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200 new train drivers poised to be graduated in next three years in Western Australia.
June 15,2022 (Pilbara, Western Australia) Western Australia is facing severe rail skill shortage and government is yet to address this critical skill shortage issue. Realising this issue in advance Mining Giant has taken the bold decision to set up own rail academy to address this issue. Decision was made last year and the first batch of 60 new graduates are ready by now and the academy welcomed the first recruits August last year. BHP Billiton is investing $20 million AUD in the academy program. BHP WA Iron Ore Asset President Brandon Craig said: “We are excited to see the first round of recruits coming through BHP’s Pilbara Rail Academy and joining our high calibre rail team in Western Australia. “Through our $20 million investment in the academy, we hope to ease the squeeze of rail driver availability in WA and create new pathways for people to join our team and pursue a rewarding career in mining. We can make our business and the mining sector more resilient, create training and job opportunities in regional WA, and continue to deliver value to communities and the economy.” More than 70 per cent of the 60 trainee drivers are women and about 20 per cent are indigenous, as BHP works to increase diversity and strengthen the capability of its workforce. The academy recruits have a range of life skills and experiences, including former Uber drivers, ex-military personnel and mums looking for a career change after raising children. After undergoing a 10-month intensive program at BHP’s Port Hedland and Newman operations, the graduates will receive nationally recognised qualifications in a Certificate IV Train Driving. They will join BHP’s experienced team of drivers responsible for operating the company’s WA iron ore train fleet of more than 180 locomotives, which deliver ore across more than 1000 kilometres of track from its Pilbara mines to Port Hedland for export. A fully laden BHP WA iron ore train typically comprises four diesel-electric locomotives pulling approximately 270 cars carrying 40,000 tons of iron ore and can be up to two kilometres long. By doing so BHP has proven their social responsibility, RailFactor wish this academy will grow into multi-disciplinary skill set development academy including track ,signalling, communication,maintenance of the infrastructure. Source :BHP, Western Australia
12 months ago
Read MoreIn a first, some CSX railroad workers to get paid sick leave
News Nation (Associated Press) February 8, 2023 (Omaha, US) Several thousand workers at CSX will soon get one of the things that pushed the U.S. railroad industry to the brink of a strike last fall: paid sick time. CSX announced a deal Tuesday with two of its 12 unions, becoming the first major railroad to offer that benefit that most U.S. workers take for granted. About 4,000 track-maintenance workers in the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division union and another 1,000 mechanical workers in the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen union will get four days of paid sick leave as part of the agreements. The workers will also be able to convert three of their personal leave days into sick-leave days. Quality-of-life concerns about the lack of paid sick time and demanding schedules that keep many rail workers on call 24-7 dominated contract talks with all the major railroads last fall. More than half of all the roughly 115,000 rail workers involved voted to reject five-year contracts that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses because of those concerns. Ultimately, that contract was imposed on all the workers at CSX, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads after Congress and President Joe Biden stepped in to block a strike because of concerns about the potential dire economic consequences. Tuesday’s deal is especially welcome to rail workers who remained frustrated after the contract was imposed because the new contract didn’t resolve most of their quality-of-life issues. Many workers say their jobs became unbearable after more than one-third of all railroad jobs were eliminated over the last six years as the railroads retooled their operations. Source https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/in-a-first-some-csx-railroad-workers-to-get-paid-sick-leave/
4 months ago
Read More"All set for Rolling off new signalling system " LRMC
Light Rail manila Corporation (LRMC) ,Manila LRT -1 Private operator which is a joint venture company of Metro Pacific Investments , Sumitomo Corporations Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation(MPLRC) ,Ayala Corporation’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (AC Infra) and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructures Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd are set to deliver a modern reliable and faster railway system to their passengers .The legacy signalling system on Line 1 has been replaced with Alstom’s communication based system ,is part of LRMC’s ₱11.6B investment for the rehabilitation, restoration, and upgrade of existing system. Alstom system continuously control and Monitor the operation of the trains. Moreover the new signalling system along the existing line -Baclaran to Balintawak Station -will facilitate the testing ,commissioning and operation for revenue service of the 4 th Generation trainsets which is targeted to start in Mid -2022 Source : LRMC completes upgrade of LRT-1 signalling system – Light Rail Manila Corporation
one year ago
Read More"SAR" Affirms Readiness of Haramain High-speed Train
