Dear Readers,
Rail NZ 2019 - Light Vs Heavy Rail: Moving People & Exploring Options will take place in Auckland from 12-13th September 2019. The 2-day International Summit will look at NZ's current developments in urban rail transportation and what the Government is looking at doing in the future to improve accessibility to public transport as well as look at new developments, challenges, issues, opportunities and how other countries are developing integrated and efficient transport networks.
The organisers of the conference will give a 20% discount to anyone registering who say they were referred by Rail Personnel.
The panel of government & industry speakers includes:
Leo Mak, Director of Systems, KVMRT Project, MMC-Gamuda, Malaysia;
Priyanka Kumar, Architect - Urban Planner, Regional Centre for Urban & Environmental Studies, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Govt of India;
Andrew Sharp, Policy Adviser, International Air Rail Organisation, UK U;

Owen Hayward, Partner, Legal, PwC;
Bob Lupton, Group Safety Director, Richmond Group of Companies;
Tilo Franz, General Manager, Operations & Maintenance, Canberra Metro Operations (Operator of Canberra's Light Rail Stage;
Harriet Shelton, Manager, Regional Travel, Greater Wellington Regional Council; and
Param Sivalingam former Project Director for MMC-Gamuda on Line 2 of the Kuala Lumpur Metro.
We have some great opportunities featured in our Jobs of the Week.
Our client is seeking Warranty and Maintenance Technicians to effect the overall smooth and efficient operation of the rolling stock maintenance in line with the client's policies and procedures, reporting to Shift Manager. These are permanent positions based in Auckland, New Zealand.
We have roles available on multiple airport construction/expansion projects across Asia. Strong Airport design & build experience required e.g. delivery of runways, taxiways, passenger terminal buildings, baggage handling facilities etc. The current roles include: Project Director - Southeast Asia; Construction Project Manager; Southeast Asia; and Planner/Scheduler - South Asia.
We are looking for a Project Manager, someone with a strong rail knowledge and understanding of platform screen doors. This role is located in Montreal, Canada.
Our client in in Taoyuan, Taiwan is looking for a Safety Engineer to review and check the safety environmental equipment, undertake training and implementation for the safety manual along with management for the departments regarding safety related issues.
And they have a further role for a Site Administrator to act as an assistant in managing site construction process and more. The candidate must have relevant management experience, fluent English and Japanese would be plus.
For further information and other opportunities worldwide, visit our website at www.railpersonnel.com.
Regards
Ceri Taylor
Editor
ceri@railpersonnel.com
This Week's Headlines:
29 Jul 2019. Australia. Melbourne-Sydney freight rail on "deathbed"
Rail freight operator Pacific National is urging action on excessive government charges and red tape which it attributes to putting rail freight "on its deathbed" between Melbourne and Sydney.
Source: ATN
27 Jul 2019. UK. New PM backs high-speed Leeds to Manchester rail route
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised a faster rail route between Leeds and Manchester, claiming the benefits would be "colossal".
Source: BBC
27 Jul 2019. China. CRRC developing 400 kph variable-gauge trains
Train maker CRRC is developing variable-gauge trains with a designed top speed of 400 km per hour, said a senior executive of the company.
Source: Xinhua
26 Jul 2019. USA. Stacy & Witbeck/Kuney to build Redmond Link Extension
The board of Sound Transit, a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area has selected the JV of Stacy and Witbeck/Kuney Construction to finish designs and build the Downtown Redmond Link Extension project.
Source: Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce
24 Jul 2019. UK. Commuters warned to avoid rail travel during heatwave
Commuters have been advised to avoid travelling on key rail routes in London and the south-east of England as record temperatures threaten to cause tracks to buckle.
Source: The Guardian
Jobs of the Week:
Job Title: Warranty and Maintenance Technician ( #12526 )
Discipline: Rolling Stock
Role: Maintenance
Position Type: Permanent
Country: Auckland, New Zealand
Languages: English
Job Description:
Our client is seeking Warranty and Maintenance Technicians to effect the overall smooth and efficient operation of the rolling stock maintenance in line with the client's policies and procedures, reporting to Shift Manager.
Fundamental roles and responsibilities which are inherent to the position:
- Carrying out preventative and corrective maintenance on all aspects of the client's rolling stock to meet the requirements of the production plan and in line with the client's policies and procedures
- Fault finding and rectification using mechanical and electrical schematics
- Inspecting bodywork, roofs and undercarriages for wear and tear or damage
- Repairing or replacing parts
- Carrying out regular checks on brakes and couplings
- Ensure all maintenance is carried out in a safe manner in line with Health and Safety guidelines.
Roster - the client works on 24/7 operations and they do a 4 on and 4 off roster. 4 days on 6am to 6pm, then 4 days off, then 4 nights 6pm to 6am, then 4 days off.
