Rail Professional Asia Pacific December 2022

PUBLISHER

Rail Professional Limited

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EDITOR

Sam Sherwood-Hale editor@railprofessional.com Twitter: @SamSherwoodHale

SALES

Jamie Tregarthen sales@railpro.co.uk

ADMINISTRATION

Lisa Etherington Cherie Nugent info@railpro.co.uk

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Alicia Bannister Lukasz Saczek production@railpro.co.uk

Twitter: @RailProSEAsia Linkedin: railprofessional

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Editors’s Note

When we started this magazine seven years ago, the most important story we expected to be covering was the ambitious high-speed railway running from China’s Kunming all the way down through continental Southeast Asia to the very tip of the peninsula to Singapore. Split into three main parts, Kunming to Vientiane, Vientiane to Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.

We started our second year of publication noting that Singapore and Kuala Lumpur had called for tenders to appoint a consultant to assess the social impact of the Kuala LumpurSingapore high-speed rail project and Thailand had approved a $5.5 billion budget for its portion of the high-speed railway. All the while the Laotian stretch of the railway quietly continued to completion just over a year ago.

Fast forward to today and, as the song almost goes, one-and-a-half out three ain’t bad. In Laos, the China Railway Construction Group (CRCG) has revealed that a total of 739 million passengers and 851 million tonnes of freight have been transported during the last year of operation. The other two links in the chain are less advanced, in Thailand they are targeting 2026 for Phase One completion and 2030 for Phase Two completion. The Singapore-Kuala Lumpur line was shelved indefinitely a few years ago but I am just now hearing that Malaysia’s new Prime Minister intends to start discussions about reviving it.

It remains to be seen how much of the Asia Pacific region will be connected by rail in the coming years, I hope you will all continue to join us in watching and covering this journey.

SAM SHERWOOD-HALE Editor

05 | Greener Rides in Singapore, New payment and ticketing platform in Greater Jakarta, Hitachi Rail to deliver sustainable digital commuter railway in the Philippines, GCRE signs MOU with Singapore Land Transport Authority, Alstom inks services contract with SBS Transit Rail, Scott Brownrigg to design Tavistock Station in Singapore, Enhancing Local Repair and Digital Rail Capabilities in Singapore, 3D-printed spare parts for enhanced rail operations and maintenance, RSSB signs MOU with Korea Railroad Research Institute

12

Business Profile

Designed specifically for rail interiors, ‘Coral Move Vision FR’ is an exceptionally versatile, premium cut pile carpet solution offering extensive design possibilities and colourways to complement a wide range of interior design schemes

ISSUE 28 | DECEMBER 2022

15

Business Profile

Jo Lawrence of the OPC shares digital initiatives to screen for particular desired behaviours to help identify quality recruits, improve training success, and on the job performance

Greener Rides in Singapore

As part of its commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, SMRT Trains has partnered Thales on a key initiative called “The Next-Generation Green CBTC Project”, which aims to reduce electricity consumption and further improve traction energy efficiency of the North-South and East-West lines (NSEWL), which are the oldest in Singapore’s rail network.

Thales’ SelTracTM CBTC signalling system first entered into service on NSEWL in 2017 and has since enhanced signalling system reliability and passenger experience. As NSEWL are managed by CBTC signalling, the traction-related actions of acceleration, braking and coasting are controlled by the Automatic Train Operation (ATO) system.

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

For instance, it uses coasting techniques (where the train is running with the electricity supply to its traction motors shut off and the brakes are not applied) in some predefined locations between the stations – which have been carefully identified to optimize its green features. The topography of the lines and the train speed at different locations of the MRT lines are fully integrated in the software, maximising the use of train coasting mode and thus, saving energy.

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

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

‘In support of Singapore’s ambitions towards net zero emissions by 2050, Thales is proud to partner SMRT Trains on the NextGeneration Green Communications-Based Train Control Project This serves as a testament to how Thales is working closely with our local customers to provide cutting-edge technology solutions to real-world challenges. Through this collaboration, we’re excited to provide more reliable and greener passenger journeys for Singapore’s commuters.’ Emily Tan, Country Director & Chief Executive, Thales in Singapore said.

‘This joint development of the Next-Generation Green CBTC system on NSEWL is a project that shows SMRT’s commitment to long-term sustainability and net-zero emissions. We are glad to partner Thales to enable energy-optimised train operations. In view of rising electricity costs, any reduction of energy usage in our operations will contribute to greater productivity and financial sustainability.’ Lam Sheau Kai, President, SMRT Trains said.

Over the last decade, Thales has reinforced its position as a leading transportation provider for ticketing, communication and signalling solutions in Singapore. In February 2022, Thales and SMRT Trains signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate and leverage digital technologies such as Data Analytics to enhance rail maintenance and operations to deliver reliable and sustainable rides in Singapore. This Green CBTC initiative serves as a testament to the strong partnership Thales has with the Singapore rail operator to make green railway journeys a reality, and also marks the 10th anniversary of Thales being selected by SMRT to provide its renowned signalling solutions for Singapore’s oldest rail lines.

