The National Transport Commission is aiming to simplify the approvals process for rollingstock across Australia.
Across Australia new locomotives and wagons are sitting idle on railway sidings as owners go through complicated and lengthy registration and approval processes to run them on the country’s networks.
It can take months, sometimes years, to get new rolling stock approved on the relevant networks. In the meantime, rail operators are using older trains, some with specifications dating back to the 1960s.
The difficulty in getting new trains on tracks is costing Australia’s rail sector tens of millions of dollars a year. And has been identified as a major deterrent to investment and rolling stock innovation.
The National Transport Commission (NTC), through its National Rail Action Plan, is working with industry, governments and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) to streamline the rolling stock safety assurance processes. By removing complexities and reducing differences between network requirements, the program is focused on making it easier to get new trains registered and approved to run on networks. So, rail can help meet the growing needs of Australia’s cities, regions and ports.
Every network has its own bespoke testing and approval regime
To operate trains across the 18 separate networks that make up Australia’s rail system, rolling stock operators must register and get approval on every jurisdiction they travel over.
“Each of the 18 networks has its own unique rolling stock approval and testing process,” NTC, Chief Executive Officer Michael Hopkins said.
“This impacts on all operators but presents bigger challenges for freight and passenger trains operating across multiple networks.”
While networks’ testing and approval processes address similar criteria, the Rail Infrastructure Managers (RIMs) which manage the networks rarely share information or recognise each other’s assessments. And often require different levels of detail.
For instance, a rail operator may need to complete a simple five-page document to get approval to run a wagon on one network but be faced with a 50-page document requiring detailed supporting material, risk analysis or intensive, dynamic on-track testing to get the same wagon approved on another.
In some cases, the details are so complex that external consultants are brought in to assist with the process. And when wagons are required to be tested on the network’s own tracks, operators must take a locomotive out of service and find staff to drive it and the wagon to the testing location.
The cost, complexities and time taken to meet these requirements is deterring operators from bringing in newer, innovative technologies. This is affecting rail’s efficiencies and ability to compete for a larger share of the freight market.
Qube National Rail Access Manager, Nicholas Angelos said to get a new loco registered the organisation needs to go through seven network manager approval processes to run nationally.
“That would be like having to get your car or truck not only registered but deemed roadworthy and get it approved by the Australian Standards people in every state,” he said.
“All this means, that after you bring in a piece of rolling stock you could find it takes another six to nine months or more before you have full approval to use it.
“It’s frustrating to think that we can probably get the wagons built in a shorter time than we can get the approvals.”
Why is it so complicated?
Under Australia’s Rail Safety National Law, operators need national rail safety accreditation and network approval to run on Australia’s rail lines.
This is undertaken by RIMs who are responsible for managing the safety risks on their network “so far as is reasonably practical”. Approval is required for new assets and existing assets that are new to the network as well as reconfiguration of approved rolling stock.
The significant variation in requirements between networks reflects the varying network environments and highlights the RIMs’ different interpretations of risk. Some RIMs are more conservative and risk adverse than others.
Transport for New South Wales Chief Engineer Christian Christodoulou said fundamentally, everyone has the same duties and accountabilities under the National Rail Safety Law.
“And the laws of physics under which we all operate are the same. A wheelset in contact with a rail will have the same traction limits, friction and exert the same force irrespective of network,” he said.
“However, as individual organisations and human beings we apply a different lens in terms of risk appetite which results in significant variability and inconsistencies.
“All the requirements are bespoke by each and every RIM. So, they’re not consistent and there’s no mutual recognition. Getting national consistency is very important.”
NRAP program
The NRAP program, approved by transport ministers, is developing guidance for RIMs, operators and regulators. This includes identifying their individual roles, responsibilities and clarifying the appropriate level of safety assurance required to accept rolling stock on networks.
The NTC is also piloting a single national application approach for registering locomotives and wagons. This will reduce the burden on operators to complete many different forms for each network. A third element of the program is investigating ways to harmonise testing requirements and locations.
Creating an environment for the transition to decarbonisation
There is an opportunity to increase productivity and safety in the rail industry and reduce carbon emissions by using more innovative and efficient rolling stock and technology, Hopkins noted.
“However, many operators have told us that they are forced to use older existing rail vehicles because of the regulatory burden in getting new rail vehicles approved and registered,” he said.
“This is an impediment if we want to move towards decarbonising the sector.”
Angelos agreed.
“RIMs need to look at this as an industry,” he said.
“They need to think that as an industry we’re competing against road in the freight market. We need to work together to put our industry in a position where we can compete. This means reducing regulatory costs and bringing equipment to operation more easily.”
To find out more about the NRAP visit the NTC website at www.ntc.gov.au/transport-reform/national-rail-action-plan