Rail Express December 2022

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

Strong uptake for Project i-TRACE

MTISA: New tamper bound for Australia

Plasser: High capacity, precision, reliability

RMS Rail: Trusted partner in plant and equipment

Phoenix AG: STRAIL level crossing innovations

Siemens: The importance of rail digitalisation

4AI: AI sensor helps improve driver awareness

Manco: The evolution of the powered trailer

Harrybilt: Keeping industry on track

McNaughtans: Where there’s a will, there’s a way

Wabtec: Driving digital technologies

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Welcome to the December issue of Rail Express

Rail Express is proud to be a partner of the Australasian Railways Association, organiser of the country’s leading rail industry conference, AusRAIL, held this month in Brisbane.

The event, of course, brings together delegates and stakeholders to celebrate, network, discuss and engage on the latest issues facing our sector.

We are among more than 2000 attendees at the gathering, and you may very well be reading this issue after picking it up from our stand.

It’s the second time in less than 12 months that we’re getting together in person, but after the pandemic-enforced isolation, industry is well and truly looking to make up for lost time.

Brisbane is a fitting location, because there’s just so much rail-related activity in the whole of Queensland: from the expansive Cross River Rail project and introduction of European Train Control System technology, to the progress of light rail in the Gold Coast and focus on rail manufacturing in the regions.

Indeed, delegates need only step outside the AusRAIL Convention Centre venue to witness first hand an example of the Government’s so-called rail revolution, with the iconic South Bank Station only recently completing a $1 million upgrade of its platforms.

The AusRAIL floor brings together the greatest minds of the industry to engage on our greatest challenges and opportunities, and present new and exciting ideas and initiatives.

And that’s also the focus of this issue, in which we feature insights into many diverse and promising innovations that will benefit the rail network.

For example, Plasser and MATISA showcase the latest models of their various tamping machines, some of which are set to

make their Australian debuts, while Kraiburg STRAIL explains how its sustainable rail kerbstones are being used by more and more operators in the country.

Manco provides an update on its latest range of power trailers, electronically controlled from behind the front cab, and fast becoming commonplace in various construction projects.

And it’s not all about machinery and engineering: aftermarket component supplier McNaughtans is distributing a range of specific floorings designed for rail vehicle interiors, which are lighter, non-slip and watertight.

Alstom reinforces the significance of its groundbreaking hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint, Siemens Mobility stresses the need for digitilisation of railways, and Melvelle Engineering introduces the Zoellner range of track warning systems.

As well, we look at the launch of the biggest rail infrastructure project in Western Australia for decades: the Perth Airport Line, which finally links the CBD directly to the international airport.

The 8.5km project entailed the building of two parallel tunnels, three new train stations, 12 cross passages, and other related infrastructure.

It’s a triumph for Italian-based company WeBuild, which is starting to make inroads into Australia with a number of other major rail contracts in the pipeline.

We round off the magazine with the regular contributions from our industry partners, a look at the latest contracts and tenders, and our spotlights on the workforce, with infrastructure specialists McConnell Dowell explaining its strategy for increasing diversity and inclusion, and Queensland Rail offering a unique role in one of the most beautiful locations in the country.

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has honoured the pledges made to voters, while also managing the economy in an uncertain global environment.

Infrastructure and Transport minister Catherine King said the Budget took an important first step in ensuring the Commonwealth’s infrastructure spending was responsible, affordable and sustainable. Among the recipients of funding allocations are several rail projects.

Investment in NSW includes:

• $5.25 billion for the Sydney Metro –Western Sydney Airport

Investment in Victoria includes:

• $2.2b for the Suburban Rail Loop

• $5b to the Melbourne Airport Rail Link

• $447.7m to the Gippsland Rail Line Upgrade

Investment in Queensland includes:

• $395.6m for Gold Coast Light Rail – Stage 3

Investment in Western Australia includes:

• $3.7b for the Perth METRONET

Investment in the ACT:

• $218.4m for Canberra Light Rail – Stage 2A

The Budget also delivers $500m for the corridor acquisition, planning and early works of a Sydney to Central Coast and Newcastle High Speed Rail project following the introduction of legislation to establish the High Speed Rail Authority.

$10b in savings from the axing of a raft of Coalition grants.

Finance minister Katy Gallagher said the former regime had used taxpayers’ money to cynically buy votes before elections by politicising grants funds.

Projects in the firing line include a $260m commitment to remove the Glenferrie Road level crossing in the electorate of Kooyong, previously held by former treasurer Josh Frydenberg; a $475m grant for Monash Rail in the marginal Melbourne seat of Chisholm; and an $110m Wellington Road upgrade and $50m Napoleon Road upgrade in former education minister Alan Tudge’s electorate of Aston.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) singled out funding to establish a National Rail Manufacturing Plan as a highlight of the Budget.

ARA chief executive officer Caroline Wilkie said the $14.2m commitment to establish the plan would help further build Australia’s rail manufacturing sector.

“A national focus for local manufacturing is essential to strengthen the Australian rail supply chain as the industry prepares for significant growth over the coming decade,” she said.

“The experience of COVID has highlighted the value of a productive and efficient local supply chain.

“The funding provides an opportunity to build on the significant rail manufacturing capability that exists in Australia to establish a strong focus on the innovation and technology

infrastructure needs.”

The Budget also supports the establishment of an Office of National Rail Industry Coordination with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and reinstatement of a Rail Supplier Advocate.

More than 4000 jobs are created by rolling stock manufacturing and repair in Australia, with many of those located in regional centres.

Wilkie said a national approach to rail manufacturing would help drive innovation as the country delivers a once-in-a-generation period of infrastructure investment.

“The global rail technology market generates $362m per year and the current wave of infrastructure investment presents a unique opportunity for Australia to increase its share of this growing industry,” she said.

She said the ARA looks forward to working with the Department as these critical initiatives are implemented.

“The continued investment in key rail projects reflect the important role rail will play in supporting Australia’s growth and development,” she said.

“This funding will support critical projects to help meet the demands of growing populations in Melbourne, Sydney and their surrounding regions. It is pleasing to see a continued focus on investing in projects that will deliver substantial and long term economic and community benefits.”

The ARA also welcomed new funding for safety regulation in the tourist and heritage rail sector.

The Government will create a National Rail Manufacturing Plan.

SIEMENS MOBILITY

Moving beyond –Transport solutions driven by a passion for mobility

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

Resilience and labour key freight rail priorities

The first dedicated conference for the rail freight sector was held in October, drawing about 250 people from across the industry to discuss the projects and initiatives that are helping to build Australia’s rail freight capability.

With rail expected to meet almost threequarters of the growth in demand for freight services in the next decade, the inaugural Rail Freight Conference – run by the Australasian Railways Association (ARA) and held in Brisbane – discussed the significant opportunities ahead for the sector.

A highlight of the program included presentations from the leaders of Australia’s biggest intermodal and heavy haul rail freight businesses operating nationally –Pacific National, SCT Logistics and Aurizon –with managing directors from each business leading wide-ranging, provocative and inspiring discussions from the stage.

The three-day event saw five key themes emerging from the discussion.

RESILIENCE

The importance of resilience was brought into sharp focus during the year with a number of extreme weather events impacting the sector. Speakers highlighted the need to ensure a resilient freight network over the long term.

ARA chief executive officer Caroline Wilkie noted new research was underway in partnership with the Freight on Rail Group, ARTC, Arc Infrastructure and One Rail to help identify key resilience projects to support long term reliability, minimise disruptions and increase redundancy across the network. The project is expected to be completed in the coming months.

Pacific National chief of operations Patrick O’Donnell told the conference that a resilient rail freight network would enable Australian export industries to quickly seize market share in boom times and squeeze out profits in lean times.

“The networks required more duplication, more crossing loops, more staging areas, more and longer rail sidings, not to mention larger culverts to handle larger volumes of future floodwaters,” he said.

SUSTAINABILITY

At a time when sustainability is high on the agenda for many within the rail freight sector, it was acknowledged throughout the program that rail freight offers a more sustainable option for the movement of

in an increasingly competitive and climatesensitive world, highlighting the opportunity to partner with customers to reduce emissions across their supply chains.

Delegates also heard about ambitious plans within the industry, backed by serious investment to develop and implement technologies to decarbonise above rail freight operations.

While there are strong opportunities to explore hydrogen and battery/electric alternatives to diesel, further work is underway to examine the best options for the Australian context.

Aurizon shared its plans to decarbonise and the role these different technologies might play in the company’s future operations, while a panel discussion on accelerating decarbonisation in the rail freight sector addressed the challenges and opportunities associated with a transition to net-zero.

INLAND RAIL

The conference provided a solid opportunity to hear from the ARTC and Inland Rail teams on the latest news from the construction and delivery of the Inland Rail project. These updates explored innovative approaches during construction to leveraging the benefits of the project for regional communities.

A pre-conference workshop focused on Inland Rail provided an opportunity to hear firsthand from of the experts behind one of the most transformative rail projects in Australia and their key focus areas to maximise the benefits of the project.

“Inland Rail has also pumped around $180 million into the local economy, signing deals with nearly 140 local businesses,” he said.

“The N2NS project alone has delivered around 10,000 tonnes of capping and ballast per day and we have used around 320t of quick lime daily and nearly 5000 precast reinforced concrete box culverts and built seven new bridges.”

HARMONISATION

The need to accelerate harmonisation and ensure interoperability across connecting networks and jurisdictions was a key theme throughout the conference.

Many speakers offered insights into the impact of interoperability or harmonisation challenges that currently exist in the sector, and how improvements could support enhanced productivity, competitiveness and efficiency.

SKILLS

Employment in the rail freight sector grew 50 per cent from 2016-2019, with demand for skilled workers remaining strong as the sector prepares for continued growth over the next decade.

Speakers acknowledged the incredible work of the rail freight workforce to meet the challenges presented by rapidly increased demand and vastly different demand patterns in recent years.

However, COVID has also exacerbated existing skills shortages within the freight sector and the rail industry more broadly, and represents an ongoing challenge.

Narrabri-to-North Star (N2NS) project director

Caroline Wilkie (left) hosts the panel session with industry leaders from Aurizon, Pacific National and SCT Logistics.

Schott appointed to lead Inland Rail review

The Australian Government has announced the appointment of Kerry Schott to lead an independent review into the Inland Rail project that crosses three states.

Schott is an Australian executive who has had roles in the business and government sectors and is currently a patron of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia.

Transport minister Catherine King said the move delivers on the Australian Government’s election commitment to take a close look at the planning, governance and delivery of Inland Rail to help get this nationally important project back on track.

“The Coalition left Inland Rail in a mess,” she said. “We inherited a project over budget, behind schedule and with no plan for where it will start or end.”

The review will consider the process for selecting the Inland Rail route, including stakeholder consultation, and assess the project’s scope, schedule and cost.

It will also assess options for the new Inland Rail intermodal terminals to be built in Melbourne and Brisbane, and improving rail links to the ports in these cities.

The review will have regard to existing studies, such as the Toowoomba to Gladstone Inland Rail Extension Business Case.

“The independent review is necessary because Inland Rail is too important to stuff up,” King said.

The review is expected to be completed by early 2023. The Government intends to release the findings of the review once it has an opportunity to consider them.

“Dr Schott is a highly respected and trusted leader who brings a wealth of experience from both the business and government sectors to the role. She will conduct a thorough and independent review of Inland Rail and make recommendations to ensure this nationally significant project is successfully delivered,” King said.

A spokesman for ARTC, which runs Inland Rail, said the agency welcomed the

opportunity to work with Schott to ensure the modern freight network better connects

“ARTC is also committed to creating real benefits for the broader regional community along the Inland Rail route,” he said.

“While this independent review is under way, our work of designing and building Inland Rail will continue, supporting businesses and jobs, and enabling communities and local governments to engage on this important initiative.”

The Government also released the final report of the Independent International Panel of Experts for Flood Studies of Inland Rail in Queensland. It builds on earlier draft reports and found that the flood models developed by ARTC were fit for purpose, in accordance with national guidelines and industry best practice, and accounted for the impacts of the reference designs.

In reviewing the work by ARTC, including flood models, reference designs and responses to issues raised in the draft reports, the panel noted the substantial amount of work undertaken by ARTC to identify existing flooding characteristics and to assess and mitigate potential impacts associated with each of the project sections.

“The Government welcomes the findings of the Panel and ARTC’s commitment to implement the report’s recommendations as it designs and delivers Inland Rail in Queensland,” King said.

Project unwittingly takes adversarial nature

The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) says while the Inland Rail review had the potential to create productivity and efficiency gains, it had been beleaguered by recent cost and route problems.

VTA chief executive officer Peter Anderson said Inland Rail was critical to build additional capacity and to increase Australia’s freight supply chain resiliency whilst meeting the growing freight task.

“In its early days the project fostered a collegiate perspective of developing national supply chain infrastructure that would benefit all Australians,” he said.

“But unfortunately, recent project management has taken on a far more adversarial position towards modal value and positioning, with an unhelpful narrative that

rail transport is better than road transport, and that Inland Rail will take trucks off our roads,” he said.

“This goes against the original spirit and intent of the project, which was to create productivity improvements for freight operators and their customers through greater choice of transport modes. It was never created to have an adverse impact on one modality over another, but rather to continue our industry’s push towards greater intermodal transport.”

Anderson particularly welcomed scope in the review to assess proposed intermodal terminals in Victoria.

“Six years into the project, and with only another four years until its proposed completion, we still have not decided where the Victorian terminal will be located,” he said.

“The Western Industrial Freight Terminal and the Beveridge Industrial Freight Terminal are currently fighting for recognition and funding as well as a green light to start building,” he said.

“From a road freight integration perspective, it would seem the best intermodal connectivity will be through the development of the WIFT, whose positioning, connectivity and efficiency would ensure that those this supply chain serves will get the best value with the least disruption.

“The VTA looks forward to playing a constructive role in the review as it considers the views of all stakeholders on a project that has great potential to transform our national supply chain and create greater productivity amongst all the transport modes.”

The review will consider the process for selecting the Inland Rail route.

Victorian strategy to build stronger workforce

The Victorian Government has released the Rail Skills Strategy 2022-26 which outlines action to build an adaptable, highly skilled and diverse workforce.

They include 27 strategic priorities and seven focus areas:

1. Safe journeys for all Operate a transport system that is safe and inclusive, and inspires confidence for all journeys and users.

2. New travel patterns and places

Deliver a people-focused system that enhances communities with sustainable new travel patterns, public and active transport and shared mobility services.

3. Advance technology and assets

Leverage new technologies and optimise the performance of transport system assets.

4. Service and network reforms

Maximise and reform how transport policy, plans, infrastructure and services deliver social outcomes and drive economic recovery.

5. Environmental sustainability

The transport network is public space that contributes to healthy, sustainable and liveable communities.

6. Innovation through engagement

Strengthen industry and community partnerships to test, trial and rapidly deploy improvements.

The strategy empowers the workforce to deliver safe and connected journeys.

7. Empower our people

Be a diverse, adaptable and connected workforce, empowered to deliver simple, safe, connected journeys.

Public Transport minister Ben Carroll said the state was leading the nation in skilled rolling stock manufacturing, supporting up to 10,000 Victorian jobs across manufacturing, maintenance and supply as part of its drive to grow and upskill workers across the transport sector. It has also invested $90 billion in major transport infrastructure and invested more than $8 billion in delivering new trains, trams, buses and supporting infrastructure.

“The Government has partnered with unions, industry and the education sector to support workers across the transport sector to ensure there is a boost in the number of skilled workers to fill jobs today and into the future – to train the next generation of highly skilled workers in Victoria, while also retaining, upskilling and reskilling existing workers,” Carroll said.

For example, workers at Newport Train Depot working to deliver the HighCapacity Metro Trains (HCMTs) that will be rolled out across Melbourne are part of a drive to boost rail skills that includes apprenticeships. The HCMTs being built at the Newport facility will use 60 per cent local materials sourced from suppliers across Victoria, including from Bendigo, Morwell, and Hallam.

Works are underway to deliver advanced signaling on the HCMTs, which will allow these trains to run more frequently through to Sunbury once the Metro Tunnel opens.

There are now 28 HCMTs in passenger service operating on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines.

HCMTs are maintained at a specialist, purpose-built maintenance facility at Pakenham East supporting 100 ongoing maintenance jobs.

Tram refurbishment project boost for jobs

Victoria’s 300th tram has been freshly refurbished in the largest project of its kind, supporting more than 150 jobs.

The $230 million Rolling Stock Additional Works (RSAW) project sees up to 14 trams at a time undergo complex life extensions, refurbishment, deep cleans, overhauls, and system upgrades at the East Preston Depot tram workshop.

The team who worked on the 300th tram.

The project started in 2018 and is expected to have refurbished nearly 450 trams, or 85 per cent of the fleet, in 2024.

The project’s workforce and management team have been drawn from rail, automotive, and defence backgrounds, and nearly a dozen staff re-trained after retrenchment from the car manufacturing sector.

There are also half a dozen apprentices

learning their trade as part of this project, which incorporates major overhauls of the high-floor tram fleet including modernisation or replacement of critical subsystems such as engine equipment, ventilation, doors, fleet visual refreshment works.

The program also includes the development and integration of modern safety and comfort amenities.

All refurbished trams are decked out with

newly upholstered seats, cleaner and easier to maintain floors, and of course, a new coat of paint.

The 300th tram was an A1class tram built in Melbourne in November 1984 and has since travelled more than 1.7 million kilometres around Melbourne – the equivalent of more than 42 trips around the Earth’s equator.

