Dear Readers,
We have to have some sympathy for train travellers in the UK.
A couple of weeks ago rails were buckling because of the heat. Last Friday two power generators went out and commuter trains powered by overhead wires ground to a halt mid-journey and now monsoon-like floods have closed the railway lines between Scotland and England (see separate stories).
...and Brexit is still to come!!
Jobs of the Week are located in New Zealand, Australia and Taiwan.
Our client is one of New Zealand's largest employers, responsible for rail operations in in more than 50 towns and cities across the country. They are looking for Design Manager, Track and Depot, to be based in Auckland.
We are seeking a Sales Engineer who has an understanding of signalling and/or rolling stock systems to work in a family operated business in Victoria.
Our client is looking for a Safety Engineer to review and check the safety environmental equipment, undertake training and implementation for the safety manual and management of the department's safety related issues. This role is located in Changhua.
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:
10 Aug 2019. UK. Flooding shuts railway between England and Scotland
Hundreds of passengers have been stranded on trains as biblical floods have swamped tracks - virtually cutting off Scotland from the rest of the UK.
Source: The Telegraph
10 Aug 2019. Iran. China Sign Contract To Electrify Tehran-Mashhad Railroad
Iranian has signed a contract with China to implement a project to electrify the main railroad connecting the capital, Tehran, to the northeastern city of Mashhad.
Source: Eurasia Review
9 Aug 2019. UK. Blackout causes commuter chaos
A blackout has hit London, the south-east and north-west of England and Scotland, disrupting train travel.
Source: AP/Reuters
9 Aug 2019. Pakistan. Final rail link to India suspended
Pakistan has announced that it will halt the last train service running to India, after New Delhi revoked special status for its portion of the Kashmir region claimed by both countries.
Source: Reuters
8 Aug 2019. USA.HDR selected for Port of Long Beach rail project
The Port of Long Beach, the largest U.S. intermodal import gateway, has selected HDR to perform the final design as it moves ahead with its US$870miPier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project to streamline rail operations and reduce bottlenecks.
Source: RT&S
Jobs of the Week
Job Title: Design Manager, Track and Depot ( #12605)
Discipline: Trackwork
Role: Design
Position Type: Permanent
Country: Auckland, New Zealand
Languages:
Job Description:
Our client is one of New Zealand's largest employers, responsible for rail operations in in more than 50 towns and cities across the country.
Responsibilities:
- Take a lead role in managing the design and creative elements of projects and be the point of contact for the customer
- Ability to quickly understand, analyse, and respond to customer and stakeholders' briefs/requirements
- Work with the Engineering Design Manager in commissioning specialist design, survey and engineering services which cannot be delivered from within the Engineering Team on a Value for Money basis, ensuring strict cost control and accountability
- Lead the operational, capability and cultural shift towards customer experience, employee engagement and commercial returns
- Champion a culture that is focused on effective relationships and engagement with our customers (both internal and external), our stakeholders and broader communities
- Ensure Health and Safety
- Lead and deliver improved zero harm performance, and challenge all teams to achieve and exceed business safety targets, and strive to achieve zero harm.
This is permanent role with visa sponsorship available where needed.
Requirements
- Current drivers licence
- Tertiary qualification in operations research or engineering
- Chartered (CPEng)
- Desirable: 5 to 10 years' experience as a senior designer including concept development and client contact
- Desirable: 5 to 10 years' leading design projects from concept to completion, and of working in a rail environment.
Contact: sarasj@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Sales and Services Manager ( #12696 )
Discipline: Rolling Stock; Signalling
Role: Sales and Marketing, Maintenance
Position Type: Permanent
Country: Victoria, Australia
Languages:
Job Description:
This family operated business is seeking a Sales Engineer who has an understanding of signalling and/or rolling stock systems.
The key aspect of this role is to oversee the relationships of the company with its most important clients. It is responsible for obtaining and maintaining long term key customers by comprehending their requirements.
The client is looking for someone who is involved in some signalling and be able to sell products in the following areas:
- Train electrical equipment
- Train Lifting and depot equipment
- Wheel measurement equipment
- Smaller components of train control equipment.
