjoying a more frequent service during inter-peak times and on weekends, with additional services introduced.

The changes will add more than 100 light rail services each week to the L1 Dulwich Hill Line.

The additional services come as more passengers travel outside of traditional peak times, giving them more options when planning their trip.

On weekdays between 10am and 3pm, services will increase from a 15-minute frequency to a 10- minute frequency. This will greatly increase passenger capacity, as well as decreasing waiting times.

Other changes include weekend

mornings, where services will increase from a 15-minute frequency to a 10-minute frequency between 9am and 11am, where they continue into the evening.

On Saturdays, the 10-minute frequency during the day has been extended to 9pm, which gives passengers a light rail service every 10 minutes between 9am and 9pm.

Since weekday peak services were increased to an eight-minute frequency in December 2022, the additional off-peak and weekend services now mean the L1 light rail will operate to at least a 10- minute frequency during the daytime across the week, from 7am to 7pm weekdays, from 9am to 9pm on Saturdays and from 9am to 7pm on Sundays.

NSW transport minister for Jo Haylen said it was clear that the community in the Inner West loved using the light rail.

“The Inner West community are the big winners here, with over 100 extra services to the L1 Dulwich Hill Line every week,” she said.

“The L1 line functions as the transport spine of the whole Inner West. It’s a vital alternative mode that gets hundreds of students to local schools every day and connects the Inner West to the employment hubs of Pyrmont, Ultimo, Haymarket and the CBD.

“The Government is committed to providing a world-class public transport system to service all communities, and this is just one of many steps towards seeing that realised.”

Rolling stock, freight and a large section of railway were significantly damaged.

Image credit:

Turn of events for Western Sydney Airport

It’s full steam ahead on the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project, with tunnelling of the new 23-kilometre line now underway.

Two 1066-tonne tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Eileen and Peggy have started their journeys at the future Airport Business Park Station, carving out the first 5.5-kilometre sections of the twin metro tunnels towards the Aerotropolis.

TBMs Eileen and Peggy are now well into the ground, bringing metro services one step closer for Greater Western Sydney locals.

As is tunnelling tradition across the world, these TBMs are named after women to bring luck to the workers who look to Saint Barbara for protection.

TBM Eileen pays tribute to the first female Mayor of Penrith, Eileen Cammack OBE, who also established the first pathology laboratory at Nepean District Hospital. TBM Peggy honours pioneer aviator Peggy Kelman OBE, who was instrumental in promoting female aviation and was a flying companion of Nancy-Bird Walton.

The TBMs will excavate around 120 metres of tunnels per week, the first step in delivering the six new metro stations along the line from St Marys to the centre of the new Aerotropolis.

This project will support more than 14,000 jobs during construction, including 250 new apprentices, with at least 20 per cent of the contract workforce coming from local communities.

The Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport line will be operational when Western Sydney International Airport opens for passenger services, with an expected travel time of 15 minutes from St Marys metro station to Airport Terminal Station and a further five minutes to the Aerotropolis Station.

TBMs Eileen and Peggy have started turning in the tunnels.

Victoria

First Peoples art brings vibrancy to tram network

This year’s First Peoples-designed art trams have rolled out on Melbourne’s tram network, with designs by a diverse group of Victorian-based First Peoples artists, in a travelling celebration of history, community and connection.

The first of the six - designed by Boonwurrung/Erub artist Amina Briggs - was launched as part of RISING festival in June, turning Melbourne’s tram network into a mobile art gallery.

Boonwurrung/Wemba Wemba artist Jarra Karalinar Steel has curated this year’s offering, which showcases the artists’ responses to the theme of ‘Blak Futurism’, envisioning a better future for Australia’s First Peoples.

Briggs’ tram features Bunjil the creator and Waa the protector, integral figures in Boonwurrung culture, accompanied by the Australian raven and wedge-tailed eagle.

Other artists include Peter Waples-Crowe, a Ngarigu artist whose design celebrates the Alpine dingo as a symbol of ecosystem restoration, and mother and son team Lyn and Coree Thorpe, who have collaborated on a work that acknowledges their Aboriginal ancestors and protecting knowledge from their lands.

Rubii Red’s (Lama Lama) contribution is an ode to Naarm, including its protests, music and nightlife; Charlotte Allingham (Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa) has created a piece envisioning a future that values Blak freedom, self-expression, sustainability and innovation; and Jay Van Nus (Pibelman

Planning and Yarra Trams to present the Art Trams project.

RISING was established by the State Government to create a new drawcard major event for Melbourne in the winter season. Last year close to 315,000 people attended the first full festival.

Transport minister Ben Carroll said the trams provided a unique mobile canvas to celebrate First Peoples connection to country, culture and identity, which would be shared with millions of people who would see the artwork rolling across the city.

Steel said the trams provided a world of colour to the city streets, exploring themes of community, togetherness, intergenerational collaboration, protection and care for country and animals, future folklore, nostalgia, representation, and pay tribute to the beloved city.

Charlotte Allingham’s design on a tram.

Rubii Red’s contribution is an ode to Naarm.

Peter Waples-Crowe’s creation celebrates the Alpine dingo.

Briggs’ tram features Bunjil the creator and Waa the protector.

Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference

Alstom keeps Victoria rolling along

The X-trapolis 2.0, Next Generation Trams and VLocity Project are three flagship rolling stock programs already leading the way, with the unique partnership helping deliver the next generation of trains and trams for the people of Victoria.

Updates on the projects were provided at the recent Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference, where Department of Transport and Planning (DOTP) Head of Rolling Stock Development, Ben Phyland, and Managing Director for Alstom in Australia and New Zealand, Pascal Dupond, took to the stage.

Phyland said the Victorian Government had invested more than $8 billion in Victorian-built rolling stock and supporting infrastructure since 2015, as part of the state’s wider $90 billion transport infrastructure commitment.

“Victoria is now the premier state for train, tram and bus manufacturing in Australia, with the state’s commitment to local manufacturing and maintenance supporting more than 10,000 jobs across the industry,” he said.

“Minimum local content quotas on all new rolling stock orders means thousands more jobs for Victorians over the coming years.”

The recent Made in Victoria for Victoria: Victorian Rolling Stock Strategy, released with the effects of COVID still being felt across the nation and the state, lays out the long-term investment plans for rolling stock, securing ongoing work for Victorian businesses and workers with a pipeline of orders.

“With our transport sector currently delivering one of the largest public investments ever committed to in Victoria, this strategy aims to provide Victorian manufacturers with certainty on future rolling stock orders, investments in local supply chains, and supports our expert workforce here in Victoria,” he said.

“A strong rolling stock industry is central to the overall success of the transport sector, complementing the state’s infrastructure investments through the Big Build, and ensuring our network can meet future demands.”

The state has invested in more than 300 new Victorian-built trains and trams since 2015, all which are made by Alstom.

“These trains and trams are being continuously delivered into service to boost our metropolitan and regional fleets and support local jobs,” Phylland said.

“Our new trains and trams are more

comfortable and accessible and will help cater for Victoria’s growing population.”

Phyland said creating the modern, accessible, sustainable transport network would require collaboration between government and industry in order to get the best outcomes for passengers.

He added that the Victorian Government’s policy of a minimum of 50 per cent local content in new rolling stock orders would also give manufacturers a secure future with new trains and trams built in Victoria by Victorian workers and apprentices.

Dupond said that Alstom had a presence of more than 100 years in Australia: “a quite large footprint, with us present basically in every single state around the country”.

“And at the moment we are delivering roughly close to 88 per cent of local content in what we are doing in Australia.

“We’re delivering three key rolling stock projects for Victoria, which keeps us busy with industry, but we’re not only doing holding stuff. We are part of seeing a new project like the Metro Tunnel … and

skills in any country. Obviously we have done that for decades in Australia and in Victoria in particular, and that’s something we will continue to invest in.”

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

Phyland said the next big obstacle was in achieving net zero requirements in regional areas.

“Sustainable transport is really important to us,” he said.

“We need to replace our V/Line trains powered by diesel.

“Getting the regional network into the zero emission space is probably our biggest challenge over the next five years.”

X’TRAPOLIS 2.0

The X’Trapolis is a series of multiple units designed and built by Alstom, in close

brand-new X’Trapolis 2.0 trains and supporting

Global transport leader Alstom is playing a pivotal role in helping create a robust rolling stock industry in Victoria.

Ben Phyland (left) and Pascal Dupond at the conference.

a more accessible, reliable and energy-efficient journey while supporting up to 750 local jobs, most of which will be based at Alstom’s manufacturing facility in Ballarat.

A life-size mock-up of Melbourne’s X’Trapolis 2.0 was recently completed and inspected by local community, passenger, accessibility and specialist groups to enable them to get a feel of the new train.

NEXT GENERATION TRAMS

Astom has signed a framework contract with DoPT 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 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 proposed design includes on-board energy storage and regenerative braking, new accessibility technologies, and the latest safety systems.

The proposed tram design will be refined in consultation with key stakeholders, including representatives from accessibility groups, passengers, and tram drivers.

An alliance led by John Holland Group was recentlty awarded the contract to build the NGT tram maintenance and stabling facility in the suburb of Maidstone.

As well as being a home for the NGTs, it will be used to maintain, clean and store the lowfloor trams.

VLOCITY

The Victorian Government is building more modern V/Line VLocity trains, with 23 more currently being built at Dandenong, supporting around 500 local jobs.

The extra trains form part of a $601m

investment in the Victorian Budget 2023/24 to improve capacity on Victoria’s busiest regional lines as regional Victoria grows, and to respond to demand for the Government’s fair regional fares initiative – capping V/Line services at the same price as a daily metropolitan fare.

The VLocity trains are being progressively rolled out onto the network to replace V/Line’s older Classic fleet, providing passengers with a more modern, reliable and efficient journey.

Each unit has six accessible spaces per threecarriage set and includes comfortable seats for long-haul journeys, a dedicated storage area for bicycles and accessibility improvements.

In a boost for those heading west, these trains will increase capacity on the Melton line – allowing nine-car train sets to run to boost capacity on the line by 50 per cent – as well as ensuring locals on the Geelong and Bacchus Marsh lines travel in comfort.

There are already more than 100 VLocity trains in service – and works on this order will get underway at the factory next year, once the order of 12 VLocity trains from the Victorian Budget 22/23 is complete.

Conference gets to the core of rail technology excellence

The recent biennial Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE) celebrated technological and other industry developments which have enhanced the effectiveness of rail in supporting economic development and wellbeing around the world.

Held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, the premier technical conference in Australasia’s rail industry calendar featured speakers and presentations highlighting the theme of ‘25 Years in Motion’.

The event was hosted by the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA), a non-profit organisation established in 1997 for the purpose of promoting the co-operation of academic, industrial, commercial and governmental groups in relation to the practice and advancement of railway technology and management in Australasia.

Several industry-leading suppliers and manufacturers also took the opportunity to display their latest products, innovations and achievements to the hundreds of delegates who attended the three-day event.

Among them was WA-based Roundel Civil Products, which exhibited its range of high quality engineered products at the conference, with a focus on its HPL polyethylene (PE) applications.

The company is Australia’s leading supplier of corrugated metal pipes and corrugated plate structures for use in road and rail infrastructure projects, such as:

• Drainage culverts and stormwater systems

• Bridge spans and underpasses

• Conveyor, personnel and stockpile tunnels

• Mine portals and decline tunnels

Business development sales coordinator Ray Mann said HPL was a polyethylenecoated galvanised steel with the same steel strength and galvanising weight as used in the manufacture of standard culverts.

“The reinforced PE layer provides considerable additional protection to the underlying galvanising, resulting in substantially increased lifespan of the culverts even in the most aggressive conditions,” he said.

“Unlike other PE-coated steels, HPL has a reinforcement layer within the polymer that provides very high resistance to abrasion, harsh environmental conditions, and localised surface damage.

““Our expertise in on-site manufacture of both HPL and Z600 steel culverts is unrivalled,

with 40,000 tonnes manufactured to date in remote locations across the country.”

with the company having established itself prominently in freight, it was looking to grow into the domestic rail sector.

“We aim to provide our customers with the highest levels of service, product quality and competitive pricing, while creating and maintaining a team of talented people dedicated to helping our customers succeed,” he said.

Another exhibitor was Insitutek, founded to transform geotechnics, earthworks and pavement construction in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region, via insitu testing methods and soil stabilisation.

As company representative Robin Power said at the conference, the aim was to “enable people in civil construction to push forward with confidence”.

“We help clients get clear insight on what’s going on below the surface so they can make better informed timely decisions using our “best of breed” insitu testing methods for geotechnics, earthworks and pavements,” he said.

“The insitu testing is particularly vital for rail

a new formation for the rail track or want to rehabilitate an existing one. The tools can be used to get an insight of what’s going on at the surface and below it ... so the ground conditions and also maybe the ballast as well.