Yarra Trams’ chief executive Julien Dehornoy said as the state looked forward to the new G-class trams rolling off the production line from 2025, these refurbished trams would continue serving Melbourne for the rest of their service life.

Downer chief executive Officer Grant Fenn said it was a testament to the skilled team at East Preston that the operator was able to refurbish and extend the life of the different types of trams across the fleet.

HIGH CAPACITY I PRECISION I RELIABILITY

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Tunnel borers in place for Sydney Metro West

to Blues Point. Once launched, the newly arrived TBMs will excavate an average of 200 metres per week, with around 15 workers per shift operating each TBM 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The TBMs are due to start tunnelling from The Bays in the first half of 2023 and will arrive in Sydney Olympic Park in late 2024.

When Sydney Metro West opens in 2030 it will double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, link new communities to rail services and support employment growth and housing supply.

TBM fast facts:

• Each TBM weighs almost 1300 tonnes, equivalent to three Boeing 747 jets

The first tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have arrived for the Sydney Metro West project, ready to start construction on the new 24-kilometre tunnels which will connect Greater Parramatta to the Sydney CBD.

The two units have arrived at The Bays Station site and will be the first in the ground for Sydney Metro West, where they

will carve out 11-kilometre twin tunnels from The Bays to Sydney Olympic Park.

They include refurbished parts from the mega boring machines used on the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project.

The cutterheads, front shields and gripper shields were originally used for the TBMs that dug the metro tunnels from Chatswood

• Each is 165 metres long, longer than two Airbus A380s

• Each unit is approximately seven metres in diameter

• There are 38 disc cutters per cutterhead, each more than 48 cm in diameter

• The heaviest pieces of the TBM are the front shield and gripper shield which weigh approximately 280t each.

NSW Ports poised for more freight deliveries

NSW Ports has outlined its strategy for moving more freight by rail to enhance efficiency while reducing emissions and road congestion.

Port Botany is Australia’s only container port with on-dock rail at each container terminal and moves more containers by rail than any other port in the country.

NSW Ports General Manager of Operations and Environment, Jonathan Lafforgue, said more than 400,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) a year was moved by rail at Port Botany – up 64 per cent since 2014.

“NSW Ports is investing in extra rail capacity to address long-term demand in a sustainable way, by reducing CO2 emissions and the use of trucks, as trade volume increases,” he said.

“Together with Patrick Terminals, we are investing $190 million to substantially boost on-dock rail capacity, which will deliver faster turnaround times, more rail windows for operators and allow more containers to be moved by rail to and from the terminal without the need for double handling.”

Lafforgue said there was a need to build and

the nation’s supply chains.

NSW Ports’ strategy to maximise the capacity and efficiency of rail freight includes:

• Increasing the two-way loading of trains, including with empty containers, to improve

rail utilisation and efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions

• Expanding Port Botany’s on-dock rail capacity to meet future container growth demand

• A mode shift incentive scheme, funded by Transport for NSW, to incentivise regional exporters to use metropolitan intermodal terminals for the “last mile” journey to Port Botany and collection of empty containers

• Working with businesses, rail operators and Transport for NSW to improve access to the shared metropolitan rail network for trains destined for Port Botany

“Utilising Port Botany’s dedicated freight rail lines and on-dock rail terminals more strategically, by boosting two-way loading of trains and optimising the benefit of intermodal terminals, will help ensure we continue to meet the growing needs of businesses and their customers,” Lafforgue said.

“A mode shift incentive scheme is one way to kickstart this process, with jurisdictions such as Victoria and Western Australia showing that such schemes can successfully increase the volumes of freight on rail.”

The TBMs ready for action.

NSW Ports and Patrick Terminals have invested $190 million to substantially boost on-dock rail capacity.

CRR on the right path as projects join up

Kruger said that while the southern tunnel portal and Boggo Road station worksites would still operate separately, the joined work zones were home to some of the project’s most impressive feats of engineering.

“Our task in the southern area is essentially threading a new rail line through an already congested and complex corridor, which has made it one of the most challenging and critical aspects of the entire project,” he said.

Concept art for the new Boggo Road Station.

The final sections of earth needing to make way for Cross River Rail (CRR)’s track alignment have now been excavated, joining two of the project’s major worksites into a mammoth 700 metre-long construction zone, and marking yet another significant milestone for the transformational project.

CRR Delivery Authority program director Jeremy Kruger said crews had recently finished excavating the southern dive structure where trains will emerge from the new underground line, including two openings that connect it through to the site of the new Boggo Road station being constructed just beyond.

“Although our massive tunnel boring

machines finished carving out our twin tunnels late last year, this last bit of excavation means the path from one end of Cross River Rail to the other is now complete,” he said.

“In other words, you could technically now get from the southern portal here at Dutton Park, travel through the tunnels and keep going until you emerged at our northern tunnel portal all the way across the city at Normanby.

“So while the two tarp-covered holes connecting our southern portal worksite with the Boggo Road station construction site don’t look like much, they mark a significant milestone for the project and the workers who are shaping it.”

“Some of the most significant engineering marvels across the entire project have occurred in this area, including re-establishing the foundations for the rail line used by freight trains through a process called underpinning, which has allowed us to excavate beneath an active rail line.

“We’ve also used microtunnelling to relocate sewer and stormwater pipes in the area, and are about to start major construction on the new 480-metre-long pedestrian and cycle bridge that will traverse this section of track.”

About 240 people were working across both sites.

“Our crews have done a tremendous job on this part of the project,” Kruger said. “Cross River Rail will transform how we travel to, from and through Brisbane in the future, and it’s great to see yet another milestone achieved as we move closer to completion.”

Mid-life makeover for Queensland Rail trains

After 16 years of service, some of Queensland Rail’s city trains fleet have returned to their birthplace in Maryborough to undertake a major multi-million-dollar midlife overhaul, supporting 90 train maintenance jobs in the region.

Transport and Main Roads minister Mark Bailey said the State Government’s commitment to maintaining Maryborough’s rich rail tradition was strong.

“Queensland Rail’s Interurban and Suburban Multiple Unit (IMU/SMU) trains were built in Maryborough between 2007 and 2011, by Queenslanders, for Queenslanders,” he said.

“Now, these same trains will undergo a multi-million-dollar overhaul back in Maryborough – keeping the jobs and skills in train maintenance alive in the region.

“Maryborough is known for its history in the rail industry, and now the next generation will deliver improvements to the trains that so many Queenslanders know and love.”

Assistant Train Manufacturing minister and Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said this overhaul was just the tip of the iceberg for the region.

He said the IMU and SMU overhaul was one of four cornerstone projects under a $300 milion Strategic Partnership Agreement between Downer and Queensland Rail.

“This agreement is about locking in jobs in Maryborough for the next decade,” he said.

Queensland Rail chief executive Kat Stapleton said the overhaul would see a total of 64 Queensland Rail trains progressively upgraded over the next six years.

“Over the last 16 years, these trains have done an incredible job for our customers right across the SEQ network,” she said.

“The time has come for the fleet to receive a well-deserved upgrade. so that they can provide safer, accessible, and more reliable services through engineering works involving

A Queensland Rail train being upgraded.

load bearing structures, traction converters and high-voltage systems as well as customer enhancements including refreshed passenger seating, flooring and air-conditioning and new digital screens onboard.

“Importantly, once completed, the trains will provide customers with significantly improved accessibility to SEQ rail services.”

THE UNIVERSAL TAMPER THE MULTI-GAUGE B 35 C

Brisbane fitting venue as rail industry meets

laid underneath Brisbane in the city’s history. With construction set to be completed in 2024, the next 12 months will see continued progress on the project.”

Innovation and sustainability will be key themes throughout the conference, with presentations on the role rail will play in the future of mobility, and how the industry is building its resilience as extreme weather events become more frequent.

decision makers taking part in the discussion.

Australasian Railways Association chief executive office Caroline Wilkie said it was particularly timely for the event to be held in Brisbane, as the state prepares for a new future of rail.

“Delegates will have the chance to hear the latest updates on the Cross River Rail project as it enters a crucial phase of its construction,” she said.

“The first section of rail was installed on the project’s 10.2km twin tunnels earlier this year, marking the first time rail tracks have been

Dedicated streams on workforce development, passenger and light rail and international perspectives will also feature as part of the program.

This year’s event also shines the spotlight on diversity and inclusion, with a range of initiatives headlined by breakfast events with a focus on women in rail and young rail professionals.

The event also features and extensive industry exhibition and social program planned designed to help delegates maximise their business development and networking during the event.

Delegates will have the opportunity to hear

“AusRAIL is not just about hearing about the latest industry developments. It is also an opportunity to see, experience, and discuss the latest industry innovations on the exhibition floor.”

Caroline Wilkie, Australasian Railways Association chief executive officer

The conference is being held in Brisbane, the focus of many groundbreaking rail projects.

about the scale of growth that is occurring in the state during a keynote address by Transport and Main Roads minister Mark Bailey on day 2 of the program.

Cross River Rail CEO Graeme Newton will also share the project’s latest developments, while Department of Transport and Main Roads Deputy Director General (TransLink) Sally Stannard will discuss the recently launched SEQ Connect strategy. Queensland Rail CEO Kat Stapleton will share her insights from her first eight months at the helm.

The program will also feature keynotes by Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development minister Catherine King, who will outline the Federal Government’s infrastructure priorities in the transport sector, Hitachi Global CEO Andrew Barr, who will share the company’s global mission to become a climate change innovator, and 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott .

“Of course, AusRAIL is not just about hearing about the latest industry developments. It is also an opportunity to see, experience, and discuss the latest industry innovations on the exhibition floor,” Wilkie said.

“The AusRAIL exhibition floor in Brisbane will feature the latest products, services and innovations at the Exhibition Hall, with more than 60 companies confirming their place as part of the exhibition. The Exhibition Hall will also include the exhibition theatre, lounges, a range of new activations and delegate working zones.

“We are also expanding your opportunities to make the most of your AusRAIL 2022 experience to connect, network and share information with key decision makers in the rail industry by staging five exclusive networking events.

“The inaugural Women in Rail breakfast will provide an opportunity to hear from special guest speaker and Olympic champion Libby Trickett as we discuss the importance of improving diversity in the rail industry.

“We will also host the Young Rail Professionals breakfast to bring together young rail professionals and industry leaders to discuss the issues impacting young people working in rail. This will be a great opportunity to network with the industry’s emerging leaders and hear about the issues shaping the future of rail.”

The pinnacle event of the AusRAIL 2022 social calendar will be the Yellow Dinner, which takes place on Wednesday, December 7. Attendees will be asked to come wearing a touch of yellow and enjoy a fun filled evening led by MC Shane Jacobson.

LEADING THE WAY TO GREENER AND SMARTER MOBILITY IN AUSTRALIA

© Alstom / RailGallery

Perth Airport Line takes off on flight to sustainability

The opening of Perth’s Airport Line marked the culmination of a $1.176 billion project awarded to an Italian construction and civil engineering group.

In October this year, Perth’s much-touted urban rail line – that connects the suburbs with the city centre via the international airport – was opened with much fanfare.

The Airport Line, formerly known as the Forrestfield-Airport Link, was one of the biggest sustainable mobility projects in the region, and one of the biggest and most complex public transport infrastructure

projects Western Australia had undertaken.

The line now allows commuters to travel between the suburbs and the centre in a mere 20 minutes, compared with a previous 45 minutes by car.

Developed with an investment of $1.86b in total, the length of the section is 8.5 kilometres, connecting the eastern suburbs with the Central Business District via the

international airport. By potentially taking 15,000 vehicles off the roads every day, it will help reduce up to 2000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

Commissioned by the Public Transport Authority and jointly funded by the WA and Australian governments, the project entailed the construction of two parallel tunnels, three stations at Redcliffe, Airport Central (Perth

The new Airport Central station.

The Perth Airport Line

Airport) and High Wycombe, 12 cross passages, and other related infrastructure.

It was a triumph for the company Webuild, which led the construction of the project with an 80 per cent stake in the joint venture together with its local partner NRW, despite the difficulties caused by COVID for the entire supply chain of 1200 companies, of which 91 per cent was local.

The excavation of the tunnels by two tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) was very challenging due to the varying geology, and because it was done under operating railway lines and beneath the airport’s operating runways before reaching the deepest point of the line at 26 metres under the Swan River.

SHOWCASE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

An important feature of the project was its sustainability features, which mark an important step for the future of infrastructure.

At High Wycombe Station, for example, Webuild built the largest solar panel system to be installed for a state government department in WA, sufficient to meet the average summertime daylight electricity demand of all three stations.

Another area of focus was the concrete, the most important material of any construction site.

Webuild worked closely with a local supplier to develop two sustainable concrete blends, one of which was for the production of the segments that line the tunnel walls.

Known as Triple Blend 60MPa Concrete, it is a low-cement concrete blend containing 65 per cent supplementary cementitious materials, such as ground-granulated blastfurnace slag, which is itself a recycled material.

This blend had only 195 kilograms of cement per cubic metre of concrete, compared with more than 550kg in typical 60Mpa Concrete.

By using this blend rather than the concrete made with Portland Cement – which requires a lot of energy to produce – a total of 21,848 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided in the production of the 54,000 tunnel segments that line the walls of a combined total of 15 kilometres of tunnels.

For the production of track slabs on which the rails are positioned along the Airport Line, the builders resorted to concrete reinforced with macro synthetic fibres rather than steel. This helped avoid the use of 6.96m kg of steel, preventing about 13,224t of CO2 being emitted during production.

The TBMs also reused the water it needed to function by having a plant use a filter press and centrifuge to process the slurry generated by the excavating, separating

the spoil from the water. The plant then sent the water back to the TBMs. In then end, it saved 2740 megalitres of water, the equivalent of more than 1000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Overall, such practices reduced water usage during all phases of the line’s construction by nearly 30 per cent.

WEBUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE WELL

The Airport Line is a highlight of Webuild’s growing presence in Australia, which the market sees as a market of strategic interest for its projects in sustainable mobility and renewable energy. And there are many more projects in the pipeline.

In March this year, Webuild was part of

Work being carried out in one of the tunnels.

Inside the new Redcliffe Station.

a consortium – named Regionerate Rail –that won the tender for the development of the Gowrie to Kagaru section of Inland Rail, which runs through Queensland. The contract is worth more than $5b for the design and construct elements, of which about $2.02b is attributable to Webuild.

In Melbourne, it is delivering the North

East Link as part of the Spark consortium, the biggest investment in the city’s northeast to fix a missing link in the freeway network under a public-private partnership.

In the Snowy Mountains, it is working on Snowy 2.0, the largest hydropower project in the country; and in Sydney, it was responsible for the award-winning curved, cable-stayed bridge for the Sydney Metro Northwest, the first of its kind in the country.

The projects are an impressive testament to the impact of the group formerly known as Salini Impregilo SpA, a civil engineering group headquartered in Milan. In May 2020, the company was rebranded as Webuild.

It was formally founded in 2014 as the result of the merger by incorporation of Salini into Impregilo – although the origins of the company date back to 1906. Webuild is the largest Italian engineering and general contractor group and a global player in the construction sector.

It is active in more than 50 countries over five continents, with about 35,000 employees. The experience covers a wide range of industries: from the construction of dams, hydroelectric plants and hydraulic structures, water infrastructures and ports, to roads, motorways, railways, metro systems and underground works, to airports, hospitals and public and industrial buildings, to civil engineering for waste-to-energy plants and environmental protection initiatives.

Project director Richard Graham said even the challenges of a global pandemic were overcome by the spirit of the workforce.

“I’m glad to say that the project never stopped for one day due to COVID – there was lot of effort and teamwork by all the people and the authorities to enable us to continue working,” he said.

“There was a lot of discipline –everybody stepped up to act responsibly, especially in the confined spaces of the tunnel and the TBMs.

“I hope that all visitors who use the line will experience an efficient and seamless journey straight into the heart of the city.”

Graham said that for Webuild, it is not simply what is built that matters, but how it is built, with an emphasis on making projects truly sustainable.

“The Airport Link is just one of many examples. For instance, the use of sustainable concrete is a practice that Webuild has been applying on construction sites across the globe to notable effect,” he said.

“In the past three years, it has been able to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions produced by activities related to the production and use of concrete by over 20 per cent.

“Thanks to technological innovation, this shift towards greener construction methods is making sustainable development truly sustainable, and is aligned with Webuild’s sustainability goals for 2021–2023.”

High Wycombe Station boasts the largest solar panel system to be installed for a state government department in WA.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left), WA transport minister Rita Saffioti and WA Premier Mark MacGowan ride the first train to travel on the line.

The TBMs used recycled water.

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Innovations in Rail

Coradia iLint leads progress in decarbonisation of rail

As part of Alstom’s broader sustainability program, the company has made innovation a priority, and is leading the way in designing and delivering low carbon mobility solutions that are efficient and effective for customers.

The Coradia iLint, the world’s first hydrogenpowered train, recently made the news when it registered a trial 1175km trip – livestreamed on Alstom social media – as the train travelled from Lower Saxony, through Germany, and into Munich without refuelling.

The distance spans the equivalent of driving from Canberra to Brisbane, thus proving the capabilities of Alstom’s world first hydrogenpowered train to travel long distances.

Over the course of the run, and during normal operations, the train only emits condensed water, and very low levels of noise.

proof that our hydrogen trains have all the prerequisites to replace diesel vehicles,” he said.

