The national harmonisation of standards across Australia’s railway network could deliver significant benefits, a new report suggests.

Published last week, the Harmonisation of Rail Standards research report has outlined several initiatives that it says are needed to harmonise the standards that govern the systems, processes and technologies that are employed on freight and passenger rail networks across Australia.

All up, the report estimates that standard harmonisation could deliver net benefits of $1.721 billion in present value terms.

(Rail networks across Australia have three standard different gauges – although all major cities are connected by a standard gauge.)

A fragmented system

The report was commissioned jointly by the Australasian Railway Association, the National Transport Commission, the Office of National Rail Industry Coordination and the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board.

It was prepared by GHD Advisory.

According to the report, railway networks across Australia are fragmented in terms of how they operate and the technologies which they use.

This stems from the historical development of Australia’s first railway networks, which developed independently of each other over several decades prior to Federation.

As a result, today’s network is not a singular system but rather 29 distinct networks with an estimated 197 accredited operators across 51,100 kilometres of track.

In particular, the nation’s railway system is characterised by:

• 3 different rail gauges (albeit with each of the mainland capitals now being connected by a single, standard gauge network)
• 11 different signaling and train control systems
• 17 different safe working systems; and
• other differences in terms of axle load limits, gauge structures, permitted rolling stock outlines, platform heights, platform clearance, ruling grades, permissible grades, locomotive performance characteristics, rolling stock for similar functions and overhead power current types and voltages.

All this leads to several problems.

These include:

• a lack of efficiency and interoperability in terms of passenger and freight railway movement across the nation – a factor which has flow on impacts upon cost, safety, efficiency, productivity and the ability of railways to compete with other sectors such as road transport
• difficulty for local suppliers to gain economies of scale by providing common rolling stock components
• further uncertainty, cost and delay as different standards lead to bespoke approval processes which are not mutually recognised across networks
• potential safety hazards as different standards create opportunities for confusion among workers and rail users
• barriers to technological development as having different standards across networks means that development occurs in silos
• higher training costs and reduced mobility of skilled labour as the aforementioned fragmentation necessitates different training and skill requirements for workers across networks; and
• missed opportunities for carbon reductions as aforementioned factors inhibit the competitiveness of rail as opposed to road transport.

The report highlights several examples of where problems are occurring.

Consider signal and control systems.

Around the nation, there are eleven of these in use – none of which are compatible with each other.

As a result, trains are not able to be fitted with a single signaling and control system as would be the case on an efficient network.

Instead, they need multiple radios – each of which must either be installed separately or must be integrated into a single expensive device.

In the future, trains that operate on multiple networks may need to fitted with multiple technology subsystems in order to comply with all standard requirements simultaneously.

Meanwhile, different radio communications systems which are used across networks are incompatible with each other.

As a result, trains which cross the nation using the inter-state standard gauge network typically require five or six sets of radio equipment in order to be interoperable.

This not only adds to costs but can create potential safety hazards as the use of different radio systems may create confusion.

Further concerns may arise as there may be limited room within the locomotive to accommodate the multiple duplicated systems.

Turning to safety, the current fragmented nature of Australia’s railways means that are 17 different safe working systems across the network.

Some railway infrastructure managers even have different and incongruent safe working systems within their own single network.

As a result, workers and equipment need to adapt to different practices both with working across networks and even when operating within individual networks.

This could lead to confusion and could thus create potential safety hazards.

Take for example, the green, yellow and red train signals which are present across the nation’s railways.

Different combinations of signals can mean different things from one side of a network boundary to another.

When travelling across network boundaries, train drivers need to remember what each signal means within the particular network on which they are travelling at the time. Should they fail to do this, there is a risk that the driver may take the wrong action in response to a particular combination of signals.

(Different combinations of signals can mean different things across different networks across Australia. Drivers who operate across networks must remember what each combination of signals means across various networks or could take the wrong action in response to a combination of signals.)

Action Needed

In response, there have been moves toward greater harmonisation of standards and operating processes.

In 2009, the Rail Safety National Law aimed to resolve many of the inconsistencies that existed.

Under this law, however, state and territory governments do not expressly mandate or enforce specific standards under which railway infrastructure managers and rolling stock operators need to operate.

Instead, governments merely set a performance requirement for railways to operate safely.

Provided they meet these requirements, railway infrastructure managers and rolling stock operators are free to develop their own standards.

As a result, the nation’s distinct networks still have their own bespoke standards that govern the systems, processes and technologies on their own network.

As mentioned above, these are often incompatible with standards that are in place on other networks.

In response, the nation’s infrastructure and transport ministers and National Cabinet have tasked the National Transport Commission with delivering the National Rail Action Plan.

This aims to make the rail system more competitive and more sustainable by harmonising standards, technology and operations across the rail system.

Action Needed in Key Areas

In its report, GHD examined several approaches to increase the level of standard harmonisation.

It concluded that the best approach would be to mandate harmonised standards and technical specifications only in areas where the most significant benefits are expected to occur.

In net present value terms, this approach is expected to deliver benefits to the value of $1.721 billion.

The report outlines twelve actions which are needed to advance railway harmonisation.

In particular, it proposes a national body to oversee the development of a National Rail Standards Harmonisation Strategy.

It says that greater harmonisation would help to overcome many of the challenges referred to above and would help to the nation to derive maximum benefits from its rail investment.

This is particularly important as Oxford Economics Australia expects the nation to invest $155 billion into rail over the next fifteen years.

Australasian Railway Association CEO Caroline Wilkie said the importance of harmonisation should not be underestimated.

“The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) advocates for a national approach to harmonisation standards and greater interoperability to support an efficient, safe and productive industry,” she said.

Enjoying Sourceable articles? Subscribe for Free and receive daily updates of all articles which are published on our site

Want to grow your sales, reach more new clients and expand your client base across Australia’s design and construction sector?

Advertise on Sourceable and have your business seen by the thousands of architects, engineers, builders/construction contractors, subcontractors/trade contractors, property developers and building industry suppliers who read our stories across the civil, commercial and residential construction sector