“Then during the construction process, we’ve got another series of tools which we would use to understand how well the construction process is proceeding. For example, from a compaction perspective and how well the compaction has been carried out.

“One of the big things that the equipment that we’ve got brings to the table is much better data flow. So the results are actually captured by the sensors, then the machine actually produces the results.

“And then you can see the results in real time and so that means that you can make decisions right away as opposed to having to wait days, sometimes weeks, to actually get your answers.”

Among Insitutek’s main customers are the Australian Rail Track Corporation and its Inland Rail project, Downer, and also Transport for NSW.

In addition, the company offers a clay soil stabilisation service, delivering sustainable

Bev Byard (left) and Ray Mann from Roundel.

Conference on Railway Excellence

general manager Jesse Baker, and now its head of higher engagement.

“We are enjoying the conference immensely. From the first day, we’ve had many people come and say hi and ask us questions about what we do and how we can help them,” he said.

“We have a board meeting coming up after the conference, where we’ll consider the work plan that we’re proposing for next financial year.

“So it’s an exciting time; we’ve got projects that relate to new ESG sustainability issues, and projects on there relating to harmonisation interoperability, so there will be some further stakeholder engagement to be put into effect in

The work plan is an annual initiative incorporating the rail standards that the organisation hopes to achieve, as well as updates needed on any documents that have previously been published. And it’s flexible enough to enable change as needed.

for surveying, civil contracting, earthmoving, mining and building activities.

Among the users of its equipment has been WA’s METRONET, which placed the company’s sensing equipment for work on the ThornlieCockburn Link, Perth’s first east-west cross line connection.

The project includes building of the new Nicholson Road and Ranford Road stations, and upgrades to the existing Thornlie, Cockburn Central and Stadium sites.

Market development manager Andrew Jones said during the construction of the rail for the new stations, METRONET installed a series of sensors to ensure that tracks stayed within design specifications while piling works were carried out.

“Probably about 50 or so sensors were used for a period of six to 12 months,” he said.

“With this many sensors, about a metre or so adjacent to each other, we can actually derive some quite sophisticated measurements that meet all the conditions of track bed monitoring and track bed geometry.

“We didn’t detect anything alarming on the specifications, but it’s more around ensuring the operator gets that peace of mind that all is working fine.

“Perhaps more importantly, it’s around the fact that checks didn’t have to be done manually, which would have meant people walking up and down the ballast, and wouldn’t have been ideal.”

Position Partners is also involved in work on the upgrade to the rail tunnel between Geelong and South Geelong and the rail line over the Barwon River, as part of Victoria’s Geelong Line upgrade.

“A lot of what we do is more than just sensors. Assets can require sort of bespoke customised systems that we can help with.

“We are experts at finding and customising solutions to suit a project’s requirements and enjoy working collaboratively with our customers for the best outcome.”

Meanwhile, welcoming visitors to the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board’s (RISSB)

“We pay careful attention to whatever the issue of the day is, so sometimes that’ll be a new regulatory focus or a new government focus to bring in,” Baker said.

“We take into account all those priorities from all those different agencies and government and then all of that sort of then filters down to describe specific projects that we’re going to be working on.

“For example, we know there are lots of railways at the moment exploring new and

Jesse Baker from RISSB.

Robin Power of Insitutek.

stock, so they will be needing standards. It’s no good having hydrogen trains if you can’t charge them up when you get over the border into the next jurisdiction, for example. We’ve got to be prepared ahead of that so that standards are ready for the introduction of these new technologies.”

Baker said it was pleasing that awareness was growing about RISSB and its functions.

“We go to conferences like this, we go to Expos, and there is a level of recognition about what we’re trying to do, but as always, we’d like it to be even more.

“We want to be regarded as the first port of call for standards. If you’ve got a problem that you need solved … and you think think to yourself, that other railways must have solved this problem … call RISSB and see what we’ve got. We’re the agency that provides technical solutions to railway problems.”

The conference concluded with the RTSA Awards dinner and presentation, at which various professionals, engineers, students and graduates were honoured for their work in the rail industry.

Chartered civil engineer Walter Rushbrook was awarded the coveted RTSA Railway Professional Award for having positively influenced some of the most significant railway works in New Zealand over the past 25 years, including improving the safety leadership, asset

management, and technical capacity of rail engineering in New Zealand.

He also assisted in successful business case preparations as well as holding significant roles in many award-winning projects, some of which have been recognised internationally.

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Conference on Railway Excellence

It’s time to make rail sexy again

The number of rail passengers is continuing to rise, but patronage continues to linger below pre-pandemic levels.

This is despite many reasons for the public to consider taking a train, including rising costs caused by inflation and increasing petrol prices.

There’s no doubt that public transport offers an affordable and convenient option, making it an attractive choice as the public navigates the rising cost of living.

Rail has traditionally been the most popular transport mode for commuters while being safe, accessible and convenient, as well as being far more environmentally-friendly with lesser greenhouse gas emissions. And it gets people quicker to their destinations, avoiding traffic logjams on the road.

The comparatively slow return to the tracks was a subject addressed at the recent CORE conference, where Downer engineering manager Graham Holden spoke on the intriguing question of whether the pandemic had provided an existential threat for metro rail systems.

Based in Perth, Holden is also part of the NEWest Alliance delivering the ThornlieCockburn Link and the Yanchep Rail Extension projects for Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority.

“The purpose of the railway is to provide a transport service, in a way which is more efficient than any other means of transport service,” he said.

“And over the past 10 or 20 years in our industry, there has been unprecedented growth and an incredible number of capital projects building extra capacity in our networks: in fact, that’s what I’m spending my time doing at the moment with the PTA.

“It’s a far cry from the 1980s when we were a dying industry and we were desperately trying to persuade those people who could be to come and travel on trains.”

Downer said the progress of rail technology was such that there was growth in every network every year up to around 2019, when COVID emerged.

“There has been enormous pressure to build capacity into our industry before then and obviously we took an absolute belting from COVID, with patronage down from 40-60 per cent,” he said.

But as COVID was controlled, and travel

reported the top benefits and challenges of the experience of employees of working from home.

“Overall, there is a consistent theme that around 30 to 40 per cent of all post-pandemic work would be done from home,” Holden said.

“Working from home certainly has an effect on employers as well, with the initial benefit being a reduction in operating costs.

“A lot of them have figured out that they can have some very significant medium and long

term benefits by actually reducing the size of the

“And I should imagine many of you in the room now work for a company that hot desks or has an office space in the city that doesn’t have enough desks for all of your employees to come

Holden said business had actually responded to this trend and embraced it to some extent.

“But from my own experience and from research, there are some latent risks that we’re exposing to ourselves to in the effectiveness of

“The largest risk is whether this move to remote working is actually fundamentally

“Humans are inherently social creatures, and … technology doesn’t exist unless people make it and people make things by collaborating with

“We’re living off the fat of the land a bit today, because the relationships we had before we went to lockdown, have carried us through

“But now there’s new people coming on board and joining businesses that don’t meet face to face in the same way as we used to, and my concern is that (projects) will degrade

“So I think we might be seeing in the in the next couple of years a little bit of a return to a desire to work together in the same location for

“But at the same time, I can’t see that coming back to 9 to 5, five days a week. We’ve got enormous drivers about flexibility and inclusion

“And this means not everyone will be going to work between 8 and 9 in the morning and we’re definitely not all going home in the evening

“So we’ve got a whole bunch of effects going on about changing the shape of the peak, changing the demand load for our metropolitan public transport, and these are profound.

“We can therefore expect some pretty significant impacts on demand for metropolitan rail transport.”

Holden said the effect of that overall reduced travel demand wouldn’t necessarily be as uniform on rail as it would be with other markets.

“For example, we’ve got health concerns

As the world emerges from the worst of the COVID pandemic, all signs point to an increase in the use of public transport. But why is the return to rail not as quick as anticipated?

Graham Holden speaking at CORE.

about proximity with other people that arise from COVID,” he said .

“Surveys have shown a trend towards a net swing towards growth in private vehicle use.

“I conclude from that that we can expect that there will be a relative mode shift, with a relatively higher share of the transport task being taken by roads.

“So we had better start paying attention to making metro rail more attractive.

“It’s not just about building more stuff, and having more capacity, because we’re just not sexy enough right now.

Holden said the three main factors to consider were reduction in the fare cost; reduction in the travel time; and improved information.

“Money is by far the most significant motivating factor. So we could reduce the cost of fares,” he said.

“For example, in a five-zone ticketing system, the WA government has capped the fare to the two-zone price ... and that obviously has a pretty motivating factor for those living in zones three to five because they’re paying significantly less for their rail travel than they were before.

“There is also opportunity around more effective management of car parking and this comes to price as well.

“In Perth, you have to pay for a car park space at the railway station in Perth to go and travel on the train, which seems somewhat oxymoronic since we’re trying to persuade people to travel by train.

“But there’s the difficulty in buying that car park ticket. If I forget my Smart Rider card, which is the contactless card for public transport in Perth, the car park machine only accepts $2 coins, which is pretty impractical in an increasingly cashless society.

“That’s not exactly the customer experience I’m looking to being motivated to get on the train.”

As for the reduction in travel time, Holden said it could be improved by optimising parts of the trip.

“The parking experience, the ticket experience, the frequency of service, for example, are things we can do about the total journey time that aren’t necessarily about the transit time from point to point,” he said.

“And finally, improved information is also a place where there’s a lot of opportunity.

“There are apps, there’s some smartphone integration. But, say, even if you can least buy a normal fare ticket using your phone, you can’t buy concession tickets.

“So if you’re a student or a disability user, then you don’t have that opportunity.

“There’s a lot more ground to be covered around technology integration as well.”

Holden said the pandemic had fundamentally

affected the nature of work, and that’s relevant for the rail industry because it changed the way people do work, and in transport journeys that people use rail for.

“We’re not living in the same world anymore, the demand for our service has fundamentally altered.

“Is that an existential crisis? We’re not going to go out of business. But we need to pay attention and make some changes so that we attract those people back from their private vehicles and keep our trains full into the future.”

SHOOTING THE FOOT?

Holden said he was aware of the irony that while the passenger rail sector is doing its best to lift patronage, delays to services caused by major infrastructure projects could have the opposite effect.

For example, Perth’s major Armadale line will be shut down for at least 18 months to enable upgades which include the removal of 13 level crossings, building seven new stations and the addition of 5.5 kilometres of elevated rail.

When completed, the line will also be extended to Byford, providing thousands of people living in Perth’s south with access to a public passenger train for the first time.

Meanwhile, Sydney Trains will shut down every weekend for at least a year while muchneeded maintenance and repairs are carried out on the ageing network.

“I see that as being a big challenge; we’re not just talking about ceasing a service, but for a long period of time that can’t be ignored,” Holden said.

“Commuters will no doubt have to change their travel behaviour while the states invest in improving the functionality of the road network to enable buses to work more effectively.

“Sure, we get some nice new stations, but the major benefit is actually for the road users perversely, as it is with all level crossing projects.

“But they don’t make trains go any faster. It improves safety but they sure don’t improve the journey time.”

Holden said industry needs to get together the way it did when rail was not the flavour of the month.

“We made railways relatively more attractive than cars because we had to, using principles that worked,” he said.

“The way to respond to the closures is to get some of those playbooks back out of the covers, dust them off and apply them again because the drivers are still effective.”

Holden said the post-pandemic recovery would need to encompass each of the following to meet growth targets:

1. Growth in the size of rail networks through completion of the current capital projects

2. Growth in the number of rail journeys in nontraditional markets, to offset the expected reduction in peak period commuter trips to the CBD

3. Increase in rail mode share of all trips, particularly relative to private car trips

“Despite the challenges described, a significant demand will remain for metro rail transport, and it will remain an essential element of urban transport,” he said.

“However, the rail industry will need to focus on growing its market outside the traditional CBD commuter trip, as well as addressing the competitive challenge from road through a renewed focus on addressing the key factors that will influence mode choice in favour of rail.”

How metro rail patronage has fared from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

Decarbonisation in Rail

Battery-powered freight loco first

Rail freight company Aurizon has contracted Progress Rail to build

The initiative will result in the first freight unit to be constructed in Australia powered by batteries, allowing the potential use of totally renewable energy sources for freight hauls.

Batteries in the trains will also capture regenerative energy created when trains brake or travel downhill.

The prototype is being built at Progress Rail’s Redbank facility in south-east Queensland. The unit will be designed as a heavy-haul freight locomotive, capable of working at locations across Aurizon’s national footprint and suitable for Australia’s harsh operating conditions.

The Caterpillar company, a global leader in rail technology solutions, will retrofit one of Aurizon’s existing 4000-class diesel locomotives.

Aurizon has more than 120 of the 4000-class locos in its national fleet, meaning a successful battery conversion could provide a much faster, less expensive decarbonisation pathway, using fully recycled assets.

The company had previously commissioned the University of Queensland (UQ) and Central Queensland University to undertake sophisticated modelling work and research on emerging battery technology, network infrastructure and charging facilities required to provide renewable electricity to the locomotive batteries.