At the recent InnoTrans 2022, where the iLint was exhibited, some delegates were given the chance to ride the train as it completed a short trip through host city Berlin, allowing them to experience the speed, comfort, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology firsthand.

Designed specifically to run on partially and non-electrified lines, the Coradia iLint combines a number of different sustainable innovation elements.

These include clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage in batteries, and smart management of traction power and available energy.

The teams in Salzgitter, Germany, from Alstom’s Centre of Excellence for Regional

Government as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

“Alstom is immensely proud of the pioneering work we have done in introducing hydrogen to rail transport,” Poupart-Lafarge said.

“The Coradia iLint is a perfect illustration for our commitment to designing and delivering innovative and environmentally friendly solutions.”

The Coradia iLint won the 2022 German Sustainability Design Award, which recognises technical and social solutions that are particularly effective in driving the transformation to sustainable products, production, consumption, or lifestyle in line with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda.

Alstom currently has four contracts for hydrogen fuel cell-powered regional trains in Lower Saxony, Frankfurt, Italy, and France, totalling 59 units across the projects, with options for more available in the future. Testing has also been successfully completed in Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and many other areas of the world.

In spite of numerous electrification works around Europe, and the world, a large portion of rail networks remain non-electrified, and likely will for a significant time.

This places the Coradia iLint, and by extension Alstom, in a prime position to continue leading the way to greener, smarter mobility for all.

The iLint can be fuelled daily, around the clock at the hydrogen filling stations on the evb network (Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser GmbH) in Germany, where it has been running in commercial passenger service since August this year. With the proven range, the Coradia iLint model can run all day on one single tank of hydrogen.

Significant interest from Australian delegations was shown in this technology at InnoTrans, indicating this cutting-edge technology may soon be brought into the country in the near future.

With the record set for longest run without refuelling, Alstom’s Coradia iLint model has well and truly set the tone for decarbonising the rail industry, and secured the company’s position as the world’s first manufacturer of hydrogen-powered passenger trains.

The revolutionary Coradia iLint.

Innovations in Rail Strong uptake for Project i-TRACE

Project i-TRACE involves data management standards and processes that will reduce costs, remove duplication and improve the exchange of information about rail components and parts across the asset lifecycle.

The innovation is a joint initiative of the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and GS1 Australia, the leading provider of standards and solutions for more than 20 industry sectors.

Last year, the dataset specific to the rail industry was added to the National Product Catalogue (NPC) to enable suppliers and clients to log, manage and share information on their products to improve efficiencies.

ARA chief executive officer Caroline Wilkie said the opportunities to harmonise procurement and tendering processes were significant and would bring about a more sustainable rail industry.

“The NPC provides a single source of truth for product information in the rail industry. Standardised identification and barcodes removes hours of work in the sorting and manual processing of components and parts,” she said.

“This will help make the industry more responsive and efficient, allowing rail organisations to streamline their operations and better connect with the wider industry.”

SYDNEY TRAINS

Among the users of Project i-TRACE has been

the list of around 11,000 items currently set up for storage at the central warehouse.

“The bulk of these (about 1850) are Sydney Trains-assigned GTINs, with the balance coming from Project i-TRACE compliant suppliers such as Siemens, Pandrol and Cold Forge,” he said.

“In the next year I hope that groundwork set with other suppliers such as Voestalpine VAE Railway Systems and Delkor will result in their item ranges being added to the GTIN catalogue, and we can work with more suppliers to get them Project i-TRACE compliant.

“We also hope that more suppliers will become Project i-TRACE compliant and start identifying and marking their products with GS1 barcodes, so that when our SAP system goes live with scanning, we can leverage the power of the barcode.

(SAP is one of the world’s leading producers of software for the management of business processes, developing solutions that facilitate effective data processing.)

“We are in the final stages of testing the printing of barcode labels from SAP which will mean that the label data will be generated directly from the production goods receipt, or purchase order receipt if not already labelled at source/supplier,” Steward said.

“This will pick up all master and transactional data and avoid the need for separate Excel databases and manual data entry.

“Eventually we aim to use the NPC as a repository to share our product data with our customers, and to source vendor product data from the same place.”

YARRA TRAMS

Yarra Trams, run by Keolis Downer, sees a successful implementation of GS1 as fundamental to its Supply Chain Transformation Initiative, aimed at future proofing the light rail operations for the next generation of rolling stock, as well as bringing the current fleet into the 21st century.

Yarra Trams supply chain support senior coordinator Blair Hocking said as a buyer and distributor of essential equipment to keep Melbourne’s tram network operating, the operator was striving to better control its inventory accuracy, management of depot stock, and customer service.

“At the opposite end we aim to improve

our supply chain relationships with better connectivity and communication, where key activities such as rotable asset repairs and product warranty management are essential to safe operation of our network,” he said.

“The Initial discovery phase is underway and we have developed an implementation schedule of bite-sized chunks to facilitate smooth integration into our daily warehousing activities with minimum disruption.

“Our first step will be to implement receipting of goods into our warehouse using simple add-on hardware and a minor enhancement to our inventory software, all leveraging existing inventory that is already barcoded to the GS1 standard.

“GS1 is a global industry-wide initiative, and the tram is departing. By jumping onboard for the ride you’re future-proofing yourselves for your next generation of customers”.

PANDROL

Pandrol views the implementation of standardised material master data as an important step in simplifying and streamlining transactions with its rail industry customers.

The company’s head of engineering and quality, Justin Bagge, said data built around standardised fields would allow Pandrol to speak the same ‘language’ as its clients, improving accuracy of transactions with them, and building on the work already conducted through the implementation of GTINs.

“Pandrol is currently in the process of preparing a sample set of data for a trial with Queensland Rail, which we anticipate will highlight the benefits to both businesses of working with standardised material data,” he said.

“Pandrol has been part of the Project i-TRACE journey from very early on. Our involvement with InfraBuild (formerly OneSteel) during their implementation of 2D barcodes on the steel we purchase to produce our rail clips, has introduced us to the benefits that barcoding brings in terms of streamlining capture of incoming data.

“Using standardised barcodes has allowed us to increase the efficiency of capturing all the data that comes into and goes through the business, and has given us the opportunity to more easily capture data for goods that are ready to go out of our premises to customers.”

Project i-TRACE is fast gaining traction in the rail industry for helping standardise data management. Rail Express canvasses the opinions of some of the project’s users.

The barcodes used by Sydney Trains.

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includes:

Innovations in Rail

New MATISA tamper for Select Plant

For many years, demanding networks have trusted MATISA’s range of universal tamping machines.

And the company, which recently opened a production and maintenance facility in Australia, is set to deliver a new B 35 C unit for operation in Australia by early next year.

MATISA Australia general manager Steven Johnson clarified MATISA’s naming conventions.

“’B’ is for Bourreuses, meaning tamper in French, the number historically indicated the weight, and ‘C’ refers to the type of work head in the machine,” he said.

“The B 35 C is, therefore, a compact tamper with our heavy-duty, full-sized tamping units, or work heads. A compact machine with the heart of our big tampers.

“Customers choosing the B 35 C do not need to compromise on tamping quality whilst also benefiting from having a machine easily transportable by road.”

The B 35 C is a universal single-head tamping machine designed for both plain track and turnout tamping. Resting on a carrying axle and a motorised bogie, it has two cabins equipped with driving and working stations as well as a power unit driven by a Scania or Caterpillar engine.

“Equipped with four ‘C’ or, combined, tamping units providing 16 tamping tools as well as a lift frame equipped with hooks and twin rollers, this tamping machine is perfectly suited to the processing of switches and plain line,” Johnson said.

“A key feature of the machine is its multi-gauge capability. MATISA designed the machine with gauge convertibility at the front of designers’ minds. The machine is, therefore, readily configurable for different gauges. Where most gauge convertible machines can do two gauges, the B 35 C is able to accommodate a full range from 1000mm up to 1668mm, and all gauges in between.

“This is an especially useful feature for Australia’s legacy three-gauge network. With a quick visit to the workshop, or performed in the field, the owner can quickly configure the machine for the next project.”

One organisation keen on the unit is infrastructure leader Laing O’Rourke, with its

The construction of the machine is now well advanced and Select, Laing O’Rourke and MATISA are working together to navigate the next steps of the project.

“We will soon complete the machine build, followed quickly by testing, factory acceptance testing and then shipping,” Johnson said.

A team from MATISA, Select Plant and Laing O’Rourke are now busy planning the arrival of the machine, and training staff.

Laing O’Rourke business unit leader Mark Fletcher said Laing O’Rourke was experiencing a continued phase of growth, securing projects across Australia. Looking to leverage these recent project wins, it placed an order for a MATISA B 35 C tamper in late 2021.

Fletcher said he recognised that supply chain issues were impacting on everyone.

“MATISA has kept us informed and we can see how they are managing these supply chain challenges,” he said.

Select’s business unit leader, Nathan Mitschuinig, said the company was looking forward to the arrival of the MATISA tamper.

“It will become part of Select’s growing range of specialist rail plant and equipment, and utilised by Laing O’Rourke’s rail operations business unit,” he said. “With a large and growing scope of rail work being delivered nationally, we are investing in innovative, purposeful technology which will go to work across the country.”

Johnson said that while the B 35 C is the baby of the fleet, it was a product MATISA was very proud of.

“We see significant opportunities for this machine in Australia, and the Southeast Asia region. This is a highly capable machine in a very compact frame,” he said.

Another machine Johnson believes is well-suited to the Aussie track environment is the very highperformance B 66 UC.

“This is a continuous action universal tamping machine, again designed for metro, high speed, interstate or heavy haul. It is capable of handling the heaviest switches and crossings, as well as plain-line,” he said.

“This machine is equipped with a shuttle comprising four tamping units and a levellinglining clamp. To ensure even lifting of the long bearers, the machine is equipped with a third rail lifting device.

“The very reactive tamping shuttle gives it high efficiency for a single-head machine. The significant longitudinal movement of the tamping units makes it possible to tamp, with ease and speed, tracks with fanned or skew sleepers.

“Located in the centre of the machine, the tamping cabin offers excellent visibility of the tools and the track. Thanks to the ergonomics of the controls, the machine utilises one operator in the tamping cabin and one in the front cabin.”

The B 66 UC has seen over six years of action with Roy Hill in the Pilbara of Western Australia, working in the harsh environment to maintain the mining company’s critical infrastructure.

MATISA also produces a ‘metro’ version of the B 66 UC, which is ideally suited to the restrictive, complex and compact nature of the networks in Sydney and Melbourne.

“The combination of continuous action and turnout tamping in one machine, means the machine can continue tamping from the plain line into the turnout without missing a beat,” Johnson said. “The flexibility of the ‘C’ units and the clamp frame also means the frequent obstacles found in these metro environments are easily negotiated.”

plant hire division Select Plant Australia already earmarking one of the tampers.

When rail tamping machines are considered, the name MATISA often comes to mind. And a brand new unit is set to make its Australian debut next year.

The B 35 C is designed for both plain track and turnout tamping.

Keeping projects on track since 1965

Since its first major commission in 1977, TBH has undertaken over 250 separate commissions on rail projects, including trackworks, OHW, signalling, stations, train procurement and maintenance. With the extensive experience acquired through working across rail projects in a variety of disciplines, TBH has the in-depth knowledge required to develop, implement and maintain the time, cost, risk and reporting functions across each stage of a rail project’s lifecycle.

Visit us at AusRail, 5-7 December, stand 158, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre to discuss how we can assist you in keeping your projects on track. www.tbhconsultancy.com

Innovations in Rail

Maximise trackside safety with mobile worksite protection

Information about passing trains is transmitted via radio and the warning signal is issued on the worksite.

Warning System (MRWS), have been used to protect employees in the rail corridors on several thousand worksites across Europe, and now in Sydney with Sydney Trains.

The system consists of different devices and components which can be modularly configured within the system to meet individual needs.

The passing train is detected at the required distance, the information is transmitted via radio and the warning signal is issued on the worksite. When the train has left the worksite area, the warning is cancelled by the operator and work can continue.

Melvelle Equipment owner and chief executive officer Andrew Melvelle said Zoellner’s heritage lay in the design and manufacture of horns for ships and other forms of transport.

“As the largest manufacture in the world of horns, it is easy to see how Zoellner has become the trusted supplier of such a reliable and important safety device as automatic track warning ystems to our rail industry,” he said.

The MRWS can be divided into four specific areas within the system to protect the workers: Warning Trigger, Systems Control, Warning and (automatic) Deactivation.

portable manual trigger. These triggers transmit the warning signal to the system control zone.

The System Control again can be a stationary unmanned or harness warn device that monitors all registered devices in the protected safety zone. If the system control does not see that all devices within the network are working properly, it will transmit a warning to all other active devices, notifying the workers to stay in a safe place until the system is fully functional in all areas.

The Warning zone is the area where workers must be protected. This area is monitored with stationary, mobile or personally worn protective devices that give a warning when a pull trigger sends the safety signal to leave the work area.

This warning is both audible and visual on each warning device. Personal warning systems can be coupled with small LED lights that can be mounted in safety visors or goggles. Stationary horns in the area to be protected should be deployed at noise hotspots.

All horns measure the ambient noise and adjust their warning volume so that workers

within the zone can hear the alarm. The volume of the devices is between 97 and 126dB(A).

The Deactivation of the warning can either be done automatically or manually by the controller. Both only take place when the train has left the warning area and only then may the personnel re-enter the construction site.

“Here in Australia, we have two registered frequencies for the Zoellner systems,” Melvelle said. “These allow us to protect more than one track zone during a possession in the same area. The system frequency selection on the devices is set for the zone on all the devices in the protected zone and does not interfere with the other protected areas.

“Additionally in Europe, Zoellner has worked with the signal manufacturers to automatically connect connect the track warning system into the signal systems to ensure that as zones in the network change from red to green, systems trigger warnings.

“This could be particularly important if Australia constructs a high-speed network.”

Zoellner’s MRWS systems can be configured to suit all work zones, with permanently installed warning systems for high maintenance area or fully mobile systems that can be easily deployed by two workers in either hard wired or radio-controlled systems.

Over the coming months, the Melvelle team will be preparing for technical training with Zoellner engineering to allow full servicing of the systems locally in Australia at the Melvelle premises in Newcastle. Zoellner Australia director Christian Jung will be with the team to provide sales and technical training.

“This is an important step for the Zoellner journey here in Australia,” Melvelle said.

“Australians look for value and quick turnaround with the products we purchase and it is imperative that an international supplier has a local presence to be successful in our industry. We will shortly have a full system in-house to allow our sales team to perform demonstrations for interested customers.”

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

Zoellner offers acoustic warning devices for the heavy rail industry as well as for the entire light rail sector.

Melvelle Equipment has partnered with Zoellner Australia to provide sales, servicing and technical support to the Zoellner range of track warning systems.

Innovations in Rail

High capacity, precision, reliability

The latest incarnation of Plasser’s 09-X series, which has long been regarded as the gold standard for multi-sleeper track tamping machines around the world, is set to make its mark on Australian rail networks.

Plasser Australia is the leading provider of track maintenance machinery in Australia and New Zealand. Already synonymous with Australia’s railway network, the company is part of the global Plasser & Theurer group, the only manufacturer in the world that offers a complete range of machines for laying and maintaining railway tracks.

Covering almost all track works, the company offer ranges from simple tamping machines to 200-metre-long high-capacity systems.

But why is there the need to tamp?

Plasser Australia Sales and Marketing Manager Nathan Stevens explains to Rail Express that safe and comfortable travel in a train is only possible on tracks lying in the correct geometrical position.

“The first machines that made it possible to produce this state of the track quickly and reliably were built by Plasser & Theurer,” he said. “The hydraulic non-synchronous, constant-pressure tamping principle – which is still the method most widely used today – was developed by the company to hold the tracks in the correct position.”

Thousands of levelling, lifting, lining and tamping machines made by the company are today operating all over the world, meeting the individual requirements of the operators.

The main categories are tamping machines in standard railway vehicle design for plain track and turnouts which are equipped with one, two, three or four-sleeper tamping units; self-loading and road-rail tamping machines; and lightweight tamping machines.

“When a train travels over a track, it generates enormous forces. The entire track consisting of rails, sleepers and ballast is an elastic system that deforms and returns to its original position,” Stevens said.

“Over the long term, this high stress results in deterioration of the track geometry. This can lead to anomalies, which means that the ideal geometry of the track is no longer assured and in these areas it becomes necessary to impose temporary speed restrictions.

“To avoid such a situation, tracks should be maintained at regular intervals, which includes levelling, lifting, lining and tamping. This ensures that the ideal geometry of the track is restored.”

Tamping is performed by using tines which pack the ballast under the sleeper to produce a

The tamping tines penetrate the ballast bed from above and compact the ballast under the sleeper with a squeezing movement.

Two factors are decisive here. Firstly, all tamping tines work with the same pressure; and secondly, the tamping tines vibrate with the ideal frequency of exactly 35 Hz whilst squeezing. This directional, linear vibration, combined with the non-synchronous tine movement, produces a homogeneously compacted ballast bed.

UNIVERSAL SOLDIER

Stevens says the latest tamping range, the Unimat 09-2X 4x4/4S Dynamic, offers universal tamping at its best. And the models are set to make their Australian debut.

“One half of the unit works perfectly in turnouts, while the second half of the duo operates mainly on plain track,” he said.

“Combining plain track and turnout tamping into a single machine is nothing new.

“What is new, however, is the 2X 4x4 tamping units’ arrangement, combining universal 4x4 turnout tamping in one-sleeper mode and increased output on the track and parts of the turnout, thanks to 2X.”