New Payment and Ticketing Platform in Greater Jakarta

Last year, the Jakarta province-owned transport company PT Jakarta Lingko Indonesia awarded to the consortium led by PT Jatelindo Perkasa Abadi and including Thales, Lyko and PT Aino Indonesia, an eight-year contract for the implementation of an electronically integrated payment and tariff system for the public transportation operators working in Jabodetabek megapolitan area. Thales and its partners are proud to announce the delivery of this system.

The project is part of the Indonesian central government's commitment to digitalize the public transport system in its respective provinces or cities. Jakarta’s transportation master plan aims to increase the share of public transportation use of all movements to 60 per cent and to expand its coverage area of all roads to 80 per cent in Greater Jakarta by 2029.

To support this plan, the Jatelindo consortium through PT Jakarta Lingko Indonesia has started the implementation of the Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) solution in the Jabodetabek area (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, South Tangerang and Bekasi), also known as the Greater Jakarta megapolitan area.

With Thales ABT solution, the passenger profiles can be managed at the centralized back-office. This will help the government to implement more attractive fare policies and subsidies for public transport fare in the future.

Thales ABT solution is able to manage various interfaces with external systems (i.e. e-money settlement system ‘Fello’ by Jatelindo, MaaS platform by ‘Lyko’, mobile app by Aino). It demonstrates that the Thales’ product is mature and well defined

with open and standard interfaces.

The Thales TRANSCITY™ platform forms the backbone of the system with Thales working closely within the consortium to deliver the project in several phases, including an eight-year Operation and Maintenance contract. In the first phase of the project, Thales provided a new QR code ticketing system for fare collection, interfacing the MaaS solution and a mobile application. This system included enhanced mobility features leading to an ‘end-to-end ticketing solution’ in the final phase. Here, it has the capability to handle five million transactions daily, where the consortium will migrate the existing card-centric architecture to a full Account Based Ticketing (ABT) one.

‘We are excited with the prospects in Indonesia for ticketing and we are proud to contribute to the digitalization of transportation (‘digitalisasi transportasi’) for the country. The new ticketing platform developed by Thales is expected to allow a minimum of two million trips per day and the integrated technology will drive ridership and boost comfortable journeys in the world’s third largest metropolis of over 31 million people.’ Olivier Rabourdin, Country Director, Thales in Indonesia said.

‘As a member of the Jatelindo consortium delivering the latest generation of our TRANSCITY™ UP digital platform, we are proud to contribute to the success of JakLingko Indonesia, and the progress of the greater Jakarta operators MRT, LRT, TransJakarta, KCI, and Railink toward a more inclusive, efficient and integrated mobility system.’ Jean-Marc Reynaud, Vice-President, Revenue Collection Systems, Thales said.

RSSB Signs MOU with Korea Railroad Research Institute

RSSB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI), enabling more collaboration in research and development to further improve railway safety.

The MOU was signed at InnoTrans, the International Trade Fair for Transport Technology, in Berlin.

RSSB and KRRI intend to cooperate on: ɋ Research and development or technology, such as data-based safety management technology. ɋ Sharing experiences and best practices on technical issues, such as safety assessment methods, rail accident investigation, statistics, and human or organizational factors. ɋ Safety enhancement initiatives, including research and studies on emerging safety issues identified by data analysis.

RSSB’s Chief Commercial Officer, Paul McLaughlin said: ‘RSSB and KRRI bring decades of knowledge, data, analysis and experience to our respective railways. We will now be able to identify opportunities for collaboration, solving shared problems and unlocking potential for the future.

‘Closer collaboration between RSSB and KRRI will ensure new technology and new thinking can be applied safely, driving further improvements in railway health, efficiency, sustainability, and performance.’

KRRI’s President, Dr. Seok-youn Han said: ‘RSSB’s profound insight into railway safety and KRRI’s diverse research activities on various railway areas will create a safer railway for every stakeholder in the rail sector.’

SISCOG at AusRAIL 2022 with Solutions for Efficiency and Sustainability

SISCOG, a software company specialised in solutions for optimised resource scheduling, management and dispatching for rail and metro operators, is participating with a stand at AusRAIL 2022, in Brisbane. Timetable, vehicles, and staff software solutions will be showcased at SISCOG’s stand # 58-59, on December 6-7, at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

For the first time with a stand at a trade event in Australia, this national conference and exhibition of the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) is a perfect place to foster industry engagement on key issues affecting the rail industry in the region.

SISCOG Suite has a proven track record for assisting rail and metro operators worldwide optimise the use of their resources and

address current concerns in areas such as energy constraints, driver shortages, operation efficiency, profitability, and new passenger flow realities.