Other responsibilities:
- In relation to the business product category of Rolling Stock and Service
- Investigate related and existing opportunities for new applications, products - services and / or accounts to grow sales
- Act as the liaison between customers, product managers and suppliers
- Accomplish quality objectives by establishing, implementing and maintaining a Quality Assurance System which complies with the requirements of ISO 9001.
Reports to the General Manager.
Must have Australian citizenship or permanency to work in Australia.
Requirements
- Degree qualification in Mechanical or Civil Engineering
- A minimum of 5 to 10 years' experience in a rail supply or service related organisation, and in key management of business relationships with clients (preferably railway industry) as well as international suppliers
Contact: jackie@railpersonnel.com
Job Title: Safety Manager ( #12709 )
Discipline: Safety; Civil
Role: Management, Safety; Construction Management
Position Type:
Country: Changhua, 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.
The Safety & Environment Manager is responsible (but not limited to) for the management of all safety and environment related activities including (but not limited to) the definition and management of standards, implementation of reporting mechanism, compliance management to relevant safety, quality and environmental safety standards.
Requirements
- Local safety license is required
- Related experience for the power plant projects or construction
- Must speak Mandarin and English.
Contact: patricia@railpersonnel.com
More Rail News:
10 Aug 2019. UK. Flooding shuts railway between England and Scotland
Hundreds of passengers have been stranded on trains as biblical floods have swamped tracks - virtually cutting off Scotland from the rest of the UK. The West Coast Main Line was shut after the tracks between Carlisle and Lockerbie were submerged during heavy downpours, with the water rising a up to a foot above the rails. Passengers on five trains were trapped or blocked by flood waters, Network Rail said. And parts of railway lines have now been washed away, the rail company added. There are no trains running from Lockerbie to Euston, Virgin Trains confirmed.
Source: The Telegraph
10 Aug 2019. Iran. China Sign Contract To Electrify Tehran-Mashhad Railroad
Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri said the country has signed a contract with China to implement a project to electrify the main railroad connecting the capital, Tehran, to the northeastern city of Mashhad. Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate new stations of urban trains in the holy city of Mashhad, Jahangiri said the urban and metro trains are the best solution to resolve traffic problems in metropolises. Managing director of the Iranian Railway Company (RAJA) had announced earlier that electrifying Tehran-Mashhad line, which stretches some 900 kms, would allow for faster trains, save energy and increase the number of train passengers to 32 million people a year. Once completed, the rail route could accommodate electric trains running at 200 kmph, traveling between the two cities in six hours. The contract had been finalized during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Iran back in January 2016 but had not been signed due to various problems.
Source: Eurasia Review
9 Aug 2019. UK. Blackout causes commuter chaos
A blackout has hit London, the south-east and north-west of England, and Scotland, disrupting train travel and snarling Friday afternoon rush-hour traffic. Power supplier National Grid said issues with two generators caused the loss of power and they had since been resolved. Many people reported the outage lasted just a few minutes, but the impact on travellers was severe. Rail services across the country were cancelled or delayed during the evening rush hour, and commuter trains powered by overhead wires ground to a halt mid-journey. London North Eastern Railway said all services were suspended in and out of King's Cross, one of London's busiest stations. It tweeted: "Customer advice is do not travel."
Source: AP/Reuters
9 Aug 2019. Pakistan. Final rail link to India suspended
Pakistan has announced that it will halt the last train service running to India, after New Delhi revoked special status for its portion of the Kashmir region claimed by both countries. "We have decided to shut down the Thar Express as well," Pakistan's railways minister Sheikh Rasheed told reporters, in reference to the weekly service running between the towns of Khokrapar in Pakistan and Monabao in India. "As long as I am railways minister, no train will operate between Pakistan and India."
Source: Reuters
8 Aug 2019. USA.HDR selected for Port of Long Beach rail project
The Port of Long Beach, the largest U.S. intermodal import gateway, has selected HDR to perform the final design as it moves ahead with its $870 million Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project to streamline rail operations and reduce bottlenecks. The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project aims to "expand the port's capability for loading shipping containers directly on rail cars instead of being loaded on trucks for short-haul trips. The expansion and reconfiguration of the existing Pier B rail yard will create a staging area for loading freight trains nearly 2 miles long, eliminating thousands of local truck trips." HDR will work with sub-consultant Moffatt & Nichol on the Pier B project, scheduled to be completed in three phases, with the first phase expected to be complete by 2024.
