Rail Express November 2022

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

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Ray Chan

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Welcome to the November issue of Rail Express

We’re halfway into Australia’s biggest rail freight infrastructure project, with the first phase starting construction in 2018 and the last aiming to be in operation by 2027.

The nation-building Inland Rail program will result in a 1700 kilometre track directly connecting Melbourne and Brisbane, via Toowoomba, Parkes, and Albury. This means it will bypass the heavily congested Sydney network and bring rail freight travel times between Melbourne and Brisbane down from 33 hours to less than 24 hours.

This game-changer makes rail freight much more competitive over long haulage routes. The ARA’s Value of Rail study found that a one per cent improvement in freight productivity could generate $8-20 billion in savings to the national economy over 20 years.

Moreover, rail freight provides a costeffective, safe and environmentally sound solution for reducing congestion from heavy vehicles on urban, regional, and interstate roads. Just one freight train alone can take 110 trucks off congested arteries and expressways, and rail is up to nine times safer than road freight.

A project of this magnitude has many moving parts and interested parties, and so questions have been asked over potential problems such as business cases for various stages of the development, community engagement and consultation, and flooding and hydrology.

More recently, concerns have been raised by farmers whose properties will be dissected by the new lines, as they comprise productive cropping and grazing country.

The NSWFarmers, which advocates the development of Inland Rail in principle, says it is vitally important that the routes selected minimise the impact on farming businesses yet maximise the benefit to rural and regional communities.

But doubters can be assured that the ARTC is well aware of such worries, and that the project is receiving the best possible expert advice, with problems being handled using tested and proven mitigation measures.

The lines run through 13 federal electorates, 35 state electorates, 36 local government areas

and 26 traditional owner areas, each bearing its own obstacles, hazards and requirements.

These need to be worked through carefully and collaboratively, but they should not delay the delivery of the project, which is expanded upon in detail in this edition of Rail Express

And then of course there’s the lack of track standardisation not just between the states but within them as well, with narrow gauges having to be linked to broader ones and back again, depending on which part of the country they lie.

Unfortunately, we’re too far down the track now to convert everything to a uniform width, so we compromise by using turnout switches … which, as we will also read in this issue, has provided a boon for rail technology company Vossloh, and in turn boosted employment opportunities for local communities.

In fact, there will be more than 21,500 jobs during peak construction all along the way, boosting the Australian economy by more than $18 billion, with much of the spend in regional communities.

And speaking of the workforce, there’s also a feature on the strategies that some of our major operators have put in place to attract more workers and improve the allure of the rail industry to students and graduates.

The general consensus is that, as the number of rail projects escalate across Australia, there will not be enough skilled staff to meet the required needs. There literally is no time like the present to get the recruitment momentum into overdrive.

And this also means increasing gender diversity in the selection process, to maximise the pool of talent that can be tapped into, while introducing different perspectives into the workplace.

As well, you can catch up on all the latest news and products in the rail industry, including a wrap-up of the leading global transport forum, InnoTrans; find out what our industry partners have to say on the issues that matter; and have a glance at some of the latest contracts, tenders and expressions of interest on offer.

ray.chan@primecreative.com.au

National

Awards recognise innovation in rail industry

More than 720 members of the rail industry from Australia and New Zealand celebrated the winners of the Australasian Rail Industry Awards at the Crown Towers in Melbourne recently, which showcased the achievements and innovation of those working in the rail industry.

This year’s winners featured a strong focus on technology, from the use of real time data to improve the customer experience of rail users with mobility issues to the adoption of drones and other technology to improve track worker safety.

The awards also highlighted the significant range of rail projects underway across the country to increase network capacity and meet Australia’s long-term needs.

The 2022 Awards featured 16 award categories recognising individuals, organisations and rail projects.

This year saw the creation of four new categories to celebrate excellence in the rail supply chain, heavy haul and rail freight, passenger operations and infrastructure projects.

The Awards are supported by the Australasian Railway Association, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, Railway Technical Society of Australia, Rail Track Association Australia, the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board and the Permanent Way Institution (NSW).

All proceeds go to the TrackSAFE Foundation, a registered Harm Prevention Charity established by the industry to reduce near collisions, injuries, and fatalities on the rail network from suicide and

• Queensland Rail Queensland Rail won the Passenger Operations Excellence Award for its stellar recovery efforts during the unprecedented February floods, which saw the entire South East Queensland network shut down.

Queensland Rail chief executive officer Kat Stapleton said the win highlights the mammoth effort undertaken by hundreds of staff to get services up and running after the floods.

“In February this year, our rail network was hit by a ‘weather bomb’ that shut down the entire SE Queensland rail network for the first time in its 157-year history,” she said.

“The Queensland Rail network suffered extensive damage as a result of numerous landslips, washouts and signal damage, with 34 of 153 SE stations damaged too, as well as multiple depots.

“Incredibly, within three days, teams worked together to repair enough of the railway to get services progressively up and running again on every line so customers could be reconnected to their families and get to work and school.

“4400 cubic metres of ballast was placed across the SE Queensland network and around 2000m of track was repaired, including at Shorncliffe where more than 1000m of track was washed out.

“As the waters rapidly rose at Queensland Rails’ facilities, employees were forced to act quickly to move rollingstock and other vital equipment to high ground to ensure they did not succumb to the rising flood waters.

“Safety is Queensland Rail’s number one priority and proudly, despite the adverse and challenging conditions, there were no reportable injuries or safe working breaches during the event – a huge achievement given the scale of the recovery in such a short timeframe.

“Whether our staff were planning the recovery, on the ground or part of our communication and community engagement teams, everyone did their part to help restore the network for customers safely and quickly. A great team approach.

“It’s fantastic to be recognised by our industry peers across Australia and I congratulate everyone at Queensland Rail for their dedication which led to this incredible result.”

Metro Trains

Metro Trains Melbourne was recognised for several projects and initiatives at the awards, winning two categories and being highly commended in another category.

Metro’s Train Driver Trauma Recovery Guidebook won the Wellbeing In Rail Award.

The guidebook was developed to support rail industry workers involved at the scene of

an incident on the rail network, and outlines what the driver can expect from the point of an incident to their return to work, and includes information on support services available to them.

Metro’s Kelly Douglas won the Young Rail Professional Award. She recently led a three-year program to upgrade Melbourne’s historic Flinders Street viaduct, ensuring this critical, 130-yearold structure continues to serve Melbourne for another 75 years.

She is also a mentor in the Women in Transport mentoring program and is a trusted adviser to Metro.

THE WINNERS

Customer Service Excellence Award

Sydney Trains, Mobile Boarding Assistance Application

Heavy Haul and Rail Freight Excellence Award

Rio Tinto, Gudai-Darri Rail Project

Rail Innovation of the Year Award

Sydney Trains (Asset Lifecycle Optimisation for Track Asset Management)

Sustainability and Environment Excellence Award

Evolution Rail Consortium, Australia’s most state-of-the-art train maintenance facility Safety Excellence Award

Aurizon, Leading for Safety Program

Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Award

Level Crossing Removal Project, Engineering Pathways Industry Cadetship

Wellbeing in Rail Award

Metro Trains Melbourne, Train Driver Trauma Recovery Guidebook

Infrastructure Project Excellence Award

Parramatta Connect

Passenger Operations Excellence Award

Queensland Rail Supplier Excellence Award

SMEC

Young Rail Professional Award

Joint winners:

• Jonathan Chan (WSP)

• Kelly Douglas, Metro Trains Melbourne

Young Achiever Award

Chris Wills, John Holland Group

Emerging Rail Specialist Award

Joint winners:

• Andrew Lagos, Sydney Trains

• Donna Daly, Jacobs

Signalling and Systems Engineering Excellence Award

Sandesh Koyande, John Holland Group Career Achievement Award

Rebecca Want, GHD

ARA CEO Caroline Wilkie (left) with Queensland Rail safety, risk and assurance general manager Greg Suthers and Queensland Rail rail management centre general manager Dean Kelly.

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National

First steps taken for high speed rail

The Australian Government is moving a step closer to high speed rail by introducing legislation to establish the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA).

The organisation will build on previous work including the comprehensive study, commissioned under former Infrastructure Minister and now Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, that found high speed rail was not only viable, but would return over $2 for every $1 of investment.

A high-speed rail network could allow passengers to travel between major cities and significant regional cities at speeds exceeding 250 kilometres per hour.

The first priority of the Authority will be planning and corridor works for the Sydney to Newcastle section of the high-speed rail network, backed by a $500 million commitment from the Australian Government.

This commitment will see corridor planning and early works progress in this fast-growing region of the east coast.

While the Authority works closely with the New South Wales Government on this section, it will continue to advance plans for other sections of the high-speed rail network, which will eventually connect Brisbane to Melbourne, with stops in Canberra, Sydney and regional centres.

The HSRA will provide independent advice to governments on high speed rail planning and delivery, and will lead the coordination

The HSRA will provide independent advice to governments on high speed rail planning and delivery.

infrastructure sector.

Faster rail will also continue to be advanced under the HSRA, with the functions of the National Faster Rail Agency being undertaken within the Authority and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

High speed rail will revolutionise interstate travel on the east coast, providing a fast alternative for people to move between cities and regional centres, promoting sustainable settlement patterns and creating broad economic benefits for regional centres.

Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government minister

Australians, while also bringing the east coast capitals closer together.

“This is a visionary investment in opening up our regions to greater opportunity,” she said.

“A high-speed rail network recognises the importance of prosperity in our regions, which will benefit from enhanced connection to our major cities and international gateways.

“No project captures the imagination of Australians quite like high-speed rail, and we are committed to realising the massive benefits this project could bring.

“This is a long-term project, but with the pragmatic advice of the HSRA we can take a genuine path forward.”

Rail First buy extends Amber footprint

Specialist international investment manager

Amber Infrastructure has acquired leading Australian freight rail leasing business, Rail First Asset Management, as it continues to build its presence in the country.

Rail First owns the country’s third largest intermodal fleet of more than 1300 locomotives and wagons.

The only Australian manufacturer of rail wagons, the company provides a full service offering including locomotive and wagon leasing and rolling stock maintenance.

Rail First complements Amber’s existing exposure to Australian transport infrastructure assets, including Reliance Rail and Gold Coast Light Rail, and leverages the company’s international rail expertise.

Through its managed and advised funds,

Amber owns and operates Poland’s largest independent locomotive leasing provider, Cargounit, and is a long-term investor in leading UK train leasing company, Angel Trains.

The Rail First acquisition is a joint venture with DIF Capital Partners.

Amber’s Asia-Pacific head Vaughan Wallace said Rail First was already offering lower emissions locomotives with onboard fuel saving technologies to cater to increased customer demand for more sustainable transport options.

“These sustainability credentials align with Amber’s strict infrastructure investment criteria and award-winning approach to ESG,” he said.

“Amber is an experienced essential infrastructure operator and investor, and we

remain focused on building our presence in the Australian market, leveraging the capability and expertise of our global platform. Our expertise in international rail freight provides us with deep insights into modernisation and expansion opportunities, as well as macro policy decision driving industry growth.”

Rail First chief executive officer Mark Kirkpatrick said the new phase of growth would allow it to expand the locomotive and wagon fleet to serve the current and future needs of existing and new customers.

“Partnering with Amber will bring a range of new and exciting opportunities for Rail First, its customers, suppliers, staff, and other stakeholders. It allows us to fast-track our unique build-to-lease rolling stock to further grow the Australian leasing market,” he said.

Airport line connects Melburnians to the world

through the Victorian Government’s Major Project Skills Guarantee.

The business case assesses a new elevated station at Melbourne Airport as the best solution for passengers as it will better integrate with the precinct and have fewer impacts on planned future developments at the airport. An elevated station will also be quicker and more cost effective to deliver and reduce disruption to airport users during construction.

It also proposes an elevated rail bridge over the busy M80 Freeway, and major upgrades to Sunshine Station – including a new concourse, improvements to existing station facilities, and car parking.

Melbourne’s new airport rail line will include a brand-new station in the city’s booming west when it opens in 2029.

In a major win for local passengers, the Victorian and Australian governments will build a new station in Keilor East as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail project – linking more than 150,000 residents in the City of Moonee Valley area to Victoria’s rail network for the first time.

The newly-released business case for the project shows Melbourne Airport Rail will deliver wide-ranging economic and connectivity benefits.

Not only will the new line take passengers from the CBD to the airport in around 30 minutes, it will also run through Sunshine

Station and the Metro Tunnel – maximising connections to Melbourne’s booming west and south-east, and Victoria’s major regional centres of Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland.

Trains on the new airport rail line will provide a ‘turn up and go’ service, with trains every 10 minutes. Thirty stations across Melbourne – from as far away as Cranbourne and Pakenham – will have a direct connection to the airport via the Metro Tunnel, and passengers from most other stations in Victoria will only need to change trains once.

The project is expected to increase Victoria’s Gross State Product by up to $17.9 billion. The project will create up to 8000 jobs during construction and opportunities for hundreds of apprentices, trainees and cadets

Both the Victorian and Australian governments have considered the business case and have each committed $5 billion in funding for the project.

Victorian Transport Infrastructure minister Jacinta Allan said this would be a world class project for a world-class city – and the addition of the new station will make it even better.

“The new station at Keilor East means airport rail will truly be a new rail line for Melbourne’s west, connecting hundreds of thousands of people to Melbourne’s train network for the first time,” she said.

“This project stacks up. Not only will it better connect Victorians to our city, our suburbs and the world – it will repay every cent invested in opportunities for local workers and businesses.”

More VLocity trains for regional Victoria

The Department of Transport in Victoria has exercised an option under an existing contract to purchase an additional 12 VLocity Diesel Motor Unit (DMU) regional trains (36 cars) for the state’s regional rail network.

The 12 new VLocity trains will be delivered following a $250 million investment from the Victorian Government as part of the 2022/23 Victorian State Budget.

The VLocity DMUs are part of the third option for trains to be ordered under the current rolling stock manufacture and supply agreement that was originally awarded by the state in 2018.

The new broad-gauge trains will consist of three cars each, providing a total of 36 new carriages for the operator V/Line, which will

help support additional and more reliable services for Victoria’s regional rail network.

The new trains will operate on the Shepparton and Warrnambool lines servicing those regional communities.

Since 2001, Alstom has received orders for a total of 118 standard and broad gauge VLocity regional trains, with 99 trains currently in service and 19 still to be manufactured.

The locally designed trains will be manufactured and tested at Alstom’s rolling stock manufacturing facility in Dandenong and will consist of about 65 per cent local content –providing a positive boost for the state’s rolling stock supply chain, jobs and skills development.

Alstom Australian and NZ director Mark Coxon said the company was delighted

to continue to support the state with its commitment to provide an outstanding rail service to its regional rail passengers.

“These locally designed and manufactured trains have proven themselves to be safe, comfortable and reliable for nearly two decades which is a true testament to the skills, workmanship and dedication to quality of our local employees,” he said.

“The highly reliable trains have helped provide a critical service for the State’s regions, demonstrated by the vast distance the fleet travels on an annual basis. In the past 12 months alone the VLocity fleet has travelled 39 million kilometres, or the equivalent to travelling to the moon and back more than 50 times.”