The company’s stand at AusRAIL will welcome discussions and demonstrations relating to conciliating happy staff with profitable operations, achieving better passenger satisfaction, and empowering the users towards optimisation. This will also be the stage for the most recent product of the SISCOG Suite – RAILNODE – that addresses scheduling and management of local movements in stations, parks, and shunting yards, essential to ensure that train timetables and vehicle schedules are carried out as intended with the least energy consumption.

Hitachi Rail to Deliver Sustainable Digital Commuter Railway in the Philippines

Hitachi Rail has been awarded a major contract worth around US$814 million called CP04 by the Philippine Government’s Department of Transportation to deliver Electrical & Mechanical Systems and Track Works, including digital signalling for the new commuter railway from Solis to Malolos in the Philippines.

The project will cover around 35.4 kilometres and nine stations on the North South Commuter Railway, a 147 kilometres commuter line from Calamba to Clark, and will be funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

In a significant boost for sustainability in the Philippines, the project will reduce rail carbon emissions and encourage the use of environmentally friendly public transport over higher polluting cars.

Hitachi Rail will introduce its innovative European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling on the North South Commuter Railway. ETCS signalling technology monitors the train’s movement and the speed limit on the track and will help reduce the energy footprint of the railway by enabling very efficient operation of the trains. The introduction of ETCS Level 2 signalling will also boost safety on the line by enabling automatic activation of train safety functions, including emergency braking in case of danger or if trains exceed the track’s maximum line speed.

Hitachi Rail is a global industry leader in digital signalling and was one of the pioneers to introduce ETCS technology in Europe –in the UK, Italy, Spain, Sweden and France – as well as in the highly competitive markets of China and India. Hitachi is now bringing its global digital signalling expertise to the Philippines in a first for the country by delivering the complete turnkey E&M systems of signalling, electrification, telecommunications, depot equipment, fare collection and trackwork for the railway.

Takuya Yamakawa, Deputy Head of Japan Business, Head of Asia and Japan Initiatives (Sales and Projects), Railway Systems Business Unit, Hitachi, Ltd, said: ‘We are proud to be awarded this contract to bring our digital signalling expertise to the Philippines, following our experiences pioneering the technology and successfully introducing it to countries across Europe and Asia. By delivering this project, Hitachi Rail will reduce a major commuter railway’s energy footprint, supporting greener travel.

‘With ownership of cars and congestion in Manila projected to continue to increase rapidly, it is vital we support commuters to use more sustainable rail transport. Our state-of-the-art railway systems will do just that – encouraging rail travel by boosting safety, bringing huge benefits to passengers and driving down emissions in the Philippines.’

‘With ownership of cars and congestion in Manila projected to continue to increase rapidly, it is vital we support commuters to use more sustainable rail transport.’

GCRE Signs MOU with Singapore Land Transport Authority

The Singapore Land Transport Authority has signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) signalling a collaborative approach to innovation and testing in the rail sector.

Responsible for spearheading land transport developments in Singapore, the Singapore Land Transport Authority has responsibility for the planning, design, build and maintenance of Singapore’s land transport infrastructure and systems. This includes the new Integrated Train Testing Centre (ITTC) that is due to be operational in 2023. Featuring Endurance, High speed and Performance & Integration tracks totalling 10.8 kilometre, the ITTC will support the testing and commissioning of trains, railway systems as well as upgrades of trains in Singapore.

The MOU was signed in Singapore by Arthur Emyr of GCRE and Deputy Chief Executive (Infrastructure & Development) Mr Chua Chong Kheng of the Singapore Land Transport Authority. It includes the exchange of information and personnel in connection with train testing centre development on design and engineering innovation, commercial planning,

procurement processes and operational best practice. The two organisations will also work together on subjects related to asset management, operation and maintenance.

Mr Chua Chong Kheng of the Singapore Land Transport Authority said: ‘The ITTC is central to our efforts to renew, upgrade and expand our rail network. This partnership with GCRE will help develop and grow mutual capabilities in operating such testing facilities.’

Simon Jones, Chief Executive of GCRE said: ‘We are delighted to be able to cooperate and learn from our friends in Singapore as we sign this important Memorandum Of Understanding. The Global Centre of Rail Excellence is one of the most creative and important projects in the industry today and we’re very pleased to work with international partners as we develop.

‘This isn’t an exclusive arrangement but we will work together in good faith to review, discuss and compare our approach so that we can share technical expertise and research and development knowledge. It is collaborations like this that will help us to develop the very best global centre of excellence which will ultimately benefit the industry at large.’

‘The ITTC is central to our efforts to renew, upgrade and expand our rail network. This partnership with GCRE will help develop and grow mutual capabilities in operating such testing facilities.’

Chua Chong Kheng, Singapore Land Transport Authority

‘We are delighted to be able to cooperate and learn from our friends in Singapore as we sign this important Memorandum Of Understanding. The Global Centre of Rail Excellence is one of the most creative and important projects in the industry today and we’re very pleased to work with international partners as we develop.’