Stevens said the unit satisfies the needs of a high-capacity machine for plain track and turnouts, with integrated stabilisation.

“The highly versatile unit does the job of three

turnouts and short sections of track in between.

“Thanks to its flexible design, this tamping unit easily handles tamping the other way round: several sections of track and the occasional maintenance of turnouts.”

The models are currently being manufactured at Plasser’s North St Marys factory in Sydney, with the first due for delivery in 2023.

“These will be the largest tampers built in Australia and we have already secured orders for them,” Stevens said.

THE CUTTING EDGE

The Unimat 09-2X 4x4/4S Dynamic is based on technology that sets the standards for today’s track maintenance motors.

The unit half that works in turnouts offers full movability and absolute flexibility.

“On plain track, however, it is performance that counts. There, both halves work hand-in-hand in 2X mode,” Stevens said.

“The unit half that works on plain track has reduced movability. The combined effort of the unit halves showcases Plasser’s guiding principle: sustainability.

“It falls in line with high capacity, precision, and reliability. Combining the strengths of this makes it possible to reduce wear sustainably.”

The high-quality tamping tines allow higher kilometre outputs and need to be replaced

The SmartALC automatic computer guides the Unimat Dynamic range.

less often. They are produced as monobloc components forged in one piece and coated with a tungsten-carbide armour for all surfaces that come into contact with the ballast.

Stevens said Plasser’s tampers had been tested under various operating conditions on every continent, with features that include:

• Maximum flexibility in the turnout, thanks to variable use of 16 tamping tines, threerail lifting, and four-rail tamping technology

• High track geometry durability and resistance to track buckling, thanks to dynamic track stabilisation

• Reduced speed restrictions due to optimised availability of the infrastructure following maintenance and dynamic track stabilisation.

THE GUIDING HAND

The Smar tALC automatic guiding computer is at the centre of Plasser’s computer-based track geometry production for tamping machines and sets new standards with regard to userfriendliness and process reliability.

In addition to the two work procedures for optimising the track geometry that are standard

around the globe – the compensation method when the track geometry is not known, and the precision method when the track geometry is known – it uses the so-called spot tamping method for correcting isolated defects.

• Compensation method:

This involves guiding the tamping machine in accordance with the relative or the unknown track geometry. After a measuring run, the recorded versines are smoothened and the lifting and lining values are calculated.

SmartALC calculates a recommendation for the track’s superelevation. The calculated values are used as target values for the tamping process.

• Precision method:

The absolute track geometry is used to guide the tamping machine. The track geometry, including the radii, transition curves, gradient changes and superelevation, is known.

The AbsoluteTrackGeometry module is an innovative expansion, adding absolute track geometry recording to the tamping machine.

• Spot tamping:

The spot tamping tool increases the output and working quality of turnout tamping machines

and universal tamping machines. It enables the correction of the track geometry to be controlled from a tamping machine’s front cabin. Advantages include:

• Ability to optimise track geometry from spot faults to BIM projects

• Intuitive operation for any level of experience

• Efficiency increases thanks to the accurate localisation of faults

• Durable track geometry thanks to controlled wear reserves

• Damage caused by operating mistakes is a thing of the past.

Become

Send applications to hr@plasser.com.au

Systems & Services

HAND Wave Systems

Plasser is fully dedicated to “Innovation for You”. That is what motivates the company to produce track construction and maintenance machines that set standards in cost-efficiency, environmental-friendliness, and ergonomic design. Its dedicated team members play a key role in ensuring this. Their outstanding performance in the most diverse fields contributes to the success of the company –every single day.

part of the success story and build a lasting career at Plasser Australia.

Innovations in Rail

The trusted partner in rail plant and equipment for over 50 years

With proven success in providing quality rail equipment and experienced operators for more than 50 years, RMS Rail is proudly Australian-owned and a multi-generational family business well-equipped for all planned higher needs.

Working from offices in Victoria and New South Wales, its core business of plant hire is to provide hi-rail and non-hi-rail plant and equipment with competent, experienced operators.

RMS NSW business manager Terry Nicholls said the company had specialised in providing reliable and practical equipment to a spectrum of industries with unique application needs for more than 50 years.

“We have sourced and secured specific equipment for rail maintenance and construction, and are committed to continuously source and provide the latest technology in equipment,” he said.

The business’ range of specialised equipment is all custom purpose-built to provide greater efficiencies in operations, saving time and money. And they are also compliant to work in any condition.

But while experts in rail maintenance and construction, the foundation of RMS is in being a plant hire company that offers reliable and practical equipment to a spectrum of industries.

RMS also takes pride in its commitment to health, safety, environment and quality.

“Underpinning the quality of all our work is our ISO 900 2015 certified integrated management system,” Nicholls said.

“The comprehensive range of rail plant equipment is approved and certified by major rail transport authorities, permitting us to

The business’ range of specialised equipment is purpose-built to provide greater efficiencies in operations.

RMS Rail has developed expertise in delivering track maintenance and construction activities.

undertake all types of rail maintenance and construction work in all conditions.

“We provide quality and relevant plant equipment, vehicles, trucks, and specialty rail equipment, utilising premium global suppliers such as Liebherr, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, Toyota and Isuzu.

“As well, depending on the job required, be it ballast undercutting, re-railing, non- destruction digging, sleeper replacement, turnoff construction or piling, we have the necessary attachments to get the job done safely and on time.”

provided services in project site surveillance, commercial management, and operational management with about 100 dedicated staff, including train operators.

“Throughout the years of providing high rail plant machinery and equipment to the rail industry in multiple states of Australia, RMS Rail has developed expertise in delivering track maintenance and construction activities, and grown the fleet to supply efficient cost and time saving solutions for all clients,” he said.

With one of the largest road-rail fleets in Australia, RMS Rail is a preferred supplier in rail construction and maintenance operations, and specialises in custom-made equipment to suit various needs.

TIME FOR A CHANGE OF SCENERY?

Are you looking for something new? An opportunity of a lifetime?

Queensland Rail is looking for an Officer in Charge to join their Gulflander team in Normanton.

This once-in-a-lifetime role delivers all aspects of the Gulflander tourism rail service to satisfy our customer expectations, train maintenance, and station operation and infrastructure needs.

If you are trade qualified with a Certificate III in Engineering (Mechanical) or equivalent – and someone who has a genuine interest in the history and heritage of the railway. If you have the ability to have a yarn, be engaging and provide a memorable experience for our customers. AND you are looking for a change of scenery – then this is the opportunity for you.

This is a permanent live-in role (3 bedroom house, including utilities) in Queensland’s unique Gulf country. This lifestyle offers an excellent change of scenery with vast landscapes, unique flora and fauna, great fishing and plenty of railway history, along with the chance to have your name etched into our history book.

Queenslandrailtravel.com.au - Gulflander.com.au

Innovations in Rail

STRAIL level crossing innovations for Australia

Two new developments from Kraiburg STRAIL are being well received by rail authorities across Australia.

The Germany-based Kraiburg STRAIL is a leading rubber fabrication company specialising in level crossings, noise protection, industrial elements, and polymer sleepers, catering to tram and railroad lines.

Under the motto “street meets rail”, STRAIL systems connect the two transport routes, quickly, safely and reliably. The combination of street and rail gave rise to the brand name STRAIL, which is well known in the professional world.

With continual upward global economic pressures and requirements for improving sustainability, the company embarked on the search for a local pre-cast concrete supplier as the licensed producer of the company’s kerbstones in the Australian market.

STRAIL’s kerbstones have evolved over the past 30 years to be extremely reliable, able to stay in place over the whole of asset life cycle of the level crossing and in most cases beyond.

The kerbstones are very quick and easy to install and are combined with locally produced foundation blocks and Australian manufacturered bedding mortars, making the system 100 per cent Australian-made.

The challenge for Kraiburg STRAIL was in finding a competent producer who could achieve the high quality and specification equivalent to current producers in Germany.

Their high strength and durability mean that the kerbstones can withstand of some of the harshest heavy road conditions, from Western Australia’s Pilbara mining region’s main highways to busy port access roads across

Europe, without cracking and spalling that can pose as a traffic hazard to road users.

Working with local agent Phoenix AG Australia and its director Andrew Roseman, STRAIL chose Permacast, Western Australia’s leading supplier of precast and prestressed concrete products for major road and rail infrastructure, oil and gas and resource projects.

“Permacast was able to develop a special high strength concrete mix to meet the rigorous requirements needed for the products,” he said.

“Extensive testing took place through 2020 and once approved, production commenced of kerbstones at the beginning of 2021.

“An important aspect of the concrete mix was to incorporate supplementary cementitious materials to offer a sustainable and performance advantage.

“Being able to reduce the Portland cement content and replace it with more environmentally friendly materials provides not only a more sustainable concrete product, by lowering energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but it also provides performance factors to make a more durable high-performance concrete product which is key for ensuring kerbstones do not deteriorate during the life of the level crossing.”

More than 1250 kerbstones have been produced and installed to date in several projects such as ARTC’s Inland Rail N2NS section, ARTC level crossing renewals through the Hunter Valley and Mid-North Coast, and for several new BHP road crossing renewals.

As well, Metro Trains Melbourne, Sydney Trains and Metro Trains Sydney all have combined the use of the localised kerbstones with the installation of innoSTRAIL at their hirail access pad locations.

A new product for the Australian market, innoSTRAIL provides an economic and durable level crossing system for medium duty applications such as occupation crossings and hi-rail maintenance access pads.

Providing the same STRAIL features such as easy removability for tamping and track maintenance, innoSTRAIL has the added feature of being independent of sleeper spacing. This means that the crossing can be installed in any location without relying on sleeper positioning, or where a sleeper spacing is greater than 600mm avoiding the need for costly track works prior to the installation.

innoSTRAIL can be supplied for a variety of track situations such as on tight curves, through turnouts or on dual-gauge tracks, which makes it an incredibly versatile level crossing system. With a module width of 900mm, STRAIL has also developed a 1200mm wide version for even greater versatility.

“We see an increasing uptake of this type of crossing system across Australia as operators see the benefits of innoSTRAIL,” Roseman said.

“Making the investment for a removable panel system at these types of locations ensures that the tracks can still be maintained without interruption, which often is compromised when cheaper non-removable level crossing products are installed.

“On balance, innoSTRAIL will deliver a lower operating cost over the life of the level crossing.”

Locally produced kerbstones on the Inland Rail line at Gurley, NSW.

Creating stations that connect

Design studio Woods Bagot's Transport team is playing a significant role in shaping urban Australia's rail resurgence, creating modern free-flowing stations connecting commuters with the communities they serve. Key current projects include the transformation of Sydney's Central Station with Laing O'Rourke for Sydney Metro, the lead design role on the five station Morley-Ellenbrook Line in Perth as part of the MELconnx Consortium and design of the Sydney Metro Station at Crows Nest in northern Sydney. Woods Bagot is also the project design and delivery architect for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport Terminal. ----

To learn more about Woods Bagot's market-leading approach to designing and delivering railway stations and related infrastructure, contact Regional Transport Leader John Prentice:john.prentice@woodsbagot.com.

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Innovations in Rail

Digitalisation of railways a priority that can’t be ignored

With global demand set to triple in the next 30 years to 122 trillion passenger kilometres, leading to even more traffic jams, rail must be the primary choice of transport mode to meet the growing demand for mobility and at the same time achieve climate targets.

Siemens Mobility has been a leader in this regard, pioneering the use of digitalisation for railway networks.

The launch of the Siemens Xcelerator in Germany this year created the digital backbone and helped the company form one open, horizontal and vertical rail ecosystem.

Siemens Xcelerator is a new, open digital business platform featuring a curated portfolio of IoT-enabled hardware and software, a powerful ecosystem of partners, and a marketplace.

It united the rail systems which had become a complex patchwork of operators and freight services using a wide variety of rolling stock, software and hardware, signalling, customer and rail information on every journey.

By providing open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Siemens Xcelerator enabled sub-systems to connect hardware and software, linking all the different participants of the mobility eco-system such as asset owners, operators, maintainers, and for sure passengers.

According to Siemens Mobility chief executive officer Michael Peter, there are two different groups that benefit the most from Siemens Xcelerator within the railway industry.

“On the one hand, the asset owners, operators, and maintainers benefit because by connecting all assets in one big ecosystem, they will be able to manage all their assets centrally, no matter who manufactured them,” he said.

“On the other hand, the ecosystem benefits the passengers because they will get much better information about what is going on within the train, for example about the occupancy rate of each train. When all assets are connected, this will also enable passengers to rebook their tickets on the spot at a lower price and for an emptier train.

“So, by connecting the outside world to the inside of a train, our industry will be able to work together with the ultimate goal of making public transport even more attractive and efficient.”

REASONS TO DIGITALISE NOW

• Dynamics of demand

Peter said digital changes are urgently needed to ensure capacity can match growing demand, because rail is the most sustainable option if industry aims to reduce transport emissions by 90 per cent by 2050.

“Traditionally, passenger movements were more predictable, for example rush hour spikes and peaks around holiday seasons,” he said.

“Post-pandemic, it fluctuates and is difficult to forecast. This is a challenge for operators, but it can also be turned into an opportunity to reach better average occupancy.

“Managing capacity and distributing it evenly throughout the day and week can only be optimised through live digital solutions, for

As cities expand rapidly and passenger demand soars, never have more people and goods needed a ‘digital railway’ for transportation at a lower cost to the environment.

Siemens Xcelerator is a new, open digital business platform.

instance dynamic pricing. This means that ticket prices are lowered in order to fill trains that still have capacity and that otherwise would run empty.

“So, with dynamic pricing, operators will be able to offer more attractive deals for customers and at the same time balance demand and supply better to reduce peak-time-occupancy.”

• Optimising capacity

“Less is sometimes more. Building new rail routes or adding more trains onto crowded networks is not always the best solution,” Peter said.

“It can lead to disruption and make journeys less appealing to passengers. One solution to optimise capacity is automatic train operation (ATO) that uses data from infrastructure, track, and train schedule information to calculate the ideal speed profile for current conditions at any given time.

“This enables up to 30 per cent more throughput on shared tracks, 15 per cent better punctuality and 30 per cent less energy usage.”

• Reducing pain points

Making infrastructure digital or cloudbased takes away the need for a lot of equipment alongside the tracks and can thus prevent shutdowns.

“For example, in Germany, there are today 2800 interlocking locations, 160,000 signals and 400,000 kilometers of cables spread along the routes. These are all parts that can fail leading to disruption,” Peter said.

“Implementing European Train Control System (ETCS) as the only signalling technology will make signals redundant. In a next step, we can then move the infrastructure into the cloud.

“With that technology, shutdowns can be

prevented with geo-redundancy, and it will save up to 50 per cent in space and energy consumption. Moreover, when eliminating hardware obsolescence by moving the infrastructure into the cloud, the 40-yearpropriarty spare part supply will be resolved.”

• Optimising lifecycle costs

Operating and maintenance costs of the running gear make up around 40 per cent of the total operating costs of a train.

“With Siemens’ cloud-based rail asset management solution Railigent, built-in connectivity and services combine sensors and data analytics to automatically perceive the condition of the assets and trigger corresponding actions,” Peter said.

“In fact, algorithms can detect impending faults before they actually occur. On the basis of these analyses, each train knows exactly when it has to return to the depot so that failures do not occur during operation.

“This technology reduces unnecessary service and at the same time decreases unplanned downtimes by up to 50 per cent, thereby enabling up to 100 per cent availability.”

• Managing all assets centrally

Peter said all trains should be intelligent and talkative vehicles with sensor data continuously recorded to enable predictive maintenance in the depot.

“However, what do the respective asset owners, operators, or maintainers do with that information and how do they analyse it?” he said.

“At the moment, they often need one asset management system per train manufacturer. With Siemens Xcelerator and by creating open APIs, they will be able to manage all their assets centrally.”

• Convenience for passengers

Fully occupied trains are great for the environment and the operator. But overcrowded trains result in a bad experience for the passenger. At the same time, empty trains are a waste of resources and make operators unprofitable.

“This is where Siemens Xcelerator comes into play enabling seamless data flow between all assets,” Peter said.

“For example, based on the weight of each wagon, the occupancy can be measured. This data is already available today via sensors.

“However, by connecting that information to trip planning systems, operators will be able to make them available also to the passenger so that based on that, they can make informed decisions on whether they want to take that train or rather wait for the next one that is less full.”

• Seamless journeys

Passengers prefer one source of trip planning and booking, from e-bike to the station, train from the station, and then bus or tram to finish their journey, because they don’t want travel from station to station, but from door to door.

“In order to reach seamless door-to-door travelling, data sharing across different operators is crucial,” Peter said.

“As a passenger, I need to know what the best way is to travel to my destination, and these data must be live so that I can easily change my mind and switch to another mode of transport.”

• Connected ecosystem

“We need to connect the numerous participants of the mobility eco-system within one open ecosystem that delivers a punctual, comfortable, reliable, and easy-to-use transportation system,” Peter said.

“Today there is a variety of trains, infrastructure, operators, hardware, software, and apps almost competing individually against each other.

“One open platform working together will allow operators to have access to all relevant information in order to optimise the rail journey for their passengers.”

Peter said one major advantage of Siemens Xcelerator is the seamless data flow between all layers of the railway ecosystem.

That means that for example, when the asset management solution of the asset owner predicts a failure, this information automatically also triggers other processes.

For example, the train schedule is adapted in order to allow for repair time, and tickets as well as reservations are automatically being rebooked.