A new station at Keilor East will be built.

LEADING THE WAY TO GREENER AND SMARTER MOBILITY IN AUSTRALIA

© Alstom / RailGallery

Victoria

Rail station captures geothermal energy

A world-first trial to capture geothermal energy in the foundations of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel’s new State Library Station could start a revolution in clean energy to keep buildings warm in winter and cool in summer.

The trial, a finalist in the Premier’s Sustainability Awards, found building foundations can be used as a thermal ‘battery’ to capture renewable energy for use – potentially saving thousands of tonnes in carbon emissions every year.

It involved a team of researchers burying plastic pipes inside concrete foundation piles that were then installed 40m underground as part of a retaining wall during the early months of construction on the new station.

With the ground remaining at a stable temperature throughout the year, water pumped through the pipes absorbs heat from the ground in winter, and releases heat into the ground in summer. When the water comes back to the surface, the change in temperature can be used to efficiently heat or cool the building.

Over the past four years researchers have used sensors to test different scenarios, varying the flow of water through the pipes and the number of pipes used at a time to find the most energyefficient method, while also checking the change in temperature did not affect the retaining wall.

Train stations can use the system for all their heating and cooling needs.

Library Station could use the system for all its heating and cooling needs – and even help warm and cool the buildings surrounding it.

The research was led by a team from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, in partnership with Metro Tunnel Project delivery agency Rail Projects Victoria and its construction contractors

It’s part of a massive effort by the Metro Tunnel team to embed sustainability across the project, including diverting between 72 and 90 per cent of construction waste from landfill, installing 170kW of solar panels on the Arden Station entrance building and the Sunshine Signal Control Centre, and even running a trial involving washing and re-using safety gloves.

Tattersall calls time on rail projects career

year ahead of schedule. Tattersall has overseen the project through planning, procurement, and construction to a point where twin ninekilometre tunnels have been dug, construction of five new underground stations is well progressed and testing is underway on a new high-capacity signalling system.

Once complete, the Metro Tunnel will untangle the City Loop, providing rail access to Parkville’s world-leading medical and research precinct and the St Kilda Road employment precinct for the first time.

It will create capacity for half a million additional passengers per week across the rail network.

The Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA) will work over the coming months to appoint a replacement to ensure Rail Projects Victoria continues to thrive and deliver its significant program of work for the Victorian community.

Y CM MY CY CMY K

Ewan Tattersall (left) with Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp and former councillor Frances Gilley in one of the Metro tunnels.

New South Wales

Work picks up apace from station to station

Planning approval has been granted for Sydney Metro West to deliver the 3.5-kilometre twin tunnels from The Bays into the heart of the Sydney CBD, and kick off excavation on Pyrmont and Hunter Street stations.

Starting at The Bays, tunnel boring machines will cross under Johnstons Bay alongside Anzac Bridge, before heading to the new Pyrmont Station, then under Darling Harbour on the way to Hunter Street Station.

Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney minister David Elliott said this was the final tunnel section for the new 24-kilometre metro line for the project, which would double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.

“Sydney Metro West will significantly cut crowding on three major train lines, take tens of thousands of cars off the roads every day, and support the creation of 10,000 direct and 70,000 indirect jobs in western Sydney,” he said.

Two major contracts have already been awarded for tunnelling between Westmead and The Bays, with tunnel boring machines planned to commence digging this year.

Sydney Metro earlier this year shortlisted three consortia to deliver the third and final tunnelling section, with the package expected to be awarded in late 2022: Acciona Construction Australia and Ferrovial Construction joint venture (AF JV); Bouygues Construction Australia, Vinci Construction Grands Projets Australia and Soletanche Bachy International joint venture (BV JV); and John Holland, CPB Contractors and Ghella joint venture (JCG JV).

Construction on Sydney Metro West began in 2020, with the project on track to be completed by 2030.

The proposed design of two new entrances to the future Hunter Street Station have also been revealed. The two access points, accessible from George, Hunter, O’Connell and Bligh streets, have been developed in consultation with the City of Sydney.

The new Hunter Street Station will be the heart of Sydney’s central business district and become a transport hub with connections to George Street, light rail, train services at Wynyard and the Sydney Metro City & Southwest station at Martin Place.

The planning proposal also considers future over station development to be integrated with the new station, with two new buildings being proposed above the station.

Up to 150,000 square metres of high-quality commercial office space will be delivered,

benefitting from direct access to fast and frequent Sydney Metro West services along with underground walkways connecting from Martin Place to Barangaroo.

Above ground, there will be an extension of the plaza at the eastern station entry, adjacent to Richard Johnson Square, and pedestrian links that prioritise movement through the station precinct.

Meanwhile, the biggest concrete pour yet has taken place at the Waterloo Station project site, with the works forming part of the Sydney Metro project.

Works from Chatswood to Sydenham will deliver new stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, along with new underground platforms at Central Station.

Completing trackwork on the Sydney Metro City and Southwest lines brings customers closer to metro services running below Sydney Harbour and under the Sydney CBD for the first time.

The new Waterloo Station will take pressure off Redfern and Green Square

stations, and provide a new fast, safe and reliable metro rail link to key employment areas in the Sydney central business district, North Sydney and Barangaroo.

A total of 2650t of concrete was poured over a 13-hour period to form a huge concrete slab at the Waterloo Station project site.

Packed with 200t of steel reinforcement, the concrete slab will help support the weight of a nine-storey building that will rise above the southern end of the future station.

In addition to being a key structural element, the slab will also be utilised as floor space for a room that will house critical electrical equipment required for Sydney Metro to operate. The new Waterloo Metro Quarter will include commercial office space, retail, residential, social and affordable housing, and student accommodation.

John Holland and Mirvac will begin construction on the over-station development next year. Passenger services are expected to start in 2024.

The concrete pour at Waterloo Station.

The proposed design of the future Sydney Metro Hunter Street Station.

15-minute neighbourhoods in NSW strategy

Travel in New South Wales will be quicker, more convenient and safer, as part of the Future Transport Strategy unveiled by the NSW Government.

The plan includes a vision to create connected 30-minute cities and convenient 15-minute neighbourhoods, starting with the piloting of Future Transport Hubs in Parramatta, Chatswood, Wollongong and Coffs Harbour that will provide commuters with a one-stop-shop for a range of essential services.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said this was a blueprint to continuously evolve the state’s transport system to service the changing needs of commuters, communities and its economy into the future.

“This strategy sets out a new vision for transport in our growing and changing state,” he said.

“This is about ensuring our transport network will be fit-for-purpose into the future and gives people more choice, shorter wait times and quicker trips.

“We are laying the foundations for our future

transport network now so we can keep building a brighter future for the people of NSW. This is a vision to make it easier and more convenient for people to move about entire state whether it be in a city or in the regions.”

Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport minister Rob Stokes said the strategy shaped future planning, investment, delivery and operations to give people more choice, greater access and better places.

“Train stations shouldn’t just be for trains, roads shouldn’t just be for cars, they are places for people and our whole transport network

should adapt to our citizens various and changing needs,” he said.

“We understand people lead busy lives which is why we’re piloting convenient onestop-shops for all your services at transport hubs by harnessing developments in data and technology.

“The pandemic has seen demand for walking and cycling infrastructure soar, and outdoor spaces valued more than ever. Our vision for 15 minute neighbourhoods will also improve health and wellbeing outcomes, and ensure local communities thrive.”

Fresh makeovers rejuvenate Sydney stations

Canley Vale railway station and the Warwick Farm commuter car park in Sydney have never looked better, with both transport hubs now featuring vibrant displays by local artists.

Transport for NSW’s Project Director Sharbel Sarkis said a striking mural symbolising family, community, harmony and connection now adorns the entry to Canley Vale, while an almost 150 number-plate style aluminium wall hanging is featured at Warwick Farm.

“It is important that our transport hubs are welcoming and vibrant places, and incorporating artwork is one of the ways we can achieve this,” he said.

“These are inspirational artists who are capturing the essence of the local community and we are proud to support their art.”

Local artist Christina Huynh, who painted the mural at Canley Vale Station, took inspiration from feedback received in a community survey and created something with a series of symbols that show what Canley Vale means to her.

“I grew up in St Johns Park and my family live all around the greater Fairfield area. The imagery in this mural is based off a childhood

memory when I had a pet goldfish, that used to swim into my hands,” she said.

The flora represents the community’s enthusiasm for gardening throughout the region, while a closer look at the trinkets placed along the charms depicts the cultural diversity, local craftsmanship and the heritage of Canley Vale.

Elements of the design acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which the mural stands, the Cabrogal of the Darug

nation. The cobra grub which was harvested on the banks of the Georges River is symbolised in the trinket. The far left of the mural features a bark canoe, an essential wayfaring tool used for hunting, fishing and travelling through waterways for over 30,000 years.

Artist Abdullah M I Syed, a former resident artist at the Fairfield City Museum and a finalist at the Hazelhurst Prize and Moran Photography Awards, describes the artwork at Warwick Farm as a tapestry of movement and culture.

“The design draws from the rich and vibrant history of the area, with the plates using words beginning with the letter ‘W’ – a playful nod to Warwick Farm and the community’s welcoming, winning, wondering nature,” he said.

As part of the Transport Access Program, Canley Vale railway station has recently been upgraded with new lifts, a redesigned entry, better facilities for the mobility impaired, drop off areas and security lighting. Warwick Farm commuter car park has seen 250 new car spaces being created along with upgraded lifts, provisions for electric vehicles and solar powered building services.

The Tesserae Wall at Warwick Farm.

The strategy promises more choice, shorter wait times and quicker trips.

Queensland

Cross River Rail stations taking shape

The Gabba and Brisbane CBD are now connected by underground train tracks in both directions beneath the Brisbane River for the first time in history, marking the latest milestone for the transformational Cross River Rail (CRR) project.

With tunnelling complete, crews are now focused on the next phase of construction –building the stations.

CRR’s four new underground stations are the centrepiece of Queensland’s largest infrastructure project, and are being built in convenient locations in and around the CBD.

At the project’s southernmost underground station – Boggo Road – installation of formwork, reinforcement and concreting is continuing, and the station structure is beginning to emerge.

Crews have also begun lifting huge concrete beams, precast at Wagners in Wacol, into the station box, which will be used to build the station’s future mezzanine level.

Mezzanine fit-out has also been a focus at Woolloongabba, where 180 concrete beams, weighing up to 70 tonnes, are being installed in the station cavern with millimetre accuracy using a world-first construction technique.

Elsewhere at Woolloongabba, the station’s services building – built out of the 33-metredeep station box – has “topped out” and is now clearly visible from street level.

On the northside of the river, works are progressing well on the future Albert Street station – a site which boasts the deepest hole ever excavated in Brisbane, at 50 metres deep.

Crews are working on the station buildings and two future entrances, with concreting and

steel fixing becoming a focus as the structures continue to rise.

Rounding out the underground quartet is Roma Street, where works on the services and future station buildings are progressing well.

A total of 25 concrete pours throughout 2022 will also take place to line the Roma Street cavern, with 19 having taken place already.

Above ground, CRR is rebuilding eight stations in Brisbane, and delivering three new ones on the Gold Coast.

As part of the project, Exhibition station will welcome year-round train services – and works to rebuild the station are well underway.

The old station building has been demolished, and installation of masts and foundations for overhead electrical wires is progressing.

Early

The six stations between Fairfield and Salisbury, just south of Cross River Rail’s twin tunnels, are also being rebuilt as part of the project, with a third platform and significant accessibility upgrades being delivered.

The first southside station to be upgraded, Yeronga, reopened to passengers earlier in the year, and the full rebuild will be completely finished in late 2022.

Finishing touches are being put on the Fairfield Road overpass, and lift car installation and platform two and three construction is continuing.

Similar works are currently taking place at Fairfield station.

Reopening later this year, crews are currently building Fairfield’s new platforms, and installing canopies to provide shade for passengers waiting at the station.

Fairfield’s timber overpass and stairs will also be removed next month, allowing construction of the new fully accessible overpass to progress.

Rocklea station, the third southside station to be rebuilt, also closed recently, and is scheduled to reopen in late-2023.

The other three stations – Salisbury, Moorooka and Yeerongpilly – will be closed and upgraded on a rolling schedule, with all set to reopen in line with Cross River Rail in 2025.

Procurement activities for the three Gold Coast stations being delivered by Cross River Rail – Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac –are also well underway, while early works at Pimpama are in progress.

works are underway at Dutton Park, where the station is being prepared for major construction.

Albert Street Station boasts the deepest hole ever excavated in Brisbane.

Yeronga reopened to passengers earlier in the year.

New line means less crowding, higher frequency

Commuters in Perth’s inner-west and inner-east are now spoilt for choice with the opening of the Airport Line, which links directly to Perth Airport.

Trains now leave Claremont and Bayswater Stations for Perth every six minutes during peak, compared to every 10 minutes previously, and every 7.5 minutes off-peak on weekdays, compared to every 15 minutes before.

The improved frequency also means trains are departing Claremont and Bayswater Stations every 15 minutes between roughly 9pm and midnight on weekdays, compared to the old frequency of every 30 minutes.

On weekends and public holidays, trains will leave Claremont and Bayswater for Perth on average every 7.5 minutes throughout most of the day.

The higher frequency services will benefit more than 10,000 commuters that board trains between Claremont and Bayswater Stations and the city on average each day.

Every second train departing from Claremont will take commuters to the new Airport Central Station, with the journey time about 35 minutes.

The Claremont Station redevelopment, which was completed in April, will play a critical role in supporting the expanded services. The project included a new bus interchange and two train turnbacks, allowing direct access from

the Fremantle Line to the Airport Line and improved local passenger services.

The redevelopment also included a new principal shared path for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as a new pedestrian underpass connecting Claremont Crescent and Gugeri Street.

Two interpretive signage pieces created by Noongar artist Seantelle Walsh will be installed around the station and a public art mural within the new underpass was created by Jennie Nayton.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the expanded services would mean trains are less crowded, and increased capacity to get more people to and from the city.

“The recently completed upgrades to Claremont Station will play an important role in the operation of the new Airport Line, as well as the Fremantle Line,” she said.

“With the installation of new turnbacks, trains can now be turned around at Claremont Station, supporting daily operations on both lines and resulting in an increased frequency of train services.

“The Claremont Station has been designed to future-proof Perth’s oldest railway station, allowing it to safely and successfully handle trains running more frequently.

“This will greatly benefit people living in the western suburbs of Perth, providing greater access to the city and airport.”

Beams in place at busy Broun bridge

A major milestone on Perth’s Broun Avenue Bridge has been reached with 18 tee-roff beams lifted into place, marking the last of the bridge beams to be installed for the Tonkin Gap Project.

The operations are upgrading Tonkin Highway and also delivering enabling works for the METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line, which includes the upgrades to Broun Avenue Bridge.

At more than 60 metres wide and 6.5 metres high, Broun Avenue bridge will be one of Perth’s widest roads and bus interchange bridges, accommodating 12 bus stands.