Source: RT&S
8 Aug 2019. UK. Levenmouth line to be re-opened
A Fife railway line not used for 50 years will be reopened in an effort to repeat the success of similar projects in revitalising towns and rural areas. The Levenmouth link project, which will connect Leven to the Fife Circle route and main lines north and south, is expected to cost about GBP70m. The plan also includes improved bus services, cycling and walking routes. Michael Matheson, the Scottish transport secretary, said that he hoped the line from Leven to Cameron Bridge would be open within five years. Mr Matheson also committed an additional GBP5m to a Levenmouth Blueprint fund available to partners to maximise the benefits of the Scottish Government investment in the area.
Source: The Times
8 Aug 2019. Germany. Softil supports Siemens in developing LTE-R solutions
Siemens Mobility has chosen the BEEHD client framework to develop the next generation of the Long Term Evolution-Railway (LTE-R) networks. This technology will be also used for the development of the new mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) systems to be installed in the metro trains, trams and buses. The BEEHD solution was developed by the Israeli-based company Softil. Siemens Mobility will develop the next generation of communications solutions for the further implementation of the European Train Control System (ETCS) and Automatic Train Operation (ATO). They will also support the replacement of GSM-R technology with the Future Railway Mobile Communications Systems (FRMCS). This project was launched by the International Union of Railways (UIC) in 2014. FRMCS should be available in 2022 to provide tests and approvals. The GSM-R system is scheduled to be phased out in 2030. The Softil BEEHD framework will allow Siemens Mobility’s solutions to deliver stable voice as well as data communications on trains running at speeds in excess of 400 kmph.
Source: Rail
8 Aug 2019. India. Kerala Cabinet approves semi high-speed railway project
The Government of Kerala has approved an Rs660.79bn ($9.3bn) semi high-speed rail (SHSR) project between Kasaragod and the state's capital Thiruvananthapuram. The 532km rail corridor is expected to be completed by 2024. The centre and state government will contribute Rs77.2bn (US$1.08bn) each. Half of the cost, Rs344.54bn US$4.8bn), will be attained through loans .Land acquisition and other related matters will cost the state government around Rs86.56bn (US$1.2bn). The union and state governments will meet the remaining expenses through different loans. The project will be undertaken by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), a joint venture between the Government of Kerala and the Ministry of Railways. It is expected to cut the journey time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod from 12 hours to four hours, and Thiruvananthapuram to Kochi by 90 minutes. The new rail line will also connect the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports. Trains will travel at a maximum speed of 200km per hour.
Source: Railway Technology
7 Aug 2019. UK. Commuters face another rail fare hike
Commuters are braced for a three per cent rail fare hike next week, despite a slump in the punctuality of trains. The rail industry is expected to announce next Wednesday that rail fares will increase by about three per cent, pegged to the Retail Price Index (RPI). Campaigners have long urged for rail fares to hinge the lower Consumer Price Index (CPI), which generally grows at a slower rate. The proposed hike also comes after the new transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said his "first priority" was to tackle the poor punctuality on Britain's railways. According to the rail regulator, in the 12 months to the end of March, 13.7 per cent of trains were delayed by five or ten minutes of their timetabled arrival. During the same period the previous year, 12.2 per cent of trains were delayed by five or ten minutes. The Campaign for Better Transport said fares could increase on average by £131 based on an RPI figure of three per cent. Last year the then transport secretary, Chris Grayling, urged the rail industry to use the lower inflation measure to set pay and fare increases.
Source: City A.M.
7 Aug 2019. Israel. Jerusalem light rail project awarded to CAF and Saphir
Spanish-Israeli owned company TransJerusalem J-Net Ltd. has been awarded a E1.8bn contract to construct the planned extension of the Jerusalem Light. The PPP project is a includes the construction of 27 kms of new track, 53 new stations and various depots covering the entire stretch of the current Red Line (6.8 kms, and the construction of the new Green Line which is 20.6 km long. The contract also includes the design and supply of 114 new Urbos trams for the new Green Line, and the refurbishment of the 46 units which are currently in service on the Red Line. The project scope will also include the supply of the signalling, energy and communication systems, as well as the operation and maintenance of both lines for 15 and 25 years respectively, with the possibility of extending the term. The CAF Group's supply part of this project exceeds E500m and consists of the supply of new units and the refurbishment of existing ones, the supply of signalling, energy and communication systems in addition to JTMT project integration. It is expected that the project will begin later this year and the network will be operational across Jerusalem in 2025.