Requirements
- Certificate or equivalent years' experience in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering
- Previous experience with maintenance of heavy machinery
- Strong computer skills
- Ability to work rostered shift work.
Contact: sarasj@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Project Director & Airport Opportunities - Asia ( #12681 )
Discipline: Project Manager; Construction Management
Role: Project Management; Construction Management; Construction Supervisor
Position Type:
Country: Asia, Indonesia
Languages: Mandarin; Japanese; Korean
Job Description:
We have roles available on multiple airport construction/expansion projects across Asia. Strong Airport design & build experience required e.g. delivery of runways, taxiways, passenger terminal buildings, baggage handling facilities etc.
For each role, Mandarin, Japanese, or Korean language skills will be an asset, but not essential.
(Please note that, for this particular advertisement, roles may not be based in the country listed on our website due to the fact that our clients are working on projects in multiple locations).
Requirements
Current roles include:
Project Director - Southeast Asia
Client-side representative with overall responsibility for construction of a new international airport on a greenfield site in Southeast Asia. Must have 20+ years experience of working on major construction projects including time spent as a Project Director, Project Manager, Delivery Manager, Programme Manager or similar. Proven experience in overseeing tender processes with contractors, setting and managing project timescales, and successfully liaising between all parties to deliver the project. 10+ years experience of working on the design & build of airports. Full-time role. Approx 3-year contract.
Construction Project Manager - Southeast Asia
Circa 15+ years engineering and project management experience including at least one international airport project. Full-time role. Approx 3-year contract.
Planner/Scheduler - South Asia
Must have airport project experience and P6 skills. Island-based project in tourist-focused location. Suitable for Single status (or accompanied by spouse). Full-time role. 12 or 24 month contract.
Contact: jon@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Platform Screen Door (PSD) Project Manager ( #12659 )
Discipline: Platform Screen Doors
Role: Project Manager
Position Type: Permanent
Country: Montreal, Canada
Languages: English
Job Description:
Our client is looking for a Project Manager, someone with a strong rail knowledge and understanding of Platform Screen Doors.
- Project management experience for platform screen doors
- Must speak Mandarin, even though French is also attractive
- Strong management skill to lead a small team.
Requirements
- Relevant engineering degree (or similar)
- At least 15 years of overall experience
- Strong experience with PSD on at least two projects or five years (covering design, installation and T&C)
- Held a project manager position on at least two projects or five years.
Contact: jackie@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Safety HSE Engineer ( #12687 )
Discipline: Safety; Civil
Role: Safety; Site Engineer; Project Engineer
Position Type: Contract
Country: Taoyuan, Taiwan
Languages: Mandarin; English
Job Description:
Our client is looking for a Safety Engineer to handle the following work:
- Review and check the safety environmental equipment
- Training and implement for the safety manual
- Management for the departments regarding safety related issues.
Requirements
- Local safety license is required
- Related experience for the power plant projects or construction.
Contact: patricia@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Site Administration Manager ( #12676 )
Discipline: Administration; Project Coordinator
Role:
Position Type:
Country: Taoyuan, Taiwan
Languages: Mandarin; English; Japanese
Job Description:
Our client is looking for Site Administrator based in Taoyuan. The successful candidates will carry out the duties: acting as an assistant in managing site construction process and more. The candidate must have relevant management experience, fluent English skill. Japanese skill will be plus.
Requirements
- Preferably previous working experience with Japanese companies
- This position is open to candidates with valid PR or ARC in Taiwan.
Contact: patricia@railpersonnel.com
More Rail News:
29 Jul 2019. Australia. Melbourne-Sydney freight rail on "deathbed"
Rail freight operator Pacific National is urging action on excessive government charges and red tape which it attributes to putting rail freight "on its deathbed" between Melbourne and Sydney. Pacific National CEO Dean Dalla Valle says less than 1 per cent of 20 million tonnes of palletised and containerised freight transported between Melbourne and Sydney is now hauled by trains. He claims excessive government charges applied to rail freight services and a build-up of red tape are suffocating the haulage of goods by rail between Australia’s two biggest cities. "Bizarrely, at a time when Australians want safer roads, less traffic congestion during their daily commute, reduced vehicle emissions, and properly maintained roads, government policies are geared to rolling out bigger and heavier trucks on more roads.
Source: ATN
27 Jul 2019. UK. New PM backs high-speed Leeds to Manchester rail route
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised a faster rail route between Leeds and Manchester, claiming the benefits would be "colossal". In a speech in Manchester he gave his backing to the trans-Pennine transport link to "turbo-charge the economy" Standing in front of Stephenson's Rocket he said mass transport systems enabled people to prosper. Mr Johnson said the full details of the Leeds-Manchester route would be published in the autumn following the review into HS2. The prime minister set out the four "ingredients" for the success of the UK as liveability, connectivity, culture, and power and responsibility.