Locomotives typically have an asset life of 20-30 years, so replacing the diesel engine with batteries and recycling the remainder of the locomotive is less expensive, more environmentally sound and based on circular economy principles.

Dr Ruth Knibbe and Professor Paul Meehan from UQ’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering collaborated with Aurizon to analyse rail corridors across Australia, and found batteries – or a combination of batteries and hydrogen fuel cells – could feasibly replace diesel power on those routes.

Knibbe said there was real opportunity for Australia to decarbonise heavy rail in the coming decade.

“Rail transport accounted for about three per cent of global carbon emissions in 2020, so decarbonising railways will play a major part in Australia’s transition to renewables,” she said.

“But it’s challenging, with long rail routes across the country that require a lot of energy and limited capacity to set up recharging infrastructure, which means all energy needs to be transported on board.”

The study looked at the weight of trains and how much energy would be needed to transport full loads between mines and ports, and options such as dynamic braking which generates energy when a train goes downhill or slows.

“While heavy duty batteries present huge opportunities by allowing for braking energy to be captured, it’s also a major challenge to keep them cool,” Knibbe said.

The researchers found battery-operated trains could replace diesel locomotives on shorter, low energy routes such as the 200-kilometre Gladstone to Moura corridor in Central Queensland.

“For higher energy routes such as the 1000-kilometre Townsville to Mt Isa corridor in the state’s northwest, we found a batteryoperated train with a hydrogen fuel cell would be more suitable, with around 32 per cent of the energy able to be regenerated during a journey,” Knibbe said.

“It’s important to note that as battery and fuel cell technology progresses, the energy that can be packed into the locomotives will be even greater.

“Furthermore, with projections of decreased battery and fuel cell costs over the coming years, the economic case for decarbonised heavy haul rail looks even better.”

Construction of the locomotive is expected to be complete by early 2025, with on-track

trials commencing in the first half of 2025. The charging infrastructure on the selected Australian rail corridor will be completed concurrently.

Aurizon managing director Andrew Harding said the project sat at the heart of Aurizon’s decarbonisation initiatives, with a target of achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2050.

“Not only will this dramatically reduce the carbon footprint for our freight transport needs and the community in general, but it will also provide a significant competitive advantage for Australian industries and exporters in global markets,” he said.

“Australia is ideally positioned to supply the world with great reserves of futurefacing commodities that will fuel and feed a decarbonising world for decades to come. This includes commodities such as copper, nickel, rare earths, grain and phosphate.

“Delivering high-quality Australian products for export across zero or low-carbon supply chains will be a win- win for Australian companies and Australian communities.”

Progress Rail senior vice-president Colin Kerelchuk said the company was pleased to support Aurizon in achieving its carbon reduction goals.

“With a presence in Queensland since 2015, we are well positioned to deliver broad technology and fleetwide modernisations to improve our customers’ operational and emissions efficiencies.”

the first zero-emissions-capable freight locomotive in Australia.

At the launch of the initiative were deputy

Queensland Premier Steven Miles (left), Bundamba MP Lance McCallum, Andrew Harding and Colin Kerelchuk (top row), with Aurizon employees.

Tunnel Vision

Light at the end of the tunnel

The tunnelling crews successfully completed the final 99.5m mined tunnel section, known as the cavern, adjacent to where the tunnel boring machine (TBM) slid through on its second City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel drive in 2022.

This marked the end of all tunnelling from Maungawhau Station which has used three types of tunnelling – the TBM Dame Whina Cooper, cutand-cover tunnelling and mined tunnelling.

Mined tunnelling, which has been taking place at Maungawhau Station since 2020, involves creating a tunnel with machinery such as a jumbo drill, excavators, and a shotcrete machine to stabilise the ground.

The area is then waterproofed and concreted with tailormade self-travelling formwork.

During the two and a half years of mined tunnelling, crews excavated about 15,000 cubic metres of spoil, used about 10,000 cubic metres of concrete and shotcrete and installed around 250 tonnes of steel and 4500 square metres of waterproofing membrane in creating mined tunnels extending 296m, about the height of the Empire State Building.

Link Alliance project director Francois Dudouit said the completion of mined tunnelling was a significant achievement.

“These people have been on a long journey, literally and figuratively speaking,” he said.

“The team has faced many technical and environmental challenges and have shown both fortitude and innovation in overcoming those obstacles.

“The completion of this stage of the project is a cause for celebration and a source of great pride.”

The occasion was marked with speeches, awards and flags showcasing the multinational team that has delivered this essential part of the CRL construction.

Work is now beginning on the fit-out of the mined tunnels, including electrical works, signalling, ventilation and installation of the rail tracks upon which the new CRL trains will run.

TUNNEL TYPES

Mined tunnels are one of three main types of tunnels that have been built for the CRL project.

The tunnel boxes are rectangular tunnel boxes built using a combination of top-down and bottom-up construction, and also feature at the Maungawhau Station site.

The second type of tunnel used on the

project is the bored tunnel, circular and built using a TBM.

Twin bored tunnels run from Te Waihorotiu Station to Maungawhau Station (via Karanga-aHape Station).

The third type of tunnel used is the mined tunnel, which feature at Karanga-a-Hape as well as Maungawhau Stations.

Mined tunnels are built underground by roadheader machines, which are tracked vehicles with a boom-mounted cutting head. Shotcrete is then used to strengthen the tunnels.

There have been two main construction methods employed for CRL.

The first is cut and cover, where the tunnels are dug from the surface.

Cut-and-cover is a method of civil engineered construction for shallow tunnels where a trench is excavated and roofed over with an overhead support system strong enough to carry the load of what is to be built above the tunnel.

There are two basic forms of cut-and-cover tunnelling - the top-down or bottom-up method.

The CRL tunnels were constructed using the bottom-up method where a trench is excavated and the tunnel is constructed through it, then carefully back-filled and the surface reinstated.

Cut and cover tunnels are built by installing retaining walls to retain the soil and stop water from entering the site.

Tunnels are constructed, then the concrete

floor, walls and roof cast and the completed structures backfilled. When the tunnels reach Mt Eden, they appear at the surface as ‘dive’ structures (like New Lynn Station).

The method has been used in different localities.

• Cut and cover near Maungawhau Station where the underground tunnels need to rise to the surface to meet the existing Western line • Cut and cover along Albert Street where it is too shallow for a TBM and there are utilities running down its length

Where the tunnels are deeper, they are constructed using a TBM.

Tunnelling was done by TBM from Mayoral Drive to an area beyond Symonds Street between New North and Mount Eden Roads.

The Link Alliance - the group of New Zealand and international companies building the substantive tunnels and stations contract for CRL Ltd – was tasked with using the TBM to excavate two 1.6-kilometre-long tunnels from Maungawhau station to the CBD to link with the tunnels already dug from Waitematā Station (Britomart).

The TBM was designed to also remove tunnel spoil and install concrete segments to line those very tunnels.

Road header machines are used when the tunnels reach the station box or when the tunnels diverge.

Auckland’s City Rail Link project continues to chalk up milestones with the completion of mined tunnelling at Maungawhau Station in Mt Eden recently.

Workers celebrate the end of mined tunnelling at Maungawhau Station.

Condition Monitoring

The leader in proactive monitoring

As digital technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace, industries are using more and more data-driven processes in their operations.

And for the rail sector, one of the most useful applications has been in condition monitoring of railway systems, where users can monitor the state of critical components, enabling them to schedule maintenance activities in advance if and as needed.

Yet around the world, the uptake of automated condition monitoring is surprisingly low.

Rail Express speaks to Siemens Mobility engineering specialists Dion Marriott and Andrew de San Miguel about the importance of condition monitoring, and the Siemens solutions that help rolling stock maintainers oversee the health of their systems.

De San Miguel, Head of Customer Service and acting Head of Engineering and Manufacturing

Production for MRX at Siemens Mobility in Perth, said capital costs and mindsets were the principal reasons why condition monitoring has not been adopted quicker across the globe.

He said implementing a comprehensive condition monitoring system was perceived as expensive, requiring the acquisition and installation of specialised monitoring equipment, establishing data infrastructure, and training personnel.

“Some railway operators, especially those with limited budgets or financial constraints, may prioritise other areas of investment over condition monitoring as they are more easily able to create business cases based on what they

know,” he said. “If you have a brand new depot, it’s easier to install the necessary equipment and see the benefits, but it might be seen as more of a challenge for older sites.

“Many railway networks have been in operation for decades and rely on older, legacy infrastructure. Retrofitting existing lines and depots with automated condition monitoring capabilities can be challenging and may require significant modifications to processes, equipment and infrastructure.”

De San Miguel said condition monitoring was relatively new technology in the railway industry, and some operators may simply be unaware of its potential benefits or may not fully understand how it can improve their maintenance practices.

“Rail maintainers may struggle to see the benefit and opportunities of having high quality repeatable measurement data available from anywhere with an internet connection and may be concerned about the change management that their organisation will have to go through. For example, they might have a fleet of technicians who are used to doing things a certain way for many years and may be difficult to migrate to a new way of doing things,” he said.

“A common observation on the resistance to change is the perception that they’ve been running operations a certain way for decades, and are not under financial pressure, so why change?”

Even in Australia, some of the older networks have not had condition monitoring applications factored in, De San Miguel said.

“But with the new technologies now available, there is no doubt that condition monitoring is the most efficient and ultimately economical way of helping to identify potential issues in advance, enable timely interventions, servicing and improve the overall performance of the railway network,” he said.

Marriott, Product Line Manager for electromechanical products at the Siemens Port Melbourne site, said railway systems were complex, involving numerous interconnected components.

“Condition monitoring helps identify potential safety hazards such as faulty signals, abnormal vibrations, overheating, or irregularities in train systems.,” he said.

“By promptly detecting these issues, operators can take corrective actions to prevent accidents, enhance passenger safety, and ensure the reliable operation of the railway network.

“It can identify emerging issues, plan maintenance interventions, and reduce unplanned downtime, improving the overall reliability and availability of the railway system, ensuring consistent service delivery and customer satisfaction.”

Condition monitoring in effect changes rail maintenance from a reactive process to a predictive one with safety and cost benefits.

“The result is less reliance on scheduledbased maintenance: with asset turnouts for instance, it cuts down on site visits, typically now every three months, for basic inspections and tests,” he said.

Railigent X makes intelligent use of rail asset data to create added value.

With rapid advances being made in digital technology, more operators are recognising that manual monitoring of track condition is unproductive and uneconomical.

THE X FACTOR

Siemens Mobility’s extensive range of condition monitoring solutions uses advanced data analytics and machine learning algorithms to gain valuable insights.

They can empower users to identify patterns, predict failures, optimise maintenance strategies, and make informed decisions about asset replacement, upgrades, or improvements.

All are based on Railigent X, an open IoT- and AI systems-based application suite developed by Siemens for rail assets, covering the entire digital value chain.

It makes intelligent use of rail asset data to create added value. Railigent X empowers rail operators, maintainers, and asset owners to understand their data, generate valuable information, and acquire deeper insights into asset performance.

Analysing rail asset data provided by these apps leads to improved operation, optimised maintenance, higher cost-efficiency, and ultimately 100 per cent availability of rolling stock and wayside assets.

SUITE SPOTS

• Rail ailXplore APM

Marriott said Siemens was trialling RailXplore APM (Asset Performance Monitoring) for point machines in Australia and New Zealand, a digital performance twin for trackside signalling assets, specifically for lineside structure and point machines.

“With this, we can access live data of assets 24/7 and benefit from experience as a manufacturer and supplier, plus data analytics to maximise the efficiency, reliability, and availability of the system,” he said.

The product enables health checks on the status of the complete system, boosts the operations and maintenance decisionmaking, eases operator and maintenance communication, and allows remote monitoring of asset conditions.

Around the world, RailXplore APM has been used, trialled or requested for use in places such as Belgium, Spain, China, Italy and Singapore.

• Vehicle Equipment Measurement Systems (VEMS)

VEMS provides a range of automated inspection equipment for rail vehicles to determine their serviceability and safety.

It is a suite of modular measurement solutions installed on or adjacent to the track to provide contactless roll-by checks of vehicle integrity, wheels, brakes, pantographs, collector shoes and visual inspection.

De San Miguel said VEMS solutions excelled in condition monitoring and provide detailed,

objective, and repeatable inspections to support the management of maintenance activities.

“The systems are supported by a comprehensive Data Management System (DMS), including a measurement database and facilities for analysing, viewing, and exporting measured data – along with tools to connect this data to third-party maintenance solutions via a standard REST application programming interface (API).

“We have a system manufactured here in Perth that measures wheel profiles and parameters for brake pads, shoes or pantographs.

“We basically take images or 3D LIDAR scans and can detect any issues on the train. For example we can look for broken windows, graffiti, the height of a component or the position of a vale.