In April this year the old Broun Avenue bridge was deconstructed to make way for the longer, wider structure to accommodate METRONET’s Morley-Ellenbrook Line project.

Work on the new Broun Avenue Bridge will continue in the coming months and include

the placement of fill and pavement material to connect the road to the new bridge structure, traffic barriers, noise walls and the connection of the new Principal Shared Path.

Other works are also progressing well with nearby Cherry Court being rebuilt and realigned to tie into the new Broun Avenue bridge.

Traffic will be moved to the new section of the bridge when it opens later this year, to allow METRONET to start work on the bus interchange that will service the new Morley Train Station.

Once complete the Tonkin Highway upgrades will save commuters between 6-11 minutes during peak periods.

The first 18 beams on the project were installed on the Railway Parade bridge last October and during the course of the project some 92 precast tee-roff bridge beams have

been installed. All bridge beams for the project were made locally in Georgiou Group’s precast facility in Hazelmere.

Transport minister Rita Saffioti said these were the final tee-roff beams to be installed on the Tonkin Gap project, all of which have been manufactured locally in WA.

“These projects will fundamentally change the way thousands of people access public transport through Perth’s north-eastern corridor, and reduce congestion and travel times on one of our state’s busiest roads,” she said.

“A huge amount of work has gone into delivering the new Broun Avenue Bridge, and we expect traffic to begin flowing on the new section before the end of the year, which will then allow for works to begin on the new bus interchange.”

Perth Airport Station.

MATISA Australia’s objective is to offer support and service directly from an Australian location as well as carry out repairs and overhauls within Australia. This increases and retains the know-how within Australia, creating income and opportunities for locals.

Showcasing today the rail of tomorrow

A total of 2834 exhibitors from 56 countries displayed at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, showing off the entire product and service diversity of the mobility industry.

The event was held after an absence of four years due to COVID. With 250 world premieres, the companies presented more innovations than ever before. Trade visitors saw 128 vehicles and exhibits on the track and outdoor areas.

InnoTrans, organised by Messe Berlin, consists of five segments: Railway Technology, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors and Tunnel Construction.

Messe Berlin chief executive officer Martin Ecknig said InnoTrans once again impressively proved it was the industry summit that “shows today what will be on the rail and road tomorrow”.

Event director Kerstin Schulz said after the pandemic-induced break, InnoTrans 2022 had made a phenomenal return.

“At last the industry family has come together again. After a long wait we were able to exchange ideas in person and look each other in the eye,” she said.

The proportion of first-time visitors was particularly high at 56 per cent, with 57.3 per cent of visitors from abroad.

GERMANY WANTS RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY

German Transport Minister Volker Wissing suggested to the event that a reliable infrastructure should be included in his country’s constitution as a national objective.

In view of the war in Ukraine, he said, rail infrastructure was relevant to security: among

other things, Germany is suffering from a shortage of gas and rising energy prices, and more and more fossil fuels have to be transported by rail.

“Weaknesses in the infrastructure are therefore security gaps for the population,” he said.

In front of the international audience, he also outlined the strategy with which Germany wants to renew its rail infrastructure: all necessary construction work on the heavily used main corridors is to be bundled and the corridors are to be completely closed one after the other.

In return, they are to remain free of construction for many years. In addition to the infrastructure expansion, the digitalisation of the network should help to make better use of the existing infrastructure.

InnoTrans hosted 128 vehicles and exhibits on the track and outdoor areas.

MOVING WELCOME ADDRESS

Probably few of the 1000 guests invited to the official opening of InnoTrans had expected this: Olexander Kamyschin, chief executive officer of the Ukrainian railways, was also invited to speak.

In a short but moving message of greeting, he addressed the audience personally and emphasised the central role of his company in the war against the Russian aggressors.

“The railway made indispensable contributions, for example in the transport of refugees or wheat,” he said. “In the meantime, 244 railwaymen had died in action.”

Kamyschin said is country would continue to depend on foreign help in the war, and thanked other European railway companies for their support.

Deutsche Bahn, for example, had already organised refugee transports immediately after the war began. In addition, DB is helping with the delivery of relief goods.

DB CEO Richard Lutz assured that his company would continue to support Ukraine.

CATALOGUE OF SOLUTIONS

The EU Innovation Partnership Program Europe’s Rail launched its new “Catalogue of Solutions 2022”.

The first copy of the report, handed over by managing director Carlo Borghini to transport commissioner Adina Vălean, catalogue lists 70 joint developments by members of the joint venture intended to bring efficiency and

innovation in the areas of passenger transport, traffic management, optimised infrastructure, digital “Mobility-as-a-Service” offers, freight transport and cross-cutting areas.

Some developments are already ready for the market, others are still at the prototype stage.

The previous edition of the report from 2019 – then still from the predecessor project “Shift2Rail” – included 54 solutions.

CONSORTIUM TO SELL HYDROGEN SETS

Polish rail vehicle manufacturer Pesa and Polish oil company and refuelling station operator PKN Orlen signed an agreement at InnoTrans to cooperate on hydrogen-powered rail vehicles.

In a joint consortium, the two companies will develop an offer for rail transport companies that includes the supply of rolling stock together with hydrogen supply and refuelling solutions.

The agreement is a clear signal to the market that the rolling stock produced by Pesa has an assured supply of hydrogen, said Krzysztof Zdziarski, president of Pesa.

For PKN Orlen, the agreement is part of its hydrogen strategy: by 2030, the group plans to invest around 7.5 billion Polish Złoty (around 1.6 billion Euro), so that almost half of the hydrogen produced by the company will then be low-emission and emission-free, emphasised Daniel Obajtek, chairman of the board of PKN Orlen.

Pesa and PKN Orlen jointly presented a hydrogen shunting locomotive with a mobile

filling station on the open-air site. The shunting locomotive will complete the final approval tests on the line in Żmigród after InnoTrans and is expected to go into operation at the PKN Orlen production plant in Płock in the first quarter of 2023.

NEW BRAKING SYSTEMS

In contrast to conventional pneumatic braking systems, the electromechanical brake from Knorr-Bremse generates and transmits the braking signal and energy purely electrically.

Due to the faster application and release, braking distances are shortened and track capacities are increased.

With reduced and simplified mechanical and electrical interfaces, the EM brake enables the “airless train” – a train without a complex system of compressors, compressed air tanks and pipes or hydraulics.

Siemens Mobility displayed its new braking technology with Liebherr. It will be used for the first time at the end of 2022 in the “X-Wagen” metro project in Vienna (Austria).

An essential component of the airless braking system is the electrohydraulic brake actuator, which Siemens Mobility and Liebherr developed together. This actuator converts the braking force for the system.

In contrast to the conventional compressedair brake, the brake is controlled completely electrically. This “brake-by-wire” system makes all compressed air lines and pneumatic components for brake control superfluous.

FLIRTING WITH HYDROGEN

Stadler showed the Flirt H2, the first hydrogen train for the USA. This is not a prototype, however, but a series-production vehicle, according to sales and marketing head Ansgar Brockmeyer.

“What is special about the train is the application of the technology,” he said. “The entire hydrogen technology is housed in the centrally located “power car” – the passenger areas in the end cars, which correspond to the electric Flirt, are free of H2 technology.”

The Stadler Flirt H2 is scheduled to run in California from 2024, where it is expected to cover the required 500 kilometres a day without refuelling, even in very hot weather and thus with high output for the air conditioning system.

Battery drive is also an option for making regional trains locally emission-free.

Stadler presented the new Flirt battery together with the client Nah.SH (Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Schleswig-Holstein). The vehicle can run under overhead line or with the battery.

Stadler unveiled its hydrogenpowered FLIRT H2 multiple unit for American passenger transport.

The first of the 55 trains ordered will go into passenger service in May 2023, meaning around 40 per cent of the services in SchleswigHolstein’s regional transport will then be provided by battery trains.

IDEA TRAINS FOR A NEW TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Deutsche Bahn showed off so-called “idea trains” at InnoTrans.

Inconspicuously housed in the middle carriage of the Digital S-Bahn Hamburg, one of them boasted new seating groups or lean-to seats with a table.

The train will go into passenger service in Hamburg in October.

The “City” idea train is mainly intended to variably adapt capacity to traffic times.

During rush hours, for example, seats can be folded up and locked, or “mini compartments” for two standing passengers each can be pushed together to make room for bicycles or prams.

Another idea train, the DB Regio/ Südostbayerbahn double-decker coach converted at the DB plant in Wittenberge, is real. On it, different areas such as compartments, “regulars’ table”, “office” and “new seating” – 10 modules in total – can be experienced.

According to Deutsche Bahn, this “comfort revolution” in regional transport is intended to make travel time an even better user experience. The train will be in passenger service between Munich and Mühldorf from spring 2023.

WOMEN IN MOBILITY

In 2016, a group of 40 women came together for the first time with the vision of bringing the female perspective on mobility more into the focus of politics, planning and traffic engineering practice.

Today, six years later, the increasing relevance of this topic is very tangible: the Women in Mobility (WiM) Luncheon in the Berlin-Brandenburg Pavilion recorded around 600 registered participants in advance – in fact, around 1000 female visitors were on site.

DB local transport sales managing director Carmen Maria Parrino said diversity in public transport still needed more visibility.

In this context, the WiM Luncheon offered an important networking platform, which was used for lively exchanges

ŠKODA INTRODUCES ANTI-COLLISION SYSTEM FOR TRAMS

According to statistics, 10 accidents per day occur in Germany alone involving trams.

The Škoda Group wants to help reduce this number and presented its anti-collision system for trams on the second day of InnoTrans.

After extensive tests in Tampere, Finland, it will be available to customers from 2023.

The system, which uses LIDAR technology (three-dimensional laser scanning) among other things, can be adapted to different customer needs.

Škoda sees the anti-collision system as a first step towards autonomous trams. It is intended to provide a higher level of safety not only for drivers and passengers, but for all road users.

DRS ALLIANCE: A COMPLETE SOLUTION

Under the umbrella of the Digital Railways Solutions Alliance (DRS Alliance), 15 European infrastructure solution providers have joined forces with the vision of “increasing the safety, efficiency and capacity of the world’s rail networks”.

At InnoTrans, the DRS Alliance presented the five pillars of its vision with integrated sensor technologies, maintenance and monitoring solutions in 3D, data management, artificial intelligence-based predictive infrastructure management and automated track maintenance.

The software architecture of the interoperable product platform is in place and the rollout of the technology for the first test route – Wels-Passau – is in full swing.

GREEN FLEET FOR ÖBB

ÖBB boss Andreas Matthä presented the ‘green fleet’ of 56 Plasser & Theurer vehicles which are based on the same carrier vehicle – four different types with individual superstructures.

The principle, called modular customising by the manufacturer, simplifies maintenance and also stands for efficient production.

According to Plasser & Theurer owner Johannes Max-Theurer, “a lot of practical experience” of ÖBB went into the development.

The special feature is the E³ drive technology, the electric hybrid drive. To the construction site, the vehicles drive purely electrically; on site, the batteries are used for eight hours of work.

For Matthä, the fleet is therefore another important building block for ÖBB’s goal of being operationally CO2-free in 2030. ÖBB will receive the first vehicle at the end of 2023.

By 2027, the “green fleet” should be complete. ÖBB has an option for 50 more vehicles. The initial order is worth almost 250 million euros.

INNOVATIONS FOR FREIGHT WAGONS

Often an ignored sector, new innovations in freight wagons were exhibited at InnoTrans.

Many wagons featured new Digital Automatic Couplings (DAK), with the German Federal Ministry of Transport showing a DAK test train.

Various freight wagons with digital automatic couplings will be tested in practice.

Tatravagonka, together with the railway company SETG, presented the “Sflexwood” for the transport of wood.

It offers a larger loading cross-section compared to previous wagons, is easier to load and unload and has a higher payload thanks to its lightweight construction.

Since the front wall is dispensed with, there is up to 25 percent less energy consumption, according to SETG.

Tatravagonka also introduced a new pocket wagon for combined transport. It offers a maximum loading space for truck trailers, secured exclusively via the kingpin.

The wagon is designed for the PortugalSpain market, made possible by exchanging the wheel sets at the gauge change point.

And TX Logistik brought along an improved version of its Nikrasa system, which can also be used to transport non-craneable semitrailers by rail, no longer requires a ramp in the terminal and is also stackable.

Chinese rail giant CRRC was among the exhibitors.

Orders flow for new Mireo trains

Visitors to InnoTrans 2022 had their first glimpse of Siemens Mobility’s new Mireo Plus B battery trains.

A total of 27 of the units will be used by the transportation service Landesanstalt Schienenfahrzeuge Baden-Württemberg (SFBW), which first ordered them in 2020.

The two-car electric trainsets with 120 seats can operate on rail routes with or without overhead power lines thanks to their battery hybrid drive and are scheduled to operate in Network 8 of the Ortenau regional system. Delivery of the multiple units is scheduled between June and December 2023.

Baden-Württemberg bransport minister Winfried Hermann said all trains should be climate-friendly.

“Where there are no overhead lines yet, we rely on alternative and climate-friendly solutions. Thanks to the battery hybrid drive of the Mireo Plus B, trains in the Ortenau region will run emission-free from December 2023,” he said.

“The state of Baden-Württemberg is leading the way as a pioneering region in Germany and is

financing the introduction and operation of the battery trains as the owner.

“The procurement is also based on the “lifecycle approach”, which means that for the first time we are guaranteeing maintenance and servicing over the entire contract period.”

Siemens Mobility Northeast Europe chief executive Gerhard Greiter said with this order, the state of Baden-Württemberg is investing in the future of mobility.

“Our Mireo Plus B battery train enables climate-friendly, locally emission-free passenger transport and thus offers a sustainable alternative to the use of diesel multiple units on non-electrified lines. We guarantee the availability of the fleet with maintenance over the entire life cycle.”

The range of the Mireo Plus B in battery mode under real conditions is more than 80 kilometres.

The batteries can be charged on the overhead line and by using the braking energy.

The battery system is mounted underfloor and includes two battery containers, with long-life lithium-ion batteries used.

Siemens Mobility plans to take care of the maintenance of the trains for almost 30 years. The trains will be built at the Siemens Mobility plant in Krefeld.

In addition to the order for BadenWürttemberg, Siemens Mobility has also received two further orders for the Mireo Plus B: Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB) has ordered 31 Mireo Plus B trains in 2021.

Seven more trains will go to Midtjyske Jernbaner in Denmark from the end of 2024.

Greener rides with Thales, SMRT

As part of its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, Singapore’s SMRT Trains has partnered with Thales on a key initiative called “The Next-Generation Green CBTC Project”.

Highlighted at InnoTrans 2022, the collaboration aims to reduce electricity consumption and further improve traction energy efficiency of the North-South and East-West lines (NSEWL), the oldest in the country’s rail network.

Thales’ SelTrac CBTC system first entered into service on NSEWL in 2017 and has since enhanced signalling reliability and passenger experience. As NSEWL is managed by CBTC, the traction-related actions of acceleration, braking and coasting are controlled by an automatic train operation (ATO) system.