Siemens Mobility chief executive officer Michael Peter.

AI sensor helps shine a light on train driver awareness

Safe train operations require the train driver to be constantly aware of the locomotive’s precise location, potential hazards ahead of the train, the train’s speed relative to the permitted speed, all while maintaining compliance with the limit of authority or trackside signals.

Combine reliance on constant driver situation awareness over a multihour shift with variables such as night operations, adverse weather, and the possibility of unauthorised access in the rail corridor, and the result is the likelihood of a safeworking incident.

The typical risk control for freight train operations is the presence of the second driver, yet the number of safeworking incidents each year seems to indicate this control is vulnerable to human error. The underlying cause of many of these incidents can be attributed to loss of situation awareness by the train crew.

This then poses the question of how to leverage emerging technology to assist and improve train driver situation awareness and train protection.

Newcastle-based company 4AI Systems seems to have found the answer with its development of HORUS - an artificial intelligence machine learning system that can be configured as an independent Advanced Driver Advisory System (ADAS) to improve driver situation awareness.

4AI chief executive officer Joanne Wust tells Rail Express that by utilising complex neural networks to process data in real-time, the HORUS ADAS uses real-time processing of data from onboard sensors such as visual and thermal cameras, INS and GPS to detect and classify objects in the rail corridor such as people, large animals and vehicles.

“It can detect hazards in the rail corridor at distances in excess of 1000 metres depending on the sensor configuration,” she said.

“The HORUS ADAS can also monitor train compliance with a movement authority limit and permitted track speeds.

“For signalled track, the HORUS ADAS

can warn the train driver of the approaching signal and the displayed aspect. Train braking curves can be calculated in real-time for train speed compliance with an approaching speed reduction or limit of authority.

This technology has not gone unnoticed, with 4AI Systems receiving continued interest from operators for applying the HORUS ADAS to local and international rail networks.

Presenting at InnoTRANS 2022 earlier this year in September, 4AI Systems showcased for the first time HORUS’ success in a remote and rugged environment –presenting footage from the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Visitors to the 4AI Systems stand were shown footage capturing accurate detection ranges of objects up to 1500 metres in front of a moving train, including signals, track workers, vehicles, and livestock across the remote rail network.

4AI Systems also demonstrated HORUS’ detection and classification capability in North America’s largest metropolitan railway, in New York.

The New York ‘proof of concept’ was a result of 4AI Systems being selected as one of four companies to participate in the New York City Transit Tech Lab Signalling Challenge to trial new technology to implement a more efficient and reliable subway signalling system more quickly and cost-effectively.

As part of the proof, HORUS was installed on a R143 subway car along the Canarsie line to measure people, objects, and signal aspects, presenting an opportunity for Australian rail technology to be recognised in the international rail space.

“The rail industry is fortunate to be able to leverage the car industry’s research and development in support of autonomous vehicles,” Wust said.

“Innovative capabilities such as HORUS ADAS offer the opportunity to improve driver situation awareness and train protection and improve rail freight competitiveness against trucks.

“Warning and alarms can be presented to the train driver. ADAS can also be interfaced to the train brakes to brake the train should the driver fail to comply with alarms advice presented via the train driver display.”

“The rail industry also has a significant advantage that unlike a car, the technology can be retrofitted to locomotives.”

The company will showcase the HORUS AI technology at AusRAIL 2022, at stands 105 and 110.

A breakthrough driver advisory system developed by 4AI automatically detects objects in the rail corridor, enabling safer train operations.

The Manco powered trailer of the modern day has been growing in demand from civil contractors both in New Zealand and Australia on many rail construction projects.

First designed and built in the 70s, the popular trailer – formally known as the lowbed transporter – has been nipped and tucked over the past five decades by innovation and engineering advancements.

Once oversized and with a weight that would require significant logistics and lifting equipment to match, today’s powered trailers have become lighter whilst providing increased payload capacity.

Manco Engineering director Ryan Black tells Rail Express that the company now actively offers four models of powered trailers which can be specced in many tray and size configurations .. and in some models, even in two sections.

“Manco also offers a range of non-powered

trailers that can be towed via a powered trailer of a Manco hi-rail vehicle,” he said.

The units are all self-propelled and provide hi-rail transport for almost any plant, where other specific dedicated hi-rail converted equipment would be required or have been limited due to length and mass of the equipment.

“The full radio remote-controlled trailers have become the latest and hottest item,” Black said.

“Back in the day, we used to tow a trailer behind a vehicle; now you don’t need that.

“Operators will drive radio remote controls and it also enables a lot more range of equipment to get on track, unlike the limitations with hi rail equipment and fitting that to the vehicle.

“We’ve got customers with drill rigs and all sorts of innovative equipment that they want to get into the rail corridor, for example geotech drilling and vacuum loading, so there’s a lot of

heavy civil stuff that they can now easily load on these trailers.”

“Recent projects successfully completed by Manco include the coupling of four 14.5m powered trailers together to transport a mobile concrete batching plant down a rail tunnel, and two 14.5m unit fitted with removable 12m scissor platforms which also towed two equipment trailers, each one feeding the scissors with overhead line construction equipment.

“The innovation of these units provides options for customers, from the luxury of air condition cabs with all the bells and whistles, to simple handheld remote controls.”

Manco powered trailers offer a range of crawler speeds to specialised applications up to speeds of 60km per hour.

All systems on the trailer operate with a Controller Area Network (CAN bus), which provides ease of maintenance, diagnostics and

With Manco’s range of power trailers, it’s not a case of ‘bigger and better’, but ‘more compact and better’, with the new models exhibiting lightness, increased capacity and easier diagnostic control.

A Manco 1250 transporter with large crane and operator enclosure.

interface with the multiple auxiliary equipment Manco has on offer.

“The options list of modular twist lockable accessories has really grown over the years, from scissors and elevating work platforms to cranes, powered drum stand and wire support booms, even drill rigs, concrete mixers and specialised excavator trays,” Black said.

Manco’s most recent trailer design client, Melbourne-based QEST Infrastructure, provides a large range of geotechnical services and carries out tasks which require its specialised equipment to be transported in the rail corridor.

“Manco has worked closely with QEST from the ideas it liked on previous builds, along with extra concepts, to meet the specific requirements of the company’s specialised plant,” Black said.

“Whist Manco are keeping quiet on the final QEST design, we can confirm that it includes a large 50 tonne capacity, large crane for nonmobile equipment and on-track access, and ability to disembark for many types of vehicles and tracked plant whilst on the track.

“The complete unit provides a very high level of safety with all systems fail-safe. The complete unit is remote control-operated and designed to be operated from the vehicle cab when located on the trailer.

“Manco is so confident with the final design development that it sees the need for multiple trailers. Manco is focused on increasing our range of services to the Victorian clients in the new year.”

Engineering director

“The options list of modular twist lockable accessories has really grown over the years, from scissors and elevating work platforms to cranes, powered drum stand and wire support booms, even drill rigs, concrete mixers and specialised excavator trays.”

Ryan

Black, Manco

An air vacuum loader on a Manco low height two-piece trailer.

A large excavator with drill rig on a Manco plant deck trailer.

STRAILastic - sound protection 4 products - 1 result - silence

New STRAILastic_mSW 730

mini soundprotection wall with high absorbing surface

The new version of the STRAILastic_mSW adds a higher wall to the product range. This version is used for train speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Benefits at a glance

¬ No foundation required for installation ¬ easy and quick installation

¬ Short delivery times > noise hot spots can be supplied with products quickly

¬ Closer to the noise source than any other sound protection

¬ Break-proof due to bre-reinforced rubber compound with a cover layer of virgin rubber > UV and ozone resistant

¬ No material fatigue caused by vibrations or pressure and suction forces

¬ No problems with oversized loads

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

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

STRAILastic_mSW 730 > mini goes maxi.

1. STRAILastic_mSW 730 new version of the mini sound protection wall 2. STRAILastic_IP the infill panel 3. STRAILastic_mSW the established mini sound protection wall 4. STRAILastic_A inox 2.0 rail dampers

Innovations in Rail

Harrybilt keeping industry on track

The family-owned Harrybilt Engineering is renowned for its innovative designs and equipment, all built in the factory at Ballarat, with a doubling of floor space required three years ago because business was expanding so rapidly.

As Harrybilt Engineering finance and marketing manager Beth Martino tells Rail Express, demand actually grew in the pandemic.

“As much as COVID did affect us in some ways, we’re lucky to keep working and growing with our customers and gaining new customers around Australia,” she said.

Among its most popular equipment is a design engineered to enable smooth operations over Australia’s different track gauges.

KEEPING TRACK

Each state in Australia has its own track gauge – either single or double – and crossing borders has always been a problem for rail operators as they have to adapt wheel suitabilities accordingly to suit the configurations.

With still no standardisation in place, rail networks businesses and maintainers have to contend with multiple gauges in different parts of the country, and in some instances, this has meant the duplication of equipment, particularly plant that is required to run on rails.

Having multiple hi-rail trucks, excavators, and other equipment can limit productivity and increase cost, particularly when working in sections where two grades interact.

To address the headaches caused by Australia’s unique multiple-gauge system, Harrybilt developed a hi-rail solution that enables units to perform easily over the different lines.

“Our unique design means the machine is set up the same as the Rail Guidance System, with the excavator’s tyres providing acceleration and braking on rail when running on standard gauge,” Martino said.

“On narrow gauge, the machine tyres contact a drum that drive the rail wheels, also known as a friction drive set-up.

“The dual-gauge system was developed after discussing with customers in the rail industry that by having a machine that has the capability to switch between narrow and standard gauge networks, it would significantly increase their efficiency.

“By listening to this customer feedback, Harrybilt Engineering manufactured the Hi Brid Rail System to best suit the needs of the industry.”

The rig includes four failsafe braked rail wheels for increase safety, twist for negotiating track irregularities and is fully compliant with Australian Rail Standard AS7502.

The rail system is managed from inside the driver’s cab via a programmable logic controller (PLC) system. All controls are fitted inside the driver’s cab, which allows for a safe and efficient work environment for the operator.

“The rail wheels can be set to either narrow,

standard or broad gauges and is propelled by hydraulic motors installed within the rail system. A single manually operated valve is installed to switch from track to rail mode while still allowing the excavator to operate in travel mode,” Martino said.

She said that as excavators were rigorously commissioned and tested, every hi rail machine from Harrybilt Engineering was manufactured to ensure it was rail-ready when it leaves the workshop.

Well-known for its ability to customise its systems according to client needs, Harrybilt can also modify the Hi Brid Rail System as needed.

“We’ve already fitted the system to several separate excavator models, and could, if needed, deploy its engineering capabilities to fit the system to equipment other than an excavator,” Martino said.

BIGGER AND BETTER Martino said that with rail projects booming around Australia, the outlook for business growth was positive.

“Lots of our customers are buying not just one machine from us with attachments, they are buying a few,” she said.

“Everyone seems to be getting ready to make sure they have enough product to get things done.

“We are also growing in places like New Zealand where we supply customers with our rail maintenance attachments and look forward to continuing to grow our presence there.”

Harrybilt Engineering has endured the COVID crisis and continues to build on its reputation of providing highly-specialised solutions to local and national rail customers.

The Hi Brid allows a wheeled excavator to run on both standard and narrow gauges.

Innovations in Rail

Where there is a will, there is a way: McNaughtans has it covered

McNaughtans takes pride in being one of the largest established national suppliers of aftermarket components, with branches situated in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Backed by excellent staff and a track record for customer satisfaction, the company has achieved much market success and status as a preferred supplier for many industries.

This includes the rail sector, where the company distributes many products and hardware parts used in trains and locomotives.

sustainable flooring solutions for all types of applications,” he said. “As the leader in floor coverings for public transport vehicle application with high quality flooring solutions and services for over 60 years, Gerflor offers a specific floorings range for rail vehicles interiors.

“The Traveller floorings are specially engineered to meet the requirements of global railway industry, metros, trains, trams.

“The coverings are lighter, meaning the train would use less energy than a train

Cieslak said the parts supplier had a choice of many products to highlight at this year’s AusRAIL conference, but has decided to showcase the Traveller Evolution range.

Features include:

• 2.5 mm thickness

• Lightweight

• Compliant with relevant standards

• Superior anti-slip properties and durability

• Excellent bonding properties

• Easy to install

• Complete watertight system

Specific solutions are available to ensure more efficiency, such as a self-adhesive option, traveller kit system, logo tile and bespoke

“The flooring was first displayed at AusRAIL in Sydney this year, and this December we’ll be displaying at Brisbane, as we begin introducing the product,” he said.

“The product has already been supplied for the HCMT (High-Capacity Metro Trains) project in Melbourne, and McNaughtans also currently supplies the Yarra Trams refurbishment project with the Traveller Classic range.”

With potential contracts currently circulating, Cieslak said Gerflor and McNaughtans wanted to strategically position itself in the market to offer a product with difference.

While it is spruiking the Traveller Evolution, McNaughtans will also exhibit its Driver roller blinds and Tru Vision ultimate wiper solution systems.

“The Tru Vision range includes motors, linkages, wiper arms and replacement wiper blades. We can manufacture a purpose-built wiper system with local content,” he said.

“We’ll be showcasing all these innovations and looking to get great exposure out of the Expo.”

Cieslak said customer satisfaction was the ‘modus operandi’ that McNaughtans based all

“Our aim is to supply competitively priced quality products on time every time,” he said.

“We stand by our motto: Where there is a will, there is a way.”

The Traveller Classic ST Corsair floor covering used by Yarra Trams.

Innovations in Rail

Wabtec driving digital technology

In Australia, Wabtec is helping to meet emissions reduction targets by delivering more efficient and sustainable rail transport technology solutions for mining customers, governments, and the communities they serve, as they transition towards zero-emission locomotives and rail transport operations.

In turn, Wabtec’s customers benefit from the technology that helps them reach their key sustainability and efficiency targets and improve their performance, safety, and reliability.

Wabtec Senior Regional Vice President (South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand), Wendy McMillan, said from a fleet strategy perspective, everyone had a unique fleet, with bespoke requirements. “Our aim is to help each customer with these unique requirements,” she said.

“Wabtec’s digital solutions are driving the next generation of automation across our industry. Our customers are seizing the opportunity to focus on lowering their emissions and drive productivity and operational efficiency gains, while simultaneously adopting digital solutions and technologies that are driving automation into their operations.”

McMillan said digitalisation of the rail industry was crucial.

“Digital technologies continue to mature. With advancements to current signalling systems and network efficiency solutions, the rail industry can increase the capacity of the network without adding a single piece of track,” she said.

“As these technologies mature and integrate increasing automation, the rail industry will benefit from improved capacity, efficiency and safety, while also reducing emissions.”

By unlocking the next generation of productivity through automation and developing digital transportation solutions, Wabtec has implemented trademark systems like Positive Train Control, Trip Optimizer, and Digital Mine in over 50 countries across the world.

McMillan is proud of the positive impacts Wabtec’s solutions create for customers and says the digital convergence has delivered real cost

reductions, improved productivity, and accelerated emissions reductions.

“As a global provider of digital solutions, systems, equipment and services for the freight and transit rail sectors, we harness the power of technology through digital solutions — including the use of virtual and augmented reality — to accelerate the future of transportation,” she said.

MIXED REALITY TECHNOLOGIES

The application of digital technologies continue to expand in other aspects of the rail industry, including manufacturing and services. As one of the world’s biggest locomotive makers, Wabtec is harnessing the value of mixed reality technology – a combination of virtual and augmented reality – to service customers in remote locations.

McMillan said technology like Microsoft’s HoloLens was changing the way Wabtec’s teams provide virtual training and remote assistance.

“Mixed reality technology has allowed us to cut travel expenses, helped fill communication interpretation gaps and improved design cycle times. We can now optimise solutions for customers with remote assistance, training and maintenance,” she said.

“This is a gamechanger in maintenance and service delivery for customers worldwide. Importantly our design engineers can collaborate with other engineers, supply chain, manufacturing teams with our customers to tell machines precisely how to assemble complex products like locomotives.”

POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL (PTC)

With a vision to achieve zero-emission rail systems worldwide, Wabtec’s freight portfolio features a comprehensive line of locomotives, software applications and a broad selection of missioncritical controls systems, including PTC: a system

using public radio communication and satellites, intelligent systems on-board, cloud-based control rooms and minimal wayside equipment.

“With safety at the heart of everything we do, Wabtec’s PTC technology increases safety for customers, crews and the travelling public as it is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments, enforce line speed and restrict train movements when track maintenance is taking place,” McMillan said.

Offering higher levels of automation and cleaner, greener railways, Wabtec’s PTC and integrated solutions allow railways to adopt technology to manage complete end to end train handling and optimise the movement of trains across the network to incorporate pacing, dwell minimisation and improve fuel efficiency.

TRIP OPTIMIZER

Helping customers to improve their environmental, social and governance and productivity impacts, Wabtec’s Trip Optimizer technology uses an intelligent cruise-control system to improve train handling and is the foundation for fuel optimisation.

“With Trip Optimizer trains run on time, operate more smoothly, and use fuel more efficiently – resulting in fuel savings and corresponding emissions reduction,” McMillan said.

“The system can be modularly expanded to add higher levels of automation and fuel efficiency–enabling scalable sustainability – and considers terrain, train make-up, speed restrictions and operating conditions to calculate an optimum speed profile.”

In addition to creating up to 30 per cent savings on fuel and reducing emissions by up to 30 per cent, Trip Optimizer also improves train handling, reduces locomotive wear-and-tear and increases situational awareness.