“We import images into the Siemens ecosystem via Railigent, which use the data to support complex decision-making. For customers who don’t use Railigent, we can import data directly via our REST API.

“The benefits are increased safety, because we replace personnel from actually being in contact with the vehicle for testing; plus if you can combine our data with the right engineering practices, you can significantly increase your asset life, whether that be wheels, brakes pads or collector shoes.

“And you can also potentially remove the requirement to have physical inspections within a within the stabling yard, so you may not have to bring vehicles in anywhere near as much, which also increases throughput.”

• Broken Rail Detection (BRD)

The train-mounted broken rail detection system checks the condition of the rail network during operation, identifies any damage, and reports the rail status to the following train. This increases throughput, because tracks can be quickly maintained and released for operation, instead of being blocked for days due to damage.

“A break in the rail can be identified with a very accurate GPS position, facilitating identification and repair,” Sam Miguel said.

“Each train is equipped with a pair of sensors on one of the bogies. We’re looking for broken rails in the track and we’re using a magnetic field to detect if there’s a discontinuity in the rail, and then we report that back to the customer for relevant remedial action.

“While the train is in motion, these sensors scan the tracks features to the millimetre and reliably detect track damage even in hard-toreach and dark areas and where no physical separation has yet occurred.

“The system improves rail safety and operation

by significantly exceeding the performance limitations of current detection technologies. It’s easy to install and operate on a variety of rail-based vehicles and is simple to integrate in existing signalling and maintenance solutions.”

• Unattended Track Geometry Measurement (UGMS)

UGMS track recording systems are fitted to revenue trains, enabling track managers and engineers access to frequent track geometry data that accurately reveals the rate of track deterioration at any location, providing feedback on the quality of track maintenance and renewal work as well as warning of any sudden change in track quality which might be a cause for concern.

“They are mounted underneath the body and we can measure the track geometry as the vehicle traverses, which means you can get continuous feedback,” De San Miguel said.

The data helps to maintain the track within safe operating standards, minimising the risk of derailments and allows the track to be operated at commercially acceptable speeds.

Using UGMS avoids the need to use highcost measurement cars which have previously been used to record this information.

THE SIEMENS WAY

Marriott said industry had to consider the tools available and the opportunities that digitalisation offered, to help maximise efficiencies.

“Large investment has come into the industry, offering a way to upgrade and innovate for the next phase of the future and that’s where the benefits of condition monitoring come in,” he said.

“This intelligent processing enables us to get the data and make use of it rather than just warehouse it, and the benefits of monitoring systems are becoming more recognised.”

De San Miguel said Australia was often criticised for its high costs and perceived lack of R&D and innovative spirit.

“But for Siemens in Australia and especially here in Perth, it’s definitely alive and well,” he said.

“We’re an operator of a vehicle and we’re a deliverer of full turnkey projects, and having access to that data at a global level about how vehicles are operating across the world gives us the competitive edge. It’s why we are able to deliver the best solution, and in Railigent we have the knowledge to combine with our local capability to perform.

“We are a rail industry manufacturer and understand what we’re monitoring. We’re end-to end: from design to monitoring and servicing, ensuring that maintenance windows are minimised and assets utilised to their maximum level.”

Making sense of sensor numbers

The question of how many sensors are actually needed to ensure accurate monitoring information is often raised by operators.

Position Partners Market Development Manager – Deformation Monitoring, Andrew Jones, tells Rail Express that it’s “a fair question”.

“It’s a subject which can be looked at in a few different ways depending on the scenario,” he said.

“In the case of a large structure or an infrastructure project, the quantity may be mandated by a monitoring scope which, depending on the technology in the mind of the engineer, could result in a reduced number of monitoring points.

“In other instances, an engineering specification such as a trackbed monitoring standard often drives the quantity and spacing of sensors.”

Beyond these scenarios, he said Position Partners clients have requested solutions for structures such as walls, embankments, highwalls, dams, benches, plinths, chimneys, wind turbines, tunnels, bridges, high rises, conveyors, crushers, rail tracks and transmission towers … “just to name a few”.

and enjoy showing how new technology can provide not just a better monitoring outcome, but also a more productive way of working,” Jones said.

“Inevitably at some stage, we’re often asked how many sensors we think are required for the project.

“The short answer, apart from having to satisfy some basic criteria for some structure, is that it is not up to us.

“However, there are some questions that can help come to some decision around the spacing of the sensor which typically then defines the quantity.”

One line of thinking is to distinguish between brittle and ductile deformation.

Is the structure likely to bend or crack?

“A series of non-contiguous tilt sensors is great at picking up trends over time and across points but sometimes less effective in monitoring a structure that might be expected to fail in a discrete location,” Jones said.

“This may require the sensor layout to be adjusted to cater for this kind of deformation.

“In either a brittle or ductile deformation scenario, another consideration is the size of the failure to monitor for.

“This may be applied to earth embankments and other geotechnical scenarios where a probabilistic or engineered approach has been taken towards the size of a failure.

“In this instance an approach may be to space sensors at half the size of the potential slump in the case of an tailings dam wall or a wedge failure in an open cut to ensure the sensor array covers the area of concern.”

The decision could be budgetary and may be influenced by the duration of the monitoring requirement.

In any instance, there is often more than one way a monitoring system can be configured. Importantly, the system can easily be scaled and adding sensors after an initial installation is very straightforward.

“We can talk through the difference between systems that provide an isolated indication of movement versus a measurement of deformation of the underlying structure,” Jones said.

When it comes to track condition monitoring, how many sensors would need to be used for accurate measurement?

The number of sensors needed for condition monitoring depends on many factors.

Position Partners’ Andrew Jones at the recent CORE event.

The tendency of a structure to bend or crack is an important consideration when placing sensors.

Proximity insight with Blindsight

Rail work can often be fraught with potential safety hazards. Jobs typically take place in confined corridors, meaning space is limited and safety standards can be difficult to effectively maintain.

Even small-scale projects often require multiple machines and numerous workers, all attempting to maintain safe distances in a very confined space.

The potential for hazards is only compounded on bigger projects with more contractors.

Position Partners offers a simple and effective solution to these safety risks, in the form of the Presien Blindsight systems.

The company’s Executive Manager – Civil, Josh Allen, said proximity systems like Presien Blindsight are a simple technology that can effectively eliminate safety concerns while working in rail corridors.

“The system works by installing collision awareness sensors onto all on-site vehicles,” he said. “These sensors effectively work as proximity alert sensors and utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to identify potential hazards or collisions with other machines or people.”

COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY FEATURES

A large part of what makes AI-driven proximity systems so effective is their capacity to identify hazards without the need for a universal collision avoidance system on site.

“While some other proximity detection systems utilise sensors as well, they rely on an entire site

“The Presien Blindsight collision awareness sensors can identify hazards regardless of whether or not another worker or machine is equipped with a proximity alert sensor.”

The system effectively gives machine operators a set of eyes in the back of their heads.

Collision awareness sensors differentiate between potential hazards like incoming machines or personnel by identifying the size and speed of everything within their scope.

“Another benefit of these proximity solutions is their automatic reporting functions, which collect data on collisions and near misses,” he said.

“Rather than relying on manual reporting, this function generates regular reports collating a detailed list of all incidences within a set period.”

MAXIMISING SAFETY ON RAIL JOBS

Proximity systems have the capacity to improve

The nature of rail corridors typically means work is being performed in enclosed spaces, with very little room to manoeuvre.

This means that the potential for incidents is high, especially on jobs with multiple contractors or teams present.

Limited access also typically means that machine operators have a reduced ability to turn and will generally all be working in the same direction.

“By installing an effective collision warning system, machine operators will have a greatly improved perception of what is happening behind them, and in other blind spots,” Allen said.

Alongside the sale and supply of proximity systems, Position Partners supply a full customer support package to ensure clients can get the most out of their next purchase.

“Inclusive is installation, removal (if required), technical support, and ongoing maintenance,” he said.

“Position Partners will make the entire process as simple as possible, leaving us to focus on the installation and setup, so you can focus on getting the job done right.

“Once you are fully set up with your new proximity system, Position Partners will provide top-tier customer support on an ongoing basis.

“We maintain a support staff of over 100 employees across New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

“This ensures you can get the assistance and support that you need, whenever you need it.

“Proximity detection systems represent the next wave of job site safety. Secure one of Proximity Partners industry-leading proximity systems today to guarantee comprehensive safety on your next rail works job.”

In work areas where space is confined and visibility obscured, proximity detection systems represent the next wave of job site safety.

The nature of rail corridors typically means work is being performed in enclosed spaces, with very little room to manoeuvre.

Blindsight intelligently recognises people, making it the first proximity detection solution that can be used in dynamic environments without the need for wearable devices.

accurate analysis with Rail Doctor

Loram’s analytical track condition information tool uses Ground Penetrating Radar

tampers, or if ballast maintenance or drainage, including the ditches, is required.

Once maintenance plans are generated and work is prioritised, Loram brings the necessary equipment to execute the prescribed maintenance with industry leading production, precision and reliability.

Loram’s TrackVac, Shoulder Ballast Cleaner, Full Section Undercutter Ballast Cleaner, Badger Ditcher, Slot Machines and SelfPowered Slot (SPS) are used to correct a variety of substructure and drainage issues, including but not limited to removal of fouling material from the ballast section and cutting ditches to direct water away from the track.

The company is also taking steps toward automating data collection and using AI for increasing the speed of analysis.

Additional information on Loram’s GPR/Lidar Railroad Doctor analysis services, as well as the ballast and drainage machines, is available on the Loram.com.au

An example of integrated geometry, GPR and Lidar data with maintenance recommendations, including ballast cleaning and ditching, in Railroad Doctor view.

Record numbers for global transport technology showcase

From September 24 to 27, 2024, InnoTrans will once again invite experts from around the world to shape the future of mobility together.

In 2022, 2771 exhibitors from 56 countries presented their products and services to 132,319 trade visitors from 137 countries.

Numerous national and international exhibitors have already secured their participation in the trade show. With more than 90 per cent of the exhibition space, the current registration level is at a record high, with many exhibitors asking for stand enlargement.

InnoTrans Director Kerstin Schulz said the event organisers wre very pleased with the continuing high demand for exhibition space and hope to be able to offer space to every interested party in 2024.

“I am impressed every time by how early the industry prepares for InnoTrans, underlining its importance as a unique global mobility platform with unparalleled market coverage,” she said.

InnoTrans offers a unique market coverage worldwide. The trade show is sub-divided into the five segments: Railway Technology, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors, and Tunnel Construction.

Among the presented products and services, there were more world innovations than ever before in 2022.

More than 250 exhibitors presented their

products at InnoTrans 2022 for the first time worldwide at a trade show.

MOBILITY OF TOMORROW

The technical requirements placed on vehicles, components and systems in rail operations are constantly increasing.

In the Railway Technology segment, exhibitors will enrich InnoTrans 2024 with a wide range of mobility solutions that prove, that the industry is up to the challenges of the future.

Whether processes, machines, or materials – future-proof rail networks must be resilient and always ready for operation.

In the Railway Infrastructure segment, experts show how the use of the latest technology enables the mobility infrastructure of tomorrow.

In the Public Transport segment, exhibitors will present ways to make public transportation more efficient with datadriven solutions.

A special focus is the Mobility+ area, which emphasises on complementary mobility services like shared mobility, on-demand driving systems, VTOLs, robotics, mobility apps and micro mobility, ride sharing, ride pooling.

During InnoTrans 2022, the Mobility+ section of the trade fair celebrated its premiere and immediately attracted great

interest among trade visitors. This is in line with the trend for increasing networking of public transport.

“The positive response and the thematic diversity in this new area shows the importance of integrating Mobility+ at InnoTrans in order to connect the relevant players with each other and to further advance the topic of complementary mobility services or First/Last Mile strategies,” Schulz said.

2024 will see the premiere of another new area in the public transport sector: the AI Mobility LAB will focus on robotics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data protection. In addition to the exhibition area in Hall 7.1a, there will also be a Speakers’ Corner where exhibitors can give presentations.

FEELING GOOD

The physical well-being of passengers is also becoming increasingly important.

The Travel Catering and Comfort Services unit within the Interiors segment therefore deals exclusively with catering and comfort solutions for rail travel.

High-quality products and services are presented here, including on-board kitchen equipment, hygiene articles, headphones, pillows, blankets and much more.

“Because if you feel good, you will come back,” Schulz said.

There’s just one year to go before the leading trade fair for transport technology occupies all 42 halls available at Berlin Exhibition Grounds for the 14th time.

The Railway Technology segment will offer a wide range of mobility solutions that prove the industry is up to the challenges of the future.

THE LARGE OUTDOOR DISPLAY

Another highlight of every InnoTrans is the Outdoor and Track Display. With 3500 meters of track, it presents the vehicles directly on the track: two-way vehicles, signaling technology, track-bound vehicles for passenger and freight transport or charging infrastructure systems and electromobility.