Since its entry into service, Thales’ Automatic Train Control (ATC) system running on these lines has developed smart algorithms on how a train is controlled, following optimised running curves to achieve best energy-saving results with negligible impact on travel time.

For instance, it uses coasting techniques (where the train is running with the electricity

supply to its traction motors shut off and the brakes are not applied) in some predefined locations between the stations – which have been carefully identified to optimize its green features.

The topography of the lines and the train speed at different locations of the MRT lines are fully integrated in the software, maximising the use of train coasting mode and thus, saving energy.

At present, traction usage constitutes 60 per cent of total energy use on NSEWL. The direct impact to energy usage on NSEWL from both train movement profiles and operational profiles will be analysed using revenue operational data collected by the SelTrac CBTC system to continuously improve the algorithms and recommend suitable changes.

By improving train movement profiles through the signalling system and making minor modifications to operational procedures, SMRT Trains and Thales aim to meet a target of 15 per cent reduction in traction power – inherently making passenger rides on NSEWL greener.

Over the past decade, Thales has reinforced its

position as a leading transportation provider for ticketing, communication and signalling solutions in Singapore.

In February 2022, Thales and SMRT Trains signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate and leverage digital technologies such as data analytics to enhance rail maintenance and operations to deliver reliable and sustainable rides in Singapore.

Gerhard Greiter (left), Winfried Hermann and SFBW CEO Volker M. Heepen with the Mireo Plus B.

SMRT Trains and Thales aim to meet a target of 15 per cent reduction in traction power.

Australian projects on global stage

There was a strong Australian/New Zealand presence at InnoTrans, where the Australasian Railway Association’s (ARA) delegation highlighted the significant capability, innovation and investment in rail across the region.

The ARA led a delegation of 180 senior representatives from more than 60 organisations to the event, which strongly reflected on the theme of sustainable mobility, with a range of hydrogen and battery/electric trains on show at the rail track and outdoor display.

This was complemented by a significant program across the event’s four days, with topics such as future mobility trends, driverless vehicles, tunnel construction, smart public transport and improved passenger experience all common themes throughout the exhibition.

ARA chief executive officer Caroline Wilkie presented on Australia’s rail capability at InnoTrans 2022, highlighting the significant opportunity that currently exists within the Australian market.

She told attendees that Australia was in the midst of a wave of new investment, with $155 billion in rail investment planned over the next 15 years.

Wilkie outlined the key projects underway across the country, from Sydney Metro and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel to Cross River Rail and the METRONET program.

The industry’s focus on harmonisation, sustainability and skills development were also featured in the presentation.

The address highlighted the breadth of opportunities that exist within Australia, while also showcasing the significant skills

delegation throughout the week, including several visits to InnoTrans exhibitors. This included tours of the Alstom, Hyundai Rotem, Siemens, ABB and Wabtec stands to learn more about the innovation in development by these companies.

Hyundai Rotem showcased its new hydrogen electric tram as part of the delegations visit to its stand, while delegation members also had the chance to travel on Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen train throughout the week.

The Coradia iLint is the world’s first passenger train in commercial service powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and recently travelled 1175km without refuelling.

Delegation members visiting the ABB

A tour of the Siemens exhibition –which was the largest stand at InnoTrans – provided delegation members with the opportunity to hear about the range of technologies it is delivering to support more efficient rail operations.

The visit followed a site tour to Siemens’ Berlin factory, where the delegation viewed the company’s European Train Control System (ETCS) demonstration locomotive, testing facilities and factory.

Wabtec also displayed a range of innovations in operation across the industry aimed at supporting improved efficiency and the industry’s move towards a zero-emission rail ecosystem.

The Australian pavilion, hosted by the ARA, provided a central focus for meetings and networking events promoting Australian rail throughout the event.

A number of networking events at the pavilion, supported by Martinus, John Holland Group, Unipart Group and Inver Engineering, provided the chance for delegates to build on meetings throughout the week and deepen their connections with stakeholders.

Following InnoTrans, the ARA held meetings with a range of stakeholders from the UK to gain further insights into the key issues facing the international rail industry.

The meetings provided an opportunity to explore the potential for further information sharing and collaboration between Australia and our global counterparts.

Part of the ARA delegation: Transport for NSW Greater Sydney COO Howard Collins (left), ARA CEO Caroline Wilkie, John Holland Rail and Transport general manager Steve Butcher, and Keolis Downer CEO David Franks.

Delegates had the chance to ride Alstom’s Coradia iLint.

CREDIT: RAIL GALLERY

Pioneering rail project rolls along

Connecting Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, the 1700 kilometre Inland Rail project is well under way. It’s aiming to create a national freight network, better connecting producers to markets and creating new opportunities for businesses, industries and regional communities.

Australia’s largest freight rail infrastructure program, Inland Rail, is overseen by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), the Australian Government-owned statutory corporation that operates one of the largest rail networks in the nation, spanning 8500km across five states.

With the building of the first tracks kicking off in 2018, Inland Rail aims to enable freight to be delivered faster and more reliably to a growing population, and beyond to global markets.

It also will lead to safer, less congested roads and fewer carbon emissions.

To deliver the rail line, Inland Rail is divided into 13 projects: seven in New South Wales, five in Queensland and one in Victoria.

The NSW sections are Albury to Illabo, Illabo to Stockinbingal, Stockingbingal to Parkes, Parkes to Narromine (completed), Narromine to Narrabri (the longest section of track), Narrabri to North Star, and North Star to Border.

In Queensland the projects are Border to Gowrie, Gowrie to Helidon, Helidon to Calvert, Calvert to Kagaru, and Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton. In Victoria, the line runs from Tottenham to Albury.

Each project has its own timeline, with one section already completed (Parkes to Narromine), another section recently commencing construction, and a number of other sections going through the Environmental Impact Statement process.

The project has a completion date of 2027, an indicative estimate that will be determined by a number of factors, including ongoing community consultation, design development work and unforeseen weather events.

• Significant dates:

2016–17: The Federal Budget announced that the Inland Rail project would be delivered by the ARTC in partnership with the private sector, with an additional $593 million in equity granted to the ARTC for the purposes of land acquisition, due diligence and continued pre-construction activities.

2017–18: The Federal Budget committed $8.4 billion in additional funds from the Australian Government in equity investment in ARTC and

announced a Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the Gowrie to Kagaru project in Queensland, bringing the total Australian Government financing towards the delivery of Inland Rail to $9.3b.

2018: Construction commenced on the Parkes to Narromine project in NSW.

2019: A bilateral agreement was signed between the Australian Government and Queensland Government for the delivery of Inland Rail in Queensland.

2020: The first Inland Rail project, from Parkes to Narromine, was completed.

2020: Construction commenced on the second section of Inland Rail, from Narrabri to North Star in NSW.

2020: The Australian Government committed up to an additional $5.5b in equity to enable ARTC to deliver Inland Rail.

2021: The Australian Government committed up to $10m to investigate the viability of extending Inland Rail from Toowoomba to Gladstone.

2027: Expected end of project.

• Current status:

Projects approaching construction: 11 of 13 Projects under construction: 1 of 13

Projects which have completed construction: 1 of 13

NARRABRI TO NORTH STAR

Construction on Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) is proceeding smoothly, with works on the project upgrading about 184 kilometres of existing track and construction of approximately 2km of new rail.

It is the second section of Inland Rail to enter construction, after the completion of Parkes to Narromine.

A huge achievement was realised on the Narrabri to North Star Phase 1 project in August when ARTC Inland Rail’s contractor Trans4m Rail completed all major bridge works along the alignment.

Seven new bridge structures now stand at Ten Mile Creek, Bobbiwaa Creek, Gurley Creek, Gil Gil Creek, Croppa Creek Tributary, Croppa Creek and Yallaroi Creek.

The bridges can now accommodate doublestacked, 1800m-long trains with a 21-tonne axle load. Track construction is progressing to schedule between Narrabri and Bellata marked by the recent arrival of a ballast train to the area.

The additional ballast train comprises 25

ballast wagons and two plough wagons and will work its way north distributing ballast in and around the new sleepers and tracks via doors at the bottom of each carriage.

The Inland Rail track team has laid 83km of new rail and installed 51km of top ballast between North Camurra and North Star.

More than 70 per cent of new track has now been installed across the N2NS Phase 1 project.

Another significant milestone reached this quarter was the installation of the final concrete box-culverts at Buckie Road and County Boundary Road level crossings, in the northern section of the project.

These level crossings are being upgraded to active crossings and will feature boom gates, warning signals and lights, increasing safety for motorists and pedestrians.

As of July 2022, more than 600 local residents had worked on Inland Rail and more than $166 million had been spent with local businesses and suppliers.

Activity is now increasing on Phase 2 of N2NS, with the Environmental Impact Statement put on public exhibition in September.

Phase 2 involves upgrading about 13km of existing track and building roughly 2km of

Inland Rail will enable freight to be delivered faster and more reliably to a growing population.

Inland Rail is being built now to create a new freight future for Australia.

It is a fast freight backbone spanning more than 1,700km from Melbourne to Brisbane that’s transforming how goods are moved around Australia.

Learn more about Inland Rail, visit inlandrail.com.au

Key elements of Phase 2 include raising railway heights to achieve improved flood immunity, enhancing operational capability and changes to existing bridges over the Mehi and Gwydir rivers.

The project will also involve upgrading drainage and associated flood management works, modifying existing level crossings to improve safety and works on utilities, modifying infrastructure and fencing impacted by the track upgrade.

Phase 2 works will link to Phase 1 construction, as well as the Weemelah line that branches off at Camurra.

Following the EIS public exhibition, a written report responding to issues raised during the consultation will be made publicly available and will be submitted to Department of Planning and Environment and the Minister for Planning for consideration in assessing the N2NS Phase 2 project.

Investigations, detailed design and consultation for N2NS Phase 2 will continue as the project approaches construction, which is expected to begin in 2024.

STOCKINBINGAL TO PARKES

The Stockinbingal to Parkes (S2P) section consists of 170km of existing rail corridor in New South Wales, passing through the communities of Milvale, Bribbaree, Quandialla, Caragabal, and Forbes.

The project will better link producers, farmers and businesses to national and global markets and reduce reliance on road freight.

One of the beneficiaries is grocer Joseph Bernardi, of Bernardis, who has operated in Forbes for more than 50 years, and who sees the Inland Rail initiative as a great opportunity for local businesses.

“The freight rail will ship the freshest produce faster to the local logistic hubs instead for our local trucking businesses, and it’s an opportunity for local producers to get their stock out all over larger domestic markets,” he said.

Bernardi is also looking forward to seeing Forbes thrive during the construction phase of Inland Rail.

“If the Forbes construction work generates 70 new jobs, that can bring in workers and their families and that quickly turns into supporting 300 people. That is a real opportunity,” he said.

The S2P rail track is already at the standard required to meet future Inland Rail demands, but some enhancements need to be made to allow safe clearance for the double-stacked trains that will be using the Inland Rail line.

Special Feature: Inland Rail

the Lachlan River rail bridge and under the Wyndham Avenue road bridge in Forbes.

Inland Rail will also build a new crossing loop at Daroobalgie, north of Forbes, to allow trains travelling in opposite directions to pass each other safely.

Other clearance and safety works include modifying Forbes Railway Station and several existing crossing loops, structures, and utilities along the line.

The S2P project is now in the procurement and detailed design stages.

During this time, Inland Rail is conducting various environmental and technical investigations and consulting with key stakeholders, communities, and landowners to validate and enhance the reference design.

Early works have commenced in and around Forbes to enable major construction works to proceed once a contractor is appointed.

Following a competitive tender process, a contractor will be appointed early next year to deliver the Albury to Illabo and Stockinbingal to Parkes enhancement projects.

Throughout the Stockinbingal to Parkes project, Inland Rail is supporting local communities with opportunities to work, learn and grow their businesses.

Inland Rail is committed to using local suppliers and labour and there will be opportunities for a range of businesses to participate in the delivery of work associated with the project’s construction.

‘Meet the Shortlisted Contractor’ sessions were held in July 2022 and local and First Nations businesses interested in future

new track across the Mehi-Gwydir floodplain at Camurra, north of Moree.

The project will create thousands of jobs during peak construction.

The current S2P rail track.

It’s time to make the 20s roar again

The 1920s didn’t get off to the best of starts.

Emerging from the devastation of the Great War with the Spanish flu pandemic quick on its heels, Australia faced the enormous task of rebuilding from the ashes amid a level of uncertainty never seen in the country before.

And in the wake of the COVID pandemic, it’s tempting to ask whether history will repeat itself.

Once the virus passes, will the 2020s roar the way the 1920s did? Will this 10-year period be seen from a historical perspective as a decade defined by change?

At the ARTC, we believe the Inland Rail project will deliver the potential to reform the way freight and logistics are undertaken in this country as Australia reshapes its priorities amid a changing world.

Over the last three years, the resilience of Australians has been severely tested just as it

everyday people began to become aware of the tremendous amount of work that needs to occur to move freight across the nation so that our supermarket shelves are stocked ready for consumption.

And let’s not forget the natural disasters that have been part of our lives since the start of the decades, with bushfires and floods dominating the headlines like never before.

ARTC is immensely proud of the Inland Rail project and the role it will play in the future.

Inland Rail has already delivered more than 700 contracts worth more than $2 billion as we begin this massive nation-shaping endeavour – a 1700 kilometre rail line from Brisbane to Melbourne which will not only reshape the national freight network in terms of delivery times but build resiliency into our network like never before.

Inland Rail runs through 13 federal

The construction will provide the initial stimulus, but the ongoing benefits will result in more competitive supply lines for generations to come.

There will be thousands of jobs created during peak construction, which will boost the Australian economy by more than $18 billion – and much of this spend will be in regional communities.

Inland Rail is a world class project that is delivering enormous economic and social benefits to our country at time when we need it most.

It will complete the backbone of our freight rail network, it will help businesses move freight safer, faster, cheaper and with a lower carbon footprint.

It will reduce our reliance on busy roads and highways.

national economy. It’s time to make the 20s

Inland Rail runs through 13 federal electorates.

Inland Rail interim CEO Rebecca Pickering tells Rail Express that the project will become the fast freight backbone that will transform how goods are moved around Australia.

Rebecca Pickering

Housing boost for Gilgandra

The ARTC has partnered with the Gilgandra Shire Council (GSC) in New South Wales to develop additional housing ahead of Inland Rail construction, with 10 new homes set to be built in the Aero Park area.

Inland Rail has agreed to sign long-term leases on the new homes for the usage of employees working on the Narromine to Narrabri (N2N) section of the network.

These long-term leases have given GSC the financial assurance they required to spend some $5 million on the construction of the new homes.

When Inland Rail construction has finished in the region the homes, to be situated in Aero Park – a largely undeveloped residential subdivision on the western fringe of town – will be made available for purchase or rental by local residents with a particular focus on attraction of skilled workers for essential services and local business.

The housing project comes at an opportune time for the GSC region, as there is currently extremely low housing vacancy in the area, and it is hoped that in the future these houses will assist in attracting people to work and live in the region.