Simon Jones, Chief Executive of GCRE

Alstom Inks Services Contract with SBS Transit Rail

Alstom and SBS Transit Rail Pte Ltd have signed a long-term services support (LTSS) contract for the Urbalis signalling system installed on Singapore’s North East Line (NEL). Alstom has been a long-term trusted partner to SBS Transit Rail, having implemented the original signalling system for both companies’ first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in 2003. NEL is the world’s first fully automated underground driverless heavy metro system. The LTSS will commence in 2023, with Alstom providing technical expertise and local repair activities for the NEL fleet.

The agreement was signed by Alstom Asia Pacific President, Ling Fang, and CEO, SBS Transit Rail, Jeffrey Sim, during the LTA-UITP Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition 2022.

‘We are very pleased to be entering into this important services project with our long-term partner SBS Transit Rail. This new agreement is testament to Alstom’s growing footprint and ongoing commitment to localising key competencies within Singapore, while sustaining rail reliability. It allows us to invest further in the development of local talent and knowledge transfer which

ultimately enhances and promotes Singapore’s local rail capabilities’ said Ling Fang, President, Alstom Asia Pacific.

Alstom’s communications-based train control (CBTC) solution, Urbalis, first entered service in Singapore on the NEL in 2003, helping to ease commuter congestion. Constantly upgraded, the advanced signalling solution aids urban operators in maximising their performance and capacity while providing standard supervision and control supporting their operational needs. Designed for heavy metro ridership, the system offers a considerable range of functions that improve headway and average speed performance.

Alstom has been present in Singapore for over 20 years and is a major supplier of integrated metro systems, digital train control systems, rolling stock, infrastructure and services. Today, all existing MRT lines and the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in Singapore carry the Group’s solutions. Alstom is currently delivering the signalling system and six Metropolis trains (36 metro cars) for the NEL Extension.

Scott Brownrigg to design Tavistock Station in Singapore

infrastructure to assist in providing critical public transportation to Singapore and its residents, working with global leaders Sato Kogyo and Jacobs. This project demonstrates Scott Brownrigg’s commitment to Singapore, with our experienced rail architects based in our studio on Beach Road playing a key role in the delivery of this project.’

Scott Brownrigg have been appointed as the architect to design Tavistock Station in Singapore as part of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of engineers Jacobs Singapore and contractor Sato Kogyo. The US$298 million new station forms part of the first phase of the Land Transport Authority’s Cross Island Line project (CRL) benefitting more than 100,000 households – and is set to be the longest underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in Singapore. Once complete, the three-phased CRL scheme will serve existing and future developments in the eastern, north-eastern and western corridors – providing new and alternative routes for commuters with over half the stations providing interchange with existing lines.

Responsible for the architectural design of Tavistock Station, Scott Brownrigg’s concept ‘Park Connected’ links local parks and greened areas at the extents of the station’s reach through its 300 metres long below-ground concourse and platform, significantly improving access for residents, workers and students in the area.

The new underground station will be constructed beneath Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and will serve residential and commercial properties.

Andrew Postings, Scott Brownrigg’s Director and Global Lead for Rail said: ‘We are delighted to be bringing our skills in rail

Public MRT systems provide access to low-carbon transportation for residents and commuters alike and help to reduce PM2.5 particulate emissions from rubbertyred vehicles – a known contributor to health problems in the inhabitants of heavily trafficked cities. Tavistock Station is designed to achieve Green Mark Platinum, which requires minimum 30 per cent energy savings, integration of landscape and waterscape, solar energy feasibility, and sustainable construction practices amongst others.

Scott Brownrigg’s first rail project in Singapore, the appointment builds upon a long-standing history of working with Jacobs on rail infrastructure projects and allows the team to bring decades of rail experience to a new market. Construction for Tavistock station began earlier this year with passenger operations for Cross Island Line Phase 1 expected to begin in 2030.

‘We are delighted to be bringing our skills in rail infrastructure to assist in providing critical public transportation to Singapore and its residents, working with global leaders Sato Kogyo and Jacobs’

Andrew Postings, Director and Global Lead for Rail at Scott Brownrigg

Enhancing Local Repair and Digital Rail Capabilities in Singapore

SMRT Trains and Thales share a goal to provide safe, reliable and comfortable journeys in Singapore. They have inked two agreements – for the joint establishment of a local rail signalling repair facility and also the joint development of an intelligent rail analytics platform – to reinforce the reliability of the nation’s oldest MRT lines operated by SMRT Trains. SMRT Trains, Singapore’s pioneer and dominant rail operator, and Thales have signed a Repair Collaboration Agreement to establish a local repair facility at the rail operator’s premise in Bishan Depot to reduce repair turnaround time and improve cost efficiencies.

Thales’ renowned SelTracTM Communication-Based-TrainControl (CBTC) signalling system drives the North-South and EastWest lines (NSEWL) of Singapore’s rail network, which are operated by SMRT Trains. Currently, critical electronic cards of the signalling equipment are produced and repaired overseas by the original equipment manufacturer, Thales, at its dedicated facilities such as in Canada and France.