The Bus Display is a unique display area reserved for buses, alternative forms of propulsion and charging systems.

In addition to the areas set aside for exhibits the Bus Display also features a 500 metre demonstration course, where professionals can see the vehicles in operation.

DIGITAL TRADE SHOW SERVICE WITH INNOTRANS PLUS

The centrepiece of the supporting program is the InnoTrans Convention with its various forums and the Rail Leaders’ Summit.

The Convention begins with the Rail Leaders’ Summit hosted by Deutsche Bahn at the palais.Berlin.

In addition to high-profile speakers from the rail industry and politics, international industry representatives will discuss current industry topics in panels.

“The Dialog Forums, which are held by the German Transport Forum (DVF), the Association of the European Rail Industry (UNIFE), the German Railway Industry Association (VDB) and the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI) are a key part of the Convention,” Schulz said.

“The focus at the event’s own convention is on exchange and knowledge transfer. In panel discussions, decision-makers, and multipliers from the fields of transport, business and politics meet and negotiate the mobility of tomorrow.

“The entire supporting program of InnoTrans is offered live in a stream.

“All videos and streams are available live or on demand on InnoTrans Plus.”

With InnoTrans Plus, exhibitors and visitors can experience InnoTrans anytime and anywhere. In addition to comprehensive exhibitor and product presentations in a modern look and feel, the online platform offers versatile opportunities for interaction and networking beyond the trade show period. Whether long-term contact management, organising appointments for the trade show or live stream retrieval - InnoTrans Plus is the ideal tool before, during and after the trade show.

Registration is free of charge. Personal profiles can be individually designed and linked to the InnoTrans app, which is also free of charge.

YOUNG TALENTS

The shortage of skilled workers has the transport industry firmly in its grip.

InnoTrans offers a platform for promoting young talents with InnoTrans Campus to present pupils, students, and young professionals with exciting career prospects in the mobility industry.

In addition to RecruitingLAB, Jobwall and Talent Stage, the Eurailpress Career Boost allows five applicants from each of five categories to introduce themselves to potential employers within 90 seconds – the fastest career jump at the show.

The Eurailpress Career Boost at InnoTrans 2022 WAS very successful for all participants. On September 26, 2023, it will take place digitally for the first time before it will return to the stage during InnoTrans 2024.

“The Career Boost, the Jobwall with job offers and the Career Award underline, that InnoTrans Campus is all about recruiting and promoting young talents,” Schulz said.

“The Career Award has been presented since 2016. The competition is organised by domestic and foreign associations and institutions like RTAA (Rail Track Association Australia) or RTSA (Railway Technical Society of Australia), that honor domestic students for special achievements in their studies related to rail and public transport.

“In 2022, a total of 19 students from Australia, the USA, Canada, Italy, Switzerland and Germany won a trip to Berlin.

“At InnoTrans they were given a comprehensive overview of the industry and were able to make targeted contacts for their future careers.”

EXCITING AND OVERWHELMING

One of them has been Jonathan Chan, an Associate Rail Engineer from Australia, who won the RTSA Young Rail Professional Award in 2022.

At the Exhibition grounds in Berlin, he said InnoTrans was exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

“There is so much to discover in all the exhibition halls, which makes it clear how extensive and diverse the rail industry really is,” he said.

“Seeing the different elements that come together to build a functioning railroad has broadened my perspective on the scale of the industry.”

Interested parties can still register for InnoTrans 2024 until September 22, 2023. The registration deadline for exhibitors is also September 22. Trade visitors from all over the world are welcome at any time.

InnoTrans is the world’s leading trade fair for transport technology. It will be held for the 14th time from September 24-27, 2024, at the entire Berlin exhibition grounds and will represent the entire diversity of the industry.

KEY FIGURES 2022

2771 exhibitors

132,319 trade visitors

200,000m2 area (gross)

42 halls

3500 running meters of track

142 vehicles in the Outdoor Display

14 buses in the Bus Display

Operations And Maintenance

Capturing innovation in action

Kallipr is working with some of Australia’s largest logistics and rail organisations to help them meet safety requirements and regulations, achieve cost savings via reductions in delays, and deliver more efficient processes.

Using its Captis solution, data can now be tracked from places previously difficult to monitor – like inside a rail pit, or along rail tracks in the most remote areas.

The data being captured from the remote assets can be monitored and tracked, with the ability to trigger alarms based on scenarios or certain criteria.

The sensors capture and compile data on devices and in the cloud that feeds into central data hubs and allows companies to make intelligent decisions on their business operations.

One network making the most of the Captis product is Melbourne’s Yarra Trams, operated by Keolis Downer.

Yarra Trams’ Track Manager Chris Butcher talks to Rail Express about how the equipment is currently being used to monitor remote rail and logistic networks – including measuring rail pits and track temperature – to enable it to meet safety compliance and regulatory responsibilities, whilst ensuring trams get from point A to B most efficiently with a reduced chance of operational disruption.

RAIL PIT MONITORING

Across rail networks, rail pits can fill with silt, sand and debris, causing them to hold water when it rains, or even flood across the tracks. This causes major disruptions to the rail network but also causes pits to degrade in the long term.

The Captis Rail Pit Monitoring Kit can be installed directly into the pit and alert maintenance workers when it’s starting to fill with water, and when it’s at risk of overflow. This allows Keolis Downer to proactively manage the maintenance of the pit and reduce overflow and flooding events.

Yarra Trams operates more than 250 km of double track, making it the largest tram network in the world.

There are over 600 sets of switch points in the network that allow trams to change tracks and direction.

The network faces a significant challenge in the ongoing maintenance of these switch point pits with the accumulation of sand

and debris, which can result in prolonged inundation of water.

Butcher said that as much as 250 tonnes of sand was used across the network each month to assist with tram braking, ensuring trams can safely stop in all conditions.

“And despite a fleet of dedicated sweeper trucks, some of that sand ends up finding its way into the drainage pits through weather or more general traffic movement. Despite our best efforts, a significant amount of sand can still end up in the switch point pits, sometimes resulting in partially or fully obstructed drains,” he said.

“When there is significant rainfall, clogging within the pits can cause flooding on the tracks and mechanical breakdowns because points boxes don’t work as effectively when they’re underwater.

“This not only disrupts service delivery, but also poses potential safety risks, such as trams being directed the wrong way or being sent through deep standing water.”

Yarra Trams sought a solution that would allow it to better monitor when switch point pits were not draining adequately, allowing

proactive and targeted management and maintenance of the network.

“If we know the points flooding or when the drains aren’t working effectively, we can proactively go and empty those drains out, and clear out all the gunk that’s blocking things up,” Butcher said.

In May this year, the operator started deploying the Captis Pulse Lite and the Captis Rail Pit Monitoring Accessory Kit in both manual and automated switch point pits across four high silting locations across Melbourne, with the aim to establish a notification system that alerts when a switch point pit is a threat of overflowing or has failed to drain and is overflowing.

This tiered alert system allows Yarra Trams to effectively implement workflows based on ‘watch and wait’ or ‘act now’ alarms driven by the Captis device.

“By receiving real-time notifications, our track maintenance team can react promptly to address an overflow through maintenance callouts, reducing the number of overflows and interruptions to the fleet, while also improving operational efficiencies,” Butcher said.

Keolis Downer is at the forefront of the digitisation of rail networks with the aid of IoT technology company Kallipr.

A Captis Pulse Lite sensor in a flooded pit at one of the Yarra Trams stops.

The Captis devices enable Yarra Trams to plan for post-rainfall recovery activities more effectively, by identifying pits that have potential of silt, sand or debris build-up, and helping it to proactively allocate resources to better maintain identified problem areas.

“The data also allows Keolis Downer to gain insights into the drainage system itself through monitoring the time required for drains to empty,” Butcher said.

“This data can help identify potential issues, such as clogging and design deficiencies, which may contribute to frequent blockages and overflows. By understanding these problems, Yarra Trams can make more informed decisions to improve the drainage system, resulting in a more efficient and reliable network.

“In this first stage of deployment, we were looking at the best way to mount the devices within the different types of point mechanisms and which pits to test.

“The first round of the trial has been really positive, and we’ve seen some good quality information after those heavy downpours.

“Overall, the deployment of IoT devices and the establishment of a notification system for drain overflow events will have a significant impact on Yarra Trams operations. It will reduce overall delay incidents, minimise safety risks, and optimise the allocation of resources by enabling a shift towards proactive and corrective activities.”

Butcher said that there was a loose roll-out strategy for the sensors throughout the network.

“It’s all pending funding, but we would aim

to put forward a business case to move to all of our automatic point locations, about 160 of those on our network, and then expand further because the maintenance benefits from being proactive rather than reactive are massive,” he said.

RAIL TEMPERATURE MONITORING

Another maintenance issue for Yarra Trams, and indeed for many rail operators in Australia, is coping with the extreme heat that occurs in the country.

“The problem we have on hot days is that rail can expand and grow, and for us as maintainers, it’s hard for us to know the locations we need to go to first,” Butcher said.

“The way we’ve done it for decades, is to go around to the ballasted areas that we historically know have had issues with heat expansion and then monitor them manually, drenching the ballast with water to cool it down if needed.”

But this is a hit-and-miss approach and it’s not always the usual suspects that buckle in the heat.

“The biggest issues we had was back around 2014, when a section of track over the bridge to the Australian Open buckled in the middle of the event, affecting public transport,” Butcher said.

“What we want is a system to give us some sort of intuitive thinking as to where we go first to fix problems.

“We are trialling Captis sensors placed on the wayside to measure both the ambient heat

and the actual track temperature, and give us information on how hot things are in each location and inform us where the maintenance priorities are.”

The Captis Rail Temperature Monitoring Kit provides a multiple sensor interface capable of connecting to ambient temperature and rail track temperature sensors at the same time. The IoT cellular technology also enables data to be transmitted from remote locations easily and reliably, while the IP68 rated enclosure can withstand extreme temperatures and weather conditions.

The Captis’ edge processing, alarm handling, rechargeable battery and solar panel allows for more frequent data transfers during extreme weather events or high forecasts.

Several Captis devices are deployed along Yarra Trams’ trial zones and can be configured to log data over selected periods and notify on a daily basis under normal temperature conditions.

When predefined temperature thresholds are exceeded, the Captis on-board alarm capabilities enable more frequent measurement and provides real-time data to assist in decision-making for applying network speed limits.

Butcher said Captis sensors were also helping the operator test a new heat-resistant paint on the tracks to assess its effectiveness.

“Magnetic sensors placed on the actual rail will tell us how much the paint works in reducing heat,” he said.

Butcher said there were possibly other potential innovations in the water cooling space that could be looked at.

“For example, perhaps the temperature monitor can trigger a quasi-irrigation system to do the water cooling remotely, instead of manually sending crews with water tankers to the sites to drench the track,” he said.

“So our next iteration of the technology could aid with this maintenance and we don’t have to send anybody out there.

“At Keolis Downer we’re always taking the approach of not just maintaining Melbourne’s historic tram network, but also trying to innovate and enhance the way that we do our work on the network to deliver a better and more reliable experience to our millions of passengers.”

By incorporating IoT technology, Keolis Downer is revolutionising the way it manages the Yarra Trams network.

As the deployment expands, the implementation of IoT devices promises to revolutionise rail maintenance, minimise delays, and optimise resource allocation, ultimately ushering in a new proactive era in the industry.

A temperature monitoring kit installed along the Yarra Trams network.

The leaders in rail resurfacing technology

The independent family-owned company has grown from humble beginnings, and today has the most extensive and technologically advanced fleet of rail resurfacing machines in the country.

Brimble managing director David Brimble tells Rail Express that the company currently has more than 60 operational machines strategically placed to complete rail resurfacing projects around Australia.

“At the same time, we have another 40-odd machines in various stages of upgrade by our engineers,” he said.

“At Brimble, we’re incredibly proud of our rolling stock.

“Since day one, we have invested in machines that others overlooked. My siblings and I pooled our funds to buy our very first resurfacing machine back in 2017 – it was essentially old parts that needed to be overhauled from the ground up.

“From that first purchase right through to now, we have embraced innovative engineering to make our fleet more powerful, more efficient, and above all, safer.

“This point of difference has made it possible for us to contend with some of the most recognised and respected competitors in our industry, including Australian

In just six years, Brimble Rail has emerged as a formidable player in Australia’s rail resurfacing sector.

The Brimbles took a huge gamble to purchase the company’s first resurfacing machine in 2017.

Image credit: Lachlan Gardiner

Brimble patriarchs Ray, Gary and Toni Brimble working on rail and bridge connections around country NSW, featured here in a local newspaper in 1973.

heavyweights and various European multinational companies.”

The Brimble fleet features advanced technology, known as Brimble HMI (humanmachine interface), to move away from the historically complex and inconsistent technology used in track resurfacing.

Brimble-HMI simplifies machine operation, limiting user error, while simultaneously reducing risk and improving output.