Global equipment provider Wabtec has not just pioneered alternative power sources for rail, but is also leading the digital transformation to achieving sustainable rail transport solutions.

Wabtec’s Global Performance Optimization Center, where data is analysed.

Every station tells a story

Key current projects for Woods Bagot include the transformation of Sydney’s Central Station with Laing O’Rourke for Sydney Metro, the lead design role on the five station Morley-Ellenbrook Line in Perth as part of the MELconnx Consortium, and design of the Sydney Metro Station at Crows Nest in northern Sydney.

Woods Bagot is also working on Sydney Metro West and is the design and delivery architect for Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport Terminal.

Woods Bagot regional transport leader John Prentice says working on such a wide variety of projects was an advantage, providing cross-learning opportunities from site to site.

But he emphasised that Woods Bagot develops a unique narrative, based on deep research, for every project, providing a design framework and reference point for all involved.

“Having a project narrative, making it specific to the actual project, is extremely important,” Prentice said.

“It’s something the whole team can buy into, not just the architectural team, but the builders, the clients and the consultants.”

Prentice said a good example is Wynyard Walk, an underground pedestrian thoroughfare between Wynyard Station and Barangaroo in Sydney.

“The narrative on Wynyard Walk was ‘flow’ where we came together as a team to have a central idea about the project to the point where the contractors referred to the cladding as the ‘flow cladding’,” he said.

“Just getting that real buy-in, giving people clear direction about what the intent of the design is means all decisions from concept to high-level detailing of the project have a clear direction based on that theme.”

Two stops away, the focus at Central Station, Australia’s busiest rail hub, is the connection to heritage, the vaulted ceilings and, crucially, the textures, look and feel of sandstone, featured in so many of its early buildings, still onsite.

The aim? “When you arrive at Central you know where you are.”

“Finding the right narrative makes the design and construction process fun, it

makes it enjoyable, makes it philosophical –depending on the level you wish to engage with that narrative – to the point where it’s tangible,” Prentice said.

At Crows Nest the story draws on the station itself – the arrival of rail infrastructure to the area – and aspects of the Federation

housing prolific in the suburb, 8km north of the Sydney CBD.

Tessellated tiling common to these houses – an example of which was the only heritage item found during excavation works – is incorporated into the design, while exposed brick work also features.

Associate Principal Lucian Gormley said the architectural vision for the new Sydney Metro Crows Nest station was to deliver a simple, aesthetically pleasing piece of civic architecture which speaks to the identity of the local community whilst providing a framework for future urban renewal and growth.

But of course, narratives amount to nought unless the end design connects with customers.

“Customers want intuitive environments, the way in which the architecture helps give clarity of movement and linking one destination to another,” Prentice said.

“They want places that resonate with them, and that comes back to the idea of belonging and ownership – pride in their station, the journey that they go on each day.”

Prentice said Woods Bagot now has almost 100 staff working in its transport team, which continues to grow with more projects in the pipeline.

“We are very excited about the focus around Australia on developing new rail lines and stations and think it’s only the beginning of the next phase in the sector’s evolution,” he said.

Teamwork is at the heart of the collaborative design approach from global studio Woods Bagot and is central to its success in designing and delivering some of Australia’s best train stations.

The Woods Bagot Sydney transport team

The sandstone features at Central Station.

Central Station artwork a celebration of Aboriginal heritage

As part of the Central Station Metro project, Sydney Metro recently unveiled a substantial brick artwork by Bundjalung artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft connecting the past and present.

In her artwork statement, Bancroft stated that her vision was to honour the fallen “who have returned to the earth, and the layers of ancestors that lie under the contemporary world of Sydney”.

“To visualise tribes and clans of people from the Gadigal area paddling their canoes across the corridors of time is an epic image. Acknowledgement of that time in our shared history has been paramount to me in creating this work,” she said.

Global design studio Woods Bagot is playing a significant role in the transformation of Central Station in partnership with international engineering and construction company Laing O’Rourke.

Laing O’Rourke is delivering the Sydney Metro underground platforms at Central Station as well as the landmark Central Walk. The work includes:

• Excavation and construction of the new underground Sydney Metro platforms at Central beneath Platforms 13, 14 and 15

• Construction of Central Walk - a new

concourse from Chalmers Street, connecting customers to suburban rail platforms, Sydney Metro platforms, the new CBD & South-East Light Rail and buses

• An upgrade to the Northern Concourse, with transformed pedestrian thoroughfares and a new landmark roof canopy

• Installation of new escalators and lifts that connect directly to Platforms 12 to 23 for the first time.

Woods Bagot principal and project leader John Prentice said it had been a huge job – still underway - with numerous challenges.

“Among them was the issue of what to do with the mechanical ventilation structures on Platform 14 of the bustling terminal,” he said.

“Another was meaningfully incorporating Aboriginal heritage into the site, a project initiative by Sydney Metro.

“The existing structures are prominent on the site, and we wanted to give Aboriginal heritage a voice through a creative installation.

“We also had an ambition to integrate artwork into the fabric of architecture on the site and had been interested in brick texture techniques to create fluid textures, imagery and impressions in design.”

Bancroft explained her concept emerged

human existence and the molecular component of the DNA of ancient Aboriginal Australia”.

“The corridors and platforms of Central Railway Station are shared spaces, amongst many different people, from many different countries,” she wrote.

“The spiritual concept for Time Travellers is that I believe our old people are our guides and will offer smooth transitions when respect is acknowledged.

“The tunnelling and excavation of the country needs to celebrate the unseen of the city, which is Aboriginal Australia.”

After Bancroft had finished painting Time Travellers as an acrylic on canvas, the next challenge was to transfer it onto the brickwork, which includes vents, or “gills” to allow the railway tunnels deep underground to breathe.

Enter 21st century technology and Nathaniel Steward, a Graduate at Woods Bagot, who had the tech skills to code the artwork using Grasshopper, a visual programming software, and make it transferable to alternate mediums such as a brick wall.

PGH Bricks then collaborated with pre-cast concrete specialists Waeger Constructions to apply the design, brick by brick, colour by colour, across the two structures at the southern and northern ends of Platform 14.

Work on the buildings, under the direction of Laing O’Rourke, is now complete. The 216 panels have been lifted and rotated into place with a single 135 tonne crane, using a dual lift method due to safety requirements for lifting and rotating precast panels.

Laing O’Rourke technical lead Sebastien Alvarez said the company was very proud of the work being delivered at Australia’s busiest commuter hub.

“It is a privilege to work with renowned indigenous artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft artist and all the people involved with assembling her artwork onsite,” he said.

“It is an excellent example of how we are using the power of experience to deliver a complex project in a live rail environment, while enhancing the journey of passengers going through Central Station,” he said.

Art is a key feature of the $955 million renewal of Australia’s largest rail hub, Central Station in Sydney.

The stunning artwork by Dr Bronwyn Bancroft.

Unique identities for Ellenbrook

The project fills a key gap in the the north-east corridor of the Perth rail network, which has the city’s highest level of car usage.

Ellenbrook is also one of Perth’s fastestgrowing regions with annual population growth forecast to be more than 6.5 per cent.

Work is well under way on the project which features five fresh stations connected by 21km of new track at Morley, Noranda, Malaga, Whiteman Park and Ellenbrook.

Designed in collaboration with architects

Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick and landscape architects TCL and UDLA, design specialist Woods Bagot has been working as the lead design consultant and proactive partner in the MELconnx Consortium led by Laing O’Rourke Australia.

Woods Bagot’s Perth studio chair Kukame McPierzie says the design approach positions each station within a line-wide narrative while also allowing each of the precincts to possess its own identity and unique elements.

“For example, at Malaga Station, the station architecture expresses a clear hierarchy of forms,” he said.

“The main triangulated roof is reminiscent of the local banksia bushland leaves, with a simple hipped geometry that ‘floats’ above the station, providing natural light as well as cross ventilation.”

A common design language is maintained across all stations through curated and consistent forms, materials and finishes while still providing sufficient flexibility to allow each station to retain a singular identity and sense of place reflecting the local site context and character.

“We are delighted to continue our strong working relationship with Laing O’Rourke forged while working together on Sydney Central Station and energized by the MELconnx Consortium’s focus and commitment to creating the best possible outcome for the people of Perth,” McPierzie said.

“These sorts of projects are transformational – influencing people’s experience of their city and impacting many over their lifetimes.”

The trip from Ellenbrook to the CBD will take 30 minutes and offer better connections to Midland, Perth Airport, Whiteman Park and the Swan Valley, cutting public transport travel time by 50 per cent.

Human scale and local materiality are at the core of the Woods Bagot-led designs for METRONET’s Morley-Ellenbrook Line, Perth’s largest public transport project since the Mandurah Line was built in 2007.

The main triangulated roof of Malaga Station is reminiscent of banksia leaves.

The entrance to the new Malaga Station.

Major Projects and Infrastructure

Are infrastructure contractors at risk of collapse?

The recent folding of one of Australia’s largest builders, Probuild Construction, has resulted in a chorus of doomsayers predicting the imminent demise of more builders.

While it may be convenient to attribute the failure of companies to factors such as increased material costs, supply chain delays and shortages, and a lack of skilled workers, these builders may also have exhibited several worrying characteristics such as their overreliance on subcontracting, and self-performing very little construction work themselves over the past two decades.

Rail Express speaks to Leslie Chung, Director, Infrastructure (national) at Donald Cant Watts Corke (DCWC), and Dr Toong Khuan Chan, Senior Lecturer in Construction Management and Technology at the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, University of Melbourne, about the possible reasons for such trends.

Industry observers have noted that this practice has led to much reduced capitalisation, allowing these builders to operate on a low asset base and to rely on trade credit to finance construction cash flow.

Other critics argue that it was the increasing

and increase return to shareholders, that resulted in increased subcontracting.

Regardless of the exact reasons for these ills, Chung and Chan suggest that the structure of the industry needs to be re-examined.

“A spate of construction business failures also occurred resulting from the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, but these failures were delayed for several years into 2011 and 2012 when the impact of the stimulus spending tapered off,” they said.

“A study in 2017 revealed that profitability of Australian builders slipped from 3.2 per cent in 2006 to 1.7 per cent in 2015.

“The recent pandemic has resulted in another wave of insolvencies which included ABD Group in 2021, Privium, BA Murphy, and Condev Construction earlier this year. Australia’s largest domestic home builder, Metricon, was reported to be in distress but was successfully rescued.

“With a projected wave of infrastructure demand that will exceed $218 billion in 2022 to 2026 that reflects a 100 per cent growth rate as compared to current activity, can we be assured that these projects be delivered

contractors [1] reported an average net profit margin of only 1.2 per cent in 2021 after experiencing losses amounting to 1.9 per cent during the previous year.

Even before the pandemic, average margins were never more than 2 per cent, indicating the extremely competitive environment in which these firms operate.

There were of course contractors that were able to attain profit margins of 5.3 per cent prepandemic, but they were hit with even harder during the pandemic with losses amounting to $1.3 billion in 2020 [2].

“Nearly all these contractors exhibit very low share of physical assets, typically plant, property and equipment in construction parlance, amounting to between 3 per cent to 21 per cent of net assets,” Chung and Chan said.

“Most contractors were operating on a low asset base with annual revenues 10 times their net worth, which reflects efficient utilisation of resources but exposes the business to a much higher risk of failure if they encounter financial difficulties.

“Financial liquidity measures for these contractors hover perilously close to 1

Recent collapses of building industry firms has raised alarm bells about the viability of various infrastructure projects.

Any significant loss on one project may tip some businesses into insolvency.

viewed as reliant on trade credit of their subcontractors and suppliers to finance the cash flow required to run projects, while waiting for their clients to make payment on their monthly progress claims.

“Our study observed that trade payables often exceed trade receivables by 10 per cent to 90 per cent indicating that these contractors were to a large extent utilising trade credit to finance projects. Only one contractor reported trade payables less than trade receivables.”

The research showed that these contemporary construction businesses epitomised highly efficient corporate and financial structures, which may be producing high returns on equity for shareholders but pose a significant risk of failure in the very perilous infrastructure business.

“There is no room for error and any significant loss on one project may tip these businesses into insolvency. Shareholders, many of whom are international, may not be willing to continue to support ailing firms during times of distress and bail out,” Chung and Chan said.

“With the carrot of the large projected

demand for infrastructure works dangling in the pipeline, we doubt that the management of these contractors, their shareholders and their public clients will wake up to the lessons learned from the recent business failures to address these concerns.

“To compound recent failings, construction firms have faced tremendous added pressures. We believe that due to the unprecedented amount of infrastructure work (ongoing and planned) in the market as well as the adverse effects of the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the supply chain, the construction cost escalation for infrastructure projects have outstretched tenders submitted and risk profiling.”

Between September 2019 and March 2022, escalation in Victoria rose by about 8.14 per cent. With agitation factors, anticipated fuel and electricity price hikes, interest rate increases by the RBA, and other factors, all indications are that the escalation will continue to accelerate further placing contractors in dire stresses.

Over the coming 2022-2023 period,

an expected compounding 7.6 per cent indexation will be expected.

Collectively with Chan, Chung believes better innovative solutions will be required to curb tightening of margins.

Whether it be better prefabrication, or collaborative alliancing procurements and risk profiling upfront, they will be required to put downward pressure on companies who may face further stresses.

Chung said he challenged the collective industry on how it can better productivities but importantly train for the new labour force.

DCWC has been proud trusted advisers to various private and public government bodies in providing escalation and forecasting advice.

“If you are ever interested in how we can assist in bettering your projects and companies, please feel free to connect with us,” Chung and Chan said.

[1] The sample of infrastructure contractors include CIMIC Group, Downer EDI, John Holland Group, McConnell Dowell, Clough, Monadelphous Group, BMD Constructions and Laing O’Rourke Australia.

[2] CIMIC Group reported a $1.3 billion net loss in 2020.

Innovating with purpose

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

Headwinds or opportunity?

Current high inflation and volatile markets have their roots in the financial crisis of 2007-2008.

More than a decade of quantitative easing, followed by extreme levels of COVID-related fiscal and monetary stimulus, have pumped money into households and investment markets.

Now, together with global supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and soaring energy costs, these policies have fuelled the high inflation seen today, forcing the economy into an upward interest rate cycle.

This has put the handbrake on growth, with GDP for 2021/22 downgraded to 3.25 per cent and then halving to 1.5 per cent for 2022/23.

These economic factors put infrastructure projects in a very precarious position. On the one hand, continued investment is required to avoid recession, yet on the other hand this same investment will contribute towards further inflationary pressure.

According to TBH managing director Jonathan Jacobs, the August 2022 Australian Engineering Construction Masterplan from Oxford Economics forecasts engineering and construction spend averaging $62 billion in the next three years to FY24/25.

“Of that, $11b or 18 per cent per year will be spent on rail infrastructure,” he said.

“Rail, like everything else in the broader infrastructure industry, is not only facing rising costs but severe labour and skills shortages.

“The Australasian Railway Association’s 2022 Building Australian Rail Skills for the Future report found that by next year, skills demand will be 48 per cent higher than supply, with the rest of the transport infrastructure sector also set to be one of the hardest hit.”

How do you strike a balance and how do we deliver more with less?

“These two questions will be near impossible to solve if we look at them in isolation,” Jacobs said.

“Solving them as something that is intrinsically linked will

however require a new way of thinking and ultimately the question must be: how do we build both capacity and capability in and across Australia?”

Jacobs said industry needed to start thinking across several lines:

• Forming collaboration channels between industry and government to discuss these issues and develop a pragmatic, coordinated and consistent response

• Developing a holistic view or master plan of infrastructure projects by sector across the states, territories and federally

• Clearly understanding both the needs and benefits that projects and programs deliver, progressing with those that best satisfy these criteria

• Understand the resourcing and materials constraints, cashflow and timeframes at not only the individual project level but at the broader industry level

• Use this information to prioritise projects and then outline a stable, consistent pipeline for the market

• Identify key skills and resource gaps, establishing joint industry/government training and accreditation programs to bring home grown talent through the industry

• Focus investment and incentives to develop local supply chains for critical materials and/or where there is comparative advantage

• Utilise more collaborative procurement methods that allocate and manage risk fairly while promoting innovation and productivity gains.

“While it is acknowledged that some good work has already been done in these areas, what is missing is that overarching strategy and implementation plan that takes into consideration the many variables and contemplates the critical dependencies and constraints,” Jacobs said.

“A holistic strategy for the country that, if we all commit to, provides opportunities for us all, turning the challenges we all face today into a long-term sustainable future.”

Jacobs has more than 20 years’ experience as a planner, PMO and project controls specialist, having worked extensively in both the UK

He has deep industry experience across multiple sectors gained through his work on high risk, complex projects and programs. In recent years he has predominantly been engaged to provide advice on large infrastructure projects with the focus on project controls, scheduling, constructability, commercial and risk, change management, program and portfolio management.

For more information, visit: www.tbhconsultancy.com

In the face of rising costs and severe labour and skills shortages, the challenge for industry is to find ways of building capacity and capability across Australia.

TBH managing director Jonathan Jacobs.

A holistic strategy is needed that provides opportunities to turn problems into a long-term sustainable future.

Rolling Stock Operations

Rail ready for the Christmas rush

Australia’s leading logistics partner, Pacific National, is delivering increased capacity on its intermodal containerised services to keep the national supply chain flowing this festive season.

Customers are now able to secure additional bookings on Pacific National intermodal trains following the launch of two new booking products – MyDay and the expanded Seansonalexclusive.

