199403 – Tobin & Palazzi – Freight Rail Train Operations Project

Freight Rail is a business group of the State Rail Authority of New South Wales. Freight Rail’s specific activity is the transport of bulk freight, including export coal and grain, throughout New South Wales.

The Freight Rail Train Operations Project encompasses the introduction of a network-wide radio system to provide communication between train drivers and train control, and between train drivers and track staff, as well as introducing train order working throughout a large proportion of Freight Rail’s network. The combination of these two changes will result in more’ efficient and cost effective operation of freight trains.

Train radio is a radio system to allow communication with trains, regardless of their position on the network (including in tunnels and in remote areas). The radio system will include satellite and terrestrial portions, with all locomotives being equipped to work using either. Train controllers will have a display of all the trains under their control, indicating the position of the train along the line it is traversing and will be able to make a call on the radio system to any of these trains.

Train order working will replace the sections of electric staff and staff and ticket working throughout the state. It will allow trains to traverse their route with stops only necessary when the train must wait to cross another, resulting in efficiency of operation and journey times being reduced, along with costs associated with stopping and starting trains. In addition, safety will be enhanced with the access provided to accurate data on the position of all trains in the network.

The Freight Rail Train Operations Project will have a dramatic impact on the way Freight Rail moves freight throughout New South Wales, both immediately and also looking towards the future. The work of this project will enable Freight Rail to continue in its task of becoming an efficient and effective rail system.