With this agreement, Thales’ rail experts will work closely with SMRT Trains’ Integrated Electronic Workshop to set up the repair facility. This includes the training and transfer of expertise and technical know-how for SMRT Trains’ technicians to diagnose and repair the faulty components.

On the digital front, SMRT Trains and Thales have signed an agreement to jointly develop an intelligent rail analytics platform for the smart monitoring of rail signalling systems. Under this agreement, SMRT Trains’ engineers and Thales’ experts will come together to define specific use-cases and identify key maintenance priorities over a series of design-thinking workshops.

Built upon Thales’ Urban Rail Signalling – Rail Analytics Platform,

the tailored digital platform will leverage Condition-Monitoring Devices, Data Analytics and Cloud Computing to automate the analysis of signalling systems’ performance and health state, and to identify and address potential maintenance issues before they occur. This will help to better manage engineering resources and improve the systems’ reliability and performance.

‘SMRT Trains is continuously looking at ways to enhance the safety, reliability and productivity of our rail maintenance regimes. We are excited to collaborate with Thales to strengthen our maintenance capability and resilience, as well as bolster our staff’s expertise. With the establishment of the repair workshop at Bishan Depot, we aim to cut down repair turnaround time and cost. The use of digital technologies to preempt maintenance issues is also a key strategy for SMRT Trains as we strive to provide smooth journeys for commuters.’ Lam Sheau Kai, President, SMRT Trains said.

‘Thales truly appreciates the continued trust that SMRT Trains has placed in us. With these agreements, we will tap on Thales’ renowned expertise in managing complex, global rail projects to deepen local expertise and capabilities in Singapore’s rail ecosystem. We look forward to co-innovating on cutting-edge digital solutions in intelligent rail analytics. This will help ensure safer and more reliable rides for commuters.’ Emily Tan, Country Director & Chief Executive, Thales in Singapore said.

The two agreements signed between SMRT Trains and Thales follow the recent announcement of both parties’ joint initiative called ‘The Next-Generation Green CBTC Project’, which aims to reduce electricity consumption and further improve traction energy efficiency of the NSEWL.

3D-printed Spare Parts for Enhanced Rail Operations and Maintenance

Alstom and SMRT Trains, Singapore’s pioneer and dominant rail operator, are working together to explore the use of technology such as 3D-printed spare parts, autonomous robots and vision computing for predictive maintenance automation, and recoverable braking energy.

The two companies today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework of cooperation and coordination between the two parties in the fields of railway operations and maintenance. By signing the MoU, the parties have taken a step towards accelerating railway innovation and revolutionising Singapore’s rail industry.

The collaboration will tap on SMRT Trains’ extensive local rail network operations and Alstom’s global research and development (R&D) resources. The teams from Alstom’s Innovation Station in Singapore and SMRT Trains will leverage the latest technologies such as additive manufacturing, data analytics, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, as well as the existing infrastructure such as the communications-based train control (CBTC) simulation facilities, to optimise efficiencies and security in railway operations and maintenance.

The MoU was inked by Alstom’s Director for Signalling and Infrastructure in East Asia, Singapore and Malaysia, Remi Rovira, and President of SMRT Trains, Lam Sheau Kai, during the LTAUITP Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition 2022, in the presence of Alstom’s Asia Pacific President, Ling Fang, and Group Chief Executive Officer of SMRT Corporation, Ngien Hoon Ping.

Alstom has been present in Singapore for over 20 years and is a major supplier of integrated metro systems, digital train control

systems, rolling stock, infrastructure and services. To continuously bring the leading technological advances in rail to customers, Alstom has established an Innovation Station in Singapore in late 2021.The Station – a first in Asia Pacific for the Group – focuses on collaborating with strong local players such as customers, research agencies, universities and start-ups, while taking internal innovation projects to the market, and hopefully beyond the region.

‘Alstom offers the most comprehensive range of green and smart solutions to support its customers. We will now expand our innovation capacity and explore products specifically tailored to the geographic, climatic and regulatory realities of the Singapore market. We are therefore excited to be partnering with SMRT Trains on this collaboration journey.

Singapore’s assets and business environment, combined with our railway R&D expertise and SMRT Trains’ railway operation experience, provide us with a unique environment to innovate and grow the local industry’ said Ling Fang, President, Alstom Asia Pacific.

SMRT Trains is the first and largest train services provider in Singapore, managing and operating the North-South Line, East-West Line, the Circle Line, the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit system, and the new Thomson-East Coast Line.

‘We are glad to partner with Alstom in exploring innovation and digitalisation for safe, reliable and sustainable rail operations and maintenance. With SMRT’s experience in operating and maintaining train networks and Alstom’s R&D expertise, we are confident that this collaboration will enhance productivity, cybersecurity and sustainability’ said Lam Sheau Kai, President, SMRT Trains.