“Brimble-HMI is the most innovative of its kind, and supersedes the old control panel which consisted of hundreds of dials, switches, lights, and alarms. Instead, Brimble-HMI features four simple touchscreen monitors and a network of high-definition video cameras that make it easier to see and operate rail resurfacing machinery, while safely making any necessary adjustments,” he said.

“In addition, the Brimble-HMI system incorporates a secure portal that allows our technical experts to monitor machines remotely. This enhanced functionality means that machine operators can receive live support on the job, even when working in farflung areas of Australia.”

A SOLUTION FOR EVERY PROJECT

Brimble is proud to offer a customised fleet that can efficiently complete rail resurfacing projects to the highest standards.

The fleet includes three core groups of machines, known as the Ultimate Series, the Pro Series, and the Utility Series.

Each group provides different

in rail resurfacing capabilities, offering exceptional power, versatility, and speed,” Brimble said.

“These top-of-the-line machines are renowned for their ability to resurface tracks swiftly and effectively. The Ultimate Series is well-suited to a variety of settings, including metro, heavy haul, light country rail networks, or complex junctions.

“Next up, our Pro Series represents unbeatable value with outstanding performance. From production and turnout tampers to all-rounder tampers, regulators, and stabilisers, these powerful and versatile

economical solution, coupled with quality results. Designed for restricted access and strategic usage, these highly capable machines excel in both turnouts and straight tracks. The Utility Series offers a reliable and affordable option to get the job done.”

Every machine in the Brimble fleet is capable of lifting, levelling, and restoring railway lines to enhance ride stability, reduce noise and vibrations, and extend the lifespan of tracks.

These crucial maintenance procedures ensure sound train operations, prevent derailments, and minimise the need for costly track replacements.

A FAMILY LEGACY AND PROMISE FOR TOMORROW

Brimble has recently unveiled a new look and feel for its organisation, centred around the notion of being Australia’s most trusted track maintenance experts.

In fact, the Brimble name already has a proud history, having been connected to Australian railways for three generations.

“At heart, we’re a group of country kids with a big dream and a genuine love for rail,” Brimble said.

“That said, the new Brimble slogan promises that we will be Australia’s go-to maintenance people for the future of rail.

“It’s our company’s commitment to innovation and ingenuity, coupled with a people-centred culture of excellence, that is making this dream a reality.”

For more information about Brimble, Australia’s rail maintenance people, visit www.brimble.com.au

IMAGE: Lachlan Gardiner

David and Justin Brimble, pictured with their children on a customised turnout machine.

A Brimble machine operator using the BrimbleHMI interface. This technology helps keep workers safe and operations running smoothly.

Operations and Maintenance

Standardised MMD plays crucial role

The data management standards that underpin the National Product Catalogue enable processes that reduce costs, remove duplication and improve the exchange of information about rail components and parts across the asset lifecycle.

In 2021, the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) Board endorsed the use of the National Product Catalogue (NPC) to enable suppliers and operators to log, manage and share material master data to improve efficiencies.

The NPC was delivered by Project i-TRACE, a joint initiative of the ARA and GS1 Australia.

Rail Express speaks to GS1 general manager, industry engagement, Bonnie Ryan, about how this standardised approach to capturing and sharing critical data about the materials that flow through the rail supply chain saves the industry exposure to unnecessary costs, duplication and data quality errors.

“The rail supply chain is a complex and interconnected network that requires efficient management and coordination to ensure seamless operations,” she said.

“One of the critical elements in this process is the standardisation of material master data, which refers to the detailed information about the materials and products involved in the supply chain. Establishing standardised material master data plays a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of rail supply chain operations.”

To support best practice in material master data management (MMD), the NPC enables the adoption of a standard list of data attributes and processes for exchanging MMD in the rail industry.

· Streamlined procurement process

“Standardised material master data enables a streamlined procurement process by providing accurate and consistent information about the materials needed for rail operations,” Ryan said.

“With standardised data, rail operators and suppliers can easily identify, categorise, and locate the required materials, reducing the time and effort required to procure them.

“By eliminating confusion and ambiguity, standardised material master data enhances procurement efficiency and helps minimise delays and disruptions in the supply chain.”

· Enhanced inventory management

Ryan said effective inventory management was essential for ensuring the availability of materials when needed, while minimising excess stock and associated costs.

“Standardised material master data enables

accurate tracking and monitoring of inventory levels,” she said.

“With consistent data, rail companies can make informed decisions regarding inventory replenishment, avoiding stockouts or overstocking. This improves operational efficiency, reduces carrying costs and optimises capital utilisation.”

· Improved maintenance and repairs

Maintenance and repair activities are critical to ensure the safe and reliable operations of rail assets.

Standardised material master data enables efficient maintenance planning by providing accurate information about the required spare parts and their specifications.

“With standardised data, maintenance teams can easily identify the right parts, order them promptly, and carry out repairs or replacements without unnecessary delays,” Ryan said.

“This leads to improved asset availability, reduced downtime, and enhanced overall operational reliability.”

· Data integration and interoperability

In a rail supply chain, numerous stakeholders and systems are involved, such as suppliers, manufacturers, maintenance providers, logistics partners and rail operators.

“Standardised material master data serves as a common language that facilitates data integration and interoperability among these diverse systems,” Ryan said.

“When all parties adhere to standardised data formats and structures, information exchange becomes seamless and error-free. This enhances collaboration, visibility, and transparency across the supply chain, leading to improved coordination and operational efficiency.”

· Accurate reporting and analytics

Standardised material master data plays a vital role in generating accurate reports and conducting meaningful analytics.

By having consistent and reliable data, rail operators can analyse key performance indicators, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.

Ryan said that standardised data enabled comprehensive reporting on various aspects of the supply chain, such as inventory levels, procurement costs, maintenance activities, and supplier performance.

“These insights help optimise operations, identify areas for improvement, and drive cost savings,” she said.

SETTING THE STANDARDS

In the rail supply chain, standardised material master data serves as a foundation for efficient and effective operations.

“By establishing and adhering to standardised data formats, rail industry organisations can streamline procurement, enhance inventory management, improve maintenance processes, facilitate data integration, and enable accurate reporting and analytics,” Ryan said.

“The benefits of standardised material master data include increased operational efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced collaboration, and improved overall supply chain performance.

“As the rail industry continues to evolve and embrace digital transformation, the importance of standardised material master data will only grow, becoming an indispensable component for success in a rapidly changing landscape.”

To determine the right option for your NPC journey, visit www.gs1au.org/for-your-industry/ rail/national-product-catalogue-in-rail

By eliminating confusion and ambiguity, standardised material master data enhances procurement efficiency.

Major Projects and Infrastructure

Getting inside construction solutions

Melbourne’s premier construction and infrastructure event, Inside Construction Expo 2023, will amplify the transformation of the commercial and civil construction sectors, and with excitement already brewing it’s time to plan your visit.

Dedicated to major commercial and civil projects in the Australian construction industry, the Inside Construction Expo is being held from September 20 to 21 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

With a robust conference program featuring top level speakers, a world-class exhibition showcasing the latest in equipment and technology and the Inside Construction Foundation Awards celebrating talented industry individuals and businesses, Inside Construction Expo 2023 is a must-attend event.

The significant investment growth in construction and infrastructure projects across Victoria in recent years makes Melbourne the ideal location for the Expo’s launch.

Expo Events manager Lauren Winterbottom said that with the event set to connect major constructors with original equipment manufacturers, sub-contractors and operators, it is positioned to further foster the successful delivery of projects currently in the pipeline.

“Inside Construction Expo was created to fill the apparent gap in events targeted at major commercial and civil projects,” she said.

“With such a large investment in infrastructure, we’re seeing the best in new industry developments – from safety to technology – rolled out before our eyes.”

In the 2022-23 Federal Budget, the Government increased its 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline to a record $120 billion.

The 2022-23 Victorian Budget outlines $85.3b in general government spending on infrastructure over the next four years.

There’s a plethora of projects planned nationwide for the coming years, but considerable industry challenges remain.

Inside Construction Expo 2023 will provide a platform to canvass solutions to the issues hampering the commercial and civil construction sectors.

Four stages across the event will focus on Health, Safety and Wellbeing; Training, Education and Careers; Digital Transformation and Connectivity; and Construction Productivity. There will be a wealth of industry information and solutions on offer.

“Throughout the conference attendees can expect to hear from executive-level representatives from Australia’s major constructors and suppliers, alongside research and education bodies and government figures,” Winterbottom said.

“The exhibition show floor spans up to 15,000 square metres across 10 bays and will display the latest in construction machinery and equipment.”

PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS

Inside Construction Expo is backed by support from a number of valued organisations and media partners. Winterbottom said without this support, the event would not be possible.

“We’re pleased to be partnering with industry associations and peak bodies to bring Inside Construction Expo to life,” she said.

“Specialist in assembly and fastening materials Wurth Australia has come on board as a supporting sponsor for the Expo, and intelligent positioning solutions provider Position Partners is proudly sponsoring the conference.

“In the lead-up to the event, more than 19 industry-leading publications continue to extensively cover the latest in Expo news reaching more than 80,000 decision makers across multiple sectors.”

Current association partners include The National Association of Women in Construction; The Working at Height Association of Australia; The Concrete Pumping Association of Australia; The Institute of Quarrying Australia; The Crane Industry Council of Australia; The Formwork Industry Association; Landscaping Victoria ‘Master Landscapers’; and The Piling and Foundation Specialists Federation.

Exclusive sponsorship packages are now available to promote your corporate identity and to advertise your products and services leading up to, during, and post-event.

PLAN YOUR ATTENDANCE

Whether you’re a project manager, superintendent or an engineer, all professionals in the field of construction are invited to attend Inside Construction Expo 2023.

Registration is completely free for both the exhibition and conference.

Delegates are welcome to come and go as they please and curate a conference experience that suits them.

As the construction industry continues to face ongoing challenges, from skills shortages and lack of digitisation to poor productivity and inadequate safety management – this year’s Inside Construction Expo will encourage transformation and a brighter future for the sector.

If you’d like to attend, exhibit, submit a presentation or become a sponsor, visit www.insideconstructionexpo.com.au

The conference will shine the spotlight on projects such as Victoria’s Big Build.

Major Projects and Infrastructure

Holistic approach to metro delivery

With its first project kicking off operations in 1979, MTR has continued to deliver industry standard-setting programs in Melbourne, Sydney, the UK, Sweden, various cities in Mainland China, Macao, and of course its home city of Hong Kong.

The MTR success is based on the philosophy that the operator plays a part leading role in the running of its respective projects, with the model frequently improved to ensure that new technology and contracting models can be accommodated: over the past four years alone, MTR has delivered eight operator-led metro initiatives in five different cities, including the Elizabeth Line (UK), Sydney Metro Northwest, Sydney Metro City and Southwest, and Beijing Line 17 (China).

THE MODEL

MTR Australia Chief Executive Officer Raymond Yuen told Rail Express that the MTR model had

for quick decisions to be made during the project delivery phase.

“MTR’s model is a holistic approach to the design and delivery of metro projects from concept through to operations, which has integration at its core,” he said.

“The concept is to ensure that operational knowledge is embedded into the design requirements and that the project organisation is structured around the different integration requirements. In addition, the management tools and processes implemented are continually refined to ensure that any lessons can be captured from different MTR projects around the globe.

“Finally, the model is flexible enough to enable components to be implemented depending on how the project is procured and delivered, which means that the core operator thinking can always be imbedded into project outcomes.”

The MTR model is already used successfully across various Australian networks.

“MTR is a vertically integrated railway operator, developer, asset owner and maintainer, which possesses railway value chain capabilities that span across client, design and delivery, and operations and maintenance. We move 3.2 billion passengers annually around the world and understand the cradle to grave mindset required to deliver metro services that set global performance benchmarks.

“This unique understanding of project delivery and operations, refined over decades, ensures the requirements of operating a modern GoA4 railway is considered from the very beginning and built into the decision-making during project design and delivery phases.”

Yuen also shared that MTR has become the trusted voice supporting transport authorities in the development of areas such as: · operational requirements that are based on operations experience

MTR has established itself as the leader in delivering operator-led metro projects both globally and locally in Australia, a core competency that has been developed through more than 44 years of excellence in mass rapid transport.

MTR staff checking the Waterloo line in the UK.

“The breadth and depth of metro expertise is MTR’s strength, and this delivers a project aligned to the customer’s needs,” Yuen said.

MTR deploys subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure that local teams are supported, processes and systems are implemented, and knowledge is transferred to the project. SME’s and local teams play a leading role in requirements setting, project integration, program, railway systems, the system engineering verification and validation cycle, trial running and operational readiness and Day 1 operations.

MTR ensures the project requirements have been met and that railway assets are satisfactorily commissioned and ready to provide the requisite levels of customer service and operational performance.

LOCAL HEROES

In Australia, MTR has been at the forefront of delivering the Sydney Metro program.