Saudi Press Agency 06 July 2022 (Mina, Saudi Arabia) The Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has successfully completed the preparatory operation for the Haramain High-speed Train before the actual operation of the Hajj season 1443H, which will start next Thursday (Al-Tarwiyah Day), with the start of transporting pilgrims from Mina to Arafat. During the recent months, the SAR has carried out maintenance and testing operations for the readiness of trains and stations in line with the highest standards of safety and quality to ensure the operation of the train among nine stations in the holy sites. Haramain High-speed Train aims to provide a fast, convenient, reliable and safe way to travel among Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites while utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. --SPA Source https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2368332
11 months ago
Read More$14 billion Auckland light rail bid gets green light, decision on second Waitematā Harbour crossing in 2023
News Hub 28 January, 2022 (New Zealand) A decision on light rail in Auckland has finally been reached. The Government has selected partially-tunnelled light rail from Auckland CBD to the airport, a proposal that comes with a $14.6 billion price tag. It will become the "spine" of Auckland's future transport network and will eventually integrate with light rail and with new rapid transit to the North Shore and northwest. That will be possible thanks to an additional Waitematā Harbour crossing, with decisions on that mammoth task to be brought forward to 2023. While it's expected to generate up to 97,000 new jobs and 66,000 homes by 2051, the construction will be a huge disruption for businesses - Auckland's City Rail Link is a prime example. The Government has committed to a support package to be developed alongside affected businesses. But the benefits, not least of all a cleaner way for Aucklanders to get around, will mean that transport will be available every five minutes from approximately 18 stops, cutting travel times from the CBD to the airport in half for many. "Where previous governments and councils have failed to plan for the long term, we are committed to preparing for and safeguarding our country's economic future today," Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Friday. Transport Minister Michael Wood added: "Our largest city needs a linked-up rapid transit transport network that will serve Aucklanders into the future, making it faster to move through the city, connecting communities, providing greater access to businesses, all while reducing congestion." Getting to this point has been rocky, which you can catch up on here. But setting the drama aside, light rail offers some exciting prospects for a city expected to have 31,000 additional households by 2051. The chosen light rail option will be 24km with up to 18 stations or stops from the CBD to Māngere and the airport, running every five minutes so people can turn up and go. It will be capable of carrying up to 15,000 passengers per hour at peak, which is four times more passengers than a dedicated busway or trackless trams. It will also take an estimated 12,000 cars off the road. The light rail track will integrate with current train and bus hubs and the City Rail Link stations and connections. Light rail can also be extended to the North Shore and northwest without having to transfer from one line to the other. It will see light rail in a tunnel from Wynyard Quarter to Mt Roskill, which comes to the surface and runs alongside the SH20 motorway to the airport. There will also be safe walking and cycling along the corridor and with connections to all stations. The Greens are pleased Auckland will have a clean transport option. "For years the Greens have been pushing for accessible public transport options for Aucklanders that reduce traffic congestion, cut climate pollution, and make it easier to get around without a car. Today we can see part of that vision becoming a reality," said transport spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March. "While the Green Party's preferred option has always been more accessible street-level light rail down Dominion Rd, it's time to get on with building better transport options for Aucklanders." Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick said it was "encouraging" that modelling shows building light rail with a boring machine will cause much less disruption than the trenching seen with the City Rail Link. The Greens also welcomed the decision to move forward with an additional Waitematā Harbour crossing. But ACT wants politics taken out of transport projects. "The light rail process to date has been a disaster. We've spent four years trying to figure out how to make a political promise from Jacinda Ardern work. In the meantime, we've seen billions of dollars moved away from road building, projects cancelled, rescoped and deferred, fuel taxes increased, and regions neglected," said transport spokesperson Simon Court. "New Zealanders deserve better." Court said ACT isn't opposed to light rail in principle. But he's concerned about the process and what the project could do to Auckland. "Auckland is staring down a decade of disruption. Questions need to be asked about whether we could be taking actions today at less cost to deliver light rail in the future. For example, options like investing in the bus network and repurposing it for light rail later could be reconsidered." But according to Wood, the Northern Busway is growing by 20 percent a year and will run out of capacity in 10 to 15 years, so new transport options for the future are required. "Addressing future disruption is front of mind for the Government, and designing a support package alongside business will be a major part of this engagement in 2022," Wood said. "We are making a commitment to businesses in the area that significant disruption will be addressed through a comprehensive package, including direct financial support." Source https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/01/14-billion-auckland-light-rail-bid-gets-green-light-decision-on-second-waitemat-harbour-crossing-in-2023.html
