The winners of the inaugural Australian Heavy Haul Rail Awards have been announced as part of the annual Heavy Haul Rail conference in Perth.
Ben Lombardo from Lombardo Rail was given the Industry Legend award on the night.
An icon of Australian rail, Lombardo has been a leading pioneer and innovator in the industry since the early 1980s, when he took over leadership of Speno Rail Maintenance.
He drove key value add technology development, innovation and the introduction of specialised maintenance technologies into the Australian rail maintenance industry.
He now runs his own consulting business, Lombardo Rail.
“Thank you all for the recognition,” said Lombardo.
“Rail is not about awards but about the great people and experiences on the journey.
“Over 50 years in rail and still loving it.”
The Rio Tinto Rail Material Repurposing Program took out the Excellence in Sustainability award.
The program reuses materials like degraded ballast, rail steel, wheel sets and redundant concrete sleepers for road construction, mine rehabilitation, and community projects.
By engaging with stakeholders like Main Roads Western Australia and indigenous communities to explore innovative solutions, the program promotes a circular economy, reduces costs, and strengthens environmental, social, and ESG outcomes, while enhancing stakeholder confidence and supporting local businesses.
Other nominees included Aurizon’s Fleet Decarbonisation Team and Swietelsky Rail Australia’s Ballast Cleaning Team.
Meanwhile Joe McGinlay from Rio Tinto was named Industry Champion of the Year.
McGinlay has over 30 years of rail experience and has led innovations in Artificial Intelligence, safety, and signalling systems, setting new industry benchmarks.
As Manager of Rail Systems at Rio Tinto, he drives advancements in Rio Tinto’s AutoHaul, including AI-driven predictive maintenance.
At the awards, McGinlay was described as a strong advocate for diversity, supporting and mentoring female engineers and fostering a high-performance culture.
Blake Gibson from UGL Limited went home with the Emerging Leader of the Year award.
Gibson was praised for his leadership, which is “marked by meticulous attention to detail, strategic planning, and a focus on team development”.
