Swietelsky Rail Australia (SRA) has been nominated for the Excellence in Sustainability award at the inaugural Australian Heavy Haul Rail Awards, to be held on March 27, 2025, at Crown Perth.
This prestigious recognition highlights SRA’s contributions to sustainability in the rail industry and the positive impact of its innovative machinery and environmentally responsible practices.
The nomination acknowledges the success of the Hunter Valley Ballast Cleaning Program, a pioneering initiative that has delivered over 10 years of mechanised ballast cleaning for the ARTC NSW Heavy Haul Hunter Valley network.
With a ‘fence-to-fence’ betterment approach, the program has completed more than 100 individual projects, with occupations ranging from shorter duration of 10-12 hours and major occupations between 72 and 96 hours.
Key achievements across the program include:
- Over 330km of track ballast cleaned and dynamically stabilised
- More than 250,000 tonnes of new ballast placed
- More than 180,000 tonnes of spoil material reused/recycled within the corridor
- Estimated 500km of drainage improvements using new and recycled materials
- Estimated 300km of access road upgrades with recycled materials
- Over 45 level crossings and approaches upgraded or repaired using new and recycled materials
- Innovative safety measures, including automated track twist detection and advanced respirators
Swietelsky is globally renowned for its operation and maintenance of state-of-the-art technology across a broad range of mechanised maintenance solutions.
In Australia, SRA has introduced mechanised ballast cleaning and safe use of spoil-handling wagons across the Hunter Valley Coal Network, successfully delivering efficient material handling and reducing project-related emissions associated with double or triple handing material.
These efforts enhanced the performance of the rail network and improved safe corridor access, as well as making significant contributions to environmental sustainability and the circular economy.
Operations Manager Ben Rogers acknowledged the consistent work of the team throughout the entire program, focusing on minimising material handling and maximising reuse opportunities.
“Our project team has consistently focused on maximising material handling and reuse opportunities without compromising on quality, safety, or project timelines,” he said.
“This approach has been key to delivering sustainable rail infrastructure improvements while maintaining positive operational outcomes for our client.
“With two projects remaining in the Hunter Valley Ballast Cleaning Program, SRA is focused on finishing strong.
“Our team remains committed to delivering the final works with the same dedication to quality, sustainability, and efficiency that has defined the program over the past decade.”
Managing Director Anne Modderno commended the team on its commitment to sustainability.
“At Swietelsky Rail Australia, we continue to explore new ways to reuse and recycle materials through our operations,” she said.
“This approach not only enhances the efficiency of our projects but also aligns with Swietelsky’s philosophy of being a solution-oriented and future-oriented business.”
She congratulated all of Swietelsky’s fellow award finalists.
“It is fantastic to see contributions to sustainability, continuous improvement and individual achievements being celebrated at this years’ event,” she added.
The Australian Heavy Haul Rail Awards will bring together industry leaders and innovators, offering a unique opportunity to celebrate excellence and share best practices that drive the rail sector forward.
Members of the rail industry are invited to vote for their winners from the groups of finalists, with the winners to be announced at the Heavy Haul Rail Conference & AHHR Awards Dinner on March 27.
Check the conference page for more information about all the fantastic finalists, and to cast your vote at this link.
Voting closes next Friday 21 March 2025.
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