one year ago
Read More$3.5b to be spent on Queensland rail projects in state budget
The Sydney Morning Herald June 19, 2022 ( Australia) The Queensland government plans to pump $3.5 billion into rail projects as part of the state budget, which will be unveiled in full by Treasurer Cameron Dick on Tuesday. The Treasurer announced the budget teaser at Cross River Rail’s Woolloongabba site on Sunday following the laying of the first section of track for the $5.4 billion underground project. The $3.5 billion will include $924 million for stage three of the Gold Coast Light Rail, from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads; $876 million for the Logan and Gold Coast faster rail upgrade from Kuraby to Beenleigh; and $489 million towards the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade. The package will also allocate $789 million towards the New Generation Rollingstock program, including new signalling and train control systems; $212 million towards the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program; $107 million towards building three new Gold Coast stations – at Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac; $92.5 million towards the Loganlea train station relocation; and $30 million for the Loganlea train station park ‘n’ ride upgrade. Dick said these projects would create more than 5000 jobs over their lifespan and include the building of 65 new trains in Maryborough. “Our rail investment is not just for the south-east, it is for all of Queensland. In particular, it will support manufacturing jobs in regional parts of the state, particularly Maryborough and Rockhampton,” he said. “By making trains here in Queensland, it also supports traditional manufacturing and skilled jobs in the many small and medium businesses that are part of the supply chain.” Dick’s announcement followed the laying of the first section of track, spanning 50 metres, at Cross River Rail’s Albert Street station in Brisbane’s CBD, part of the 5.9-kilometre twin-tunnel project. Transport Minister Mark Bailey said that project would greatly benefit crowds watching games at the Gabba, and during the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “Trains will arrive every three minutes at the Gabba, clearing 900 people at a time. Can you imagine how much better that is going to be getting out of the Gabba, compared to the current schemozzle?” he said. “You can throw as many buses as you like at it, but it is still very difficult to get away from the Gabba. “This [Woolloongabba] station will not only be fantastic to get away from the Gabba when it is open, it will also be essential to moving people about for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.” The Gabba is set to host the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies. Cross River Rail workers aim to lay 50-100 metres of track every day for the next year or so, before moving into the mechanical and electrical work phase, followed by the station fitout process. The majority of the construction work should be done by 2024. There will then be a period of testing before the first trains start taking passengers some time in 2025. Source https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/3-5b-to-be-spent-on-queensland-rail-projects-in-state-budget-20220619-p5auuk.html
12 months ago
Read More$5.7 Billion Budget Allocated for Metronet Projects in Western Australia | Thousands of jobs
9 September 2021 Project schedules adjusted to suit current economic conditions Today’s State Budget delivered a $5.7 billion investment in 15 METRONET projects over the next four years, with $1.5 billion to be spent in 2021-22, creating and supporting thousands of local jobs. With government projects competing for the same resources as the private sector, coupled with the height of the pandemic last year, project timelines have been adjusted to suit the current climate. As part of this, two METRONET projects have had their project schedules adjusted – Thornlie-Cockburn Link has been deferred by one year, with operations now to commence in late-2024, and the Yanchep Rail Extension has been deferred by one year with operations now to commence in late-2023. There are currently 15 METRONET projects planned, under construction or complete which have created local jobs, providing opportunities for local businesses, and transforming Perth's public transport network for all Western Australians. News Source: https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/news/latest-news/project-schedules-adjusted-to-suit-current-economic-conditions
2 years ago
Read More$600m Philippine rail car order won by Japan's Sumitomo, JR East unit
Nikkei Asia March 18, 2022 (Manila, Philippines) A rail car covered by the contract is displayed at an event celebrating the deal. Manila commuter line intended to reduce traffic, pollution Japanese trading house Sumitomo and a unit of East Japan Railway won an order from the Philippines on Friday worth just over $600 million for 304 rail cars, part of a commuter line extension connecting Manila with cities to the north and south. Source https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-deals/600m-Philippine-rail-car-order-won-by-Japan-s-Sumitomo-JR-East-unit#:~:text=MANILA%20%2D%2D%20Japanese%20trading%20house,to%20the%20north%20and%20south.
