Dear Readers
We are pleased to be supporting the Thailand Rail 2024 Conference which will take place from 18th to 19th March 2024 at Le Méridien Bangkok, Thailand.
The Thailand Rail 2024 Conference will explore the development of rail infrastructure in Thailand and neighbouring countries, focusing on planning, execution, and future expansion. It will explore rail's digital landscape, giving all the dignitaries an opportunity to learn, meet, and be inspired by fresh ideas from connecting rail to a wider network in smart cities to connecting countries from visions of the sector’s future to attracting the investment needed to make them a reality.
For more information and to register to attend, visit: https://thailandrail.bricsaconsulting.com/
Best Regards
Rail Personnel
Rail News
6 March 2024. Australia. First station complete on new METRONET line
The new Morley-Ellenbrook rail line, part of Western Australia’s massive METRONET investment, has marked a major milestone with the completion of Ellenbrook Station. Composed of more than 346t of steel and 1,160t of concrete, this new station is a big step in the government’s commitment to build a 21km rail-line to Ellenbrook. The new station, one of five being delivered as part of the project, is located in the heart of Ellenbrook town centre, and will offer more transport options for the more than 46,000 residents living in the area.
Source: Infrastructure Magazine
6 March 2024. Canada. AECOM to Provide Design Services for Toronto’s Ontario Line
AECOM has been selected to provide design services for the Ontario Line’s Pape Tunnel and Underground Stations (PTUS) package. The company will work as part of the Pape North Connect Team selected by Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx to help deliver the 15.6-kilometre stand-alone transit line in Toronto. This team is a consortium comprised of AECOM, Arcadis, Webuild Civil Work Inc., and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd.
Source: Railway-News
6 March 2024. United States. Brightline to Open New Rail Station in Stuart, Florida
Brightline has announced plans to open a new intercity rail station in the City of Stuart in Martin County, Florida. This location was chosen from a review of five proposals from private and public landowners along the Brightline/Florida East Coast Railway corridor. The decision to select Stuart was impacted by several key factors, including the location and physical characteristics of the site and the ease with which it will integrate into Brightline’s existing rail network. Brightline also acknowledged the dynamics of the local market in Stuart and the site’s accessibility to key local attractions.
Source: Railway-News
5 March 2024. Taiwan. Taipei metro extension to Keelung approved
The Ministry of Transportation & Communications has approved plans to extend the Blue Line metro eastwards by 15·6 km from Nangang Exhibition Centre in Taipei to Badu main line station in Keelung. The total project cost is NT$69·7bn, of which the central government would provide NT$52bn. The rest of the cost is to be borne by various local authorities, with Taipei municipality agreeing a NT$5·8bn contribution, New Taipei City NT$7·1bn, and Keelung NT$4·792bn.
Source: Metro Report International
5 March 2024. Australia. Sydney Metro West TBMs on the move
Sydney Metro West has resumed tunnelling works with the relaunch of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Beatrice and Daphne at the Five Dock Metro Station site, continuing their journey toward Sydney Olympic Park. The TBMs continue to build the new metro tunnels, with their next stop 2km away at the future Burwood North Metro Station site. The relaunch of TBM Beatrice and Daphne is a major milestone in a significant program of work that will see the 24km metro line between Westmead and Hunter Street in Sydney’s CBD start to take shape over the next 12 months, further progressing the Sydney Metro West project that will also help drive housing supply.
Source: Infrastructure Magazine
Siemens is embarking on a groundbreaking £100 million investment to establish a cutting-edge rail infrastructure manufacturing, digital engineering and research & development (R&D) center in Chippenham, underscoring its unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, excellence, and its campaign ‘to build in Britain with Britain built in’. The new facility, set to replace the existing factory in 2026, is poised to be a cornerstone for Siemens’ future projects in rail technology, providing an efficient site to build the next generation of conventional and digital rail signaling and control systems for Britain.
Source: Rail UK
4 March 2024. Nigeria. Lagos Rail Mass Transit network opens a second line
Work on the metro began in 2009 after a contract was agreed with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). Nigeria’s largest city has opened the second line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit system, five months after its first line began taking passengers. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended the ceremony opening the 26.3km section with eight stations. It will later be extended by a further 11km, to join with the Blue Line which opened in September.
Source: Railway Technology
3 March 2024. Japan. JR Kyushu speeds up track inspection
JR Kyushu is using image processing with AI capabilities to automate high speed line track inspections, replacing the need for staff to go out on foot. A two-seat trolley travels at 20 km/h, with one operator driving and the other monitoring images and data on a tablet. If a problem such as a loose bolt is detected, they stop to examine the issue. The machine vision technology supplied by Tokyo Artisan Intelligence uses a high speed camera with AMD Kria K26 SOM hardware for AI-enhanced pre-and-post data and image processing.
Source: Railway Gazette
