Dear Readers
We are pleased to be supporting Rail Asia which will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from 22-23 November 2023.
This year’s event focuses on Thailand’s rapid expansion in light rail, high-speed, intercity rail projects and transport infrastructure connectivity. Supported by the Ministry of Transport and hosted by SRT, the event will stage supporting high-level networking sessions, a free to attend conference and a gala industry reception.
For more details, visit: http://www.railasiaexpo.com/
We have 2x exciting Jobs of the Week this week. In Los Angeles, California we are looking for an Engineering Manager to work for a manufacturer of Light Rail Vehicles. Candidates must currently reside in the United States and have direct engineering experience to be considered for this role.
And we are looking for Australia based candidates for an Associate Contract Manager role to work for a global company on the Cross River Rail Project in Brisbane.
Best Regards
Rail Personnel
Rail News
30 August 2023. Australia. Major contract awarded for SRL tunnelling
The Victorian Government has announced the preferred bidder of the first major tunnelling contract for works on the Suburban Rail Loop East. Suburban Connect, a consortium of global leaders in tunnelling including CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction has been awarded the contract for works on a 16-kilometre section of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. SRL East will create up to 8,000 direct jobs and deliver six new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill – slashing travel times and congestion and connecting people to key employment, health and education destinations in Melbourne’s east and south east.
Source: Roads & Infrastructure Australia
29 August 2023. Japan. Utsunomiya Lightline tramway opens
Celebrations on August 26 marked the opening of the Lightline light rail line in the city of Utsunomiya, 100 km north of Tokyo, as Japan’s first new-build tram line since the opening of a line in Takaoka in 1948. The 1 067 mm gauge Lightline starts at Utsunomiya Station East next to the East Japan Railway station and runs for 14·6 km east via Sakushin Gakuin University to the Haga Takanezawa Industrial Park in the neighbouring town of Haga.
Source: Metro Report International
29 August 2023. Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic awards EUR 500 million monorail contract
It is the first monorail transport system to be operated in the Caribbean. The city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic wants to build a monorail system and the SIF consortium, led by the giant Alstom, has been selected to build it. Alstom’s share of the contract amounts to around EUR 370 million, out of a total of half a billion euros. “This project is being financed with the support of the French government,” a statement said. This is the first contract for a monorail system signed by Alstom since the acquisition of Bombardier Transport.
Source: Railway Pro
28 August 2023. Indonesia. New LRT system launched to ease traffic and pollution in Jakarta
Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday launched the first elevated rail line for Greater Jakarta, hailing the US$2.13 billion (S$2.89 billion) project as a step towards easing the capital’s chronic road congestion and worsening air pollution. The driverless, 41.2km Light Rail Transit (LRT) system connects central Jakarta and its satellite cities in West Java, Bekasi and Depok. People in Greater Jakarta commonly use a 418km Commuter Line which serves around 1.2 million passengers per day.
Source: Strait Times
28 August 2023. India. Major Hyderabad metro expansion gets go ahead
The government of Telangana in India has revealed RS60,000 crore ($7.3bn) expansion plans for the Hyderabad Metro that will add 309km to the light rail network. One of the biggest cities in India, Hyderabad has seen significant investment into its metro line in recent years but the latest plans, approved by the Telangana state cabinet, will mark the biggest expansion yet. The metro currently consists of a 67km network across three corridors with another 5km due to be built under Phase 1 and a further 31km Airport Express section scheduled for Phase 2 of construction, meaning the latest expansion will quadruple the length of the network over the next three to five years.
Source: Railway Technology
25 August 2023. Philippines. North-South Commuter Railway contracts awarded
The Department of Transportation has signed the final three civil works contracts for construction of the south commuter section of the 147 km North-South Commuter Railway in the Manila area. The 11·6bn pesos contract CP S-01 covering the construction of 1·2 km of the route and Blumentritt station was signed with a joint venture of PT Adhi Karya (Persero) and PT Persero during in July. The same joint venture was also awarded the 18·2bn pesos CP S-03C contract covering 5·8 km of at-grade and elevated route and elevated stations at Bicutan and Sucat.
Source: Metro Report International
The California High-Speed Rail Authority this week approved the release of a request for qualifications (RFQ) for what would be the nation's first 220 mph electrified high-speed trainsets. The approval is the first part of a two-step procurement process. The authority anticipates getting statements of qualifications (SOQs) from prospective trainset manufacturers in November, according to a CHSRA press release. The authority will then evaluate the SOQs and create a shortlist of qualified teams capable of delivering high-speed trainsets and release a request for proposals in first-quarter 2024 to qualified teams.
