Reliability Improvement in the Rail Sector

TrainsOn Wednesday, 26 August 2020, the Brisbane Chapter hosted a webinar on reliability improvement, with over 140 attendees dialling in across Australia and internationally. The webinar saw Frank Gabriel, Principal Consultant at Railconfidence, present on a real-life reliability improvement program undertaken for a major Australian rail operator. In a point of difference from traditional presentations stemming from the rail sector, the focus of Frank’s presentation was on the mobile equipment used to maintain rail infrastructure, rather than the rail infrastructure itself.

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Roads across the Tasman

Tasman

It is easy to take our roads for granted. Most of us jump into our cars and head to our destination with nary a thought to the state of the road. Sometimes on long journeys, we might become impatient when held up by roadworks, or we may have a grumble if the car lurches over a pothole. For the majority of the community, that’s our limit to an understanding of road maintenance.

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Historic Asset Maintained to its Original Glory

Steam EngineWhen the world was in the grip of the horror of WWII, Clyde Engineering, based in Sydney, rolled out the first of its C38 steam engine, the 3801.The 38 class were the last coal-fuelled steam engine to be manufactured for NSW fleet of rail stock. From 1943, the 3801 rumbled along rail tracks, the familiar and now-nostalgic trail of steam and smoke chuffing from its chimney, to commute passengers to and from capital cities, and townships in between. Hobart and Darwin were the only capital cities to not greet the 3801. In 1967, the steam engine was decommissioned from active NSW rail service, in favour of diesel engines.

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Up, Up and Away!

Up Up And Away

The works on the second runway at Brisbane Airport have not slowed down, not even in the face of the global pandemic caused by COVID-19.

The project is on track and under budget, ready for airplanes to take off and touch down from the 12th July 2020.
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Townsville Ring Road – Infrastructure Australia

Townsville Ring Road

Infrastructure Australia has released its evaluation of the Townsville Ring Road Stage 5 project, with findings stating that completing the Ring Road should be retained as part of a Program Initiative on the Priority List.

The Townsville Ring Road is situated on the Bruce Highway, Queensland’s primary north–south corridor, which includes a thirty-six kilometre section of highway passing through Townsville. Road capacity and safety on the Bruce Highway is part of the advisory body’s nationally significant program initiative, but an updated business case ought to be completed before the combined proposal could be added to the list of projects.

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