As Headline and Yellow Dinner partner again this year at AusRAIL PLUS, Alstom is planning to have a unique and dynamic presence on the exhibition floor – splitting its stand into four interactive areas, a Virtual Reality Zone and a full “mobility theatre” with host presentations from industry leaders to engage visitors with its sector-leading products and solutions.
Via the power of virtual reality (VR), conference attendees will be transported into Alstom’s new Next Generation G Class Tram (NGT) and X’Trapolis 2.0 (XT2) train, both of which are currently being manufactured in Dandenong (NGT) and Ballarat (X’Trapolis) ) ahead of testing on the network in 2025 – providing an exciting glimpse of their design and features without leaving the exhibition hall.
Alstom’s Director of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, Robert Gunning, said Alstom’s stand will showcase the full range of products and services that the business covers, from rolling stock to maintenance to digital infrastructure and signalling.
“We’re nearing the point of delivering some absolutely iconic rolling stock projects in Victoria with the NGT and XT2 products, so we will show off these solutions through an impactful and engaging experience,” Gunning said. “The way we’ll be doing that is by virtually placing people inside the XT2 and the NGT through a fully immersive VR experience.
“You’ll put the goggles on and be encased in the interior of both of those products.”
Gunning said this will give conference attendees a real sense of what the finished train and tram will be like, in advance of them entering passenger service next year.
“It’s a sneak peek of what the interiors are like, but you’ll also be able to see all the design specifications we’ve undertaken to make sure that they’re tailored specifically for the needs of Melbourne.
“With the work that we’ve done in partnership with the state with engaging a wide range of representative and community groups, a lot of design nuance has gone into the end product.
“This is what we uniquely do as a business – global technology solutions combined with local know-how to meet the needs of the customer.”
Alstom is setting up a virtual photo booth too, so visitors can grab a snap with the new train and tram before they’re out on the tracks.
It’s also the first year the transport solutions provider will be running a Mobility Theatre, featuring panel discussions and presentations from Alstom experts as well as customers and stakeholders.
“It’s a great way for people to learn and exchange ideas, which is a key part of what AusRAIL is about,” said Gunning.
“We want our presence to be meaningful and impactful, so we can present ourselves to customers and the industry in the best possible light, reflecting our status as the rail industry leader in Australia.”
Global insights
Alstom’s Chief Executive Officer Henri Poupart-Lafarge will have a major presence at the exhibition and conference, flying from France to give a plenary speech titled Tracks to Transformation: Australia’s Opportunity in the Global Rail Evolution.
Gunning said that having Poupart-Lafarge at the show will be a fantastic opportunity for attendees to hear a global perspective from an industry thought-leader, both at the plenary as well as at the Mobility Theatre at Alstom’s stand.
“Having international leaders of Henri’s calibre attending the show is great news for the Australian rail industry,” Gunning said.
“His presence is a reflection of the importance of the Australian and New Zealand market, not just for Alstom, but for the sector at large.
“This is of course healthy for the country and illustrates the dynamic market where innovation is thriving. All possible, of course, because of continued investment in rail from governments and private sector players.”
As the leader of the largest pure rail player in the world, Gunning said Poupart-Lafarge will provide unique insights into trends in the global transport market.
“Henri is uniquely placed to understand trends across continents, geographies and governments all across the world – whether it’s high-speed rail in the United States, innovative railway solutions in the Middle East, or the major projects that we’re doing here in Australia,” he said.
“The important thing is the translation of that knowledge to the Australian context.
“He will offer global perspectives on local, contextual problems – from challenges around interoperability to decarbonisation, digitalisation and more.”
Speakers from Alstom will also be sharing their perspectives as part of the main AusRAIL PLUS conference program, with technical sessions covering topics such as advances in signalling and the journey towards battery-powered trains.
Industry leader
In addition to being Headline Sponsor of the conference, Alstom will once again sponsor the Yellow Dinner on the evening of Wednesday, 26 November.
Gunning said Alstom is proud of its strong and historic partnership with AusRAIL and the organisation behind it, the Australasian Railway Association.
“We’re happy to show our support of the rail industry through our sponsorship,” he said.
From a brand perspective, Alstom sees AusRAIL PLUS as a key opportunity to reinforce the message that the company is much more than just a rolling stock manufacturer.
“We’re proud to have that association with manufacturing rolling stock, because we’re the only company that does it in Australia from end to end – but we also have an extremely significant presence in services and signalling across states,” Gunning added.
“With the success that we’ve had over the years, growing our market position, AusRAIL PLUS is a key part of building our brand and showcasing our expertise in Australia and New Zealand.”
Gunning said the Alstom team is looking forward to experiencing everything AusRAIL has to offer, catching up with customers and making new connections.
“The rail industry is a relatively small one, and a lot of important networking gets done at events like this, so facilitating those conversations and ensuring we continue to connect with people that we work with is significant,” said Gunning.
“We hope people come along to our stand – whether it’s to grab a cup of coffee and a cookie, to try the virtual reality experience, have a chat, or listen to our Mobility Theatre presentations.
“It’s going to be a great show!”
