The Australasian Railway Association has lodged a submission to the Transport & Infrastructure Net Zero Consultation Roadmap emphasising the need for an informed strategy to support long-term decarbonisation including in hard to abate areas such as freight and heavy haul. ARA’s The Critical Path to Decarbonise Australia’s Rail Rollingstock report details priority actions for industry and government to address diesel traction emissions. ARA says half of Australia’s diesel fleet is due to be replaced in the next eight to 13 years, and action taken now will have a significant impact on the ability to successfully transition to a decarbonised pool.
Leasing company GATX has promoted Christopher LaHurd to Senior Vice-President International, tasked with developing initiatives ‘to fully capitalise on the attractive growth opportunities in the European rail market’ where the company has a fleet of almost 30 000 wagons.
Fonon Corp say the Bulk-To-Shape additive manufacturing technology it is developing will help the rail industry address supply chain issues by replacing low-volume metal components with 3D printed parts. These would be made on-demand using high-performance materials, significantly reducing costs and lead times.
VEB.RF is providing TMH Tver with a 7·27bn rouble loan to support a 9·37bn rouble programme which will enable the company to use entirely Russian-produced components and develop new coach production capacities by 2027.
Californian company Rolling Stock Repair Services is supporting obsolescence and reverse engineering programmes for rail clients. ‘Our rail customers suffer with legacy electronic systems that are no longer supported by the original manufacturer, and the parts are nowhere to be found’, said President Jeff Collins. ‘We overcome this obsolescence issue with our innovative reverse engineering and remanufacturing capabilities, providing component level repairs and comprehensive testing.’
Unipart has appointed Dr Bryan Jackson as Non-Executive Chair from September 1 2024. This follows the announcement on August 14 that founder and Executive Chairman Dr John M Neill will retire from August 31.
WSP has signed the Equity in Infrastructure Project pledge to improve diversity in public contracting. ‘EIP embodies community, opportunity and future’, said Joe Sczurko, WSP’s US region President. ’And it provides us the platform to be a leader in securing opportunities and a brighter future for many communities across the country, especially through our support of historically underutilised businesses.’