New Digitally Printed Carpet Designs

Designed specifically for rail interiors, ‘Coral Move Vision FR’ is an exceptionally versatile, premium cut pile carpet solution offering extensive design possibilities and colourways to complement a wide range of interior design schemes

Aluxurious made-to-order carpet, manufactured from 100 per cent regenerated Econyl yarn, that delivers aesthetic styling, durability, and long-lasting appearance retention, as required for heavily trafficked carriage interiors.

Being digitally printed, it allows for a virtually limitless number of aesthetic styles and makes non-linear type designs possible. It is perfect for more complicated designs or when there are many different colourways within a design. All Pantone and RAL colours can be matched to.

The new core collection consists of eight designs. Each design is available in several colourways, giving a total offering of 82 references. If you don’t see what you are looking for in this collection, Forbo Flooring Systems can re-scale/re-colour any of the designs or you can work with its dedicated design team on an individual project basis to ensure that the resulting Coral Move Vision FR carpet meets your bespoke design and colour requirements.

ɋ

Extensive customisation possibilities.

ɋ

Underfoot comfort, slip resistance and outstanding acoustic properties.

ɋ Durability and appearance retention due to 100 per cent nylon construction.

ɋ Made with Econyl 100 per cent regenerated yarns.

ɋ Natural latex backing from rapidly renewable source.

ɋ Ease of maintenance thanks to open cut pile construction.

ɋ Reaction to fire EN45545-2: HL2.

ɋ Available with different backing options for quicker installation.

QUICKER INSTALLATION SOLUTIONS

As an alternative to fully adhering the floor covering to the subfloor, Coral Move Vision FR can also be supplied with different backing options designed to improve efficiencies in time, cost, and operation throughout the life of the rail vehicle. The ‘PRO-FIT’ hook and loop solution for example has numerous advantages over traditional fully bonded adhesive systems, resulting in cost savings for train operators thanks to:

ɋ Quicker and easier installation and replacement.

ɋ No need to wait for the adhesive to dry.

ɋ No waiting time before the carpet can be walked on.

ɋ Immediate use of the train after installation.

The optional backing solutions cannot be added to latex-backed material after production, so the required backing type must be clearly specified at the time of ordering.

From how they're made to how they perform, Forbo Flooring Systems makes outstanding floor covering products that are truly sustainable.

100 PER CENT GREEN ELECTRICITY

FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES

Of all the electricity Forbo Flooring Systems buys, 100 per cent comes from renewable sources. This means the Coral Move Vision FR production site is part of an effective environmental management system and has achieved ISO 14001 certification.

ZERO LANDFILL

Virtually zero landfill is achieved by the Coral Move Vision FR manufacturing plant.

REUSE WASTE

All the waste yarn from the Coral Move Vision FR production is re-used by the yarn supplier. The search for new ways to reduce its environmental impact has led Forbo Flooring Systems to work very closely with forward thinking suppliers who are able to incorporate ever higher levels of recycled content in their materials.

ECONYL® YARN

Coral Move Vision FR floorcoverings use Econyl® yarn which is made from used and abandoned fishing nets. Using Econyl® is a way to reduce existing waste, avoid additional manufacturing-related pollution, and keep the consumption of natural resources and energy to a minimum. R

Tel: +44 (0)1773 744121 Email: transport@forbo.com Visit: www.forbo-flooring.com/rail

Shown above are five of the eight designs in the core collection. To view the full range of designs and colourways go to: www.forbo-flooring.com/rail or click on the QR code

Digital Pre-Screening

There is a return to ‘normal’ business following the pandemic with recruitment drives in full swing to fill the training pipeline for a number of key rail jobs. However, some train operating companies are sharing that it can be a struggle to find the right calibre of applicants. In particular, a number of UK rail operators have talked to the OPC about some key behavioural and attitudinal issues that are a worry for both their Operations and HR teams. Some concerns raised have been challenging behaviours in the employee/ manager relationship; less than acceptable attitudes to learning during training; a lack of pride in their role; inflexibility in working behaviours/shifts; disrespect shown to trainers and managers, as well as mentions of training failures which operators have expressed is a very unusual occurrence.

DESIRABLE POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS

With over 30 years of experience, the OPC have identified a number of key attitudes and behaviours that go beyond the technical

skills required to do the job and are associated with the very best rail employees who are ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest. These include strong conscientiousness, a motivation to achieve against the odds, and a desire to continuously learn. Those who perform exceptionally well in their job are also good ‘team players’ striving to develop and engage in relationships that are built on trust and mutual respect.

IDENTIFYING OUTSTANDING ATTRIBUTES

Some train operator teams have approached the OPC for help to improve their selection processes and to also ‘screen’ for positive and negative behaviours. For some operators, OPC psychologists have

recommended ‘bolting on’ additional steps as an enhancement to their existing selection systems. The aim is to help them identify those candidates who are more likely to perform successfully in the role and be an outstanding trainee and more effective and safer employee.

