Engineering for Performance Engineering for Performance ImprovementImprovementImprovementImprovement

Kevin Taylor Kevin Taylor -- Research Program ChairResearch Program ChairColin ColeColin Cole -- Research Program LeaderResearch Program LeaderColin Cole Colin Cole -- Research Program LeaderResearch Program Leader

R3R3 Engineering and Safety ProgramEngineering and Safety ProgramR3 R3 ––Engineering and Safety ProgramEngineering and Safety ProgramCRC for Rail Innovation CRC for Rail Innovation

Established and Supported under Australia’s Established and Supported under Australia’s Cooperative Research Centres ProgrammeCooperative Research Centres Programme

Key Project AreasKey Project Areas

Level Crossing ResearchCondition MonitoringCondition MonitoringNew Methods and Products

Why Railway Level CrossingsWhy Railway Level CrossingsWhy Railway Level CrossingsWhy Railway Level Crossings

StatisticsStatistics

Railway Level CrossingsRailway Level CrossingsRailway Level CrossingsRailway Level Crossings

R3 associated projects includeR3 associated projects include::Evaluating CostEvaluating Cost--effective Railwayeffective RailwayEvaluating CostEvaluating Cost effective Railway effective Railway Level Crossing (RLX) Protection Level Crossing (RLX) Protection SystemsSystemsSystemsSystems

Future Projects to include:Future Projects to include:Video Camera TrialsVideo Camera TrialsSafety Database with RLXSafety Database with RLXSafety Database with RLX Safety Database with RLX compartmentcompartment

Affordable Railway Level Crossing Affordable Railway Level Crossing (RLX) Protection Systems(RLX) Protection Systems(RLX) Protection Systems(RLX) Protection Systems

Active protection: AUD$200,000 -AUD$300,000 per RLX, pUpgrades = AUD$1.2 to AUD$1.8 billibillionAlternative low cost protectionAlternative low cost protection systems available worldwideP t ti ll 50 t th t tPotentially 50 systems that meet requirements but need evaluation

Video CamerasVideo CamerasVideo CamerasVideo Cameras

Visual data available from train Visual data available from train driver perspectivedriver perspectivep pp pVideo cameras will be placed on Video cameras will be placed on t i th t t it hi h d itt i th t t it hi h d ittrains that transit high density trains that transit high density RLXRLXImages will be used to assess Images will be used to assess behavioursbehavioursbehavioursbehaviours

Leads to protective measuresLeads to protective measures

National Rail Safety DatabaseNational Rail Safety DatabaseNational Rail Safety DatabaseNational Rail Safety Database

Demand for a national RailDemand for a national RailDemand for a national Rail Demand for a national Rail Industry Safety databaseIndustry Safety database

RLX incidents will be includedRLX incidents will be included

Senior Industry working groupSenior Industry working groupSenior Industry working group Senior Industry working group formed to shape database futureformed to shape database future

Two preferred optionsTwo preferred optionsCRC working closely withCRC working closely withCRC working closely with CRC working closely with Industry to determine Industry to determine

i ti trequirements.requirements.

New Methods and ProductsNew Methods and ProductsNew Methods and ProductsNew Methods and Products

Improved Insulated Rail JointsImproved Insulated Rail JointsRail Squat ManagementRail Squat ManagementRail Squat ManagementRail Squat ManagementBest Practice Rail GrindingBest Practice Rail Grinding

Improved Insulated JointsImproved Insulated JointsD li blD li bl

N G ti IRJ A

DeliverablesDeliverables

New Generation IRJ Average life 50%, Variability 50%

Railways in Australia SpendRailways in Australia Spend approx $35million per year associated with rail jointassociated with rail joint maintenance and inspection

Improved Insulated JointsImproved Insulated JointsD li blD li bl

N G ti IRJ A

DeliverablesDeliverables

New Generation IRJ Average life 50%, Variability 50%

Railways in Australia SpendRailways in Australia Spend approx $35million per year associated with rail jointassociated with rail joint maintenance and inspection

Rail Squat Management Rail Squat Management D li blD li blDeliverablesDeliverables

R l f idi diti fRules for avoiding conditions of squat formation ,Models for predicting initiation and growthpredicting initiation and growth, Manuals, NDI methods, Management strategiesManagement strategies

Costs associated with Rail SquatsCosts associated with Rail Squats Railways in Australia Spend are approx $5million per year withapprox $5million per year with problems escalating

Rail Squat Management Rail Squat Management D li blD li blDeliverablesDeliverables

Best Practice Rail Grinding Best Practice Rail Grinding D li blD li blDeliverablesDeliverables

I t lli t bi i f i tiIntelligent combining of inspection data, Automated grinding decision making Predicting the RCF crackPredicting the RCF crackmaking, Predicting the RCF crack Predicting the RCF crack depth and patternsdepth and patterns

Estimated savings of Estimated savings of $25million per $25million per yearyear may be possible from bettermay be possible from betteryear year may be possible from better may be possible from better management of rail grinding.management of rail grinding.

Best Practice Rail Grinding Best Practice Rail Grinding D li blD li blDeliverablesDeliverables

I t lli t bi i f i tiIntelligent combining of inspection data, Automated grinding decision making Predicting the RCF crackPredicting the RCF crackmaking, Predicting the RCF crack Predicting the RCF crack depth and patternsdepth and patterns

Estimated savings of Estimated savings of $25million per $25million per yearyear may be possible from bettermay be possible from betteryear year may be possible from better may be possible from better management of rail grinding.management of rail grinding.

Condition Based Maintenance D li bl

NNonon--destructive assessmentdestructive assessment ofof ballastballast

Deliverables

NNonon--destructive assessment destructive assessment of of ballast ballast conditionconditionMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usable

Short Rail Defects Short Rail Defects Defects measured and prioritisedDefects measured and prioritised ––Defects measured and prioritised Defects measured and prioritised ––value adding to existing measurement value adding to existing measurement systemssystems

Condition Based Maintenance D li bl

NNonon--destructive assessmentdestructive assessment ofof ballastballast

Deliverables

NNonon--destructive assessment destructive assessment of of ballast ballast conditionconditionMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usableMaking available technologies usable

Short Rail Defects Short Rail Defects Defects measured and prioritisedDefects measured and prioritised ––Defects measured and prioritised Defects measured and prioritised ––value adding to existing measurement value adding to existing measurement systemssystems

Future ProjectsFuture Projects

More Emphasis on Energy and More Emphasis on Energy and o e p as s o e gy a do e p as s o e gy a dEmissionsEmissionsH brid locomoti e options TrainH brid locomoti e options TrainHybrid locomotive options, Train Hybrid locomotive options, Train

Energy optimisationEnergy optimisation

Continued Emphasis onContinued Emphasis onContinued Emphasis on Continued Emphasis on Maintenance and Asset issuesMaintenance and Asset issues

Concrete sleeper life, Condition Concrete sleeper life, Condition monitoring, Life cycle costsmonitoring, Life cycle costsmonitoring, Life cycle costsmonitoring, Life cycle costs

Future ProjectsFuture Projectsjj

Continued Emphasis on safetyContinued Emphasis on safetyWayside worker safety RLXWayside worker safety RLXWayside worker safety, RLX, Wayside worker safety, RLX,

CrashworthinessCrashworthiness

More Suburban Rail ProjectsMore Suburban Rail Projectso e Subu ba a ojectso e Subu ba a ojectsPassenger access designPassenger access design

E d f P t tiE d f P t tiEnd of PresentationEnd of Presentation

QuestionsQuestionsQuestions Questions and and

DiscussionDiscussion