Australia's Inland Rail .
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V5 f AUSTRALIA’S INLAND RAIL . Transforming the national supply chain James Michel, Hon.Mbr. AREMA, Mbr. RTSA MARSH RAIL PRACTICE Railway Technical Society of Australasia ENGINEERS–AUSTRALIA / ENGINEERS-NEW ZEALAND RTSA + AREMA Cooperation Agreement • Australian and American railways utilize similar equipment and technology • Australia is a technology incubator- high axle loads • Associations can share knowledge and experiences • Publicizing Calls for Conference Papers • Offering member fee eligibility for events • Sponsoring Study Tours on Railway Engineering (STORE) AUSTRALIA RAIL NETWORK • 210,000 miles; 3 gauges • Capital cities linked – standard gauge • ARTC managed infrastructure • Multiple freight operators/open access • Single track rail corridors • Commodity railways; iron, coal • State-run passenger services • Greatest freight flows: • Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane Corridor • Only 30% of tonne-kms moves by rail • Speed limited by curvature and grade • Constrained by Sydney passenger train congestion and lack of track capacity INLAND RAIL Transform freight movement by building 1100 miles of modern, new and upgraded rail lines that bypass the Sydney commuter network • 2006 Initial Corridor Studies Like building a new • 2010 Conceptual routing finalized freight line from New • 2015 ARTC and PwC publish the Business York to Mobile, AL Case and rail service proposal • 2017 Federal government commits a total of A$9.3 billion to implement • 2018 ARTC initiates final studies, community outreach, calls for tenders • 2018 Construction starts at Parkes, NSW • 2025 Final completion Why INLAND RAIL? • Reduce end point trip time from 33 hours to 24 hours @ 98% reliability • Less carbon emission due to better gradients and curves, longer trains • Generate over A$16 billion of economic activity; 16,000 jobs • Greatly reduce number truck trips on highway networks • Stimulate international trade Traffic Projections • Intercapital freight and COAL/MINERALS intermodal: INTERCAPITAL FREIGHT The fundamental driver • Exports become more competitive on world markets AGRICULTURE • Assure inter-operability with 2050 existing regional rail networks to serve domestic markets Source: ARTC Some Numbers: • New line: 375 miles • Rebuilt/upgraded line: 687 miles • New tunnels: 5.25 miles • Design train length: 5950 feet; 11,900 feet future • Double stack vertical clearance: 23.5 feet • Axle load/speed: • 23Ton/70mph; 27 Ton/50 mph; • Track structure designed for future 30 Ton/50 mph Project Delivery • 13 Project Sectors • 12 by ARTC using conventional tendering • 1 by design-build-maintain Public- Private Partnership • Feasibility and environmental work progressing for entire corridor • Final Completion 2025 • Beneficial use Melbourne to Parkes by 2021 PPP delivery structure Bringing innovation where it is needed most • Inland Rail is an “availability PPP” • Project company has limited operational risks and is paid a fee by government simply for continuing to make infrastructure available for the term of the agreement • Fixed price contract • Project company at risk for construction • No government payment until sector is complete in 2024 PPP - Gowrie to Kagaru, QLD Gowrie to Kagaru • 82 miles, new dual-gauge track • 11 passing sidings • 51 bridges-total of 12,800 lin. ft • 3 tunnels- total of 5.25 miles • 11 viaducts-total of 26,400 lin. ft • Sub-ballast: 258,400 yds. • Earthwork: 15.5 million yds. • 6 grade separations Major Tunnel Project – Sector 10 Toowoomba Ridge Tunnel is 3.9 miles in length Existing line in yellow Technical Innovations • Positive Train Control: Use of Lockheed Martin Advanced Train Management System (ATMS) with in-cab signaling • Flood Risks: Multi-criteria analysis of flood levels to reduce risk of flood waters reaching ballast • Use of 100 year event criteria • Balancing embankment height vs. over-topping risk - resistance • Design Services: Use of Building Information Management (BIM) techniques for holding project engineering data and clearing engineering interfaces • Rail Profile: Change of rail head shape to remove the need for initial grinding L-M Corp Photo Construction Underway-Sector 5 • Parkes to Narrowine-60 miles • 200,000 concrete ties delivered • 14,300 tons of rail on-site • Two construction bases set at Parkes and Peak Hill • A$300 million contract awarded to INLink JV • All existing track and fouled ballast removed • 2400 culverts and new drainage underway • Renewed subgrade started • Grade crossings being rebuilt • Grading and drainage for new 3.3 mile “northwest connection” to the transcontinental mainline in progress in Parkes • 847,000 tons of ballast to be placed Benefits to Shippers Narrabri to North Star – Sector 7 • 117 miles of rebuilt mainline • 1 mile on new alignment at Moree • Sector in final design; ready for tender in 2019 • Tenders for long-lead materials and bridge work underway Unique Challenge Periodic flooding- • Condamine Flood Plain in Queensland • 7.7 mile wide crossing • 5 bridges with 3.5 miles of openings • 543 culverts; 36” to 70” diam. Inland Rail will change traffic flows • New intermodal and logistics terminals will be required near the new alignment for both domestic and global activities • Regional terminals scalable from 10,000 TEUs annually. • Direct rail access to the Port of Brisbane will impact international goods movement Modal splits change Without Inland Rail • By 2050, freight tonnage in the corridor will increase 150% With Inland Rail • Inland Rail reduces the need for construction of substantial new road capacity Source: ARTC Benefit to Australia and its States INLAND RAIL- A VISION: “ A more prosperous Australia with a world-class supply chain based on a fast, reliable connected railway.” Richard Wankmuller, ARTC CEO for Inland Rail Project November 28, 2018 .