Source: BBC
27 Jul 2019. China. CRRC developing 400 kph variable-gauge trains
Train maker CRRC is developing variable-gauge trains with a designed top speed of 400km per hour, said a senior executive of the company. The new trains will be able to inter-run between standard, narrow and wide gauge rail lines, thus greatly facilitating intercontinental travel, said Yu Weiping, vice president of CRRC Corporation Limited. Yu said CRRC is relying on intelligent sensing, big data, artificial intelligence and other technologies to offer passengers a safer, more comfortable and rider-friendly experience.
Source: Xinhua
26 Jul 2019. USA. Stacy & Witbeck/Kuney to build Redmond Link Extension
The board of Sound Transit, a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan arean has selected the joint venture team of Stacy and Witbeck/Kuney Construction to finish designs and build the Downtown Redmond Link Extension project, which has a contract of US$729.27m. The project will extend the Blue Line 3.4 miles from the existing Redmond Technology Station at Northeast 40th Street to downtown Redmond, with a new station in southeast Redmond and another downtown. The contract includes construction of a 1,400-space parking garage, the overhead catenary system, traction power substations, train control and communications, special track work, utilities, and street and trail improvements.
Source: Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce
24 Jul 2019. UK. Commuters warned to avoid rail travel during heatwave
Commuters have been advised to avoid travelling on key rail routes in London and the south-east of England as record temperatures threaten to cause tracks to buckle. Train companies operating services into London from Kent, Sussex, Cambridge and other commuter-belt counties said they would be running fewer trains and imposing speed restrictions. They warned passengers to avoid travelling if possible. LNER, operator of the London-to-Scotland east coast line, also advised customers against travelling. Network Rail said in hot weather tracks can be 20C hotter than the surrounding air temperature, causing the steel rails to expand and buckle under pressure from trains. Tracks are less likely to buckle if trains run more slowly, it said.
Source: The Guardian
26 Jul 2019. UK. East Midlands bi-modes to be operations by end of 2022
East Midlands Railway will have its entire bi-mode fleet in traffic by December 2022, according to Baroness Vere, the Government's transport spokesman in the House of Lords. She said that thanks to modern technology, there is no longer a need to electrify every party of every line in order to deliver better journeys. And she claimed that the axing of Midland Main Line electrification north of Kettering in 2017 means passengers will benefit from new trains sooner with less disruption, rather than if they were waiting for the line to be electrified. No details of the train orders have been released but it's known that Bombardier and Hitachi are interested in the contract, but both will be supplying new designs, with the former offering a bi-mode Aventra while the latter will offer an AT300 (the Intercity Express Programme platform) but with shorter vehicles. Abellio replaces current franchise operator Stagecoach on 18 August, at which point East Midlands Trains will become East Midlands Railway.
Source: Rail Magazine
24 Jul 2019. Denmark. DSB seeking driverless Kobenhavn S-bane trains
DSB has launched a market sounding exercise in preparation for the procurement of a fleet of driverless trains to operate the. Kobenhavn S-bane. Building on work now underway to equip the S-bane with CBTC, the government decided in December 2017 to convert the stand-alone 1·5 kV DC network to fully-automated operation under Grade of Automation 4. According to DSB, conversion of the 85-year old network would create 'the world's largest and fastest driverless mass-transit system'. The Future Rail Network strategy, drawn up for the government with support from Ramboll and Parsons, envisages that the conversion to driverless operation should be undertaken as a public-private partnership. The conversion is intended to coincide with replacement of the current rolling stock from 2026, for completion within 15 years.
Source: Railway Gazette
24 Jul 2019. Italy. PM backs trans-Alpine high-speed rail line
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has given the green light to a trans-Alpine high-speed rail link with France, marking a U-turn on a project that has been a source of tension between the parties in the coalition government. The anti-establishment Five Star movement, which has strong ties to environmental groups, has opposed the freight rail line, which would run for 270km between Turin and Lyon in eastern France. Work on the line started almost two decades ago and reopening discussions to complete the project, known as the TAV, was part of the coalition deal agreed between the anti-establishment Five Star and the populist League. A cost-benefit analysis of the project led by a ministry of transport panel in February found that the costs outweighed the economic gains by E7bn, but an expert member of the panel later criticised its findings. But Mr Conte, who is not a member of either ruling party, said that stopping work on the rail link with France would cost Italy more than completing the infrastructure.
