Australasia
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Metro Report InternationalLight rail report cautions against ‘unproven’ trackless trams
AUSTRALIA: The Australasian Railway Association has published a report highlighting the social benefits of light rail and making recommendations to help support future development, and also cautioning against ‘gambling’ with what ARA describes as unproven and untested ‘trackless tram’ technology-guided bus systems.
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Alstom starts assembling Perth EMUs
AUSTRALIA: Alstom officially began train manufacturing at the Metronet Bellevue assembly plant in Western Australia on June 7, describing the occasion as ‘a watershed moment’ for the local rail sector.
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SMEC to undertake Cowra Lines reopening study
AUSTRALIA: The New South Wales government has appointed SMEC Australia to investigate the cost and ongoing viability of reviving the out of use 179 km Blayney – Demondrille railway for freight traffic. Cowra station (Photo: Bidgee/ Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA-3.0-au). This route forms part of ...
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Metro Report International
Sydney Metro appoints airport line delivery partners
AUSTRALIA: Sydney Metro has appointed a consortium led by SNC-Lavalin in partnership with HKA and Infrastructure Nation to act as Integration & Delivery Partner for the A$11bn Western Sydney Airport line.
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KiwiRail to assemble wagons at redeveloped workshops
NEW ZEALAND: The redevelopment of KiwiRail’s Hillside workshops to create a wagon assembly facility is to begin this year, following the confirmation of NZ$85m of government funding from the national budget. The Dunedin works had been run down after 2012, although some capability was retained ...
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Tunnel bypassed in earthquake recovery project
NEW ZEALAND: KiwiRail has completed a two-year project to realign a section of its Christchurch – Picton main line on South Island to bypass the line’s oldest tunnel which had been damaged by an earthquake.
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Victoria to buy updated X’Trapolis EMUs
AUSTRALIA: The Victoria state government has announced plans to order 25 X’Trapolis 2.0 electric multiple-units from Alstom to continue the renewal of the Melbourne suburban fleet.
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Rio Tinto to test Rail Vision collision-avoidance technology
AUSTRALIA: Mining company Rio Tinto is to undertake proof-of-concept testing of enhancements to the collision detection system on its AutoHaul autonomous trains, which would add the capability to identify hazards such as people or vehicles on or near the tracks. The nine-month project will have ...
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New Zealand’s 10-year Rail Plan prioritises resilience and reliability
NEW ZEALAND: The government has published a 10-year Rail Plan, setting out its ambitions for a ‘resilient and reliable’ rail network and outlining its investment priorities. The plan does not provide a definitive list of investments or funding commitments, but is intended as a sign ...
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Metro Report International
Acciona to eliminate Melbourne rail/tram crossing
AUSTRALIA: Victoria’s Major Transport Infrastructure Authority has selected an Acciona-led consortium to rebuild a section of Melbourne’s Frankston suburban line, eliminating two level crossings southeast of the city and the flat crossing between rail and tram routes at Glenhuntley.
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Aotea station underground works begin
NEW ZEALAND: Auckland Mayor Phil Goff ceremonially launched the start of underground works for the City Rail Link’s Aotea station on April 16. The future station will be 15 m below ground, with 300 m long platforms. It is being build by CRL contractor the ...
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Metro Report International
Quantum computing could provide a more resilient transport network
AUSTRALIA: The New South Wales government has formed a partnership with specialist technology company Q-CTRL to explore the use of quantum computing to increase the resilience of Sydney’s transport network. Possible applications include tackling complex problems such as updating schedules in real time if there is ...
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News
Gippsland upgrading contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: Rail Projects Victoria has finalised an A$300m contract with the VicConnect Alliance of Decmil, UGL and Arup to undertake the Gippsland Rail Upgrade project, which will improve the regional line between Melbourne, Traralgon and Bairnsdale, southeast of Melbourne.
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Delivery of next batch of Sydney EMUs underway
AUSTRLIA: CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles has shipped the first of the next batch of Waratah Series 2 double-deck electric multiple-units for Sydney Trains, 18 months after the contract was signed. An initial 24 Waratah Series 2 sets were ordered from Downer ...
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Metro Report International
Sydney Metro Barangaroo station contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: BESIX Watpac has been awarded a A$217m contract to build Barangaroo station on the Sydney Metro City Southwest project. The station will be located to the northwest of the city centre, close to the Walsh Bay Arts Cultural precinct. The ...
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Scurrah and Cory to lead Pacific National
AUSTRALIA: Paul Scurrah has been selected as the next Managing Director CEO of freight operator Pacific National, succeeding Dean Dalla Valle who had announced his intention to step down earlier this year. Having previously served as CEO of Queensland Rail ...
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Melbourne doubling tracking and stations contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: An alliance of Acciona, Coleman Rail, and WSP has been awarded a contract for infrastructure works as part of the A$530m Hurstbridge Line Duplication project on the Metro Trains Melbourne network. This includes signalling, power and infrastructure upgrading works, the construction of stations in Greensborough ...
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ETCS to the Sunshine Coast
AUSTRALIA: Work has started on an A$43m project to install ETCS Level 1 automatic train protection on Queensland Rail’s Sunshine Coast line between Caboolture, Nambour and Gympie North.
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Three step plan to improve Australian rail services
AUSTRALIA: The Australian Railway Association has published a report commissioned from Arup which sets out a three-step plan to provide faster, more reliable and more frequent rail services through upgrades to the existing network and the creation of dedicated fast lines. ...
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Metro Report International
Commuter line to metro conversion contracts awarded
AUSTRALIA: Contracts have been awarded for the upgrading of 13 km of Sydney’s T3 Bankstown Line commuter route between Sydenham and Bankstown to metro standards as part of the Metro City Southwest project. John Holland and Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction have been awarded ...
