GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY

Progress for CityRail service delivery

Minister for Transport David Campbell has released new data revealing fewer CityRail services have been cancelled during peak times in the past 12 months when compared to the year before. “While there is always room for further improvement I’m pleased to see that CityRail is well within its 1 percent target for peak time service cancellations in 2006/07 and 2007/08,” Mr Campbell said. “Our rail commuters deserve more reliable and faster services and that’s why we have delivered a Customer Charter which sets out a range of goals over the next three years.”

Extra protection for south west crossings

A $660,000 Victorian Government upgrade to two level crossings, one at Boorcan Road, Boorcan and another at Wire Lane, Camperdown have been completed, improving safety for motorists. Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the crossings had been upgraded to boost their safety features. “The Brumby (Victorian) Government is taking action to build on our record investment in rail safety,” Ms Kosky said. “We are aiming to upgrade 45 level and pedestrian crossings across the state this year as part of our drive to make crossings safer for all road users.”

Chairman appointed to Sydney Metro

Minister for Transport David Campbell has announced that Chris Herbert has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the Sydney Metro Authority. Mr Campbell said Mr Herbert is an experienced infrastructure executive and project director who will bring a great deal of knowledge to the new Sydney Metro Authority. “Metros are the future of transport in Sydney and the Government is moving ahead with delivering the CBD Metro, which is due to begin construction next year,” Mr Campbell said. “Mr Herbert will be instrumental in the delivery of this project and will work closely with Les Wielinga, the CEO of the Sydney Metro Authority.”

Last of the sleepers to be laid

A major milestone has been reached on the $612.8 million North East Revitalisation Project with almost all of the 285,000 concrete sleepers laid and 200 kilometres of track converted from broad to standard gauge between Seymour and Wodonga. Inspecting the works at Seymour, Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the regional project would see the creation of an interstate rail super highway with two standard gauge lines adding capacity between Melbourne and Sydney. “The $612.8 million project will increase capacity and flexibility for both passenger and freight services by upgrading the rail line and providing two standard gauge tracks side by side between Seymour and Wodonga,” Ms Kosky said.

National data reform to improve rail safety

Australia’s transport ministers have unanimously approved a national strategy for rail safety data collection. In 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed that the collection of rail safety data by regulators and industry should be standardised. Different state-based approaches have created information gaps and inconsistencies, which means there is currently very little useful data at a national level. “We can improve our collective understanding of what causes rail incidents, and better manage those safety risks, by collecting the right data that is timely, reliable, comparable and nationally consistent,” NTC Chief Executive Nick Dimopoulos said.

Windermere level crossing upgrade

A $1 million Victorian Government upgrade to the level crossings at Draffins Road and Powells Road, Windermere has been completed, improving safety for local motorists. Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said the crossing had been upgraded to boost its safety features as part of the Government’s commitment to improve safety at level crossings across Victoria. “These crossings now feature new, brighter flashing lights and electronic bells, making it safer for motorists, heavy vehicle drivers and train passengers,” Ms Kosky said.

INDUSTRY

QR supports Earth Hour

QR is proud to support Earth Hour, an international initiative to highlight efforts to combat global warming. The company will purchase clean energy credits equivalent to its Australia-wide energy use during Earth Hour on 28 March. QR Passenger Executive General Manager Paul Scurrah said QR’s decision to purchase green power credits would support renewable energy generation.

One millionth concrete sleeper

At Gunning in NSW, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and the Southern Improvement Alliance laid the 1,000,000th new concrete sleeper between Sydney and Melbourne marking a milestone in a $2.1 billion plus boost to rail’s freight transport competitiveness. This is part of the historic upgrade of the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane rail link. ARTC had allocated some $400 million to replace wooden and steel sleepers on the Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor with around 2.2 million new concrete sleepers. Concrete sleepers will provide consistency on the line; although consistency in rail sleepers may not sound significant it will mean better efficiency from the track and reduced transit times between the main eastern state demand centres.

Rail signs European Road Safety Charter

The railways in Europe - including Great Britain - have taken a major step forward in engaging with high level EU decision makers on level crossing safety. The European Level Crossing Forum (ELCF), which is facilitated by RSSB, was one of four major signatories of the European Road Safety Charter - a new European Commission initiative designed to develop firm action to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities through exchange of best practice across the EU.

Siemens to supply high speed trains

Tangshan Railway Vehicles, Changchun Railway Vehicles, the Chinese Academy of Railways and Siemens have signed an extensive contract for the supply of 100 high speed trains. “This new order from China is especially gratifying to us because together we will be supplying the first vehicles for the Bejing - Shanghai route, the most important high speed line in the country,” Hans-Jörg Grundmann, CEO of the Mobility Division in the Siemens Industry Sector said. With a total length of 400 metres China will get the world’s longest single train in use in the area of high speed transportation.

High speed rail for Turkey

The International Union of Railways (UIC) has congratulated the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and its Chief Executive Süleyman Karamanon for the opening of the first section of the high speed line between Ankara, the administrative capital, and Eskisehir on the Ankara-Istanbul line. The section that was officially opened on 13 March includes 197 kilometres of new track between Eskisehir and Esenkent, on which trains can run at 250 kilometres per/hour, and 39 kilometres of existing track between Esenkent and Ankara which will be used until the new line is completed. Construction work on this 533 kilometre-long high speed line, which will connect the two main cities of Turkey, Istanbul and Ankara, began in 2004.

New timetable for Thameslink Program

A new timetable for one of London’s busiest commuter routes has come into force, marking the start of the major construction phase of the congestion-busting Thameslink Program. The multi-billion pound Thameslink upgrade will revolutionise travel on the capital’s only north-south main line route, delivering more trains, more seats and more journey choices as well as new and upgraded stations that will benefit millions of passengers. As part of massive improvement work, the Farringdon to Moorgate branch will close so that Network Rail can extend Farringdon’s platforms to accommodate longer 12-car trains.

ACCIDENTS

Investigation report looks at derailment

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its final investigation report into the 23 April 2007 train derailment in Trail, British Columbia. The Board is satisfied that improvements made as a result of its investigation will help ensure that trains can safely descend steep mountain grades. During the course of the investigation, Transport Canada issued a Notice and Order requiring that crews operating trains on the 4.1% grade between Warfield and Trail ensure that brake pressure retainers are functioning properly and set correctly. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) has since amended its procedures to comply. Additionally, Transport Canada agreed with a TSB Rail Safety Advisory regarding the absence of the dynamic brake holding feature on both locomotives involved in this derailment.