For trains, wear and tear on rail and wheels are par for the course. Rail and wheels deteriorate due to wear, plastic deformation and fatigue. Rail-wheel deterioration, if ignored, can cause safety issues with the train and its passengers, risk of derailment, and also affect the lifecycle of the asset. It makes sense for rail infrastructure owners and train companies to develop integrated economic decision-making for operational and maintenance strategies.
In another instalment of Planes, Trains and Other Moving Assets, we’re taking a closer look at some of Melbourne’s level crossing removal projects.
Australia is experiencing unprecendented population growth, particularly on the eastern seaboard. With this growth in our cities and rural areas, there is an need to develop our infrastructure: roads, transport, services. Certainly this is the case here in Melbourne, with level crossings at major intersections coming down before our very eyes. The completion of the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal (CTD) project in 2018 saw the removal of nine dangerous and frustrating level crossings with replacement skyrail. The shifting upwards of the rail lines has created open spaces and community hubs, as well as increased the flow of traffic and decreased the time and frustration in commuters along the major arterial routes.
The Level Crossing Removal Project is a massive undertaking requiring hours of labour and works underway at various sites around the city and suburban areas. As we sit in our cars, held up by traffic lights or a worker holding the Stop/Slow sign reminding us to take care, it can be easy to overlook the assets used in such a project.
A small town with a big name opened a new rail freight terminal in early December 2019. In the northern region of Victoria, Ultima, with a population of 174 at the 2016 census, has welcomed the upgrade of the Manangatang rail line.
The Qube Ultima Intermodal Terminal currently receives two trains each week, but it is expected to increase to three or four trains per week. The train service will take up to 4,000 trucks from Victorian roads each year.
Keolis Downer is Australia’s leading provider of multi-modal transport options. The company employs 4000 staff and operates transport services across our nation, including Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and regional areas1. Multi-modal transport, simply put, is the offering of all types of mobility services. That includes: bus networks, light rail, rail, ferries, bikes, private drivers and the on-demand transport option.
Construction is at flying pace at Brisbane Airport, with a new milestone reached earlier in December: the completion of the concrete taxiways for the new runway.
For an infrastructure project of this size, planning and preparation is critical. Site preparation on the Brisbane River delta began more than five years ago, with land clearing, and consolidating the soil with sand, a crucial element as the soggy site had the consistency of toothpaste1.