ONLINE PRE-SCREENING

An online ’pre-screening’ tool can help to do this quickly and accurately. It’s made up of a number of sections that have pre-set (stringent) acceptance levels. The OPC can design a bespoke pre-screening tool to best fit the organisation’s standards and the role(s) being recruited for. They can be tailored for any role. Often, these pre-

Jo Lawrence of the OPC shares digital initiatives to screen for particular desired behaviours to help identify quality recruits, improve training success, and on the job performance

‘Recruiting the best talent is never an easy job. Many factors influence someone being an outstanding employee – skills, abilities, attitudes as well as behaviours.’

Jo Lawrence

screening tools can include four (or more) sections. In some cases, they include:

1 – ‘KILLER’ QUESTIONS

These are generally ‘go, no-go’ statements that a candidate must answer yes or no to and are pre-requisite, non-negotiables for the role and the organisation. These types of questions can quickly reduce a large applicant pool to manageable levels.

2 – PREFERENCE QUESTIONS

This next section can quickly help identify if an applicant is a good fit for the job role specifics as well as how well they match organisational standards. Candidates are asked to score statements on how strongly they agree or disagree with them… E.g., ‘I prefer a job where there is lots to do’ or ‘I prefer a job where I can work on my own’ etc. It’s particularly helpful at ‘screening in’ those candidates who are a good fit for the job constraints and screening out those individuals whose job preferences may not be the right fit for say a safety critical role in the rail industry. Preference questions can be easily adapted to fit any role as well as reflect organisational culture needs.

3 – PRIORITISATION EXERCISE

Once a candidates’ work preferences have been discovered, a prioritisation exercise helps to identify what they believe are the most important roles and responsibilities for the job applied for. Adapted for each specific role, candidates indicate what they perceive are the most crucial and least important responsibilities/tasks to a successful job performance. This selection of the top three and bottom three responsibilities, helps to shed light on an applicant’s focus of attention and how they perceive what’s important or not – helping to further screen for the best candidates.

4 – MINI-SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT

A final section recommendation may be a mini-situational judgement questionnaire exploring how an individual might respond in a rail specific scenario. After reading a short, fictitious passage applicants must rank order their response choices to the situation. Situational judgement tests can help to give a good indication of an applicants’ training or likely job or safety performance. It helps us to identify if the judgement of the applicant matches and mimics the judgement of some of the very best rail employees.

Once candidates have successfully passed the pre-screening tool, for some operators the OPC has also recommended using a small selection of online assessment tool such as the Visual Search Exercise (VSE), and/or the Magnificent 7 Situational Judgement Test (M7SJT) as additions, helping to further identify these positive behaviours. Although these are different types of tests – one being an ability test and the other a situational judgement exercise, both explore some of the specific positive abilities, attitudes or behavioural characteristics displayed by those seen as high performers in safety-critical roles.

QUICKLY AND EASILY DONE

Recently a client was looking to do a big recruitment drive, but they also needed to improve the calibre of candidates selected and they specifically needed to address some behavioural and attitudinal issues. OPC psychologists undertook a mini job analysis with trainers and managers to identify the specific positive behaviours they were looking for. They also completed discussions around some negative incidents to pinpoint unfavourable behaviours they were looking to avoid. Additionally, they included some behaviours shown during a number of positive and negative safety incidents had by new trainees. All this information helped form a really clear picture of behavioural needs to be included in the pre-screening tools using a similar shape to the one already shared. The OPC completed the job and behavioural analysis work, created the pre-screening tools and made it available digitally all within roughly two weeks. Over the following couple of weeks, c. 1,000 applicants sat it.

What we often say to clients is that they should only spend quality time and money on those applicants who have a good chance of success; who are more likely to be a great fit in the role. So, what a pre-screening tool helps to achieve is to filter out as quickly, effectively and fairly, as possible those unsuitable applicants with a very low job and culture fit.

BENEFITS OF PRE-SCREENING TOOLS

Often a pre-screening tool can only take up to an hour for a candidate to complete, which is quite low up-front investment time for them. But their real beauty is for the HR team. They’re fair and a uniform assessment of all candidates, unlike other tools such as CV’s. Pre-screening forms also have pre-set

‘cut off’ scores, making a judgment about who goes through to the next phase very objective – avoiding lengthy ‘round the table’ discussions of the merits of each candidate and who to progress. They put an end to the days of HR managers ‘trawling’ through hundreds or thousands of application forms and CVs on their journey home – saving time, energy and boredom! In todays’ digital world candidates are looking for quick feedback, which an automated screening process can do for them.

Pre-screening tools can also be modified and used for ongoing team development or cultural shift work too. There may be a ‘challenging’ unit, team or depot where some negative behaviours and poor culture is displayed. Having identified the negative behaviours to lose and the new positive behaviours to replace into the team, a specifically designed pre-screening tool can be used to help select new recruits that better match the future requirements. These types of pre-screening tools can help select a growing group of recruits who all demonstrate the new desired positive attitudes. When recruited in sufficient numbers these new employees can provide a ‘tipping point’ for new behaviours that can help change the enduring culture.