one year ago
Read More$640m train testing centre delayed by a year, first phase to open in 2023
Straits Times November 4, 2022 (Singapore) The opening of a dedicated train testing facility in Tuas – the first of its kind in South-east Asia – has been delayed by a year. The Integrated Train Testing Centre (ITTC) is being built in two phases, and was slated to be fully operational by end-2024. The first phase, which includes the construction of a high-speed test track, was supposed to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. It is now expected to be completed in 2023, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Friday. Phase two, which involves the building of two other test tracks, workshops, an operations control centre and an administration building, will be ready only in 2025. The ITTC is the latest rail project here to face setbacks. Other rail projects, such as the Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line 6 (CCL6), were delayed by up to a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When ready, the ITTC will allow train and rail systems testing to be performed round the clock, freeing up limited engineering hours at night for other maintenance and renewal works. The delay means commuters may need to continue to bear with the late opening and early closure of stations, should more engineering hours be needed to conduct such tests. The testing centre is located on a 50ha site at the former Raffles Country Club, which was acquired for the terminated Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project. South Korean firm GS Engineering clinched a $639.5 million contract to design and build the centre in 2020. Civil construction work started in March 2021. The ITTC’s three test tracks are designed to be interoperable and can accommodate all types of signalling and communication systems used across the MRT network. One is a looped endurance track with an uphill gradient section to test train performance; the second is a looped performance and integration track with a branched S-shaped track; and the third is a straight high-speed track that allows for tests at up to 100kmh. When fully operational, the centre will be among the first in the world that can test different trains and rail systems at the same time, without disrupting regular passenger services. LTA previously said the ITTC will support the testing and commissioning of trains and railway systems for both new and existing rail lines, including CCL6 and the mid-life upgrades of trains. Testing is currently done at depots and on the main MRT lines when trains are not in service. With the ITTC, new trains can be tested here while an MRT line is still being developed and the depots are not yet ready. Such tests typically take years and are currently done overseas. The ITTC will also help build up local rail engineering capabilities, the authorities earlier said. On Friday, LTA inked an agreement with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence in the United Kingdom to collaborate on the development of train testing centres in both countries. Under the memorandum of understanding, signed during the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition, LTA and the global centre will share best practices in areas such as design and engineering, among other things. LTA deputy chief executive for infrastructure and development Chua Chong Kheng said the partnership will “help develop and grow mutual capabilities in operating such testing facilities”. Source https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/640m-train-testing-centre-delayed-by-a-year-first-phase-to-open-in-2023
7 months ago
Read More'Billions saved' in high-speed rail deal
Bangkok Post 15 March, 2022 (Thailand) The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has said it will now be able to save billions of baht in additional costs in the execution of a high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-tapao airports. SRT said this is possible due to the concessionaire, Asia Era One, agreeing to amend the construction contract and shoulder costs. The SRT expects to save up to 27 billion baht, said SRT governor Nirut Maneephan. Some 9.2 billion baht of this figure is required to fund the construction of a high-speed railway structure the project is sharing with the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project, he said. The SRT also expects to save billions of baht in interest that would have needed to have been paid if it had not agreed to begin repaying construction costs of the project to Asia Era One from the 21st month instead of the 25th month as agreed in the initial contract and shorten the repayment period from 10 years to seven years, he said. The early repayment and shorter repayment period were agreed in trade of the agreement by Asia Era One to shoulder the 9.2-billion-baht construction of the shared rail structure, he said. Asia Era One, formerly known as Eastern High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co, is the CP-led consortium that won the bid to build a high-speed rail linking three airports. The agreement between the SRT and Asia Era One is expected to be approved by the government committee directing the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) policy and then endorsed by the cabinet by the end of this month, he said. The high-speed rail system linking the three airports is one of the key infrastructure projects in the flagship EEC. Also as part of the deal, Asia Era One and the SRT signed a memorandum of understanding in which both sides agreed to work together to find a solution to the overdue payment by Asia Era One of 10.6 billion baht for the so-called joint venture right it was supposed to have done on Oct 24. Source https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2279103/billions-saved-in-high-speed-rail-deal
one year ago
Read More'Culture Train' links Germany and Poland