As part of the Sydney Metro Northwest project, MTR delivered overall project integration, systems integration, trains & systems delivery and Day 1 readiness. On Sydney Metro City and Southwest, MTR is delivering the trains and systems contract and performing system integration.

MTR Australia Integration Manager Aritra Chakravarty spoke about technical aspects of the operator-led model.

“A feature of the operator-led MTR model is how it can be tailored to different contracting approaches and ensures that long term operational requirements are considered during the project delivery phase,” he said.

“For example, the Sydney Metro Northwest project was delivered under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement and Southwest is delivered under a lump sum contract model.

“The model’s flexibility affords MTR the opportunity to implement its systems integration framework into differently procured projects while reducing the state’s financial exposure to one of the trickiest parts of delivering public transport megaprojects.

“Across these two projects, the MTR model has helped to ensure that decisions made during delivery of the project promote a smoother transition into the operational phase by maintaining focus on high operational performance for Day 1.”

The versatility of the MTR model also lends itself to alliancing and hybrid contracting models, where project integration and systems integration approaches can be tailored to the specific requirements of the project delivery authority.

“Among the lessons learned from MTR’s experiences in the Australian market has been

to reinforce the need for close integration between project delivery teams and the operator, with operator participation essential from the early stages of design through to completion,” Chakravarty said.

“Being operator-led, the MTR model

organisation to successfully and safely operate and maintain those assets.

“This is both a technical challenge and a human challenge, and takes all of MTR’s experience over many years of opening new railways to master.

The company is a vertically integrated railway operator, developer, asset owner and maintainer.

MTR been a part of the operator-led Sydney Metro Northwest line.

Signal installation carried out on the Sydney network at Martin Place.

Driving change and breaking down barriers

Giselle Phillips from Queensland-based construction company Fredon QLD has been named Woman of the Year at the 2023 Women in Industry Awards, which honoured a number of inspiring women in construction in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

The event champions outstanding women from across a range of industrial sectors, including transport – sectors that are traditionally male-dominated.

Held at a gala event at Aerial Melbourne, the awards received a total of 158 nominations, breaking all previous submission records.

A total of 62 finalists were selected and recognised for their exceptional nomination standards and, of those, 10 selected as the award winners.

Phillips also won the Safety Advocacy Award, sponsored by Komatsu, for her efforts in pioneering change within the Fredon Queensland business, driving the use of technology to streamline the compliance of training and competencies, as well as being proactive in delivering mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

Trudy Grimshaw from Department of Finance, Western Australia, took home the Excellence in Construction Award, sponsored by The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).

Grimshaw found her passion for construction

Currently the Senior Project Director on the Bunbury Hospital Redevelopment, Grimshaw in all respects demonstrates how women can take a leading role in the construction industry.

Jemma Walshe from Fulton Hogan won the Industry Advocacy Award, recognised for her advocacy to ensure time, energy and resources are dedicated to making a difference to the communities that Fulton Hogan works within, as well as her critical role in the establishment and roll-out of a number of positive community engagement outcomes.

One of Metro Trains Melbourne’s rising stars, Caddie Green, was nominated for the Excellence in Transport category, which was won by Coralie Chapman from Humes Concrete Products.

Green said that in her nine years in rail, there had been real progress towards creating a more diverse workforce, which had allowed young women like herself to develop and thrive.

“The leadership team has been really transparent about diversity and the importance of inclusion, and that harassment won’t be tolerated,” she said.

She said getting nominated for the award was a validation for the hard work she put in every day.

“The nomination was lovely, having

THE WINNERS

Business Development Success of the Year

Stefanie Frawley from TMX Global.

Industry Advocacy Award

Jemma Walshe from Fulton Hogan.

Mentor of the Year

Teagan Dowler from The BCW.

Safety Advocacy Award

– Sponsored by Komatsu

Giselle Phillips from Fredon QLD

Rising Star of the Year

– Sponsored by Atlas Copco

Sophia Kurianski from Jinolo.

Excellence in Transport

Coralie Chapman from Humes Concrete Products.

Excellence in Engineering

– Sponsored by SEW Eurodrive

Elsa Antunes from James Cook University.

Excellence in Manufacturing

– Sponsored by Paccar Australia

Kristi Riordan from Harvest B.

Excellence in Construction

– Sponsored by NAWIC

Trudy Grimshaw from Department of Finance, Western Australia.

Excellence in Mining

– Sponsored by Weir Minerals

Ashara Moore from BHP

Woman of the Year

The 2023 Women in Industry Awards lauded inspirational women who are driving change and creating new possibilities for the next generation.

Giselle Phillips and her awards.

Jemma Walshe was honoured for her industry advocacy.

Coralie Chapman won the Excellence in Transport Award.

Rail careers are tracks to success

• Bryan Lai Interface and Integration Manager Downer

“At the same time, it’s important to maintain and have a level of expertise around the more conventional trackside signalling which is not yet obsolete.

“Designers need to understand these traditional systems before they begin to design more advanced technology.

“The conventional systems inform the basis of what railway signalling is.

“If you try to jump into high tech work without an understanding of the foundation issues, you can fail. It’s an evolutionary process.

Lai said what he loved about his role was the opportunity it gave to “do a lot of different things”.

“I’m integrating systems but I also have an opportunity to look at tenders and bidding for work,” he said.

“When you’re outside the rail sector, there’s a tendency to think of trains as boring,” she said.

“But once you start working in rail you realise how hi-tech the industry is. And how many exciting and innovative jobs you can do.

“I studied robotic engineering in France and I also wanted a career that aligned with my ethics and helped to improve and build communities.

“In Paris, the Metro system has been lifechanging for so many people.

“After six years working with French rail operators and Hitachi, I started looking for a job outside Europe.

“France already has high speed rail and automatic train operation. So much has been done, there is less opportunity to innovate.”

The railways had always fascinated Lai. “But I didn’t know there was such a big industry within rail. That you could get a job and work for life,” he said.

“I work at Downer building rail systems infrastructure. My job is to bring all the different signalling and communications systems and subsystems together, integrating them so trains run safely and seamlessly.

“I look at look at how we communicate from the train to the trackside and from trackside to train control.”

After studying electrical and computer system engineering at Monash, Lai started his career as a signalling engineer at Connex (Melbourne’s train operator from 2004 to 2008).

Generally, signalling engineers upkeep, maintain and review assets already in operation.

But the role is a whole lot bigger than that and involves design and installation.

Everything has to be done well if operations are to work smoothly.

“Over the last five to six years there’s been major investment across Australia as advanced technology is introduced,” Lai said.

“We’re learning from the experiences of networks in Asia and Europe where they’ve managed to bring very complex systems together with multiple subsystems and ensure they’re reliable.

“The best part is that I don’t just work with people like me. I get to interact with other disciplines, with the operations people, and people working on the track and substations and overhead systems.

“This interaction, or cross-pollination, is important to understanding why systems have to operate in a certain way.

“If I were to name the three best things about rail it would the opportunity to work with different people from different disciplines, the chance to travel and work on jobs in fairly remote locations, and the very competitive salary.”

• Kawtar Hadjadj Senior Rail Consultant Syystra Group

Hadjadj said that in Australia today, governments were making huge investments in rail.

“There are so many opportunities to do new things using lessons learned from Europe. It’s an amazing position to be in,” she said.

“I took a job as a consultant with Systra in Sydney five years ago.

“We supply technical advice for clients such as Queensland Rail, Transport for NSW, Alstom –anyone who has a technical challenge that needs a solution.”

Hadjadj said her favourite projects involved helping improve the interoperability of trains between systems.

“In Australia, rail systems are managed by different states and networks,” she said.

“The different jurisdictions are developing smart systems which will eventually see all signals removed from the tracks.

“Instead, the trains and systems will have to “talk” to each other using GPS and advanced telecommunications such as 4G or 5G. Currently, some of these systems are not interoperable.

“We’re supporting the development of a solution which will help the systems interact.

“At the moment, my role is very technical.

“Eventually I’d like to be part of the decisionmaking process to introduce technology that I know from experience really works.

“My goal is to help create greener, more efficient transport systems.

With a background in robotic engineering, Hadjadj said she took her first job in rail because she wanted some stability in her career.

“Aviation and cars are super polluters. I’d like more Australian to have the opportunity to use public transport and be able to choose fast rail over planes.”

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

Interface and integration manager Bryan Lai.

Senior rail consultant Kawtar Hadjadj.

Workforce Profiles

Apprentices boost railcar program

The METRONET WA Railcar Program family has grown with three new apprentices joining the team following completion of the Alstom Aboriginal 10-week pre-employment program earlier this year.

Apprentices Leon Walley, Bradley Moore and Jesse Dingo were selected from 14 participants and have hit the ground running in their three-year apprenticeships, trying their hand at all railcar jobs on the workshop floor while also undertaking a four-year Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Fitting at TAFE.

Developed in collaboration with Alstom, the METRONET Gnarla Biddi team and North Metropolitan TAFE, the Aboriginal pre-employment program aims to connect young Aboriginal people to training and employment opportunities.

For the apprentices, it’s not only an opportunity for skill and career development, but also a chance to connect with community as role models for other young people who may be looking for employment in the rail industry.

“I previously worked in retail, but this opportunity was hard to pass up as it appealed to my interest in mechanics and machinery,” Walley said.

Moore, who also has a keen interest in mechanics, is excited about the practical components of the course and continuing his family’s connection to the rail industry.

“I’m really looking forward to putting my learned skills into practice and

I’m proud to be building the new C-series as both my mum and dad worked on the railway in Busselton,” he said.

Family pride is also key for Dingo, who is excited to continue his apprenticeship to make his mum proud.

SRL project supports women in engineering

Victoria’s largest infrastructure project, Suburban Rail Loop (SRL), is supporting up to 24,000 jobs and creating more opportunities for women to work in engineering and construction.

As a multi-generational project, SRL is an opportunity to increase workforce diversity – and attract and keep more women in the industry.

More than 40 per cent of Suburban Rail Loop Authority (SRLA) employees are women, including 50 per cent in senior management roles.

Senior project engineer Alison Ferrari joined SRLA in early 2021 and has enjoyed working across many different areas.

“There is a lot of variety to enable women to have a rewarding career and use their skills and talents across communication, problem solving, project management, community engagement and to be part of something positive,” she said.

“A woman can be seen as bossy when they’re assertive or weak when communicating with empathy. It’s often the case that women are not included or having their experiences heard.

“I would encourage more men in

the engineering field to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges some female engineers face and get onboard and support their female colleagues.”

Rail and Infrastructure Delivery executive general manager Mick Douge said women have long been under-represented in engineering and across STEM industries.

“Turning this around needs a proactive and relentless effort that includes our education systems and industry,” he said.

“We are very fortunate to have a number of exceptionally talented and skilled women at SRLA who are integral to what we are achieving.”

Construction on SRL East from Cheltenham to Box Hill started in June 2022, and during major construction will create up to 8000 direct local jobs.

At least 14 per cent of total hours worked during this first phase of construction will be completed by Victorian apprentices, trainees or cadets, with opportunities for women, Aboriginal and disadvantaged Victorians.

SRL will provide a long pipeline of jobs and help train the next generation of skilled workers, with more than 3.5 million hours worked on SRL to date.

Nearly half of the 2023 SRL Graduate Program are women – providing a launching pad into the industry for graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths.

SRL East will improve access to first class educational facilities across Melbourne including Deakin and Monash universities and Box Hill TAFE.

Trains will be running by 2035 - delivering faster journeys for the next generation of engineers and innovators.

Leon Walley (left), Bradley Moore and Jesse Dingo

SRLA engineer Alison Ferrari.

Living in railway harmony

By developing multi-jurisdictional Standards, the RISSB is helping Australian small- to medium-sized manufacturers provide components to original equipment manufacturers, overcoming decades of inefficiencies and nurturing and supporting innovation in rail.

This month we highlight three Standards that RISSB has recently released that support its interoperability and harmonisation remit.

DIGITAL ENGINEERING STANDARDS

Digital engineering is a term that is used globally and has been adopted by both asset owners and delivery partners alike.

Given it is a relatively new term used to describe business processes that are relatively advanced, yet also conceptual, there currently exists a wide range of interpretations and expectations about digital engineering.

Like all technological change, digital engineering will continue to grow and evolve rapidly and RISSB is keeping pace with its evolution.

RISSB is currently drafting AS 7739 Part 2: Technical requirements, which will provide detailed technical requirements (including specifications and procedures) for the procurement and management of digital engineering project deliverables.

Its companion document, AS 7739.1

Digital engineering for fixed rail infrastructure Part 1: Concepts and principles, provides detailed information on how to build data management capability and what should be included in an overarching digital framework required for successful digital engineering project implementation.

This publication aims to improve digital collaboration between asset owners and their supply chains and promote the digital transformation of the rail industry.

