Rail Upgrade
Australian rail networks are among our nation’s most valuable assets. Rail is used for passenger and freight transport, the latter of course a viable and reliable way to move goods and keep our roads safer.
Level Crossing Removal at Moreland and Coburg
The level crossing removal work throughout the suburbs of Melbourne has headed north.
The 2.5km elevated rail bridge1 along the Upfield Line was completed in November 2020, two weeks ahead of schedule. Four sets of boom gates over Bell, Munro and Reynard Streets in Coburg, and Moreland Road in Brunswick were removed, making intersections less congested and increasing safety for the community. Construction of the rail bridge consists of 268 bridge beams, each weighing 110 tonnes and measures more than 30 metres in length. Two custom-built 90 tonnes gantry cranes from the United States were used to access the build in a narrow corridor. At the peak of construction, the two cranes were installing fourteen beams each day, helping to get the job done faster2.
The Assets on the Train go Round and Round
Passengers on the train into the city each morning at peak hour are lost in their devices, books and thoughts. Beneath their feet on the underside of the floor, the wheels of the train rumble over the track, in some cases perfecting a lull that sends passengers into a light sleep.
Roads Maintenance – Safety in SA
Road safety is a crucial element of public infrastructure and in South Australia, over $100 million1 has been allocated towards the maintenance and upkeep of major thoroughfares.
Reliability Improvement in the Rail Sector
On 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.
Roads across the 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.