13th March 2025. Volume 3, Issue 2

Dear Readers

The Heavy Haul Conference will take place from the 26th to 27th March at the Crown Perth, Western Australia.

Bringing together a cross section of major players for quality networking and collaboration, Heavy Haul Rail 2025 will explore challenges, opportunities, and priorities both locally and internationally across the heavy haul industry. The technical streams return showcasing new ideas and developments in maintenance & asset management, technology & safety to ensure safe, and reliable operations. Heavy Haul Rail 2025 will be co-located once again with Rail Turnouts and Rail Signalling.

For more information and to register to attend, visit: https://www.informa.com.au/event/conference/transport-logistics/heavy-haul-rail/

Our Job of the Week this week is in Perth where we are looking for a Senior Professional Electrical Engineer.

Best Regards

Rail Personnel

Rail News

12 March 2025. Australia. Sydney Metro West tunnelling enters the final stages

Tunnelling for Sydney Metro West is approaching completion with two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) breaking through at the junction caverns at Clyde. This latest milestone means more than 80 percent of tunnelling for the project’s 24km twin metro railway tunnels have been completed. TBM Dorothy broke through to arrive at the junction caverns in February after spending three months tunnelling 1.1km from Clyde. TBM Betty is tracking slightly ahead, having arrived at the junction caverns in December 2024 after carving out the tunnel parallel to TBM Dorothy.

Source: Infrastructure Magazine

10 March 2025. Singapore. West Coast Extension leads Singapore’s urban rail growth plans

The Land Transport Authority is developing plans for two further metro corridors serving north and west Singapore, as well as an extension of the Jurong Regional Line southeast to provide interchanges with two more lines. A feasibility study for a new north- south line was proposed in the 2019 Land Transport Master Plan 2040. On March 5, the Ministry of Transport said the 30 km route had now been given the working name Seletar Line and would connect Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang West, Serangoon North, Whampoa, and Kallang to the Marina.

Source: Metro Report International

10 March 2025. India. Oriental Rail wins Vande Bharat Express seat order

The Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala awarded a contract for the delivery of seats. Oriental Rail Infrastructure has secured a contract to supply seats for the Vande Bharat Express, which is claimed to be India’s “first indigenous” semi high-speed train. The contract, valued at approximately Rs 428.9 m ($4.92m), was awarded by Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala. It involves the supply of eight sets of one-rake sets of seats for the trains, with delivery scheduled for July 2026.

Source: Railway Technology

10 March 2025. Europe. CAF wins bid to supply Belgium’s SNCB with new AM30 train fleet

The 12-year framework agreement initially commits to 54,000 places, with a total scope of 170,000 places. Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) has been granted the preferred bidder position in a tender process to supply the National Society of Belgian Railways (SNCB) with a fleet of AM30/MR30 trains. The board of directors of SNCB has approved the continuation of the procurement process, aiming to finalize a framework agreement worth up to €1.7bn ($1.84bn).

Source: Railway Technology

10 March 2025. United Kingdom. Nexus hands Metro signalling bid to Government

A business case to replace the signalling system on the Tyne and Wear Metro has been officially submitted to the Government. The bid backed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has been put together by Nexus, the public body that runs Metro, to make a strong case for investment in signalling. Major investment, estimated at around £400 million, is required to replace Metro’s original signalling system, which dates from the construction of the system in the 1970s and 80s. Signalling is a safety critical asset on the Tyne and Wear Metro. Without it, the Metro cannot run.

Source: Rail News

9 March 2025. Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan railway construction PPP signed

A public-private partnership agreement has been signed for the construction of a railway from Karakol to Makmal. Makmal is the planned site of the break of gauge between China’s 1,435 mm standard gauge and Central Asia’s 1,520 mm broad gauge on the proposed 523 km US$8bn China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway project. The PPP agreement was signed in Bishkek on February 19 by the National Investment Agency, state railway KTJ, and the All-American Rail Group.

Source: Railway Gazette International

8 March 2025. Philippine. Next stop, Manila? Japan’s rail giant eyes the Philippine market

The East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has expressed interest in operating and maintaining the Philippines’ railway systems, a move that could be facilitated through a partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. Established in 1987 following the privatization of the Japanese National Railways, JR East operates most of the major commuter rail lines in the Greater Tokyo Area.

Source: Bilyonaryo

7 March 2025. United States. Amtrak Presents Details of New Airo Trains

Amtrak has outlined the latest details for its new fleet of Airo trains, which are scheduled to debut in 2026. The fleet aims to offer a sustainable and modern travel experience with world-class amenities. In doing so, the fleet is expected to increase the attractiveness of travelling by rail. In total, Amrak is procuring 83 Airo trains following an initial order for 73 units and an option for an additional 10 to meet the increased demand for rail travel.

Source: Railway News

7 March 2025. Australia. Network Rail signs Memorandum of Understanding with Transport for NSW

Network Rail has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Transport for NSW in Australia to develop rail technology, improve reliability, and drive sustainability that will benefit millions of rail passengers on both sides of the world. It marks the collaboration between two organizations committed to accelerating decarbonization and reducing carbon emissions by adopting more sustainable practices, driving innovation, and improving reliability and safety on the rail network.

Source: Rail Technology Magazine

Job of the Week

Senior Professional Electrical Engineer, Perth, Australia

Job ID#: 14956

Discipline: Electrical

Position Type: Permanent

Language: English

Job Description:

Our client is an engineering consultancy and they are looking for a Senior Professional Electrical Engineer to be based in Perth, Western Australia.

Candidates must already reside in Australia to be considered for this role.

Our client is also looking for Senior Professional Electrical Engineers to be based in Newcastle or Melbourne.

As a senior professional electrical engineer and a senior member of the team, you will conduct technical reporting and analysis tasks, on-site testing, and commissioning activities along with project management and client interfacing. Your engineering and project experience will be key to assisting the client to deliver the following as part of a collaborative team against relevant Australian and International standards:

- Earthing system design, analysis, and compliance assessments are essential

- Lightning protection system design, analysis, and compliance assessments.

- Low frequency interference studies.

- Protection grading studies and HV power system load flow investigations and analysis.

- Knowledge of Australian standards relating to high voltage and electrical installations.

- Prepare and review quality deliverables consistent with client expectations

- Manage projects and work packages to achieve quality, budgetary, and program expectations

- Assist the management team with business development and maintaining client relationships

- Assist and mentor less experienced team members

Job Requirements:

- Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree (or higher)

- Must already reside in Australia