Inland Rail interim chief executive Rebecca Pickering said that given the shortage of available local housing, the organidation did not want to take much needed existing housing

stock for its own employees when they moved into the area.

“It is exciting to see Gilgandra Shire Council’s vision come to fruition in partnership with ARTC Inland Rail for this housing development,” she said.

“Our commitment to long-term leases will ease the burden on the Gilgandra community for the project’s accommodation requirements.

“Once these homes are completed and Inland Rail construction completed, they will be utilised to attract other critical workers to Gilgandra.

“Gilgandra is strategically located between two civil works packages, and this housing development will leave a strong legacy for Inland Rail in the district.”

GSC mayor Doug Batten said the Council should be complimented on leading the initiative to capture an additional legacy from the Inland Rail project for the community.

“Council has put considerable time and resources into understanding the opportunities Inland Rail presents,” he said.

“For several years, council had the vision of Gilgandra being a significant construction hub for Inland Rail. This housing project position Gilgandra well to be a significant hub for professional staff or what some might refer to as “white collar roles”.

Inland Rail has arranged for housing for employees working on the N2N section.

“There are numerous well documented examples around the country where locals struggle to get housing when these major projects enter the community.

“The project shows both ARTC and Inland Rail understand this and are committed to partnering with Council to mitigate this situation.”

Water investigations near completion

The Water Bore Legacy Project, led by Gilgandra Shire Council and funded by Inland Rail, is well advanced with drilling of the last exploratory bore now completed.

The project, which started in March, is investigating water sources at four potential bore sites: Curban Hall, Wyuna Road, Box Ridge Road and Old Mill Road in the Gilgandra Shire.

Its objective is to maximise water availability for all users while Inland Rail is in construction in the area.

Initial findings at the 260m Curban Hall bore site are positive, according to the project team.

GSC project manager Randall Medd said preliminary results from a pump test have shown a decent yield, potentially better than most of the existing shallower aquifer bores in the area.

“The water quality is also likely to be suitable for construction, stock and domestic purposes,” he said.

will make the information available and seek input on long-term bore viability.

At the same time, the project team will start the approvals phase to secure water licences and seek consent for construction of permanent bore infrastructure. The final step will be to install water pumps and connect services.

Access to sustainable water supplies is a key issue for the Gilgandra community and this Inland Rail-funded project is a direct outcome of community consultation undertaken in 2020.

When Inland Rail construction begins, project teams will use the new bores to reduce the volume of water drawn from existing supplies.

Once the Narromine to Narrabri section is complete, Inland Rail will turn the bores over to the Council to improve water access for the community going forward.

“We’re pleased to Inland Rail is helping share long-term water usage benefits with the community and leaving a positive legacy for generations to come,” Medd said.

The project will lead to long-term water usage benefits for the Gilgandra community.

Did you know?

Inland Rail will enable double-stacked, 1,800m long trains that will carry the equivalent freight volume of 110 B-double trucks. We’ll be at AusRAIL Brisbane, 5–7 December 2022 Please visit our stand 38–39 to find out more about the Inland Rail project. inlandrail.com.au

Flood recovery effort sign of ARTC resilience

On July 5, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) had to close down the Hunter Valley Network after heavy rainfall caused serious flooding in Maitland and surrounding areas.

The shutdown of the line caused disruption to customers and to the local community, but ARTC worked closely with the authorities and its contractors to get the network operational as quickly as possible.

Such was the huge amount of rain that

damage to track and reinstate signalling and track equipment. After a huge amount of work was completed, ARTC was able to re-open the track to coal trains, allowing them to deliver coal to local power stations, with other trains gradually returning to service in the following days.

ARTC Hunter Valley network group executive Wayne Johnson said it was pleasing to have trains resuming service on the Hunter

resilience in extremely difficult working conditions,” he said. “We prioritised coal trains as the first trains to resume service given the importance of resuming supply to power stations, with agricultural products for food production commencing soon after.

“ARTC would like to thank our customers and the local community for their patience during that disruption to normal services.

“We would also like to thank local

An aerial view of the floods.

The floodgates at Maitland Station had to be closed.

Sleepers on the job for Austrak

Imagine manufacturing 1.3 million railroad sleepers for the Inland Rail project.

That’s what dedicated sleeper company Austrak has been contracted for, and it’s a task it takes in its stride.

Established in 1980, Austrak has become a world leader in the design and manufacture of pre-stressed concrete sleepers, and the largest concrete sleeper manufacturer in Australia.

Since 2018 Austrak has been wholly owned by the Vossloh Group, whose core business is rail infrastructure. Throughout the world Vossloh offers integrated rail solutions from a single source, significantly contributing to the safe, reliable and sustainable movement of people and commodities around the world.

Austrak managing director Murray Adams tells Rail Express that the company is focused on offering the best in sleeper design and manufacture while providing clients in Australia a channel to the Vossloh Group suite of rail solutions.

“We are a leader in the design, construction, commissioning, and operation of concrete sleeper manufacturing plants, having built and run factories in Australia and overseas. Some factories have been custom-built for projects, and capacities range from 50,000 to more than one million sleepers per year,” he said.

“Austrak has produced more than 24 million sleepers for medium and heavy-duty rail, including two million sleepers for light rail and tramways, and a broad range of products designed to meet customers’ varying needs.”

The company‘s products meet exacting standards of structural design, beam strength, materials specification and selection, concrete durability, manufacturing process, correct stressing, concrete compaction, dimensional integrity, and performance testing.

With that pedigree, it’s not hard to see why the ARTC chose Austrak to supply sleepers for the remainder of the Inland Rail project.

“We tendered for the first phase of Inland Rail: the Parkes to Narromine section,” Adams said.

“We didn’t win that tender but we won the next phase, Narromine to North Star. ARTC then decided not to tender for the various sections, but to contract out the remaining project altogether, and we have been awarded that job.

“So we’ve moved from a first contract of 230,000 sleepers to one that calls for 1.3 million sleepers over what is looking like a six-year project worth $130 million to us.”

And it’s not just making a standard type of sleeper. Because of the different track gauges in

NSW and Queensland, Austrak has to manufacture units that suit.

“We are supplying standard gauge for NSW, and dual gauge sleepers for Queensland,” Adams said. In fact, Austrak supplies a product range includes all the different sorts of gauges, turnout bearers, level crossing panels, monorail sleepers and various specialty sleepers.

Austrak has a national network of four strategically located factories:

• Geelong, Victoria

• Rockhampton, Queensland

• Port Hedland, Western Australia

• Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

If needed however, it can build and operate factories near any larger projects to provide cost and logistics efficiencies. For example, two factories were built in the Northern Territory to manufacture two million sleepers for the 1410 kilometre rail line from Alice Springs to Darwin.

Impressively, in the past, Austrak has built and operated factories in the Pilbara in WA, Katherine and Tennant Creek in the NT, northern Queensland, and overseas in Dubai and Malaysia.

“The majority of the sleepers will be made at our Wagga Wagga factory, which is literally a stone’s throw from the main line running from Melbourne through to Brisbane,” Adams said.

“We’ll make about 300,000 sleepers in in our factory in Rockhampton and ship them to Toowoomba for the project.”

Indeed, without the Inland Rail contract, the Wagga Wagga premises might have closed.

“There are currently 47 people employed at Wagga, and none of them would be there if not for Inland Rail,” he said.

“We’re currently also doing some work for V/ Line and for Rail Projects Victoria’s Shepparton Line upgrade. And arguably, maybe we would have had to open the factory anyway for this.

“But because we were already doing Inland Rail, it enabled us to make sleepers much more easily than if we had been shut down and forced to just ramp up and make more sleepers.

“The same applies to the Rockhamption site; we have an ongoing contract with Aurizon and Queensland Rail which keeps the factory open all the time, but this is another line of work for us which will add jobs and certainly bring more work stability.

“Businesses keep their factories open, the employees get employed, bringing in economic benefits to the regional areas.”

And it’s the effect on local employment and associated flow-on gains to the economy that Adams sees as the biggest benefits of Inland Rail.

“A lot of the materials will come from suppliers in regional areas,” he said. “Others who will be working on this project may also be city-based; they might be a designer or project manager and they might be from Brisbane or they might be based in Sydney, and they’ll spend a lot of time out in the respective regions, bringing in revenue for the local businesses … hotels, cafes, shops.”

Adams said it was imperative that Inland Rail is not hindered or scrapped.

“Apart from shifting transport to rail and cutting down on pollution, it will make Australian manufacturing more competitive, because you’ll be able to get grain or goods to the ports more effectively, more quickly in a dedicated line than the current convoluted network we have,” he said.

Sleepers being made in an Austrak facility.

Turnout order boost for jobs

Apart from the success of Austrak, the Vossloh Group also received a major order of switch systems via its Australian subsidiary Vossloh Cogifer Australia.

The company will manufacture and supply the turnouts for about 1100 kilometres of the planned 1700km freight line, spread over the duration of the project.

As Vossloh Cogifer general manager Boris Rozentoul explains, the $80 million order is the biggest in the history of Vossloh in Australia.

Headquartered at Castlemaine in Victoria, the company specialises in the manufacture and maintenance of switch systems.

“This particular job provides massive innovation for our design and manufacturing methods,” Rozentoul said.

The business is currently working full time on the design and manufacture of more than 200 turnouts, which allow a freight train to diverge from one track to another.

“When Inland Rail is in full swing, we will have many more additional full time employees working on that project alone,” Rozentoul said.

“Inland Rail provides a very welcome boost to the regional areas, particularly after the last couple of years.

“It provides for employment opportunities and future business opportunities. It provides the sense that the country is moving again together.”

So big is the order that Vossloh will be building a dedicated factory in the Bendigo region, expected to cost about $20 million, a big sum indeed for what can be seen as a niche market.

In fact, one main machine, a CNC automated twin-headed unit capable of working on two roles simultaneously, has already been delivered and is in storage, awaiting transfer to the new facility once it’s built.

“At $4.5 million, it’s not cheap. This sort of investment only happens in the markets which we know are promising, which have the dynamic and growth of the Australian market,” Rozentoul said.

He said Inland Rail drove economic activity throughout the construction phase, with the local manufacture of this critical part of rail infrastructure reinforcing the positive flow-on effects of this project right through regional Australia and the economy.

“The project brings in certainty for the company, the certainty for the people who work there, and creates a lot of new jobs, and high tech jobs at that. Because of the machines, we need have programmers,” Rozentoul said.

“The company could provide continuous employment for years and years to come.”

Rozentoul said the nature of the Vossloh

task was interesting because it involved the specialised niche switch products, which are required because of the differing track gauges across the states.

“We have six states, of course, and two territories, and each state has its own standards and its own gauges,” he said.

“It’s a highly specialised market and you need engineers to design the items. You need the strategic manufacturing capability within the country, because you cannot rely on any imports to substitute for them.”

Rozentoul said the company currently employed about 87 full time staff, but would be looking to bring more people in over the course of the program.

“We need to employ more people. And employ them in advance, because they have to be trained; you can’t take anybody off the street and put them on the production line,” he said.

“These are fairly highly skilled jobs where quite a bit of training is needed. We do very complicated designs, putting all the pieces of rail which we machine together.

“We’re also talking about people across the board in the office, the project management, the project management team and new accountants. Plus the engineering team permanently employed just to develop the designs for Inland Rail and that’s before we come to the to the blue collar guys.”

Rozentoul said there was also potential to be involved with fast speed rail projects across Australia, with the Federal Government recently discussing legislation to set up a high speed rail authority to facilitate such projects.

Vossloh Cogifer general manager Boris Rozentoul.

Work carried out on the turnouts.

First Skills Academy graduates

The first cohort of students has now successfully graduated from the Inland Rail Skills Academy (IRSA) Foundation Course at TAFE NSW Boggabilla.

In addition to developing skills in construction, students on the Foundation Course have accessed training in financial literacy, digital literacy, literacy, numeracy, and career preparation skills.

The successful graduates can now apply for positions working on the Inland Rail project with contractors such as Freight Connect, the preferred civil works contractor for the North Star to Border (NS2B) Inland Rail section.

Alternatively, graduates can also take their studies further by undertaking a Certificate II in Rail Infrastructure – some graduates have already registered for this – or in Infrastructure and Resource qualifications.

Of the first 11 graduates from the program, five have fully completed a Certificate II in Construction, providing options for a range of careers. The remaining students have completed with competencies or part-qualifications.

In collaboration with TAFE NSW, IRSA has

First Nations people make the most of the employment opportunities on Inland Rail.

Inland Rail Health, Safety and Environment director Steve Jones said the graduation of the first students from the IRSA Foundation Course was a proud moment and a critical part of the legacy that Inland Rail wants to leave behind.

“Inland Rail is not just about building the railway line, as important as that is, it’s also about

“There is no better legacy than helping local people learn new skills that set them up for new careers that can help them build better lives for themselves and their families.

“We’re providing opportunities for local communities and businesses to participate in and benefit from the project, as well as develop skills and resources which will contribute to regional sustainability and prosperity.”

Solar power for signalling system

The ARTC has turned to environmentally friendly solar power to provide electricity to its new Inland Rail signalling system at Coolleearlee, NSW, the first time a solar solution has been used on the network.

This eliminated the need for a 2.2 kilometre trench through local properties to install and deliver mains power services to the new signalling site that will operate on the Narrabri to North Star section of the network.

Using solar power rather than mains power for the signalling system will deliver an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution to powering the 24-hour signalling system.

ARTC estimates that using the solarpowered signalling system will save nearly seven tonnes of carbon emissions annually and more than $10,000 per year in operational electricity cost savings.

Using solar power also saved ARTC around $300,000 in costs, mostly savings from not building new trenching to connect to the electricity network, as well as associated hardware costs.

In addition, using solar power on the

performance and efficiency without visiting the site. The solar system is fitted with battery back-up that provides for 10 days of back-up operation.

Inland Rail N2NS project director Peter Borrelli said the signalling system at Coolleearlee, around 50km from Moree, will be used to support the crossing-loop that will operate in the area, allowing trains going in

opposing directions to pass each other, creating

systems can be a real challenge so the successful completion of this solar powered system in Coolleearlee is a great outcome,” he said.

“We always seek to minimise disruption to local communities so using solar rather than mains power with all the construction work that would involve is a great result for the local community too.”

The group of graduates and their instructors.

The solar powered system at Coolleearlee.

GPS-based technology makes rail network safer

Australian innovation is modernising the nation’s vast interstate network, with works progressing on the broader deployment of the next generation train control system, Advanced Train Management System (ATMS).

The ARTC’s custom-engineered technology, designed for Australian rail freight network conditions, is delivering significant safety, operational and commercial benefits for above and below rail operators.

GPS and mobile telecommunication technologies and has been operational since 2021 between Port Augusta and Whyalla.

The next section for deployment will be Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie before the system is rolled out across the entire ARTC network including the Inland Rail line.

ARTC chief executive officer and managing director Mark Campbell said ATMS was a collaboration with Lockheed Martin Australia.

“ATMS brings a range of safety, productivity, capacity and situational awareness benefits to rail operations. The most exciting is its automatic safety intervention capability,” he said.