Pacific National’s commercial, sales and customer head Max Kruse said the company had expanded its suite of freight products following feedback from its customers.

“As a business we are committed to moving what matters for our customers and we’re very pleased to be able to give them a choice between four unique products, allowing them to select the best product option to move their intermodal freight,” he said.

“The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the

trend towards online shopping, and demand for rail freight services is only set to grow as we track towards Christmas.

“That’s why Pacific National is delivering extra intermodal capacity to help our customers meet the surge in demand and navigate the Christmas rush.”

Kruse said Pacific National had been working with its customers to deliver the additional intermodal capacity required to meet the expected increased demand this holiday season.

“At Pacific National we’re committed to exploring how we can expand our service and product offerings for our customers across our freight network,” he said.

“We are committed to relentlessly improving and innovating to ensure rail expands its appeal and in turn trains carry a greater share of the freight task.”

Kruse said by expanding its product

offering, Pacific National was giving its customers the opportunity to select the best option to meet their freight needs and to increase capacity in response to increased demand.

“Our innovative product offering delivers our customers the flexibility to move extra volumes this peak season and beyond,” he said.

“At Pacific National we continue to explore innovative ways to expand our intermodal services to unlock additional capacity and to increase the appeal for rail.

“As a business we’re committed to growing our intermodal capacity by 15 percent this year and we are on track to increase capacity by a further 25 percent over the next four years.

“We have invested significantly to increasing rail capacity ahead of the 2022 peak season which includes delivering an additional 10 extra services a week or 2,000 TEU compared to a year ago.”

Pacific National is delivering extra linehaul capacity to help customers move more freight during the festive period.

Pacific National is delivering extra intermodal capacity.

FIXED PERIOD BOOKING SLOTS FOR ALL SEASONS

Pacific National has extended its unique Seasonalexclusive booking product giving customers the chance to secure freight capacity when capacity is limited for a fixed period at any time throughout the year.

Kruse said Pacific National had decided to expand its Seasonalexclusive product, so it was available to customers year-round.

“The ability to secure recurring capacity for a fixed period is a great option for our customers who cannot commercially commit to additional capacity over the course of a full year, or have a product that is seasonal,” he said.

“With high demand for intermodal services, getting access to rail capacity can be difficult and we know this product appeals to our customers with ‘project’ freight needs who don’t need access to year-round capacity.”

SELF-SERVICE SOLUTION

Following two years of market research and product trials, Pacific National launched its

new Myday product in October offering a high Delivery In Full On Time (DIFOT) service.

Kruse said the solution is a fully ‘selfserviced’ option for customers who need to move non-time critical freight but need guaranteed capacity.

“It effectively allows customers the ability to schedule a date they need their freight delivered, rather than a specific train service and is a cost-effective way to reliably manage supply,” he said.

“Myday reduces the need for customers to wait on standby, while unlocking previously wasted capacity due to late cancellations.

“The enthusiasm for MyDay has been overwhelming, particularly among removalists as they recognise the uniqueness of the offering in the rail freight sector – it allows our customers to bring their container into the terminal early with a service date promise.”

Kruse said Myday offered flexibility for customers as they can book the service seven days prior to delivery of the container to the terminal.

TRACKING TO GET MORE FREIGHT ON RAIL Kruse said Pacific National was focussed on working with our customers to deliver freight solutions that meet their needs year-round.

“As a business we’ve thrown a lot of resources to better understand our customers’ needs – which is why we continue to innovate and offer improved products to ensure we can meet growing demand and to secure more freight on rail,” he said.

“While we’ve launched these products in the lead up to Christmas to help ensure we’re able to support our customers and to accommodate the surging demand for intermodal freight over the holiday season, these products will be available year-round.

“We’re confident offering a variety of product flexibility will appeal to our customers and allow them to select the right rail freight solution for their unique requirements.”

For more information about Myday or Seasonalexclusive contact Pacific National’s customer team or email marketing@ pacificnational.com.au

Passenger Priorities

Passenger focus remains at the core for Keolis Downer Adelaide

When Keolis Downer began operating Adelaide’s train network in January 2021, its agenda was clear. The focus since day one has been around safety and the passenger experience, with the company being led by the guiding principle of ‘thinking like a passenger”.

It made a very clear decision to look at things from the perspective of what a passenger would want from a new operator in the early days of taking on a rail network.

Together, across Australia, Keolis Downer employs 5300-plus staff, transports 270 million passengers per year, and has a presence across five states running trains, buses and light rail, and leading the way in future mobility, specifically around on-demand transport, autonomous vehicles and sustainable transport.

THE ADELAIDE EXPERIENCE

Earlier this year, AusRAIL PLUS conference attendees were impressed by a presentation on how Keolis Downer went about delivering services in Adelaide that were solely customer-focussed.

Head of Customer Experience Candice Quigley said Keolis Downer Adelaide (KDA) has not looked back since it won the right to operate and maintain the Adelaide Metropolitan Passenger Rail Network (AMPRN), establishing a customer model that keeps customer safety and satisfaction at its core through their ‘think like a passenger’ philosophy.

Prior to COVID, the network was already carrying up to 15 million passengers a year, a figure likely to be reached again or even surpassed now that the Gawler Line has reopened and as commuters increasingly return to the network post pandemic. The network comprises six lines, 132 kilometres of track, 89 stations and runs around 605 weekday services.

Responsible for operations and maintenance of infrastructure, KDA collaborates with a number of renowned network partners to deliver on its promises to customers, including Alstom for rolling stock, Spotless for integrated facility services, and Wilson’s Security.

“Our founding principles of zero harm

Over an 18-month period, KDA has recruited and trained around 100 new train drivers.

and “think like a passenger” are our guiding philosophies for everything we do,” Quigley said.

A solid list of customer-focussed key performance indicators helps guide KDA on the initiatives and solutions it provides and continues to build on for the benefit of passengers.

“These include some of the fundamentals such as trains arriving on time at their destination, unplanned cancellations, excess journey times and customer complaints,” she said.

A number of the initiatives were implemented in the first phase of the KDA transition to enhance those elements, involving a firm schedule of planned outcomes.

KDA also implemented a rigorous cleaning schedule, creating a safe space for passengers during the pandemic.

“We have ensured more of an on-train presence with security and customer-facing staff. Training was rolled out early across the organisation to equip team members in delivering a customer-centric experience,” Quigley said.

“Our journey to improving our passengercentric approach forms a central part of what KDA calls the ‘Keolis Signature Service’: an awardwinning approach implemented in more than 15 Keolis markets globally, focused upon enhancing service, and the gestures and behaviours of frontline workers.

“Gestures implemented into the KDA approach

have been developed based upon local feedback, considering various customer pain points. Our hope is that in the long-run the implementation of this approach will result in improved customer satisfaction and reduced complaints.

“Whether we’re operating transit trains, trams, buses, or other mobility modes, our global organisation shares a common goal across entities, which is to provide customers with locally tailored mobility services.”

Quigley said that carrying out the “think like a passenger” induction program was another goal achieved soon after contract commencement.

“Everyone from our frontline Passenger Service Assistants (PSAs), who work as prescribed officers on the trains and at stations, to our senior leadership team, undertook the training as part of their induction package to KDA.”

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FOR ALL Quigley said KDA was planning to emulate the success of Yarra Trams, which Keolis Downer also operates, in attaining Communications Access Symbol accreditation with frontline teams able to support customers with communication difficulties to travel the network. The process will see frontline staff equipped with tools to help people get their message across and understand what people are telling them.

“PSAs can improve the comfort levels of passengers from diverse backgrounds,

Putting the customer experience first is at the forefront of Keolis Downer’s operating philosophy.

encouraging them to utilise our services more confidently,” she said.

“As a business, diversity and inclusion is a space we are very focused on continuing to improve in and is strongly linked to our operating values and our desire to think like our passengers, regardless of their backgrounds.”

Another initiative seeks to help passengers with visual difficulties and make their trips more comfortable through Human Guide Training.

“We commissioned Guide Dogs SA/NT to create content and provide insight and training to our teams as to what it’s like traveling the network with a vision impairment,” Quigley said.

“It’s about providing that exposure to our staff, so that they are better able to serve visually impaired passengers.”

Commuters with hearing problems are also given a helping hand.

“As part of our focus on improving customer

LOOKING FORWARD

While so much has already been achieved, KDA is not resting on its laurels, and is looking forward to bigger and better achievements.

Over an 18-month period, KDA has recruited and trained around 100 new train drivers. Recruits were carefully selected using psychometric testing and an enhanced training program, including modules specifically focussing on Signals Passed at Danger (SPaD) awareness.

KDA optimised use of its online learning platform, developing innovative training modules, including operational videos which have been viewed close to 19,000 times as part of a new and improved driver competency framework.

Amongst other achievements, this has resulted in a significant reduction in SPaDs so far in 2022 as compared to 2021, a success aligned closely to KDA’s zero harm priorities.

“We have had much positive feedback from

to customer service excellence was recognised at the nation’s premier 2022 Australian Service Excellence Awards (ASEAs).

After being named a finalist and shortlisted amongst hundreds of nominations across all industries Australia-wide, it was placed runnerup in the Customer Service Team of the Year (Large) category, bringing home the Service Champion Award.

The prestigious annual ASEAs, run by the Customer Service Institute of Australia, recognises organisations and individuals that have successfully demonstrated best practice, performance and innovation in customer service.

KDA managing director Robert Tatton-Jones said the company was incredibly proud to receive the accolade and be recognised among the absolute best in Australia for customer service across various industries.

“Rail offers a diverse, challenging and exciting working environment and the entire Keolis Downer Adelaide team are to be congratulated for their daily commitment and passion to help South Australians commute safely and efficiently by train,”

Operations and Maintenance

Recycled tools for a quieter railway

The community expects good innovative design in and around new and existing railways, with significant reduction in noise where products should easily retrofit into the existing railway.

Particularly in a dense urban environment, managing the noise and vibration from railways above and below ground is becoming an increasing issue on major rail corridors in Australia.

The community doesn’t want large, unsightly concrete walls with high embedded energy to manage noise.

STRAILastic Australia managing director Rod Pomroy says that with clever innovation, recycled products erected close to the noise source can reduce noise by up to 11dBA, whilst providing passengers and the community with an unobstructed view.

“Railway vehicles generate rolling noises, airborne flange noise and vibrations during operation. This is due to roughness and imbalances of the wheels and corrugations on the rail running surfaces,” he said.

“Surface defects such as head checks, corrugations and slip waves on the rails are among the most common sources of vibration interference and will combine with high airborne noise generated by the wheel rail interface.”

been significantly improved, with all products offered with the new version 2.0 surface-rated A3 or 8 to 11 DBA rating.

“This updated range provides cost-effective, recycled and proven options to allow acoustic engineers and asset managers to better manage noise reduction for both new and existing transport systems,” Pomroy said.

“Constructed from several layers and materials, it combines all the advantages of the durable and stable rubber compound, now complemented by a very high absorbent surface.

“As previouslys these products require minimal planning approvals, have high impact resistance, as well as resistance to UV, graffiti and fire, with minimal material fatigue caused by vibrations or pressure and suction forces from trains.

“Due to good design, they blend into the surroundings with no acoustic bridges, allow simple type approvals and are easy to install.

“Strailastic supplies mini piles/ground screws and sleeper extensions, or they can be bolted to existing walls and concrete foundations.

“Mini sound walls have a very low visual impact which can be further enhanced by attaching screen printed local scenes on the

the major planning challenge with large concrete panel walls.”

NEW TP 2.0 ACOUSTIC PANELS

Pomroy said that another cause of noise was airborne waves which could travel into the passenger train compartment inside the rolling stock, where strict limits are imposed on rolling stock manufacturers to manage this noise.

Strailastic TP acoustic panels are the solution for this problem: they are moulded to the curve of the tunnel and designed to withstand the extreme push/pull forces generated by pressure, and suction forces generated by trains travelling very close to the panels through tunnels.

“The TP panel can be combined with an in-track absorption panel or Inox 2.0 rail web dampers to further reduce noise and vibration whilst providing a safe evacuation route,” Pomroy said.

“The Purasys vibration mitigation systems complement the airborne noise tool box to economically isolate and manage vibration impact by combinations of sub-ballast mats and special elastic support, as well as bearings for mass-spring-systems in the railway superstructure.

“As always Strailastic will work with

STRAILastic has updated its noise attenuation tool box to offer even greater sound protection along the railways.

STRAILastic supplies mini piles/ground screws and sleeper extensions, or they can be bolted to existing walls and concrete foundations.

Looking for a train change?

Queensland Rail Travel links up communities throughout the state, with its long-distance train services providing critical connections to family, friends, holidays, work, and medical care.

The coastal services run the length of the east coast of Queensland and offer multiple gateways to the west (Charleville, Longreach, and Mount Isa).

The tourism experiences offer access to spectacular landscapes between Cairns and Kuranda in the north and Normanton and Croydon in the Gulf.

And one of Australia’s most unique railways, the Gulflander, is a rail journey like no other.

Originally built to connect the once bustling river port of Normanton to the gold fields of Croydon, today the Gulflander is a tourism icon and ventures through countryside that most people would never see.

A train in the Normanton fleet, the RM60, is a vintage 1931 railmotor that has been lovingly restored to evoke the charm of rail travel from a bygone era, available for charter trips.

Queensland Rail is now looking for an Officer in Charge to lead the Gulflander team and make tracks to Normanton.

Senior Manager Onboard and Station Customer Service, Kelly Walker, said the role is a train driver, mechanic, and Savannah guide, along with local stakeholder engagement manager, all in one.

“This once-in-a-lifetime role delivers all aspects of the Gulflander tourism rail service to satisfy our customers, rollingstock, station

operation and infrastructure needs. It’s never boring,” she said.

“If you’re trade-qualified – a Certificate III in Engineering (Mechanical) or equivalent – and someone who has a genuine interest in the history and heritage of the railway, the ability to have a yarn, be engaging and provide a memorable experience for the customers – and you’re looking for a change of scenery – this could be the opportunity for you.

“The position includes a permanent live-in three-bedroom house, including utilities in Queensland’s unique Gulf country.

“Normanton is a fabulous change of scenery with vast landscapes, unique flora and fauna, great fishing, and plenty of railway history.

North Queensland Operation Manager Steven Van Ballegooyen said this was a unique opportunity for someone who genuinely has a passion for community, all aspects of a railway, and mechanical engineering.

“This role in Queensland’s gulf region provides an exciting opportunity and life change for someone who loves trains, mechanics and loves the outdoors, fishing and adventure,” he said.

The key responsibilities include:

• Working with Queensland Rail’s Network Control office and driving the Gulflander on scheduled and chartered services

• Servicing and maintenance of the Gulflander railmotor and other rollingstock to meet rail safety compliance

• Maintenance of all station facilities, gardens and equipment at Normanton and Croydon

• Manual handling duties

• External stakeholder relationship management regarding the maintenance and repair of track infrastructure

• Customer service to travelling customers, phone enquiries, local community, and liaising with stakeholders

• Onboard commentary during the services on the fauna, flora, local area, and history

• Supervision and guidance to staff. The remuneration includes:

• Enticing salary package including threebedroom house which includes two bathrooms, carport, laundry / storeroom, fully fenced and fully airconditioned (about three years old). All utilities are covered except for phone and data

• Permanent full-time opportunity between the hours of 0700 and 1530 Monday to Friday. There will also be a requirement to work weekends, public holidays and overnights in Croydon as required

• Oppor tunities to explore nearby communities on time off, such as Karumba, which is a sought-after destination and fishing paradise and offers charters and adventures to explore

• A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to combine your passion for the community and customer service with the ability to drive, service and maintain the rollingstock and station facilities

• Discounted rail travel for off-duty travel on the Southeast Queensland and long-distance rail networks in Queensland

This exciting opportunity has become available after the current Officer in Charge, who has dedicated the past 12 years to the role, embarked on his next adventure in Tasmania driving steam trains.

More videos, including a full breakdown of the Officer in Charge role, are available on Queensland Rail Travel’s YouTube channel. If you’re interested in this exciting opportunity, or want to learn about other opportunities with Queensland Rail, visit: jobs.queenslandrail.com.au

Job ID: 2846

Queensland Rail is on the hunt for an Officer in Charge in one of northwest Queensland’s most picturesque locations.

The Normanton train station.

Providing a better workplace life

One of the WPA’s tasks was to remove the level crossing at Ferguson Street, Williamstown, in Melbourne, lower the rail line under the road, and build a brand-new North Williamstown Station.

The reasons for increasing gender diversity in the workplace are well-known, from having the ability to tap into a wider talent pool, to gaining different perspectives and points of view which can spark creativity and innovation.

The importance of inclusivity cannot be understated, and its principles are being adopted by more and more businesses as they understand its value to economic prosperity.

Rail Express speaks to McConnell Dowell (MCD) General Manager of Rail, Kyle Mortimer, and General Manager Pre-contracts (Australia), Harriet Christopherson, about championing diversity and inclusion, and promoting the industry to a broader audience to help attract new talent.

“We’re very passionate about changing the construction industry as a whole, to make it more appealing for people with all diverse backgrounds and experiences,” they said.

“More diversity in our people and our thinking will only make us stronger as an industry.

“We need more women to join this industry, and hopefully, we’re doing our bit at McConnel Dowell to achieve that.

“Our purpose as an organisation is providing a better life. And that extends to not only the staff that we have working for us at the moment, but also opening up the industry and our business to people that may not have traditionally had an opportunity to join this industry: providing more opportunities for people in our community to join up.”

