Railway_Digest__February_2018

Rail industry
Aurizon quits interstate intermodal services
Rail freight operator Aurizon has exited the interstate intermodal
business, running its last revenue trains between Perth, Adelaide,
Melbourne and Brisbane in the week commencing Monday 18
December 2017.
The profitability of Aurizon’s intermodal business has been in doubt
for some time and the decision to quit the business was announced on
14 August 2017 after a comprehensive freight review.
It is believed that most of the traffic previously carried by Aurizon has
moved to rival operator Pacific National. Subject to regulatory approval,
Aurizon has signed a binding agreement with a consortium of Pacific
National and Linfox to sell its Queensland Intermodal business, and a
separate binding agreement with Pacific National to sell its Acacia Ridge
Intermodal Terminal.
The sale transaction is expected to be completed by June 2018.
With only six months left under the Aurizon banner, GE/Goninan unit 2837 hauls Mackay to Acacia Ridge Intermodal Y776 southbound on
the Yandina to Nambour section at Kulangoor on Sunday 24 December 2017. Ray Miller
Downer EDI to deliver New Intercity Fleet network
modifications
Transport for NSW announced on Monday 4 December that Downer EDI
had been awarded the contract to deliver station and signal modifications
across the suburban and Intercity network in preparation for the arrival
of the New Intercity Fleet from 2019.
Some existing rail infrastructure needs to be upgraded to accommodate
the New Intercity Fleet. This includes:
• Platform extensions,
• Modifications to infrastructure within the rail corridor, including
the installation and relocation of signalling and overhead wiring
structures,
• Trackwork,
• Installation of balises (an electronic beacon or transponder placed
between the rails as part of an automatic train protection system)
and car markers; and
• Installation of CCTV, public address systems, lighting and station
furniture, where required.
“The New Intercity Fleet will provide customers with more comfortable
and reliable journeys between Sydney and the Central Coast, Newcastle,
South Coast and Blue Mountains,” said a Transport for NSW spokesperson.
“These are new state-of-the-art trains and as with any new technology,
we need to make some minor modifications to the stations and signals
across the network which will include platform extensions, overhead
wiring adjustments and train location technology. The modification
work will commence in early 2018 and where possible be completed as
part of the existing rail maintenance schedule and track work weekends
so we can minimise the impact on the travelling public.”
One controversial feature of the new trains, that are being manufactured
by Hyundai Rotem/UGL, is the use of fixed seating rather than reversible
seating which has been popular with NSW commuters.
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