Deutsche Welle 8 January 2023 (Germany) This train service from Berlin to Wroclaw is more than a means of transportation — it also offers a culture program. The "Culture Train" between the German capital, Berlin, and the southwestern city of Wroclaw in Poland has been on the move since 2016. The trip between the cities on the Spree and Oder rivers takes 4 1/2 hours — plenty of time to inform passengers about the culture that awaits them at the end of their journey and provide them with entertainment. On board, passengers encounter writers, musicians, creative artists, a library and a permanent exhibition. The project was originally designed for a six-month period, but it was so successful that it was never discontinued. It has become a respected institution that is known far beyond the German-Polish border region. Poland, Berlin cooperate to boost culture Rafal Dutkiewicz, former mayor of Wroclaw, said he was one of the driving forces behind the idea. "Someone from city hall came up with a name right away: 'Pociag do kultury' — Culture Train," he said, adding that the aim was to develop Poland's cooperation with Berlin and the state of Brandenburg in the culture sector while at the same time reviving a train link between the two cities that had been discontinued two years earlier. On the German side, a "group of young creative people" played a major role in putting the idea into action and aiding its success, he said. Long before the project was launched, Ewa Strozczynska-Wille, who specializes in theater and German studies, and Natalie Wasserman, a translator, got together with director and producer Oliver Spatz to work toward this joint German-Polish endeavor. Spatz, who was director of the Kleist Forum in Frankfurt an der Oder from 2015 to 2016, is still project manager for the Culture Train. "We'd had the idea of offering culture on a train for quite some time," said Wasserman. When Wroclaw was chosen as European Capital of Culture in 2016, that was a unique opportunity to make a dream come true, she said, adding that a "conglomeration of ideas" had come together. Maiden trip sold out When the Culture Train set off on its maiden voyage from Berlin's Lichtenberg station on April 30, 2016, Spatz's team held their breath. "We were afraid that no one would take the train because of the long journey," he recalled. In the end, they were taken completely by surprise. "Many more people wanted to travel than we could fit," he said. "We had planned a capacity of 420 seats. After two weeks, every seat was sold. That blew us away." The organizers had faced the difficult challenge of coming up with a cultural program that appealed to a wide range of people. They devised a basic scheme aimed at a broad audience, with a quiz and a mobile library on board. Passengers were asked simple questions, such as giving the number of states or voivodeships in both countries. "The point was to get people talking with one another," Wasserman remembered. Source https://www.dw.com/en/polandberlin-cooperate-to-boost-culture/a-64288376
5 months ago
Read More'Cycle train' services taking off across Japan
Japan Times March 28, 2023 (Osaka, Japan) So-called cycle trains, or trains on which passengers can carry their bicycles without having to fold or disassemble them, are spreading across Japan. Faced with a decline in passengers due to the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to a rapidly aging population, railway operators in the country hope to attract more users by utilizing the popularity of cycling and taking advantage of tourism resources along their train lines. East Japan Railway, or JR East, has been operating a cycle train connecting Tokyo’s Ryogoku Station with stations along the Pacific coast in Chiba Prefecture since January 2018. Reflecting its good reputation among cyclists, the 99-seater train used for the service is sometimes fully booked. West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, started a cycle train service on a section of the Kisei Line in December 2021. It also added a train car for bicycles to its Kuroshio express train last October. The company does not charge an extra fee for taking bicycles onboard. The Kisei Line section, which links Shingu and Shirahama stations in Wakayama Prefecture, is one of the lines that JR West has revealed to be unprofitable. “We hope that many customers will use the service, leading to the revitalization of areas along the line,” a JR West public relations official said. Kintetsu Railway introduced a cycle train service on its lines, including the Shima Line in Mie Prefecture, last September, with no extra charge for bringing bicycles onboard. With the service making it easier for passengers to visit sightseeing spots that are far from stations, Kintetsu gets more than 60 users per day on busy days. Keio launched a trial cycle train service in January to attract tourists to areas around Mount Takao in Hachioji, western Tokyo. It is currently conducting a second trial. Shikoku Railway, or JR Shikoku, launched a cycle train service on an irregular basis on a section of its Yosan Line in 2009. The service was a pioneer for train services targeting cyclists, taking advantage of a bicycle path that crosses the Seto Inland Sea near the line. Passengers are currently allowed to bring their bicycles onto certain regular trains on JR Shikoku’s Yosan and Yodo lines during weekends and on holidays. The railway operators’ respective cycle train services have been well-received, with requests to expand them to more routes. Whether companies can make investments on equipment such as specialized train cars and get cyclists to travel on trains together smoothly with ordinary passengers is likely to be key to the success of cycle trains. Yuko Yamamoto, chief of the nonprofit CycloTourisme Shimanami, which was involved in the Yosan Line cycle train, said that growing awareness of health and environmentally friendly values has been behind the expansion of cycle train services across the country. “(The services) can serve as the core of regional branding, and promote tourism trips to visit multiple sites,” she said. Source https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/03/28/general/cycle-trains-popularity/
2 months ago
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