OPC ASSESSMENTS’ REDESIGNED DIGITAL SYSTEM

The OPC’s recently redesigned Candela online testing platform really helps facilitate pre-selection for busy talent acquisition teams or operational managers. Specifically designed with user-friendly features, the Candela system can house multiple projects or job assessment journeys. Once applicants have completed a pre-screening questionnaire, the system can quickly and easily score a very large candidate pool, providing results and a short-list of quality individuals for the next phase at the touch of a button.

To sum up, recruiting the best talent is never an easy job. Many factors influence someone being an outstanding employee – skills, abilities, attitudes as well as behaviours. We must always ensure that processes used for recruitment or development purposes are as fair and equitable as possible. However, we must always balance this with the needs of the rail industry to recruit effective and safety critical employees. Any talent acquisition process needs to ensure that the people we recruit are more likely to succeed through training, but that they also display the potential to be safe and effective in their role too. R

Jo Lawrence is Business Development Director at the OPC, and OPC Assessment.

Tel: +44 (0)1923 234646 Email: admin@theopc.co.uk Visit: www.theopc.co.uk

‘What we often say to clients is that they should only spend quality time and money on those applicants who have a good chance of success; who are more likely to be a great fit in the role. So, what a pre-screening tool helps to achieve is to filter out as quickly, effectively and fairly, as possible those unsuitable applicants with a very low job and culture fit.’

Jo Lawrence

RAIL Asia 2023 Gears Up as the Region Prepares for Growth

The Eastern Economic Corridor is to be a highlight theme at RAIL Asia 2023 scheduled for 22-23 November at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok, Thailand

Building on its success as the Asia’s only international rail exhibition and conference in 2020, RAIL Asia maintained its position as the region’s most important trade event in one of the world’s most important and expansive markets. Thailand accounts for 40 per cent of all rail investment in Southeast Asia.

The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand’s flagship economic zone, has attracted investment applications totalling more than US$39 billion, 59 per cent of all

investment projects received by the BOI were from projects in the EEC. Thailand’s gateway to Asia ranges across three eastern provinces, Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong. The EEC Development Plan is designed to help transform Thailand into a value-based economy with extensive and efficient transport links to Asia through its US$32.93 billion infrastructure upgrade plan headlined by the High-Speed Rail Ribbon Sprawl (EECh) linking three main airports to include the new Eastern Airport City ‘Aerotropolis’ (EECa).

RAIL Asia was hailed a great success in its previous edition by the government, hosts and supporting organsations as it defied global challenges and staged the only international exhibition and conference for the rail industry in 2020. Hosted by the State Railway of Thailand and opened by the Ministry of Transport, RAIL Asia 2020 highlighted its importance and strength in the region with a successful eighth edition in Bangkok as the industry ‘reconnects’ and business rebounds.

‘For Talgo this is our first time at RAIL

Expo and we’ve met a lot of new clients from the industry to include top executives and government. This is the exhibition that gathers the people from the rail sector, not only from Thailand but from throughout Southeast Asia. Talgo will definitely exhibit again next year’ explained Mr. Surawut Sakulhiranrak, Managing Director, Talgo Country Representative.

Opened by the Mr.Pisak Jitviriyavasin, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport and hosted by the State Railway of

Thailand, the RAIL Asia 2020 international conference and exhibition welcomed a global line up of world class technology, solution providers and 1,276 of the region’s stakeholders and other related industry professionals to meet, network, see the latest technologies, learn about the latest developments and trends and re-connect with the rail and metro industry in this new business environment we embrace.

RAIL Asia attracts a diverse attendance of industry, last year rail and metro operators

made up 13 per cent of the visitors, government five per cent, contractors 15 per cent, consultants 17 per cent, professional and academic organisations nine per cent, suppliers 24 per cent and investors three per cent. Visitors to the event represented projects and budgets reported to be worth over US$2.426 billion in Thailand and the region.

According to the audited onsite survey the main product areas of interest to the trade visitors to RAIL Asia are rolling stock and maintenance (35 per cent), signalling (29 per cent), civil engineering (24 per cent), passenger experience for PIS, ticketing, station management (19 per cent), information technology (18 per cent) and other related sectors to include tunneling, OCS, trackwork, multi-modal integration, investment, tooling and consultancy (five per cent).

‘RAIL Asia is very important for us as it gives a very good chance to catch up with all our customers at the same time to introduce new products and to discuss new projects, it is also a very good chance to meet new potential customers from the rail authorities and operators. Overall it is very beneficial to us and we very much appreciate the exhibition’ explained Mr. Hannes Saurug, Chief Commercial Officer of Voestalpine Railway Systems.

RAIL Asia 2023 will be staged from 22-23 November with continued full support and collaboration of government and industry, find out more by contacting the team directly at rail@aes-exhibitions.com

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