The company is sponsoring a breakfast focusing on women in rail at the AusRAIL Conference, but commitment goes far beyond just talk and breakfasts.

“This is something we want to advocate for on

behalf of the rail industry and supporting that is critical,” Mortimer said.

“Actions speak louder than words. We actually demonstrate that we’re behind our goals, and not just being tokenistic and sponsoring things for the sake of it.

“There are several current projects that are driving our objective of getting more diversity into rail and in construction in general.”

SPEAKING LOUDER THAN WORDS

One major program that McConnell Dowell has been leading is the Western Program Alliance (WPA), commissioned by Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Authority, to help remove crossings across the state, and build track duplications. The group includes ARUP and Mott Macdonald as design partners, and Metro Trains Melbourne and V/Line, as the network operators.

“As lead contractor, we are proud that the senior Alliance Management Team (AMT), made up of 14 people, consists of seven females,” Mortimer said.

“So we’ve got a diverse management team which brings a different way of thinking to that level of the project. We see the benefits of that filtering down throughout the whole of the group because we’ve got a different way of approaching things, and it’s actually a more rounded management structure and that brings different points of view to every decision made.

“This also opens up opportunities for career advancement for all, with a number of the women going on to bigger challenges in the MCD business or moving up the ranks within the WPA.

“We’re certainly looking to promote and continue the development of women following the footsteps of those female senior leaders.”

Mortimer said the company was trying to create an environment that drives inclusivity, and extending it to other areas perhaps not typically well represented in the rail industry.

“When you talk about diversity, you’re measuring the differences between groups. When you talk about inclusivity, that means everyone is the same,” he said.

“We want to get to a point where anyone can work here, as opposed to showing off statistics on the number of women or people of different ethnicities and sexualities.”

Another shining example of women at work was MCD’s involvement in delivering early works on the ARTC Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury (B2A) line in Victoria.

With a project target of 17 per cent female participation initially set, the team are currently sitting at a 23 per cent ratio (seven out of 30 staff).

“We have fantastically talented women working hard and smashing it in construction,” Mortimer said.

“This level of representation on the project speaks volumes; it tells you that you aren’t a quota hire, that your experience and expertise matters.

“It tells you that McConnell Dowell knows and values the benefits of diversity and believes in that strongly enough to make sure they have the right team regardless of gender.

“Having the opportunity to work with, learn from and mentor other women in an industry typically dominated by men is something you can’t put a price on.”

Gender diversity and inclusivity are major principles of major construction company McConnell Dowell, which operates on a plank of “changing the industry for the better”.

WELLNESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Christopherson, an engineer with more than 15 years’ experience in delivering a wide range of rail and other infrastructure projects across Australia, is highly supportive of MCD’s integrated approach to wellness. A wellness strategy that sets out to improve workplace culture and encourage inclusivity and equality.

“An integrated approach starts with leaders creating a psychologically and physically safe work environment as fundamental to every workplace. It then builds on traditional workplace improvement initiatives through the overall enhancement of working conditions most relevant to employee health, safety, and wellbeing,” she said.

“We’ve got a real focus on leadership training to make the workplace a more inclusive and safer environment for everyone.

“We’re really striving to increase our female participation through offering this much more supportive and inclusive environment, and focusing a lot on culture, making the workplace of more enjoyable place to be for everyone.

“We want to create a culture in a workplace

that encourages people to bring their true selves to work.”

Christopherson said construction was widely known to be close to the least progressive and innovative industry..

“There’s just been no major innovative progress in the construction industry for the past 50 years, and that’s because we’ve had the same sort of people doing projects the same way, with the same project roles or expertise,” she said.

“And we’ve embedded this sort of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it kind of mentality.

“So we’re really trying to move out of that, we desperately need to change the way we’re doing things to open up new people to this sector.

“There aren’t enough people in the country to deliver all the projects that are coming up, so we need to do things differently, and to do things differently, you need people with different ways of thinking.

“We need to open up the industry and our business to people that may not have traditionally had an opportunity to join this industry; providing more opportunities for people in our community to come through the pipeline.”

Having an inclusive workplace is also a powerful recruiting and retention tool as female millennials look for employers with a strong record on diversity and inclusion.

And it has a positive impact on customers and the communities we work in, as they come from all walks of life.

“The more the make-up of an organisation reflects customers and communities, the more likely it is it will communicate effectively with them: the more likely we are to achieve a better final project outcome,” Christopherson said.

“But while we want to encourage people from different sectors to join the construction industry, we don’t encourage them to do the job the same way we’ve been doing for the last 10 years.

“We want to have new people come in and challenge the status-quo, for example, we can find ways of building railway lines faster, or bringing more technology into the way we do things.

“This is where we can really benefit from the rapid growth of the sector, with people coming in from different industries, with different ways of looking at our problems and opportunities.”

Industry Associations

New strategy for a new world

The Australasian Railway Association recently reviewed its strategy to ensure it can continue to effectively support industry as the rail industry embarks on a new reality in a post-pandemic world.

ARA’s new mission: Collaborate with members,industry,and government to build industry capability,harmonisation,workforce development and sustainability

• Leading industry voice

The ARA has been a trusted voice of the rail industry across Australia and New Zealand since its inception.

Our evidence-based research helps us lead the debate on the key issues that impact rail and advocate for policy solutions to improve the operating environment for rail.

industry, and further online courses and programs and planned in 2023.

To support the delivery of this objective, we have increased our resources in this area with the recent appointment of a new Senior Workforce Development Manager.

• Productive, safe and efficient industry

The need for a national approach to rail to support improved productivity and efficiency is a continued focus for the ARA and industry.

Much has changed since the development of the ARA’s previous strategy in 2019, not least of which are the impacts of COVID. The experience of the last three years has highlighted the rail industry’s essential role in our economy and community, and emphasised the importance of strong supply chains and a sustainable workforce to support a thriving industry.

We have also seen a rapidly increasing focus on sustainability and resilience, with the confirmation of a national 2030 net-zero target and new momentum emerging from last year’s COP26 creating a renewed sense of urgency on this critical issue.

The development of a new, three-year strategy for the ARA in June was therefore a very timely opportunity to look at how we can best support our members, the industry and the wider community.

The new strategy will guide the ARA’s work over the next three years, in line with our vision to ensure a thriving rail industry that enables economic growth and driving sustainability.

Our new mission focuses the ARA’s activities on driving change and debate on three key areas for the rail industry: the harmonisation of standards; workforce development and industry capability; and sustainability.

This mission will see the ARA’s work to support a more nationally consistent, standardised approach across the rail supply chain continue in the years ahead.

It will also help us work with government and industry to address the converging challenges of skills development and sustainability across our sector.

This will continue to be a strong focus, with an emphasis on fostering opportunities for collaboration between industry, government and other key stakeholders to drive tangible and positive change in our industry.

•

Exceptional member experience

The ARA exists for our members, and ensuring we provide an exceptional member experience remains a core focus in all that we do.

Our executive committees, committees and working groups continue to be a key part of our member engagement, providing members with the chance to shape the ARA’s advocacy and identify key areas of focus to support improved industry outcomes.

We are currently engaging with these groups to confirm how that work is supporting the ARA’s broader strategic objectives.

The ARA’s wide range of events to support industry networking and business development will continue to be a key part of our operations in support of the strategy, and we look forward to delivering a dynamic events program in 2023 and beyond.

• Thriving, diverse and skilled workforce

Ensuring we have a strong workforce to support the needs of the industry will be crucial over the next three years.

As a result, the ARA is investing significant energy and resources to help the industry attract, retain and develop its people to support a strong rail workforce.

We are working closely with government and the education sector to support more pathways into the industry, while our Work in Rail website to promote rail careers will launch in the new year.

Our Understanding Rail course remains a highly popular introduction to the rail

Our advocacy on this issue continues on a range of fronts, from promoting the value of national approaches to procurement and local content to supporting interoperability in the rail freight sector and working closely with the Office of National Safety Regulator to support improved rail safety outcomes.

• Sustainable and resilient industry that benefits communities

When I started in this role in 2020, we did not have a coordinated focus on sustainability within the ARA.

Since then, we have launched a new Sustainability Committee and Strategy and have reached out to connect with the wider infrastructure sector on how we can advance tangible improvements on a range of sustainability issues.

Our partnership with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and Roads Australia saw the development of an industry-first report on how to support the transport sector’s journey to net-zero this year, with further work to advance the report’s recommendations currently underway.

We are also supporting the rail freight and heavy haul sector as it explores opportunities to further adopt sustainable technologies, including through new trials of hydrogen or battery powered rollingstock.

Resilience is also high on the agenda as the rail freight sector faces increasingly extreme weather events and the ARA will be launching new research to support the identification of resilience priorities in the sector in the near future .

The industry’s support for our work in the area of sustainability has been incredible, and this objective reflects our commitment to effecting real change for our future to ensure rail continues to be a leader on sustainability.

Caroline Wilkie, chief executive, Australasian Railway Association.

New research into harmonisation and decarbonisation

NEW REPORTS

• Estimating the economic cost of type approval processes in the Australian rail industry

RISSB and the Australasian Railways Association led a research project to quantify opportunities in streamlining type approvals (TAs) in the rail industry.

The research by Synergies Economic Consulting reviewed the range of type approval processes used across the country and found that inefficient TA processes are costing the rail industry $230 million per year, and a national approach is needed to streamline the process.

TAs confirm a product used in a specific rail network meets the operators’ requirements and is fit for purpose.

RISSB developed the standard AS 7702 – Rail Equipment Type Approval in 2014 to provide a common framework to evaluate TAs for railway products. However, there are still differences in how this approval process is managed by individual rail operators.

The findings of this report is helping inform RISSB’s review of AS 7702.

• The National Rail Carbon Footprint - rail’s critical role in decarbonising the transport sector by 2050

Rail will be a crucial part of Australia’s transport zero carbon future, and RISSB has recently completed a seminal study to understand the carbon footprint for the whole industry, both as a guide for directing RISSB’s efforts over the coming years, but also as a benchmark against which to measure industry progress in carbon reduction.

The report discusses:

• The challenges faced by the industry

• The context of rail’s contribution to the Australian carbon emission profile,

• Findings into steady state operations and maintenance emissions,

• The most significant sources of these emissions, and

• The quantification of decarbonisation scenarios to reach net zero by 2050.

The research found that efforts to decarbonise scope 1 and 2 emissions

concerning traction energy offer the greatest opportunities for reductions at a national level.

The report recommends that the industry should get greater clarity on scope 3 emissions, i.e. those that occur in the value chain – those that are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organisation, but that the organisation indirectly impacts in its value chain.

There are many examples of good practice where rail companies are measuring, managing and reducing their carbon footprints, however, up until now they have been largely doing it in isolation of each other.

This work is the first time rail’s overall carbon footprint has been analysed at an industry level, paving the way for a more coordinated industry approach.

Both reports can be downloaded from RISSB’s ‘Grand Central’ web page www.rissb. com.au/grandcentral/.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

We’ve recently released a new Guideline and industry Code of Practice. Both publications can be downloaded by our members for free from this page www.rissb.com.au/products/

• Guideline - condition monitoring of fixed rail infrastructure

This Guideline provides guidance for monitoring and managing the condition of fixed rail infrastructure assets, offering a consistent approach for developing a CM program based on industry-accepted standards and good practice.

This Guideline is intended to align with:

• ISO 17359:2018 Condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines — General guidelines,

• ISO 55001:2014 Asset management — Management systems — Requirements

• The maintenance framework 2016: Global Forum on maintenance and asset management.

• Code of Practice - safety critical operational information

This Code specifically addresses operational

information that is provided to rail safety workers, in particular train crew, track workers, protection officers, network control officers and other operational personnel.

Safety critical operational information can include, but is not limited to:

• Train operation notices and waivers

• Track and route condition notices

• Temporary speed restriction notices

• Weather alerts; e) network rule amendments.

RISSB AT AUSRAIL 2022

RISSB will be at this year’s AusRAIL conference in Brisbane and we hope to see you.

Stop by stand number 77-78 and meet some of our Standards development managers and general managers, discuss our 2022-23 program of work, newly released publications and our type approval and decarbonisation research reports, and tell us what you believe RISSB should be doing more or less of in the coming years.

Two highly anticipated research reports and two industry publications have been released.

The type approvals report urges introducing harmonisation provisions and national product standards for some products.

VICTORIA

Level Crossing Removal Authority

Two level crossing removals on the Pakenham Line in Melbourne are a step closer, with contracts finalised for projects at Webb Street, Narre Warren, and Brunt Road, Beaconsfield.

A $259 million contract has been awarded to an alliance comprising McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott MacDonald, and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), in partnership with the Level Crossing Removal Project. The alliance will deliver a new Narre Warren Station and an elevated rail bridge to replace the Webb Street level crossing by 2025.

The new station will feature an airconditioned waiting room, secure bicycle parking, and an elevated structure spanning almost 1 kilometre, including rail bridges over Webb Street and Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road. Major construction will begin later this year.

A construction contract has also been awarded to remove another Pakenham Line level crossing at Brunt Road, Beaconsfield, with a new road bridge to improve traffic flow and increase safety.

An alliance of Fulton Hogan Construction, MTM and the Level Crossing Removal Project will deliver the $66m contract to remove the level crossing by 2025.

The Brunt Road project has received extensive feedback from the local community, which will be reflected in the updated designs, due for release in early 2023.

New shared use and pedestrian paths will connect to existing pedestrian links within the area, improving accessibility and connections to schools, shops, and services on either side of the rail line.

Early works will soon be underway and major construction will begin in 2023.

Yarra Trams

Applications are now open to work on the world’s largest tram network, keeping it running safely and reliably for millions of passengers every week.

The four-year Yarra Trams apprenticeship program in Melbourne prepares apprentices to safely maintain and manage the network of overhead wires that power the tram network.

In the first two years of training, overhead apprentices mix working on de-energised infrastructure alongside experienced lines workers before apprentices take a significant step to working on live overhead wires alongside trainers and experienced lines workers.

Numerous safety controls are in place to ensure workers’ safety – including using specialised live line techniques, working from insulated platforms and wearing insulating equipment.

Overhead workers are crucial to the safe operation of the tram network, with technicians

performing important maintenance and renewal work to reduce the number of unplanned disruptions, as well as responding to incidents involving overhead lines.

The tram network runs on more than 500 kilometres of overhead contact wire hung above the tram network, powering up to 500 trams at a time.

All of the power used by Melbourne’s trams is offset by solar power generated at two large solar installations in the north of Victoria, making trams one of the most environmentally friendly ways of getting around the city.

Applications for the overhead apprenticeship roles are now open with applicants encouraged to visit the Yarra Trams careers webpage.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Westport

2070, the modelling shows trade volumes at Fremantle Port could be three to five times higher than current.

Under a high growth scenario, throughput at Fremantle Port could be as high as 3.7m containers per annum by 2070, compared to the 792,000 containers that were moved at the port in 2021/22.

METRONET

The first platform walls have been lifted into place at Alkimos as the station takes shape along the METRONET Yanchep rail extension project in Western Australia.

Twelve columns were installed at platform level to an accuracy of 1 millimetre, with surveying tools used to ensure the columns were in the exact position to support the concourse beams.

A 400-tonne crane then meticulously placed 24t concourse shell beams on top of the columns. The arrangement of beams forms the beginnings of the concourse structure.

The project is run by NEWest Alliance, made up of CPB Contractors and Downer.

NEWest Alliance project manager Stephen Nicolay couldn’t be more pleased with the progress made.

WSP Australia has been awarded a $15.2 million contract to lead the Supply Chain Integrated Design project for Westport, the State Government’s long-term program to investigate, plan and build a future port in Kwinana with integrated road and rail transport networks.

As part of the project, WSP will model and refine design options for the new terminal, as well as the supporting road and rail infrastructure. The project will be a critical pillar in the state’s planning for an efficient, sustainable, and modern terminal that meets WA’s growing trade needs.

It will be delivered over the coming 18 months and the outcomes will play a key role in the development of the Westport business case and help inform future investment decisions.

As part of its planning, Westport will seek opportunities to create and restore environmental assets, embed Noongar cultural values into design, and support future innovation.

The announcement comes as updated container growth analysis reconfirmed the need for a new port, with Fremantle Port expected to come under increasing pressure over the next 10 to 20 years.

Under a range of growth scenarios, container trade at Fremantle Port is expected to at least double by 2050, and by

“The level of planning and precision that goes into executing these highly complex works is second to none, and we’re focused on continuing this strong record as we roll out similar works at Eglinton and Yanchep stations,” he said.

The team is also building retaining walls and the station’s six bridge structures, which will form the Alkimos Station precinct.

With the majority of the project being built in a cutting below natural ground level, keeping earth back from the rail corridor is no small feat but one that’s achieved with more than 6km of the walls.

Made from close to 60,000 ‘green’ blocks consisting of recycled materials and natural limestone, the walls will run along the rail corridor between the Butler and Yanchep station sites.

NEWest Alliance area manager Elizabeth Ward is leading the complex works, drawing on her 20 years’ experience as a civil engineer to overcome the challenging geotechnical conditions.

“With around 14.5km of rail to construct, ground conditions vary from one location to another so the way we design and construct the retaining walls needs to be bespoke,” she said.

Once the walls are complete and the team have excavated earth to the new ground level, works to install overhead line equipment, ballast, sleepers and the rail itself will commence.

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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Enjoy an exciting and rewarding career at Pacific National by exploring a variety of positions at pacificnational.com.au/careers