“ATMS will ensure trains do not exceed speed limits by warning the driver if the train is approaching the end of its authority.

“If the driver does not bring the train to a stop, ATMS will apply the brakes and bring it to

“Deploying digital capabilities is central to us achieving operational excellence for our customers. We are very excited at how ATMS will help us continue to deliver a safe, reliable and efficient rail network.”

ATMS digitally connects drivers in the cab to ARTC’s network control centre via smart system boxes in the train cab, satellite feed and telecommunications.

ATMS provides a simple train control and

network operating system, that is easier and more efficient for operators and train control.

It’s a simple system which then enables operators to focus on the task at hand.

The ATMS project team has worked closely with rail companies on the design and use of the driver interface in the locomotive cab –including human factors expertise and extensive user testing with train drivers – as well as network controllers in ARTC’s Adelaide-based train control centre.

Drivers have been trained in ATMS at Pacific National’s Port Augusta depot as well as network controllers at ARTC’s Network Control Centre in Adelaide.

“Implementing an improved safety environment with a technology platform like ATMS takes effort and investment, that’s why we are proud to be working with the Federal Government to make our rail network even safer,” Campbell said.

“We are also very proud that this technology is being developed right here in South Australia, using the skills and knowledge of local workers to help make our national rail network safer and more productive.

“Improving safety on our rail networks is not just the right thing to do, it will also help drive greater usage of our rail networks and get more trucks off our roads.”

The system will be rolled out across the entire ARTC network, including the Inland Rail line.

Inside ARTC’s Adelaide-based train control centre.

Projects help transform the economic gateway to Sydney

The ARTC is set to transform freight transportation through the ciommercial hub of Port Botany.

Construction works have begun on two massive projects that will improve the freight supply chain across New South Wales as well as create better access to global export markets for farmers.

The Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop projects will improve port access for freight by eliminating a current transport constraint to Sydney’s main economic gateway.

According to ARTC chief executive officer Mark Campbell, improving freight performance at Port Botany is critical for the economic growth and prosperity of Sydney, NSW and Australia.

“Container freight to be handled by Port Botany is estimated to significantly increase by 77 per cent to 25.5 million tonnes by 2036 and is driving the significant $400m investment ARTC is making though these two projects,” he said.

“Rail is the logical way to handle the increase, as each freight train can take up to 54 trucks worth of freight off the road, tackling congestion and improving the everyday commute in Sydney.”

The Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop projects have long been identified as key projects to enable more freight to be transported by rail from Sydney and ARTC is now taking those steps forward.

Campbell said these projects would strike the balance between rail and road by duplicating the remaining single freight rail track section of the Botany Line between Mascot and Botany, and constructing a new passing loop on the Southern Sydney Freight Line (SSFL) between Cabramatta Station and Warwick Farm Station to allow for longer freight trains.

Once completed, the Cabramatta Loop Project will allow freight trains travelling in either direction along the Southern Sydney Freight Line to pass each other and provide additional rail freight capacity for the network.

“These two landmark projects will encourage a shift in freight share from road to rail, to help rail carry more of Sydney’s freight growth and associated traffic congestion,” Campbell said.

“They will support growth in the containerised freight task and port-shuttle rail services between Port Botany and intermodal terminals such as at Enfield, Moorebank, Minto and Chullora.

“In a time when getting goods to consumers across the state has never been so important, we

are focusing on delivery of these key projects long identified as integral to enabling more freight to be transported by rail through Port Botany.

“These are not just Sydney-centric projects, the results will benefit all NSW as it strives to meet the freight task. These projects are about building for the future of our network.

“ARTC is constantly looking ahead to improve our existing infrastructure in a bid to create a stronger, more resilient freight network with an eye on the future needs of the organisation.

“We have battled storms, bush fires and recordbreaking floods around the country.

“These floods severely impacted the nation’s transport systems – including roads and rail – serving as a devastating reminder about the criticality of Australia’s supply chains.

“The challenges have been immense. But pleasingly, as an industry, we’ve risen to them.”

Campbell said that for example, the one-in300-year flood in South Australia’s far north –which completely halted the movement of freight between South Australia, Western Australia and

“That said, we know we can always do better,” he said. “That’s why we continue to look at new and better ways to manage our network to reduce risks and increase resilience. That is why we are building Inland Rail – a project that has been on the drawing board for more than 100 years.

“Indeed, enhancing the safety, reliability and efficiency of our rail network is what drives us each and every day, so that we provide the highest possible level of service to our customers and local communities across the country.”

Work caried out on the Botany Rail Duplication project.

Excavation for the Cabramatta Loop.

UNISTAR HR

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ARTC Inland Rail select the UNISTAR HR switch machine from voestalpine Railway Systems

Reliable real-time surveillance

Onboard CCTV has become one of the mandatory applications on a train in the past 10 years.

Alongside the fast-growing AI technologies and AIoT applications, the CCTV video images are not only used in live view and record mode, but also in video analytics for event/alarm notification and predictive maintenance.

The increasing interest in “autonomous trains” is an ongoing trend and is becoming one of the hot topics in the rail markets: as a result, the purpose of rail onboard CCTV applications is evolving from post-investigation with recorded videos, to real-time video images for event/ alarm notification and handling, as well as smart surveillance with AIoT applications.

ONBOARD CCTV APPLICATIONS

Moxa’s product manager of IVN Product Development Department, Vertical Market Business Division, Harry Hsiao, said there are four requirements that can be highlighted for current onboard CCTV applications.

• More cameras:

“For versatile surveillance, as well as due to the increased AIoT application requirements, more and more cameras are required to be installed on the trains. In addition, apart from

are also required for different installation environment,” Hsiao said.

“Examples are the day and night units with built-in IR illuminator for cab drivers, the high-speed camera for clear image capture in a high-speed moving environment, and the outdoor camera with physical protection designed for extreme weather and harsh environment that can be installed outside the train.”

• Higher resolution:

As the purpose of video surveillance is to observe what happens at the field site, the user’s expectation is to observe “clear objects over a wide range and long distance”.

“Video images with higher and higher resolution can be obtained,” Hsiao said. “A high-resolution image provides more detailed information of objects than a low-res one. It is expected that image resolution requirement for onboard CCTV cameras will increase to the 4K resolution in the coming years.”

• Larger bandwidth and storage space: High-resolution video images will consume more bandwidth and storage space than lowresolution ones. Therefore, the affordability of gigabit networks and storage systems allows for the application of high-resolution video images in

•

More network security:

Since the onboard CCTV system is part of the OMTS (onboard multimedia and telematic subsystem), it is more and more important to have cyber security designs that can prevent unexpected network attacks.

MOXA ONBOARD CCTV

Based on these trends, Moxa is currently developing a new onboard IP camera series with H.265 and maximum 4K resolution features.

“Also, to meet the AIoT application requirements, we are going to develop a brand new camera series specially designed for rail onboard AIoT applications,” Hsiao said.

“Our aim is to help rail customers by building a high-efficiency, smart-surveillance, and easymaintenance onboard CCTV system with leading technologies and affordable products.”

Moxa possesses a large networking and computing portfolio that meets IEC 61375, EN 50155, and EN 50121-4 standards.

Apart from the latest camera product development, Moxa also provides onboard switches, computers, and wireless AP/clients as a one-stop shop and service center for onboard CCTV products for the convenience

With CCTV in rail now commonplace, automation solutions leader Moxa says it is important to make the most of improved technology options.

CCTV can be used for smart surveillance with AIoT applications.

Operations and Maintenance

Choosing straddle applications

Using straddles in rail applications is becoming increasingly popular, but considerable care needs to be given in determining the right specification, to ensure operational functionality over old methods that have higher manpower requirements.

Manco Rail has well and truly carved a name for itself as an industry leader in the supply of hi-rail electrification and maintenance equipment.

An important part of such plant are rail straddles, which when used can be valuable aids for the rail industry.

Manco Rail managing director Bryan Black outlines some of the major considerations and features of the current generation of straddles.

OPERATOR LOCATION:

“Current straddles are generally radio remotecontrolled, allowing a great deal of flexibility for operator location, particularly in tunnel utilisation, where operator location on the straddle can restrict working heights,” Black said.

“A good example is when the straddle is operating on a wagon or trailer consist with running rails. Two operators can be deployed; one at the loading point and the second at the unloading phase,” he said.

“This ensures operators are in ideal locations for each function.”

TRAVEL SPEEDS:

Historically, the use of straddles in rail construction has been limited because of their

inability to operate at reasonable speed in comparison to other traditional plant, such as front loaders, bobcats, and the like.

However, with the advancement in electronics and the use of load sense hydraulics, many speed options can be incorporated in the design.

“For example, locating the straddle to the work face in an unloaded mode can be executed at high speed (up to 20kph), but in laying sleepers and track, a slow walking pace is normally all that is required to ensure positional accuracy,” he said.

MULTIFUNCTIONALITY:

Black said a significant benefit of a straddle over the use of typical construction plant is the simultaneous function capability provided.

“For example, in a sleeper laying operation, travel, height and sleeper spread can all be executed at one time,” he said.

“Sleepers are frequently transported tightly packed, and the ability to spread them to the final exact spacing offers good productivity gains over other methods.”

STRADDLE DIMENSIONS:

The ability to have automatic adjustment of the

straddle height and width provides significant benefits for utilisation.

For transporting on road or rail to the work site, the straddle can be full retracted/ extended and lowered/raised hydraulically by remote control.

“For example, a typical requirement in tunnel applications can be the need to reduce the straddle width to clear obstacles such as platforms, walkways, electric/ signalling control boxes,etc, and yet to be able to expand and raise for operation,” Black said. “Another consideration can be dimensional restrictions when deploying the straddle for overseas projects.”

Black said there were other points to note about straddles:

• Steering systems: Interfacing laser directional steering with the remote control provides a highly accurate method of automated sleeper laying and track alignment.

• Safety: Today’s straddles incorporate a high degree of operational safety features, such as extensive working light packages, automatic fire suppression, emergency stops on all corners, failsafe braking with auto stop guarding during direction travel, extensive audio and visual alarms for travel, lift and steer functions.

• Attachments: The modern straddle includes a wide array of attachments to improve utilisation. From expanding sleeper grabs, to general lifting of materials by sling loads.

Even an under-slung rail threader can be used.

• Safe working loads: The use of hydraulic cylinders and multi sheave blocks enables high loads to be achieved, without impeding on the available lift heights. Multi-winch units can be difficult for coordinating rope speeds and are best to be only used when the intention is to vary the angle of the suspended load for some particular reason.

• Straddle drive options: Using the straddle over a series of wagons or trailers in consist can be highly functional. The straddle in such applications is fitted with anti-derailment hooks, and the rail wheel profile sits well into the wagon/trailer track which is normally a deep U section. When operating on solid rubber wheels, it is most common to use all-wheel drive with enclosed wheel motors

incorporating failsafe oil immersed cone brakes on all wheels. Crab steering is a far more functional method to having one fixed axle and a one steering axle.

• Undulating ground: The modern straddle design uses a fixed cross beam at one end and an osculating robust joint at the other. This ensures that equal load displacement occurs at all times.

“In summary, there is no question that provided there is extensive discussion between the end user and the straddle manufacturer, today’s straddles can be a very useful piece of plant,” Black said.

“There needs to be a clear understanding of the operational requirements, loads, travel speeds and productivity expectations between both sides.”

Martinus is one of the leading rail infrastructure construction companies in Australia and New Zealand. With an experienced civil, track, overhead wiring and signalling team, Martinus can deliver complete rail infrastructure solutions supported by an extensive range of specialised plant and equipment.

Georadar technology making waves

An accurate, complete assessment of the condition of the track bed and the substructure is essential for the efficient planning and cost-effective implementation of maintenance measures.

And according to Giuseppe Staccone, managing director of GPR specialists Ground Control GmbH, the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was a breakthrough in this regard.

“In the 1990s, georadar was first examined in scientific research for its suitability as a method for ground exploration in the railway sector,” he said. “With this non-contact method, electromagnetic waves penetrate the track bed to a depth of 2.5 metres and are reflected differently depending on the condition of the subsoil.

“The measurement data of the reflected waves are recorded in so-called radargrams. This allows a wide variety of parameters to be recorded, including moisture, degree of contamination and the course of the individual layer boundaries.”

The introduction of GPR in railway construction made it possible for the first time to comprehensively and seamlessly explore the tracks. It soon became the standard method, as

means that the measurement is carried out under real loads.”

Staccone said the constant further development of technology enables ever faster and higher quality measurements.

“Thanks to high-performance electronics, measurement speeds of up to 300 km/h can now be achieved,” he said.

“Different antenna frequencies ensure optimal resolution at different depths. With the help of special trigger systems, the measurement only takes place between the thresholds, which further increases the data quality. And the combination of DGPS and Doppler radar allows positioning with an accuracy of less than 0.3m.

“A lot has happened in recent years, especially in the field of measurement data evaluation, mainly due to more powerful computers and analysis software.

“A major advance was the development of digital filters, which ensure a significant improvement in data quality. Structures within the roadbed that previously remained hidden can now be recorded and assessed.

powerful that even experienced specialists cannot match its quality and reproducibility.

The automated evaluation of the radar data also expands the possibilities for visualisation and integration with other information.

Measurement results can be clearly displayed in diagrams and on digital maps and entered into databases with little effort.

“Railway operators are increasingly relying on big data for life cycle management,” Staccone said. “Machine-evaluated georadar measurements are an important data source for this.

“Among other things, GPR facilitates the early detection of trends and the creation and optimisation of maintenance forecasts, not least thanks to georadar data.

“Measuring vehicles equipped with georadar records not only the outer geometry of the track in a single measurement run, but also the condition of the ballast bed and substructure.”

DIVERSE AREAS OF APPLICATION

Staccone said the importance of GPR will continue to increase, not only for preventive inspections, but also for the documentation of construction measures such as the installation of a formation protection layer or the thickness of the base layer.

The method is also used to optimise construction processes. The early detection of obstacles or hazards such as concrete foundations and cable ducts avoids expensive downtime and damage and reduces wear.

Other applications are already on the horizon. So it is quite conceivable that within a decade, many track construction machines will be equipped with georadar.

“To this end, Ground Control recently started a technology partnership with Plasser & Theurer,” Staccone said.

“On the basis of live radar data, for example, the performance of a machine could be controlled depending on the nature of the subsoil and work processes could be automated.

“There is great potential in such applications that needs to be exploited in terms of efficiency and economy. In view of the rapid advances in measurement and evaluation technology, such systems will probably not be far behind.

“The importance of georadar in track construction in the rail sector will undoubtedly continue to increase.”

The use of georadar has established itself as the standard procedure for investigating the quality of railway structures. Now the latest technology also utilises artificial intelligence.

Electromagnetic waves penetrate the track bed and are reflected differently depending on the condition of the subsoil.

Australia’s partner of choice for rail

In Australia, Laing O’Rourke has firmly established itself as an award-winning partner of choice for the delivery of major rail infrastructure projects and maintenance contracts in rural, remote and urban locations.

