Helping keep rail infrastructure safe in Tasmania

It is essential that appropriate on-going work is carried out to maintain tracks in safe and operational conditions. The relationship with DIER started in 2007, when Coffey Rail was engaged to undertake an independent condition assessment of over 500 kilometres of Tasmanian railway tracks.

“Our team of senior engineers and roadmasters completed the condition assessment of over 500 kilometres of railway tracks. They carefully inspected 30% of the tracks on foot and viewed the remainder from the cabin of a rail mounted vehicle,” said Coffey Rail’s principal track and civil engineer Henry van Ginkel, who inspected a representative sample of the track.

Upon completion of the work in November 2007, DIER called upon Coffey Rail expertise to analyse the annual maintenance and capital works programs and budgets presented by Pacific National Tasmania (PNT), the company responsible for the operation and maintenance at the time. Track specialists from Coffey Rail prepared an alternative program and budget for both capital works and maintenance, which subsequently formed the basis of maintenance and upgrade works adopted by DIER and PNT.

Since the adoption of these alternative programs and budgets, Coffey Rail has been assisting DIER to undertake the maintenance backlog across the Tasmanian rail network in a number of areas. The consultancy is overseeing the implementation of some of the recommendations made during the review of the program, such as resleepering. 

“In accordance with the DIER policy at the time that sleepers are to be replaced in steel, over 180 thousand sleepers have been replaced, reducing the risk of track spread and derailments. Also, timber turnout bearer renewals, timber transom renewals on open deck bridges, and drainage works are being undertaken.”

“Coffey Rail has also been engaged to redesign a number of sharp radius curves on steep grades that are present in the railway network due to the Tasmanian topography, with the aim to reducing train stalling and improving train speed and trailing load,”  added Henry.

The Tasmanian railway network maintenance program and upgrade is an ongoing project that has already delivered several positive outcomes such as a significant improvement in track condition and a reduction in the number of derailments.