Source: Financial Times
24 July 2019. Saudi Arabia. Hyperloop track to be built north of Jeddah
Virgin Hyperloop One has announced a development partnership with the Saudi Arabia's Economic City Authority (ECA) to conduct a study to build the world's longest test and certification hyperloop track, as well as a research and development centre and hyperloop manufacturing facility north of Jeddah. The study will focus on King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), located 100km north of the Red Sea port of Jeddah. The project, which would include a 35-kim test and certification track, will create opportunities for the development of specific hyperloop technologies and develop local expertise in Saudi Arabia which be commercialised and scaled. The study will also facilitate the development of localised hyperloop supply chains and the acceleration of innovation clusters across the Kingdom.
Source: Global Railway Review
23 Jul 2019. Australia. Suburban Rail Loop drilling work begins
Deep drilling that will help pinpoint the locations of stations on the A$50bn Suburban Rail Loop has begun as the initial steps are taken on the Victorian Government's signature rail project. The first sign of works on the Suburban Rail Loop are now under way in Box Hill, where boreholes up to 60 metres deep are being sunk to test rock and soil for composition and stability. It's one of hundreds of geotechnical drilling sites that will dot the 90-km largely underground rail line through Melbourne's middle suburbs, connecting nearly every metropolitan train line in a ring around the city. The project will include 16 stations and potentially have a new interchange station at Wyndham Vale. Further details about the type of trains to be used, the method of funding for the project, station designs and proof that the project is good value for money still needs to be released.
Source: The Age
22 Jul 2019. UK. Network Rail outlines record investment in annual report
Network Rail's latest annual report and accounts show a pre-tax loss of GBP173m compared with GBP48m profit last year - though the national rail body say the loss was planned and expected as a result of the design of the fixed regulatory settlement for 2014-2019, increased train performance penalty payments, increased maintenance spending and increased depreciation and financing costs However, the report for the 12 months to 31 March 2019, saw record levels of investment up 6.2% from last year to GBP7bn, with revenue increased to GBP6.7bn from GBP6.6bn. It was also a year that Network Rail say almost 3,000 new services a week were added to the network, providing "much needed capacity and extra seats as investment in Britain's infrastructure hit a record high".
Source: Infrastructure Intelligence
22 Jul 2019. Russia. New railway line to open in Siberia
A major new railway line in Siberia is due to open this week, allowing tourists to travel to Yakutia - the heart of Russia's permafrost-and-diamond region. The new Amur-Yakutsk Mainline - known as the Ayam - runs from the world's longest line, the Trans-Siberian, to a suburb of the world's coldest city, Yakutsk. The line is the first stage in a new mega-Russian railway that one day might see a link from the far-flung Chukotka region in the far east of Russia to Alaska. The new 770-mile single-track line includes a 560-mile stretch over permanently frozen ground soil - and is considered a major Russian engineering achievement. There are bridges crossing several major rivers and construction capable of withstanding both deep cold and heat. There's an annual temperature fluctuation of almost 100 degrees centigrade.
Source: Daily Mail
22 Jul 2019. Italy. Florence fire triggers rail travel chaos
Train travellers have suffered long delays and the cancellation of more than two dozen high-speed rail services after a fire hit railway infrastructure around Florence. The fire broke out in early morning in a network control unit near Rovezzano station along the Rome-Florence line. and initial indications showed it was likely to be arson, railway network company RFI said in a statement. The disruption affected rail travel across the country, including all the main cities, in a week when transport unions have already announced strikes for Wednesday and Friday.
Source: Reuters
22 Jul 2019. Israel. CRCC building explosion-proof trains for TA light rail
A Chinese railway manufacturer will be supplying "explosion-proof" light rail vehicles for the Tel Aviv system, scheduled to start running by 2021. The trains, made by CRRC, features an explosion-proof design with a curved roof, a non-ferromagnetic bottom and blast-resistant windows to protect against possible rocks, firebombs, and magnetic bombs. The under-frame structure is designed to remain intact within 15 minutes of combustion, giving passengers enough time to evacuate. In addition, the door to the driver's compartment can keep out intruders for at least three minutes. The new trains boast a range of other innovative technologies, including lightweight materials like carbon fibre and SiC power devices used in battery chargers, contributing to a lighter, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly vehicle.
Source: Hamodia
19 Jul 2019. Sri Lanka. IRCON sign deal to upgrade Maho-Omanthai rail track
A contract agreement for about US$ 91.26mi to upgrade the railway track from Maho to Omanthai under Indian concessional financing has been signed by IRCON International Limited of India and the Government of Sri Lanka. The total length of the track that will be upgraded under Indian concessional financing between Maho to Omanthai would be around 130 km. This includes 12 crossing stations, 7 halt stations and 78 level crossings. This is the first time the track is being upgraded in 100 years. This project would double the speed potential of railway track from the current around 60 km to 120 km per hour, as well as reduce the maintenance costs. It will also improve the travel comfort of passengers, and further contribute to the modernisation Sri Lanka Railways. India has so far committed Lines of Credit worth around US$ 1.3 billion for development of railway sector in Sri Lanka.
Source: MENAFN
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