Through direct delivery and innovative partnering, we deliver metro and light rail, underground, mass transit commuter, freight and heavy haul rail networks. Our multi-disciplinary experience, in Australia and across the globe, includes programme management, civil engineering and tunnelling, and rail systems consisting of track construction, electrification services, signalling, and maintenance services.

We deliver rail infrastructure in every operating jurisdiction in Australia and our track record in the delivery of mining infrastructure, particularly in enabling the transportation of minerals from pit to port, has made us a highly regarded partner to the world’s largest natural resource companies.

Our experienced team of over 500 railway engineering professionals and qualified rail personnel, backed by an extraordinary range of specialised rail plant and equipment, mean you can be assured that we will deliver.

MATISA equipment now able to be serviced in Australia

Swiss track machine manufacturer MATISA established its Australian subsidiary in 2018, fast gaining a name for the quality of its equipment, tamping machines and track renewal systems.

With its office based in Sydney and offering

components out of the track machines in Australia, using Australian labour and Australianbased skills.”

Currently, the workshop is focused on the maintenance and servicing of existing customers’ fleet as well as upcoming machines, with the possibility of some bespoke work like retrofitting or altering machines to suit specific Australian requirements.

a high level of service,” Hunziker said.

“At the same time, we’re also very happy to use the shop to allow for Australian-based solutions to certain technical issues or requests that customers might have.

“But size-wise and capacity-wise, we won’t be manufacturing complete machines or large components out of machines; that will still be carried out at MATISA’s factories in Europe.

“Establishing this new workshop with dedicated technical personnel allows MATISA to offer specialised advice and service to our various customers in this

“MATISA Australia is looking to further strengthen its position as a service centre for the whole South-East Asian region.”

Hunziker said there will be a new B35 tamping machine arriving and going into operation in Australia by early next year.

“Going forward, of course we want to push a little harder and we have hopes that we’ll be able to sell more of these powerful, compact and small machines,” he said.

The main objective now is to show the Australian market that MATISA is committed to offering the appropriate local service for customers who purchased its machines.

“At the end of the day, MATISA played a pivotal role in developing and introducing mechanised track maintenance systems, dating back to the 1940s,” Hunziker said.

“MATISA offers a vast amount of experience developing and manufacturing track machines. I would say that MATISA is among the best when comes to delivering the quality and technology that customers expect from modern track machines.”

Well-known rail equipment manufacturer MATISA has opened a maintenance workshop in NSW.

Alfred Hunziker (left) and Matisa Australia general manager Steven Johnson in the workshop.

Tamping units from a B66UC tamping machine.

All aboard: Pacific National fast tracks train crew recruitment

Pacific National is on track to recruit more locomotive drivers to support its ambition to get more freight off road and on rail.

With a key pillar of the company’s growth strategy to grow intermodal volumes by 25 per cent over the next four years, it has launched a new recruitment campaign to ensure it has

“We’re hoping to reach more Australians to encourage them to picture themselves in the driver’s seat, and prompt them to apply to make a career change to rail.

“We’ve created a dedicated hub on our website, to show interested Australians what the journey is like to become a train driver

trainee schools to onboard the next generation of train crew.

“Rail has always been an appealing career for many, with a great number of our train crew having spent decades working as train drivers,” he said.

“But the flipside is while we’ve boasted loyal train crew with long service records, it’s these drivers that are nearing retirement age, so we have to shift our focus to onboard new recruits to ensure we can fill demand for services.

“That’s why we’re searching for the next crop of train crew to make the leap to rail and keep the freight supply chain on track.

O’Donnell said Pacific National is investing in

“This year we have invested $1 million to establish and run six driver train schools for more than 180 trainee drivers to ensure we have a pipeline of drivers down the track to meet customer demand and deliver what matters.”

O’Donnell said the company is focussed on proactively promoting the benefits and flexibility of a rail career as part of its campaign to ensure it had the numbers of essential train crew necessary to meet forecast demand growth.

“At Pacific National, our vision is to be Australia’s most trusted and respected logistics partner, and to achieve that we know our success relies on recruiting the right team,” he said.

“A career in rail offers many perks, it allows many Australians to live and work in the regions, an attractive salary and flexible rostering.”

O’Donnell said Pacific National was proud to be an ‘Endorsed Employer for Women’ and said a career in rail offered flexibility many workers were looking for.

“We are a people-powered business and we know our success relies on having the right team of people who will work with and live our values,” he said.

“At Pacific National we recognise an inclusive and diverse workforce is vital to our success, and we are committed to recruiting people from a diverse range of skills and backgrounds to make Pacific National a great place to work.

“We are proud to wear the WORK180 endorsement badge, supporting and

Australia’s largest rail freight operator has launched a major recruitment drive to funnel train crews into driver training schools, supporting the campaign to get more freight on rail.

Casey McIntosh joined as a trainee driver this year.

empowering women to thrive in the Workplace and I hope more women see this campaign and take the leap and apply for a career in rail.”

Pacific National has launched a dedicated hub on its website to invite Australians to register their interest to become a trainee driver.

Successful applicants will undertake some psychometric testing to determine their suitability and then move to interview.

If successful, applicants would be employed as a trainee as they gain their qualifications.

“Trainees will be put through lessons on track signals, train examinations, safely accessing rail corridors and testing braking systems if selected,” O’Donnell said.

“ Whether you’re early on in your vocational career, or you’re looking for a mid-life career change, if you are interested in the prospect of a rail career, I encourage you to visit our new website hub and see where the journey takes you.”

For more information about Pacific National’s recruitment campaign visit www. pacificnational.com.au/careers/trainee-driver

MAKING THE SWITCH TO RAIL

Pacific National’s campaign aims to attract diverse candidates looking to make the switch to rail.

Casey McIntosh joined up as a trainee driver this year after more than 27 years as a

professional hairdresser in North Queensland.

“My dream as a child was to be a hairdresser and I was trained by my father who was a barber,” she said.

“While I loved hairdressing, living in Queensland’s regions the cane trains were ubiquitous and I would often think to myself – I wonder what it would be to drive a train.

“It’s only when I saw the job advertisement in early 2022 that I actually decided to take the plunge and lodge an application and since then I’ve been on quite a ride.

“After being interviewed via Teams, and undergoing psychometric assessments, and inperson assessments, I was over the moon to be offered a job as a trainee driver.

“Going back to the classroom after 29 years was slightly daunting, but it hasn’t been tedious, and I’ve had no regrets. While there is a lot of theory to learn, the classroom sessions are really fun and interactive.

“I learned a great deal from our teacher, who had an exhaustive knowledge of the rail industry, and I was pleased to see how diverse the trainee driver cohort was.

“While most of us had no background in rail we were reassured by our trainer’s guidance and teaching.

“We spent our time in the classroom learning first aid, how to safely access the rail corridor, communication and emergency

procedures before we were sent out to our home depots.”

During the rotations at the depot, McIntosh learnt how to start up both electric and diesel locomotives.

“Getting to learn all about these enormous machines that traverse Australia carrying critical freight, including how they operate and handle has been a once in a lifetime experience,” she said.

Her family are totally on board with her career change and she said shift work had improved her work life balance.

“I find shift work suits me, and I’m really enjoying it because I get regular time off to be there for my kids – plus I can enjoy a sleep in my downtime,” she said.

“The nature of the work means when I’m off I have more time to pursue my interests and take care of myself, as I now have more time to go for a walk, catch up with friends and spend time making candles, which is one of my hobbies.”

McIntosh said she is looking forward to a long career in rail and is excited about the professional journey ahead.

“Rail offers the chance to grow, develop and gain new skills through your career,” she said.

“Flexibility is a major drawcard, and I would highly recommend a career at Pacific National with others looking to make a job change.”

More than 180 trainees have been recruited into the Pacific National driver school programs this year.

Change the perception, improve the diversity

With a growing need to attract, train and develop outstanding talent in the rail industry to support its long term growth, Rail Express speaks to Siemens Mobility’s Head of People and Organisation (ANZ) Louis McDougall about ways to atrract more workers and increase gender diversity in the sector.

When Louise McDougall joined Siemens Mobility ust over a year ago, it proved to be an eyeopening journey in terms of exploring a new industry and the multifaceted challenges it faces: in particular the lack of female participation, an ageing workforce and attraction issues.

The lack of diversity was not a new observation: the Australasian Railways Association, for example, recognised in its last gender diversity report that while more women were advancing their careers in rail, action was needed to support stronger female participation in the industry.

An ARA survey found 24 per cent of the rail workforce were female during the period between 2020-21. While this was a two per cent improvement from 2018-19, it’s still remarkably low compared to many other industries.

“I was confronted with the challenges the rail industry faces in this regard; we definitely need to change the perception that it’s something preferable for males only,” McDougall said.

“In general, whilst the industry is growing for a lot of reasons, in terms of infrastructure projects, sustainability, innovation and technology, the hurdle lies in attracting and retaining high calibre talented, qualified workers.

“For example, I was recently told there are approximately only 460 signal engineers here in

Australia and, with $155 billion of rail industry work coming in the next 15 years, there’s no way we’re going to be able to support that with the limited number of skilled and capable people.

“As a result of this, we need to think creatively. We need to use more ingenuity to be able to grow and support this industry.”

McDougall said there were two key approaches that needed to be taken: introducing more women into the rail industry by tapping into the available talent pool, and changing the way the rail industry is perceived. “Both are critical if we are to see change,” she said.

RAISING THE PROFILE

“I discovered that the rail industry has the connotation of being highly male-dominated, old-fashioned, antiquated and is not driven by the latest technologies, when in actual fact it is the complete opposite on all facets,” McDougall said.

“There is no doubt this is slowly starting to get the attention it deserves. We are starting to see more being done in this space to change and shift the dial, including governments, associations, and industry organisations that are working to create a greater diverse industry.

“The idea of making the rail industry sound attractive needs to start much earlier in a prospective employee’s academic career. When

you talk to students, secondary school students and even university students, rail is not an industry that usually comes to mind.

“And yet it is an industry that is begging for people, and it is an industry that has long term sustainable career prospects.

“So, organisations need to be out there promoting, educating, getting in touch with the right people to shift this perception. One option is to start with students before they pick their subjects and electives, around Year 9.

”We should be talking to them about the rail industry, what those opportunities actually look like today and in the future.

“Some people have a misapprehension as to what an engineer can do. This is where we need to get people to think broadly beyond your typical civil engineering, because engineering is so much more than designing structures, and we need to get people understanding what you can do with electronics and digitalisation, for example.

“We’re looking at different skills in the rail sector now, most of which are vastly different to the work we associate with traditional engineering of decades ago.

“As an example, cybersecurity is another rapid growing area of specialisation which the rail industry is going to need capable, qualified people in.”

McDougall said the change needed to be an industry-wide push, working across education and government departments for all to recognise this step as a necessity.

WOMEN IN RAIL

“We must make the most of the opportunity to increase the number of women working in rail,” McDougall said.

“So further to talking to students in secondary school, we also need to be talking to career counselors and encouraging students, especially females, to consider STEM subjects to open up their career opportunities within the rail sector.

“We need to think more broadly around what is available regardless of gender, because everyone has the capability to succeed in the field. There needs to be a mindset shift change in relation to the pathways that are available to females, because those who study subjects such as physics and maths do not necessarily consider a career in rail.

“There is a pool of intelligent females we are

missing out on because they are not informed of the potential of the industry.

“I also believe, and research supports this, that diversity aids productivity and has a direct positive impact on financial results.”

In order to make working in rail more attractive for females, McDougall said there needed to be family-friendly flexibility in catering for women’s needs, which “is worth so much more than the dollar”.

“For example, at Siemens Mobility, we offer paid primary carers leave, flexibility to work from home, family friendly environment and the ability to take additional leave without pay, for example,” she said.

“When you include all these, you create an environment where a point of difference is created and people think, OK, there’s an organisation who really cares for their people and puts them first by offering this level of flexibility, benefits, etc.”

McDougall said Siemens Mobility had recently established a diversity council to drive its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy. The

council is run by the business comprising of representatives from all the different functions within the organisation.

“We also have the WISE program – Women in Siemens Engineering – headed up by our Head of Engineering, Naomi Knight, who’s been in the industry for over 30 years,” she said. “She provides support and counsel for our female engineers, while driving other initiatives such as going out to high school students and talking about what a career in rail could actually look like.”

And McDougall is particularly proud that Siemens Mobility leads by example in terms of gender diversity.

“We have three females on our executive leadership team, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Head of Engineering. It is extremely rare for the industry, to see females represent 43 per cent of the executive,” she said.

“And I think that statistic actually speaks in volumes when it comes to really practicing what we preach, when it comes to supporting a diverse workforce and for supporting women in the rail industry.”

People are the power

In any company, the people are its greatest asset and resource.

It almost goes without saying that employees are the reason for the success of any business.

When the workforce is treated well, looked after, and its contributions are acknowledged, staff become more productive and loyal to their workplace. There is also evidence that retention rates will be higher among employees whose work is recognised.

Rail Express caught up with Alstom Australia’s Human Resources Director Alanna Billington to discuss some of the challenges facing our industry and what Alstom is doing to ensure that it stays ahead of the pack.

“There are a number of common workforce challenges that many industries are facing right across Australia,” Alanna said.

“We have the lowest unemployment figures in decades which has led to a national labour shortage. This shortage of skilled labour has driven competition between industries across the country, all chasing common skill sets to enable them deliver on their commitments. This is resulting in wage pressures and retention challenges.”

To address this challenge, Alstom is striving to provide staff with the best working environment and employee experience, deploying ambitious programs to help attract, engage and retain the right people.

“Alstom is fully committed to ensuring that it positions itself among the best places to work, not only in Australia, but the world,” Alanna said.

“We have developed an agile, inclusive, and responsible culture, engaging with our people, caring for them and ensuring they are given opportunities to grow and develop their talents. This approach has been affirmed by our Top Employer certification again in 2022.”

The international Top Employers Institute, which conducts the in-depth evaluation, measures close to 600 human resources practices, including learning and talent development.

Promotion and attraction to the rail industry is also a big challenge, Alanna said.

“Our industry has changed significantly over the past decade with the push towards

digitalisation,” she said. “Our industry now requires skill sets that traditionally have been seen as a career path for other industries – particularly IT. As an industry we have recognised the image challenge and with the support of organisations such as the Australasian Railway Association, I think we are all doing our bit to promote the industry as a long-term career choice.”

National apprentice completion rates, women in trades and the recognition of oversees (or even interstate) qualifications are additional challenges facing the rail industry that Alanna highlighted.

“Providing the right support for apprentices, trainees and graduates from the start, and providing them with visible career paths and development opportunities is key,” Alanna said.

“How we incentivise and attract more women into trades and non-traditional roles is an ongoing challenge for many industries, but one which we are slowly seeing some improvements.

“The (ongoing) rail industry specific challenge is the lack of a consistent national approach to competency. This lack of consistency limits the mobility of the workforce and the ability efficiently manage resources.”

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: A CORE PILLAR

Helping address some of the challenges, Alstom has created an inclusive culture in which diversity is recognised and valued right across all its business and product lines throughout the world.