THE AS 1085 SERIES

RISSB manages the AS 1085 series (railway track material) of Standards, providing specifications for the rail infrastructure that is the backbone of Australia’s rail sector.

Predating RISSB, these critical publications provide our infrastructure managers with detail required to build and maintain their networks.

This is particularly important as those functions are often contracted out to external parties.

Not only do these Standards provide technical detail, but they also underpin the successful delivery of the high levels of safety this industry achieves annually and encourage harmonisation across the country.

The AS 1085.12 Railway track materials - insulated joint assemblies Standard provides details on the requirements for the manufacture, supply and testing of insulated joint assemblies (also known as insulated rail joints (IRJ) and specifies requirements for two grades of insulated joint assemblies.

It covers insulated joints that are assembled in a factory (factoryassembled bonded insulated joints) and joint components supplied as a kit for

The digital engineering Standards aim to improve digital collaboration between asset owners and their supply chains.

site assembly in track (field-assembled insulated joints).

RAILWAY TRACK MATERIAL

The Part 19: Resilient fastening assemblies

Standard sets out the performance parameters for ensuring that resilient fastening assemblies are safe and also fit-for-purpose.

It provides manufacturers and purchasers with performance requirements, test methods and infield monitoring methods for ensuring a fit for purpose resilient fastening assembly.

This Standard clarifies the separation of requirements for fastening assemblies from those for individual fastening components (clips, insulators, rail pads, spacers, shoulders and pins, and base plates), sleepers and other support structures.

Members can download all three publications directly from RISSB’s ‘Products’ page on its website: www.rissb.com.au/products

The Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board is driving national harmonisation and interoperability, moving the rail industry towards technical and operational consistency, improving safety, lowering costs and enhancing productivity.

Driving the future direction for rail

The landscape for the passenger rail sector has dramatically changed in recent years. As the industry embarks on a new period of growth, there are several key drivers that will influence its future direction.

SUPPORTING IMPROVED COMMUNITY OUTCOMES

The role of public transport in our daily lives is often taken for granted. However, our transport systems can substantially impact how our communities’ functioning.

There is a strong shift towards promoting greater use of public transport to enable improved community outcomes globally.

For example, in Brussels, policies to reduce car use and increase active and public transport

use has enabled new opportunities to activate community streets to create stronger, safer and more connected neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, train stations are being used as community hubs, creating spaces to support small businesses and provide community resources, integrating these services seamlessly with people’s everyday journeys.

The ARA’s own research has confirmed that light rail projects can activate urban renewal and growth and drive improved health outcomes for communities, while fast rail lines can generate significant economic opportunities along rail corridors between our cities and nearby regional centres.

Right now, new projects underway will

connect more people to the benefits easy access to rail services can provide.

Projects such as Cross River Rail, the Suburban Rail, METRONET and Sydney Metro will be game-changers in this respect and bring more communities closer to employment and essential services in key locations.

They will also create new community hubs, from urban centres planned around the Suburban Rail Loop to new connections to business centres such as the Western Sydney aerotropolis.

This new investment provides a great opportunity to drive improved social outcomes for the community, while also enabling greater economic growth and opportunity, something rail is uniquely positioned to do when compared to other transport modes.

Rail has traditionally been the most popular transport mode for commuters and will be an essential part of ensuring the sustainable growth of our cities.

Caroline Wilkie, Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Railway Association.

Light rail projects can activate urban renewal and growth and drive improved health outcomes for communities.

SMOOTHING CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

There has been an increased focus in recent years to ensure a truly integrated door-to-door journey for public transport users.

The use of ticketing solutions that can be used across all modes of transport is well established in Australia and makes it easier for people who may use different forms of public transport in their day-to-day journeys.

This, combined with a focus on mobility as a service, is seeing increasing availability of turn up and go services and seamless integration between transport modes. This focus on the ‘forgettable journey’, where public transport fits easily into our lives, is leading to improved customer outcomes and better connections across urban areas.

CHANGING JOURNEYS

The aftermath of COVID has seen some changes in how we use public transport services. While the daily commute remains for many of us, increased work from home and flexible work arrangements have seen many people going to the office fewer times during the week.

However, the relaxing of restrictions in recent years has also seen a strong resurgence in public transport use for leisure activities and major events, and has highlighted demand for travel between suburbs, rather than in and out of central business districts.

This provides an opportunity to re-think services beyond traditional commuter routes and consider the many other reasons we may use public transport, from leisure activities to fulfilling caring and other responsibilities in the community.

The range of new projects underway will support greater connectivity in suburban areas and provide opportunities for improved connection across cities, as well as with traditional business districts.

DRIVING DECARBONISATION

Rail generates significantly less carbon than road transport and has a crucial role to play in reducing emissions as we move towards netzero. Achieving greater mode share for rail will be a crucial part of achieving this goal.

We are already seeing a significant shift towards rail worldwide, with many countries identifying mode shift targets to move more people via public and active transport.

C40, a global network of 100 city mayors, has previously called for public transport use to double in global cities over the next decade as part of our efforts to address the climate crisis.

Many jurisdictions are embracing this concept, seeking to rapidly increase mode shift to support this goal. Other carbon reduction

policies, such as the expansion of London’s ultra low emissions zone, are also expected to lead to greater use of public transport.

With one commuter train in Australia taking 578 cars off the road, greater use of rail will deliver clear benefits to communities.

The pandemic highlighted the importance of increasing public transport use, with 2020 ARA research confirming a shift of just one in 10 people from rail use to private car use would see Australia face $4 million of increased environmental costs and $55 million in additional crash costs.

To maximise the opportunities for greater use of rail, a strong focus on placemaking is required to design communities that promote active and public transport use, and reduce travel distances for work, study and essential tasks.

The Journey to Net-Zero by the ARA last year in conjunction with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and Roads Australia, confirmed the biggest impact we can make to achieve this goal occurs at the planning and procurement stage.

The importance of efficient planning and procurement processes is an issue the ARA has long advocated for, supporting a national approach to maximise the value of infrastructure investment.

Consideration of the sustainability and community benefits as part of the procurement process is also required to ensure the value of public transport projects across the asset lifecycle is fully assessed and understood as projects are considered.

INNOVATION

New innovations in the industry are driving improved outcomes for passengers across the rail network.

The move towards real-time data sharing during the pandemic represented a significant shift in the customer experience, with operators sharing information on train capacity and network updates to help passengers better plan their journey.

This technology has now become ubiquitous across the network, and is supporting improved customer outcomes.

Behind the scenes, new technologies are also driving efficiencies across the industry. Driverless trains will provide greater flexibility on the Sydney Metro project, while new signalling technology is being adopted as part of the Metro Tunnel Project in Melbourne to enable the use of more trains, more often.

The ARA is working with industry to support a strong focus on innovation and technology to support improved efficiency and customer outcomes as the industry grows.

SKILLING THE FUTURE

The passenger rail sector is not immune from the skills challenges facing the rail industry.

A 70,000-worker skills gap across the rail industry will need to be addressed to meet our growing needs.

The ARA’s Work in Rail campaign highlights a range of roles available in the passenger rail sector, from train drivers and customer service personnel to security officers and signalling technicians.

Working in passenger rail provides a unique opportunity to build a long-term career in an industry that provides an essential, sustainable and valued service in the community.

The ARA will be continuing to promote rail careers across the industry as part of the Work in Rail campaign to support the future needs of the industry.

PREPARING FOR GROWTH

All of these factors will contribute to the growth of public transport use in the coming years.

Prior to the pandemic, rail patronage was rising about two per cent per year as our populations grew.

As we now enter this next phase of growth, increased patronage has the potential to drive improved sustainability, health and safety outcomes.

The industry is continuing to develop its offering to meet this need, and is ready to support a growing number of passengers choosing public transport as their primary travel mode in the future.

A huge worker skills gap across the rail industry will need to be addressed to meet growing needs.

Contracts, EOIs, Tenders

WA High-capacity signalling system

Two proponents have been shortlisted to design, supply, build and maintain a HighCapacity Signalling (HCS) system for Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority.

They are:

• Alstom Transport Australia and Downer EDI Works

• Siemens Mobility, Siemens Mobility GmbH and Wabtec Control Systems (SafePerth)

The companies were shortlisted after submitting EOI applications in September last year. They will now progress to the second stage of a Competitive Early Contractor Involvement process, where they will prepare more detailed submissions.

Funded by the State and Commonwealth governments, the HCS project will replace Perth’s ageing urban rail network control systems with a more modern, integrated, communications-based train control system, allowing more trains to run more often.

The new system will be critical to supporting the significant expansion in passenger rail services being delivered through the State Government’s METRONET program.

The new system will continuously send real-time train data to the Public Transport Operations Control Centre (PTOCC) – currently under construction in East Perth – to monitor the speed and location of every train on the railway network.

The PTOCC will include a network control centre, a central monitoring room and office space to house the infrastructure and personnel needed to manage day-to-day operations of Perth’s public transport rail network.

The HCS project will be delivered in stages to minimise disruption to train operations, with the rollout expected to be carried out over the next 10 years. The HCS contract is expected to be awarded in 2024.

VICTORIA National Intermodal Corporation

The Australian Government-owned National Intermodal Corporation (National Intermodal) has completed the acquisition of a 1100-hectare site at Beveridge in Melbourne’s northern growth corridor.

The move follows the release of the Inland Rail Review in April this year, which endorsed the Beveridge site as the southern end-point of Inland Rail and one of two new planned intermodal terminal precincts for Melbourne, with the other to be in Truganina, west of the city.

Beveridge is strategically located, and when developed, the site will have the ability to offer the efficiency of double-stacked

container services for 1800m freight trains to Perth via Parkes, and to Brisbane on completion of Inland Rail.

The terminal will significantly enhance competition in the rail freight sector by ensuring independent, open access arrangements for all industry participants and offer the ability to provide freight services across Melbourne and through to Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.

It is targeting having a preliminary terminal available to receive trains by 2025, with the fully integrated 500,000 TEU per annum terminal development operational in 2028/29.

It will be seeking further market interest for both customers and co-investors building on the recent MOU entered into with Aurizon to become a foundation customer.

Level Crossing Removal Program

An alliance comprising Fulton Hogan Construction, Metro Trains Melbourne and the Level Crossing Removal Project will deliver the $171 million contract to remove three level crossings at Melbourne’s south-east.

At Station Street, Beaconsfield, a new road bridge will be built over the rail line, allowing the crossing to be removed sooner and with fewer disruptions to road and rail users.

At Station Street, Officer, where there have been six near misses since 2012, the level crossing will be closed to improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains to run more often.

At Progress Street, the level crossing will be closed, and we will build a new road bridge connecting Progress Street and Fowler Road to service the busy industrial precinct of Dandenong South.

At Beaconsfield, site offices will be established, and early works will start in July, with major works to kick off at Beaconsfield and Dandenong South later in the year.

At Officer, works will be underway early next year, with all three crossings to be gone for good by 2025.

The removal of these dangerous level crossings will contribute to making the Pakenham Line level crossing-free, which when combined with the completion of the Metro Tunnel and high-capacity signalling, will allow up to 121,000 extra peak hour passengers on the busy line.

NSW

ARTC Hunter Valley network

Swietelsky Rail Australia (SRA) will continue to be the preferred contractor for ballast cleaning in the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)’s Hunter Valley network for the next two years, with the contract extended to June 30, 2025.

The rail track maintenance specialist has cemented a foundation as the industry leader in ballast cleaning within NSW, using its own RM80 and MFC wagon fleet to successfully deliver more than 285 kilometres of ballast cleaning for ARTC since September 2014.

SRA will commission a RM95 ballast cleaner for the ARTC contract extension task, and later in the year follow it up with a supportive fleet of MFS wagons.

SRA managing director Anne Modderno said the Swietelsky team was excited to continue the partnership with ARTC.

“We are incredibly proud to have secured our footprint within the Hunter Valley market for the next two years as ARTC’s ballast cleaning provider of choice. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to increase value for ARTC’s network and clients with our new RM95 consist,” she said.

Following successful introduction of the new RM95 and MFS fleet, the RM80 and MFC fleet will undergo scheduled maintenance in preparation for potential future works and utilisation by new clients.

Moss Vale Station

Work to upgrade Moss Vale Station in Sydney will start next year to make it safer and more accessible, with a contract awarded to improve the station precinct for people with a disability, limited mobility, parents and carers with prams, and customers with luggage.

Commuters at Moss Vale will benefit from improved access to the station, an upgraded bus stop, and lift access to the station forecourt from the existing Argyle Street footbridge.

Tactile markers and boarding assistance zones will be installed on the platforms, and the lighting and footpaths around nearby Jubilee Park will also be upgraded.

Detailed design, planning and heritage approvals are now underway, with construction work to start in early 2024 and to include an upgrade to the stabling yard to accommodate the new Regional Rail fleet.

Degnan Constructions has been awarded the contract to complete the work at the station and its stabling yard. All work is expected to be completed by late 2025, weather permitting.

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