Source: Intelligent Transport
6 Aug 2019. UK. Funding approved for new Black Country rail stations
The Department for Transport (DfT) has approved a GBP10m grant towards the construction of new stations at Darlaston and Willenhall. Further costs are being met from the region's HS2 Connectivity Fund. Original stations in Darlaston and Willenhall closed in 1965 and only through services have used the line since then. The new stations will not only mean resumption in services for passengers but also land being unlocked for housing, industrial and commercial development. The project is being led by the West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), working with the DfT, Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, Walsall Council and the City of Wolverhampton Council. Planning applications are due to be submitted later this year, with the aim of starting construction in 2020 and reopening the line to passengers by the end of 2021.
Source: Constructions Index
5 Aug 2019. UK. Funding boost for reopening of Black Country railway stations
Plans to reopen the two stations on the Walsall to Wolverhampton line have moved a step forward after the award of GBP10m of government funding. Train passengers will be able to travel directly between the two hubs for the first time in more than 10 years when the line is reopened in 2021. Currently only freight trains run on the Wolverhampton to Walsall line. Stations in Darlaston and Willenhall closed in 1965 and only through services have used the line since then, bar between 1998 and 2008 when it reopened but closed again as there was not enough patronage. The GBP10mi grant, from the Department for Transport, will go towards the construction of new stations at Darlaston and Willenhall. Further costs are being met from the region's HS2 Connectivity Fund. Planning applications are due to be submitted later this year and it is hoped to start work next year with a view to reopening the line to passengers by the end of 2021.
Source: Express & Star
5 Aug 2019. Egypt. Bombardier-led trio wins Cairo monorail deal
A construction and engineering consortium trio led by Bombardier Transportation has won multi-billion dollar agreement to build two automated monorail lines in Cairo. The US$4.5bn (E4bn) agreement is subject to "final signatures of supplementary documents," Bombardier and its Egyptian partners Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors said in a joint statement. The monorails will be able to transport 45,000 passengers per-hour in either direction. The three companies will be responsible for the construction, development and maintenance of the new monorail lines for 30 years. The first line will run 34 miles (54 km) from east Cairo to the new administrative capital being built in the desert. The second line, which will run for 26 miles, will connect 6th October City to Giza. Bombardier Transportation, which will build the system's 70 four-car Innovia Monorail 300 trains, has a US$2.85bn share in the project, and Orascom has a US$900m.
Source: MENAFN
5 Aug 2019. Egypt. Talgo and AOI sign agreement to improve rolling stock
Spanish rolling stock company Talgo and the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI), one of Egypt's biggest industrial conglomerates, are to work together to see how they can jointly improve rolling stock on Egyptian railways. The framework agreement will investigate the joint development of rolling stock across different segments in a bid to increase Egyptian railways capacity and performance. Under the terms of the framework agreement, Talgo and AOI will explore all the options available for the joint manufacturing of rolling stock to be used in different operating segments, including long-distance rail services and as part of the ambitious plans underway to reduce travel times and improve the quality of the public transport services across Egypt.
Source: Global Railway Review
5 Aug 2019. Australia. Melbourne rail passengers set to get free travel
Melbourne rail travellers will effectively receive two days free travel, as the Rail Tram and Bus Union launches protected industrial action against Metro Trains. On Monday, 12 August and Monday,19 August, station staff will leave ticket barriers open, and Authorised Officers will refuse to check myki tickets. Train drivers will also refuse to skip stations or alter train services for a week from 12 August. Metro and the union are at loggerheads over a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for operational staff. Last week RTBU members endorsed 42 protected actions, including possible strikes of up to 48 hours .RTBU Victorian Branch Secretary Luba Grigorovitch said the industrial action is aimed at Metro's hip pocket. The government says the pay dispute is a matter for the union and the private rail operator.
Source: Nine Digital
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