“By bringing together people from diverse backgrounds and giving everyone the opportunity to contribute their know-how, strengths, and experiences, we create shared value for Alstom and our stakeholders while reflecting the diversity of our customers,” Alanna said.

Within Alstom, many initiatives at country level have been established to promote gender diversity.

“We carefully follow our women talent pipeline and have developed several initiatives at global and local level to support their growth in mentoring, coaching and leadership programs,” she said.

Alstom is fully committed to ensuring that it ranks among the best places to work.

“Our women’s network also plays a key role in achieving our gender balance targets. We also aim to ensure a clear and equal pay structure, thanks to dedicated global action plans and adjustment measures (on top of local initiatives), and systematic and regular monitoring of the situation and the progress made.”

Alstom is also working with the Australian Network for Disability as part of its inclusion initiatives. “We are proactively looking to recruit more employees with disabilities, providing them with an accessible work environments and challenging the misconceptions about disabilities and employment,” Alanna said.

Many of Alstom’s employees are also involved in programs to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) studies for girls and women, and many countries organise employee visits to schools and welcome young female students for training periods, including participation in the Lucy Mentoring Program with the University of Technology in Sydney.

THE VOICE OF SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

As a leader in sustainable mobility solutions, Alstom is actively joining the public debate to promote the key role of public transport and rail in decarbonising mobility and supporting sustainable development.

By teaming up with other inspiring change-makers, the company brings this vitally important conversation to a broader audience.

Through engagement in thought and action leadership, staff also obtain a sense of pride in working for an organisation that is acknowledged for its progressive initiatives.

“We have focussed on delivering sustainable mobility solutions, driven by innovation because it is the right thing to do, and it is smart for business,” Alanna said.

“Our existing and hopefully potential employees see our commitment in this space and want to be a part of it.

“They want to feel that their work is making a positive impact to society – and at Alstom, we are committed to making it happen.”

For Australia’s leading railway solutions provider Alstom, caring for its people is one of the main pillars of its operations and a cornerstone of its collective success.

Pioneering compound helps reduce rail friction and noise

More than 20 years ago, dedicated research to the nature of the wheel-rail interface by ELPA Railway Friction Management yielded a sophisticated technology system for balancing railway friction.

Named WONROS, it excelled in reducing friction noise and wear of wheels and rails.

The system effectively discontinued the use of potentially dangerous conventional lubricants in the railway sector and introduced friction balancing solid particle agents named Composite Hardly-Fluid Compounds (CHFC).

Rail Express speaks to Melvelle Equipment’s Andrew Melvelle about how WONROS works to resolve friction on all noise hot spots where other technologies have failed.

“CHFC composite materials contain a high proportion of anti-noise, anti-wear, and antivibration additives,” he said.

“It has long been understood that mediums with higher proportion of solid particles provide better protection against negative wear phenomena in railways. They form a mechanically highly resistant microfilm that balances adhesion in the wheel-rail interface.”

Melvelle said the technology significantly reduces gauge wear, gauge corner cracking (GCC), rolling contact fatigue (RCF), top of rail corrugation (sinus line) and vibrations.

“WONROS technology exceeds expectations on wear reduction by most potential clients,” he said.

“Documented lateral wear reduction on grooved rail in a curve was 70 per cent; in other words the rail lifetime was prolonged by 333 per cent. Documented reduction of wear of brake shoes on hump yards was even more impressive: 87.5 per cent, meaning brake shoe lifetime was prolonged by 800 per cent.”

The application technology and techniques are continually being developed and perfected.

“The investment into technology is highly profitable because of savings generated by unmatched reduction of wheel and rail wear,”

Melvelle said. “The particles that form a microfilm between wheels and rails not only reduce wear and eliminate noise but experience has shown that reduced direct contact between two steel surfaces also influences vibrations.

“Applying friction modifiers (FMs) on top-of-rail requires prudence and precision, especially when applied near the stations or on sloped railways where higher levels of wheel-rail adhesion are required. Unreliable technology potentially resulting in overapplication is a hazardous event and should be avoided at all costs.

“FMs with higher proportion of solid particles tend to have better carry-down effect. This is important because the aim of rail friction management is to deliver protection effects on longer distances with less composite material and energy used, while maintaining adhesion.”

The system was granted the European Business Award for the Environment by the European Commission, and the Research and Innovation Award for the “outstanding contribution to the innovation of the global railway system” by the International Union of Railways (UIC).

WONROS technology has not ceased innovating and today it encompasses a complete portfolio of systems.

On-board devices using compressed air are arguably the most energy efficient and reliable systems on the market, because of the ability to apply CHFC materials with high proportion of solid particles without dripping and soiling vehicles. Special on-board devices that require no compressed air are aimed primarily at tramways that have limited capacity of compressed air.

Trackside devices offer the highest versatility on the market, including the recently introduced green solution: the system that requires no electricity for its functioning.

Kinetic energy of the wheels drives the entire system including the mixing of CHFC in the reservoir. Its anti-vandalism construction is ideal for remote areas and areas with insufficient sun exposure such as tunnels.

“The technology is poised to make greater impact as it is designed modularly to promote cost efficient global acceptance with franchised production,” Melvelle said.

Besides the obvious environmental benefits of rail lubrication, such as reducing airborne heavy metal particles from the rails, the CHFCs also contribute less to waste because of their endurance.

The quality and longevity ensure they are used much less frequently compared to typical competitive products. Consequently, much lower impact on the environment is assured.

“It starts by keeping ballast and vehicles unsoiled with excessive material as much as possible. Trackside units typically only require refilling twice a year,” Melvelle said.

More information on WONROS can be found by contacting Melvelle Equipment, the Australian agent for the product.

The NSW-based company specialises in rail track maintenance equipment, geotechnical drilling rigs, portable hydraulic equipment and hand tools.

For more information, visit https://www.melvelle.com.au/

Wheel-rail wear and squealing can be controlled by the wonder of WONROS: a system that delivers superior results in rail friction management.

Trackside devices with the CHFCs.

RISSB work plan released

The Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board work plan is the product of months of consultation with industry, standing committees and leaders led by RISSB, and follows a rigorous and documented process.

The projects that will be delivered this financial year continue to build on the success of previous years, delivering an ambitious 25 projects addressing National Rail Action Plan (NRAP) priorities, and accelerating interoperability and national harmonisation across the Australian rail sector.

RISSB will be delivering 16 Australian Code of Practice publications (Standards Code of Practice and Guidelines), six major projects to tackle industry’s toughest challenges, and three projects to support the National Rail Action Plan.

The 16 ACOP publications comprise reviews of existing products, resubmissions from previous year’s priority planning process (PPP), AS 1085 series of documents still transitioning from Standards Australia, and projects put forward and endorsed by RISSB Standing Committees as well as wider industry.

As part of its emit to promote greater standardisation and harmonisation of rail systems and operations, RISSB’s work plan continues to focus on national priority areas for industry, lifting the safety and productivity of rail, opening up opportunities for local manufacturers and improving the efficiency of Australia’s rail networks.

The projects that will be delivered during the year are outlined in the table below.

The detailed work plan provides industry with opportunities to engage directly with RISSB’s work on critical industry issues including asset management, safety and emergency management.

If you are interested in contributing to the development of any of our publications or would like to be involved in progressing any of our projects, please submit an expression of interest to info@rissb.com.au or join a Development Group.

Development Group opportunities are regularly advertised in RISSB’s weekly e-newsletter and are sent to RISSB’s subscription list.

National local content policy for rail

It recommended reforms to Local Content Policies (LCPs), commencing with a review of current arrangements in each of Australia’s states and territories.

The ARA’s recently released Towards a National Local Content Policy report outlines the findings of that review and the benefits that can be achieved through a national approach to LCPs.

LCPs set requirements for where materials and personnel are sourced to deliver contracts, and where goods are manufactured or assembled.

Their objectives are typically focused on jobs creation, providing opportunities for locally based suppliers or promoting a strategic industry.

While the report found most state governments use local content policies requiring some content to be sourced or manufactured within their state as part of their procurement of rollingstock and their components, LCPs vary considerably across Australia.

When LCPs are applied at a state-based level, as opposed to a national approach, it can hinder the very industry it seeks to support.

The impact on the local supply chain operating in multiple jurisdictions of Australia can be equivalent to operating in different countries, raising costs, diluting returns on investment and creating inefficiencies.

WHY A NATIONAL APPROACH IS NEEDED

The report confirmed that a standardised national local content approach to LCPs would deliver significant benefits to the rail industry.

A more holistic, national approach would help rail businesses achieve economies of scale, reduce costs, improve quality and the competitiveness of Australian suppliers in the market.

This would ultimately lead to better outcomes for both industry and government, maximising the return on investment for critical rail infrastructure.

A nationally consistent approach would also allow industry to better adapt and evolve its products and services in response to changing technology and emerging skills requirements.

A more harmonised approach:

• Creates a larger, more competitive market, increasing export market viability

• Improves efficiencies through reduced duplication

• Consolidates tender processes to reduce complexity and costs

• Increases investment opportunities in research, training, skills and innovation as a result of greater economies of scale facilitates

• Contributes to sustainable growth in jobs resulting from more efficient use of resources.

The report acknowledged that while achieving full policy harmonisation between states may be challenging, there were opportunities for greater consistency that could be achieved by taking incremental steps toward a more national approach. It recommended focus areas for reform as part of a pathway towards harmonisation, including:

• A consistent definition of local content

• Alignment of regulatory requirements across all states

• Opportunities to integrate state requirements

• Federal Government involvement

• Reviewing tender evaluation mechanisms

• Reviewing auditing, and compliance requirements

• Generating greater market awareness of suppliers’ capabilities and requirements.

The report stated the reform objectives of a nationa LCP approach were threefold.

Firstly, it could enable industry and government to take a more strategic perspective which would support greater innovation, commercial and social benefits and increased certainty.

Secondly, it would create greater transparency and simplicity, ensuring a better tendering process and more commonality across jurisdictions.

Thirdly, it would provide an improved commercial framework by focusing on cost management, increased competition and improved interstate cooperation.

The ARA will be engaging with state and territory governments to discuss the report’s recommendations and identify opportunities for national approaches to improve outcomes.

With almost $14 in new rolling stock projects and $155b in rail investment planned over the next 15 years, there has never been a more important time to adopt a national approach to LCPs.

Download a copy of the ARA’s Towards a National Local Content Policy report from ara.net.au

The Australian Rail Supply Chain report published by the ARA in March 2021 highlighted a range of challenges associated with varying procurement processes, planning and policy development across different jurisdictions.

QUEENSLAND

Hope Island Station

Cross River Rail (CRR) has engaged Acciona Georgiou Joint Venture (AGJV) to design and construct the Hope Island station on Queensland’s Gold Coast line.

AGJV is the major contractor delivering the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ Coomera Connector Stage 1 North project, located immediately adjacent to the station.

The close proximity and interface between the two major projects has determined that management and delivery of construction activities by one contractor is the preferred delivery solution.

An Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) phase has now commenced, providing an opportunity for AGJV and the CRR to collaborate and develop best for project outcomes.

Further studies including traffic management, hydrology assessments and utility investigations are ongoing to finalise the station design.

The community will be kept up to date as the design progresses and the final station design will be released prior to construction commencing.

Construction on the Hope Island station is planned to commence in 2023 and the community will be notified of the construction program and activities well in advance of works commencing on site.

The CRR Delivery Authority is continuing with planning of two other new rail stations on the line to help connect South East Queensland’s growing population: Pimpama

The project will connect trains from Melbourne’s Airport to Victoria’s metropolitan and regional networks. Trains will run from Melbourne Airport through to Sunshine Station, then into the Metro Tunnel and the heart of the CBD, before continuing to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines.

The project will provide passengers with a 30-minute trip between the airport and Melbourne’s CBD.

As part of the works, the consortium will deliver major improvements including major improvements including a new, accessible second pedestrian concourse and new forecourt area at Sunshine Station.

Works will also include a new forecourt area and car park improvements at Albion Station, construction of an elevated flyover at Albion separating airport trains from metropolitan and regional services as well as relocation and implementation of rail systems, modifications to substations, and protection of existing utilities.

The Sunshine Systems Alliance will also deliver corridor-wide rail system and signalling upgrades to allow High-Capacity Metro Trains to travel to the new Airport Station.

The project is expected to be completed in 2029. The Australian and Victorian governments have committed $5 billion each to the project.

Suburban Rail Loop

Major works on Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop are another step closer, with three global industry leaders shortlisted for the tunnelling contracts on SRL East – a cityshaping project that will transform the city’s public transport network, connect suburbs

SRL East will deliver 26 kilometres of twin tunnels and six brand new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill. Trains will be running by 2035, with an end-

underway in Clayton and major works have rigorous Environment Effects Statement (EES)

to 10 tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to

the preferred consortium to deliver a major works package for the Melbourne Airport Rail project.

The selected consortium consists of CPB Contractors, John Holland Group, AECOM, Alstom, KBR, Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and Rail Projects Victoria.

The tunnelling task will be split into two separate contracts to ensure the work is done as efficiently as possible, minimising disruption to the community.

SRL East has drawn extraordinary interest from the international construction market, with five outstanding bids for the tunnelling work. Three have now been invited to submit a detailed Request for Proposal.

• CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction Australia – companies involved in Brisbane’s Cross River Rail, Sydney Metro, Vancouvers’ Broadway Millenium Subway and the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal

• John Holland and Gamuda Australia – these companies have experience building Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel, Sydney Metro Northwest Tunnel, Malaysia’s Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit, and Melbourne’s City Loop

• Webuild S.p.A and GS Engineering and Construction Australia – companies with experience in projects including the North East Link tunnels, Copenhagen’s Cityringen and projects in the Middle East and Asia.

The first contract will be awarded next year for twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. The second is to construct tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill.

Contractors will be required to deliver at least 92 per cent local content (excluding TBMs) – a huge boost for Victoria’s steel and concrete industry.

NEW ZEALAND

Kiwirail traffic mangement

Alstom has been awarded a contract by KiwiRail to deliver a new, fully integrated Traffic Management System (TMS) for New Zealand’s growing rail network.

The new, feature-rich Iconis system will dramatically improve the way KiwiRail operates its network.

The replacement of the existing Traffic Control Centre technology with this new, state-of-the-art, integrated control system will provide KiwiRail with greater network safety, security, and resilience, delivering greater control capacity and with the ability to meet the increasing demands of an expanding rail network.

The fully integrated Iconis system will be capable of being run from either Wellington or Auckland. The system will not only accommodate the forecasted increases in patronage in both cities, but also offer the increased capacity and reliability that is essential to meet the challenge of a booming export industry freight line application.

The proven Iconis TMS technology will be specifically designed to seamlessly integrate with KiwiRail’s unique rail network characteristics and existing infrastructure.

As a highly flexible system, the technology has already been successfully deployed across more than 160 complex freight and suburban networks in both greenfield and brownfield environments in more than 30 countries throughout the world.

The trust can only be built with the specialised knowledge, and a deep understanding of the transport and industrial sectors.

Whether it is identifying a strategic marketing approach, or crafting a creative execution, we have the global perspective with a unique solution.

It is a symbol of trust.

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