Source: Progressive Railroading
25 August 2023. United Kingdom. HS2 completes first giant pier at Water Orton viaduct
HS2 has completed the first of 32 giant piers for the first Water Orton Viaduct, as work ramps up to build the Delta Junction, the project's most complex network of structures in the West Midlands. The pier is 18 meters tall and was built using a bespoke formwork designed specifically for the project. The reinforcement cage for the pier was prefabricated in a factory near Coleshill. The piers will support the deck of the viaduct, which will be built using an innovative construction method and bespoke machinery. The deck segments will be produced at HS2's nearby outdoor purpose-built Kingsbury factory near Lea Marston.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine
24 August 2023. Canada. Vancouver Skytrain’s new Mark V models enter testing
Vancouver’s metro system, TransLink has revealed that it’s Alstom made Mark V SkyTrain cars, have entered their testing phase at a facility in Kingston, Ontario. Functional performance testing at the Alstom facility will include testing the brakes, power systems, doors, and car connectivity, as well as propulsion and automatic running on rails to simulate real-life operations. 205 new cars are designed to eventually replace the original Mark I models, which are slated for retirement by the end of 2027.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine
24 August 2023. Germany. North sea wind energy to power German trains from 2026
Commencing in 2026 and spanning a 15-year duration, a fresh surge of eco-friendly electricity harnessed from the North Sea’s wind resources will imbue Germany’s traction current amalgam with an even greater shade of green. Pioneering this transformation is the upcoming EnBW offshore wind project, christened “He Dreiht,” slated to channel green electricity into Deutsche Bahn’s operations via an installation of approximately 20 megawatts (MW) capacity. This magnitude of power equates to sustaining the entire German rail network’s traction demands for a span of three days, establishing a striking benchmark.
Source: RailTech.com
Jobs of the Week
Engineering Manager, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Job ID#: 13695
Discipline: Rolling Stock
Language: English
Job Description:
Our client is a leading manufacturer of railroad vehicles and they are looking for an Engineering Manager to join their team in Los Angeles, California.
Purpose: Engineering Manager will supervise, plan, direct, or coordinate activities in Engineering department to align and ensure a high performance culture that emphasizes quality and productivity standards. This position is also responsible to ensure on-going manufacturing strategies that includes quality staffing.
Primary Responsibilities:
* Manage engineering team, including coaching and mentoring staff, allocating workloads, and overseeing engineering activities.
* Set realistic goals for the team, prioritize issues, monitor and follow up on progress to ensure goals are met.
* Lead the team to solve complex problems through thought leadership and robust analyses.
* Leverage internal and external resources to develop, advance and retain talent.
* Attend meetings with customers and suppliers as the key representative of the engineering team.
* Design/develop/deploy the vehicle electrical system and integration including embedded hardware and software, circuits, wiring and associated mechanical interfaces.
* Design/develop/deploy the vehicle mechanical and structure systems including FEA, strength calculations, car body and truck facilities.
* Design/develop/deploy the core vehicle systems such as Propulsion, Braking, APS, HVAC, Doors, Communication system and TCMS system.
* Performance testing and troubleshooting LRV electrical and mechanical systems, and evaluate and document results.
* Create and review engineering relevant documents, reports, technical proposals.
* Help with special projects as assigned by Vice President of Engineering.
Job Requirements
* Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical or related field required; Master's degree a plus.
* 7+ years of experience in electrical, mechanical and systems engineering; experience working in Rolling Stock strongly preferred.
* 2-3 years of supervisory experience.
* Experience with communication protocols such as RS232, RS485, MVB, Ethernet & Internet protocols.
* Extensive knowledge of computer hardware and software.
* Ability to troubleshoot using Oscilloscopes, Logic Analyzers, etc.
* Solid experience with version control.
* A team leader with a strong determination to complete projects which may span several years.
* Excellent schedule and task management skills, and proven ability to meet deadlines.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, CAD or related engineering software.
* Ability to travel to various domestic and international destinations.
Contact: Renee Wade (renee@railpersonnel.com)
Associate Contract Manager, Brisbane, Australia
Job ID#: 13776
Discipline: Commercial
Language: English
Job Description:
Our client is seeking an Associate Contract Manager to assist with activities on the Cross River Rail (CRR) Project.
This role is based in Brisbane, Australia.
Key Responsibilities include but not limited to:
* Ensure contracts entered into by the company meet with the Company commercial and legal requirements and standards of compliance.
* Ensure the Commercial procedures are adhered to and manage and monitor monthly.
* Support the commercial team to ensure that the monthly report is updated timeously for review and presentation.
* Contracts (various: including formal, short form, and annual contracts)?Drafting, Evaluation, Negotiation and Execution, including Non-Disclosure Agreements, Biding Agreements, Sub-contracts, Consulting Agreements, Licensing Agreements, Master Agreements, review of sub contract proposed terms and conditions.
* Serve as the point of contact for contractors on contractual matters. Act as contractual "middleman" between company employees and contractors, ensuring timely review and approval / reconciliation of variations.
* Be a key contributor in maintaining commercial acumen amongst the project team.
* Maintain contractual records and documentations and control of all contract correspondence, contractor contact information sheets, contractual changes, status reports and other documents for the project.
* Provide contractual clarification / position to project's team members.
Job Requirements:
Work Experience / Technical Skill Requirements
* Minimum 3-year experience in contract & commercial roles in complex technical/ construction or engineering-based organization.
* Minimum 2-years" experience in the railway/infrastructure/resource industry.
Education / Qualification Requirements
* Tertiary qualifications in engineering, project/construction/building management or Quantity Surveying are essential.
Post graduate qualifications in construction law or contracts management are highly desirable.
Contact: Renee Wade (renee@railpersonnel.com)
